Police camera on the hard shoulder? Options

[LT Smash]

Saw a patrol car on the M4 on Saturday the 21st of feb parked half on the hard shoulder and half on the verge, drivers door fully open and the officer leaning through the open window aiming his camera at the oncoming traffic.

Now correct me if i'm wrong but i'm pretty sure that this is not a legally approved postion for a speed camera, the hard shoulder that is not leaning through the window.

I'm thinking that he was breaking one law to catch people breaking another?

Can anyone clarify this one for me?

I don't think he got me (I was doing about 85 and the damn kids were fighting and putting me off, excuse I wonder?) but it would be nice to know in case a ticket comes through so I can tell em to go away.

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[Hotel Oscar 87]

Sorry, but there is no such thing as "legally approved position for a speed camera" and such 'rules' as may once have existed with regard to the sighting of camera vans haven't applied for very nearly 2 years. These never applied to the police who can basically carry out enforcement anywhere they like. Whether his position was safe is another thing but that would have no bearing on the subsequent issue of any fixed penalty.

Kids fighting is not a defence (unless they were using AK47's and you were trying to escape).

[The Rookie]

He was unlikely to be pointing a camera at you, speed camera's are two big/heavy for that, but it may well have been a laser speed device without a camera attached.

I doubt you will hear any more, the real police are after the excessive speeders, if they went after the first person going past at over 80, then they would never be around to stop the 95+ drivers.

Simon

[vw driver]

Sorry, but there is no such thing as "legally approved position for a speed camera" and such 'rules' as may once have existed with regard to the sighting of camera vans haven't applied for very nearly 2 years. These never applied to the police who can basically carry out enforcement anywhere they like. Whether his position was safe is another thing but that would have no bearing on the subsequent issue of any fixed penalty.

Am I right in thinking that police do not have to apply and justify mobile camera sites? Hmmm

Chris

[southpaw82]

You are indeed right. They can set up anywhere.

[ict_guy]

You are indeed right. They can set up anywhere.

Anywhere that makes them the most £££££ which usually doesn't correlate with improving road safety.

[vw driver]

Does that then make the pocketgpsworld mobile cam database useless - if they can set up anywhere!

Chris

[MartinHP71]

Does that then make the pocketgpsworld mobile cam database useless - if they can set up anywhere!

Chris

Yes it does. But thats really the point to catch the people speeding and get lots of money.

[The Rookie]

This could be heading for the flame pit.....

There is a world of difference IMHO between the remaining real traffic police still enforcing in the same way they did 15 years ago in an intelligent manner relying more on deterrant than needless prosecutions and the scammers who work to the opposite agenda, this was a police officer on police time working in a manner they always used to, he almost certainly wasn't interested in anyone doing less than 95 (which is whay I'm certian the OP is safe), but everyone else will slow down having seen them. Also if this officers stops a speeding car, then checks on licenecs/insurance etc status willbe done, soemthing the scammers never do.

The camera pratnerships on the other hand are more interested it seems in purely getting lots of tickets out to justify the 'road safety grant' to their council, and they tend to stick to their published sites.

Simon