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Original poster

I got flashed by speed camera going to friend in labour - what to do?

68 replies

mears · 14/09/2005 23:00

As some of you know I delivered a friend/colleague's baby inher car at a layby the other night .

What I didn't include in my story was the fact that when I was driving to her house I got slightly lost and then got flashed by a speed camera. I was doing just over 40mph in a 30 zone (I actually thought it was 40).

Now my dilemma is that I already have 6 point so another 3 would get me dangerously close to losing my licence. My DH says I should say he was driving but that is illegal. My work colleague (whose DH is a lawyer) say I could appeal them because I was going to attend a woman in labour.

The flash actually went off and sort of blinded me so does that mean it was actually a car on the other side of the road that triggered it? If so I have no worry. If it was me, do you think I should appeal?

OP posts:
Original poster
mears · 15/09/2005 23:45

Hi Cod - I would be worried about having 9 points because if I slipped up again I would lose my licence. It is not that I am a speed racer but I honestly do not realise how fast I am going because the car is so smooth. How many of us can say we stick to 70 mph on motorways?

I was so upset that I slipped up the other night because I have been so good

OP posts:
Blu · 15/09/2005 23:46

Brilliant story, Mears!

hunkermunker · 15/09/2005 23:47

Coddy! Twasn't me!

hunkermunker · 15/09/2005 23:50

Mears, having just had a parking ticket overturned on appeal by involving the local press (it WAS unfair, btw!), I can wholeheartedly recommend writing to your local paper if you do get something unwelcome and fine-shaped in the post.

Midwife hastening to deliver baby by roadside...nobody would give you points...especially if the article's well written

SueW · 16/09/2005 05:53

Those SPECS ones that do the average speed thing - there are 13 of them sited on the ring road between the two hospitals in Nottingham. I think, in theory, someone could lose their licence in one jounrey rushing from one hospital to the other!

cod · 16/09/2005 07:16

Message withdrawn

cod · 16/09/2005 07:16

Message withdrawn

starshaker · 16/09/2005 07:32

up here we have agerage speed cameras and i know some1 who lost there licence in 1 journey. there were cameras every so often and got flashe through them all. there daughter had broken her leg and was on her own at home (shes 15) not much to do with this thread but thought id warn about these stupid things

wartybosoms · 16/09/2005 10:27

that's GOT to be your site cod!

cod · 16/09/2005 10:42

Message withdrawn

sparlover · 16/09/2005 10:46

i don't think speed cameras are stupid at all. if my 15 yr old had broken her leg and was home alone i would hope she would be sensible enough to call an ambulance.
i would nmeet her at hospital.

you wouldn't be saying they were stupid if your child was hit by a speeding motorist

cod · 16/09/2005 11:05

Message withdrawn

coldtea · 16/09/2005 11:17

I agree Sparlover.

Last week my friend stopped to drop a present off to a friend. Her 3.4 year old was strapped into his car seat & the car was parked right outside the house. As she handed the present over her ds undid his seatbelt climbed over into the drivers side & out the door where he ran into the road. He was hit by a car on a 40mph road. Thankfully the car was only doing 25mph, he was thrown 10 feet into the air & after spending 3 nights in hospital is home now with a fracture in his skull.

I doubt she would think speed cameras are stupid

Lonelymum · 16/09/2005 11:26

Janh are you sure that Gatso cameras only measure cars from behind? I was flashed by one last week and have been miserably waiting for a letter ever since. But I was approaching the camera head on when it flashed. However, there were those painted lines on both side of the road so I assumed that meant it could catch speeding cars on either side of the road, both coming and going IYSWIM. I was only doing about 44-45 in a 40 zone so I am hoping I won't be fined. What does anyone think? I have been flashed before and never heard anything....

BTW Mears, I am sure you could appeal successfully in your case. I hope so anyway!

sparlover · 16/09/2005 11:27

well it's still speeding!

Lonelymum · 16/09/2005 11:33

Thank Sparlover, i am well aware of that. I only want to know if Gatso cameras only catch people going away from them as I was definitely driving towards it. I admit I often speed and have never been caught but if I have been this time, I would say it was a fair cop.

sparlover · 16/09/2005 11:34

oh right, sorry.
it does seem weird to have them flashing you head on doesn't it... surely that's a hazard?

Janh · 16/09/2005 11:59

lonelymum, read this - they can be swivelled to catch traffic going the other way, but can only do one direction at a time and only from the rear (presumably they can't measure speed in approaching vehicles).

manbuyingyourhouse · 16/09/2005 12:02

I heard in court that only very few take forn photos and they are geerlaly ones by traffic lights that are trigggered by prople passing on red.
apaprently whne this was floated mps and blody civil liberties groups didnt wasnt people ( and their passengers) identifiable. MPs and affairs srping to mind.

wodul have saved the courts a LOT of time

manbuyingyourhouse · 16/09/2005 12:02

ops it sme cod

manbuyingyourhouse · 16/09/2005 12:03

(but i ma not sure abotu allt hat)

Lonelymum · 16/09/2005 13:15

Translation please Cod: forn?

So if I was approaching the camera and saw the flash in my windscreen, it wasn't catching me but someone on the other side of the road? Even though I was passing over the white lines on the road that measure your distance?

Janh · 16/09/2005 13:15

front, possibly?

Lonelymum · 16/09/2005 13:18

Yes that is probably it Jan, thank you. I shall just have to wait and see. At least I don't have any other points on my license, but dh says our insurance will go up which is a worry.

MaloryTowers · 16/09/2005 13:18

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.