Driving through a village near Guildford today en route to the dealer, following a BMW Estate.

2 old guys by the side of the road waggling a speed gun (I assume) around, with a small blue sign sayin "Community Speed Watch".

Bimmer slams out the anchors (despite the fact we were both travelling at the speed limit of 40mph) down to 28mph and crawls along, never picking up speed again.

Found this snippet "A maximum of two warning letters, along with safety information, will be sent to offenders and if they are caught speeding again, they will be targeted for enforcement by police, where appropriate."

I can't see how the speed they record is legally recordable - there was no photographic evidence and they didn't seem particularly skilled with the device (ok you can't really tell that, but they weren't resting it on anything, just waggling it around int he air).

It says on the website that it's supposed to make people more aware of the dangers of their speeding - might be worth having bigger damn signs teling them what the speed limit actually is, as they are clearly too blind or stupid to remember what it is.

Then on the way home from the dealer, I saw that these 2 old guys had pulled someone over - wtf? No way am I stopping for 2 guys that might be ANYBODY - anybody could buy a yellow jacket and pull me over, but whats' the legal situation if I don't stop for them.

 

Also found this great line on the Speedwatch website in Cambridge:

"Another result of speeding in populated areas is that people avoid walking along busy roads or letting their children play outside. This creates more cars on already busy roads, which makes it even more dangerous to walk or cycle and a vicious circle is created."

How does avoiding walking along a busy road, create more cars on there ???

 

Where near Guildford was this?

 

They have no powers to stop or to fine.

They 'catch' you 'speeding' twice, then pass your registration on to the Police who come round for a chat.

They'd get an earful if they came round here, about putting pseudo-law enforcement in the hands of busybodies and people with nothing better to do than to berate others.

I despair, I really do.

 

Probably because they will take the car rather than walking

This is so ridiculous. I really can't understand how it can hold up if they don't have photographic/video evidence

 

Babe you know what my sense of direction's like! Coming back from the dealer, go s-over the 1st roundabout, down there a bit.... in the 40 bit.. somewhere near fox corner..

I spotted a few other yellow jackets in the area too, at the roundabout that goes off to Aldershot (?)

I don't mind speed traps (well I do, but I can hardly object as they're enforcing the law) but people clearly don't even know what the speed limit is. Around here there are a lot of 30/40 zones, and it chops/changes between them quite frequently - better signage MIGHT be a good start!

 

"I'm sorry officer I saw what looked like a workman in a hi vis top poinmting a gun at me. I decided to take evasive action and ogt the hell out of Dodge. I am sure that if the individual had been a properly uniformed member of the police I would have recognised them instantly as the bastion of society they are. Instead I was fearful for my safety with the current 'gun culture' that is spiralling out of control and I fled for my safety."

 

Any civvie with a speed gun will be told where to shove it by me.

They can send me a warning letter after two 'sightings'.

Officer Dibble can also come round & tell me he is aware i have been speeding. I WON'T be quaking in my boots though, you flat footed wooden top wanker. If the filth can't catch me (& if they do then fair enough........no argument from me) then some old fart with less official authority than a lollipop lady is on a hiding to nothing.

They are nobodies. I ignore them. See them a few times when i'm in Wales.

Ed

 

Ridiculous mis-use of authority.

Good point Dreamer regarding "bogus" traffic enforcers.

I try to have faith in the police, but to be told only this weekend that "we can't do anything unless they [some scallies throwing railway ballast at my house] damage something" this faith is disappearing fast

 

ohhh man, just dawned on me what a utter feckin waste of police time this is