Speed cameras vs actual police cars

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I was in a situation today where if I'd been caught by a speed camera, I'd have been looking at points and fine, but as an actual police man in a car was involved, I was instead thanked. My point is, a Gatso can't use discretion as to whether you're actually putting your own life and others' at risk.

Here's the pitch:

I was on my way to a cat show with my other half in Banbury (we live near Doncaster, so it's quite a schlep) and was going along the relatively unfamiliar A46 in quite wet conditions. 70 limit, 2 lane section, most cars doing about 50 on the inside lane, but bunched together far too close for the conditions. I was doing 55 or so in the outside lane nothing ahead for miles and a police car behind.

I see the police Rav4 (or similar) which has been behind me a while put his blues on, seemingly answering a shout. I indicated to pull in to let him past, but no-one would let me in, so, as the rain had eased off and the road was much drier, I instead booted it up to 90 on the straight (leaving the indicator on) and pulled in when I passed the string of traffic.

If this had been a situation with an ambulance and I'd tripped a camera, hello SP30 or worse. In this case, the police car goes past, the plod in the passenger seat waves to us, and get this, the LED display on top of the car comes on. It doesn't display "Stop" or "pull over" instead it says "Thank you!"

Myself and the other half couldn't believe this. Most polite police in the world ever!!! Maybe this is a default phrase programmed into the unit, but I thought it was a really nice touch.

I suppose I could have just poddled along at 55 hoping someone would let me in and delayed him getting to (presumably) an accident, but the fact he actually thanked us for getting out of his road, I just can't get over it!

Has anyone else ever had a "Thank you!" from the variable LED displays on top of motorway patrol units?
 
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!!!
As hyb says, that is brave. I'd have been thinking to myself is he trying to pull me over!
Imagine if he was for whatever reason!!! when you put your foot down they would have thought they had a chase on!
 

Day

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Excellent :D

I found myself happening across mr plod the other day on the A31 with everybody doing 60 behind them.

I went past at 75 mph and they didnt even batter an eyelid. In fact they were probobly amused that people were queuing up behind them!
 
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I do like those stickers!

Yup. know what you mean Day. In normal circumstances (motorway not too busy, in the dry) I'll quite happily go past plod at 75-80. I'm sure most police would rather pull somene for doing 50 in the middle lane and causing mayhem than doing 80 in the outside lane and getting on with business nice and safely.

My point is really, a camera can't make a judgement call based on their training. Most motorway patrols are very experienced, no force will give a proby fresh out of Hendon the keys to a 300hp interceptor. Their job is to keep the motorways open and running smoothly and stop people dying, both of which I approve of heartily =D>

A car doing 136mph on the motorway, and an overloaded skip lorry doing 48 and spewing crap on the carriageway are both likely to cause an accident. A camera will only catch one of these.

If the forthcoming amendments to Road Traffic Act fiddle with detectors, I feel that all claims to protecting accident blackspots lose their legitimacy. If you're not allowed to use technology to let you know there's a school or a dicey bend coming, it doesn't seem just. I also have issues with the number of cameras. The first couple that went up in my area were just before a crossing near a playground after a long downhill in a derestricted section and on a set of 40 mph twisties where people regularly lost it. Fair enough, safety cameras. Most newer sites just seem to be designed to hand out as many SP30s as possible and get the revenue in rather than save lives. The figures show this too, the accident reduction figures were good for the first few sites, as they were dodgy areas, but there has been no significant reduction with newer sites.

Anyway, rant over, I've got to eat and drive to work (safely of course :wink: )
 

hyb

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I've a nice Gatso grey t shirt with the camera sign on the back saying 'KISS MY ARSE' :]
 
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