Angry White Pyjamas

10%.

Uk speedometers too.

Ray

The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986, as amended, allows the use of speedometers that meet the requirements of EC Community Directive 75/443(97/39) or ECE Regulation 39. Both the EC Directive and the ECE Regulation lay down accuracy requirements to be applied at the time of vehicle approval for speedometers. These requirements are that the indicated speed must not be more than 10 per cent of the true speed plus 4 km/h. In production, however, a slightly different tolerance of 5 per cent plus 10 km/h is applied. The requirements are also that the indicated speed must never be less than the true speed.

A vehicle meeting these requirements would not be able to travel at a greater speed than that shown on the speedometer and a driver could not, therefore, inadvertently exceed speed restrictions

cabritpop

I have performed dynamometer testing on many vehicles, a dyno can measure actual vehicle speed accurately. Most speedometers seem to perform accurately at the lower speeds, example: if the dyno says the vehicle speed is 40 mph then the speedo generally is displaying 40 mph or 1mph either way its when you get above legal highway speeds in the US like 85 mph then they start doing the 10 percent out. although I have seen vehicle speeds of 55 mph and the speedo says 60 mph. So from all that I think the manufacturers tend to make the speedometers display a higher speed than you actually are going.

Angry White Pyjamas

Besides which we would normally work on a 10%+1 rule of thumb when pulling someone under good, clear driving conditions.

Ie 35 in a 30, 46 in a 40, 57 in a 50, 68 in a 60.

School zones (20) and busy urban areas we'd give less tolerance to as we would if the conditions were bad.

Motorways we'd give more tolerance to speed but would be more likely to pull for dangerous driving like tailgating, bad lane discipline, undertaking etc.

Contrary to popular myth we were far more concerned with driving manner than actual speed...ie its inapproriate speed or driving in a manner not conducive to the current conditions that we'd pull for. Or being a twaty driver of course.

I recall one young lad I pulled doing 25 in a 30 because he drove through a large puddle he could have avoided and soaked a family on the pavement. His runaway gob ended him up with 5 tickets costing 60 quid each, 3 points on his license, him needing to get a load of minor defects rectified within two weeks (Including changing his illegal number plate) and production of documents. Oh and his girlfriend smacking him one for being a knobend and embarrassing her.

Jerseygirl

LOL Good for you.

BigDavyG

Like the time I was pulled up in court for speeding on the motorway on a Sunday morning (6am) in June, dry day, straight road, no traffic.
When I turned up at court there were 25 people who'd all been pulled by the same w**ker - just trying to get their ticket count up as per usual, nothing more, nothing less.
Then again it was traffic branch, so maybe they're different to regular cops.

Angry White Pyjamas

Funnily enough the ticket count thing is just another urban myth. Infact coppers putting in too many tickets get questioned. He was probably just a wanker.

Did he have a white cap? If so then he'll be less likely to let you off as that was all they do. We only pulled traffic if somone was being a complete knobjockey and we saw it while out on general patrol as we usually had far too much work to do anyway than bog ourselves down with paperwork for sod all reason.

Mind you it is kinda amusing when your in an unmarked and someone cuts you up and as they pull infront giving you the finger you light em up with the grill lights...."Now then sir, can you explain to me where that particular hand signal is mentioned in the Highway Code?"

BigDavyG

I don't know - my boss just got the ticket through the post 3 weeks later and I was in court in another 3.
I was doing 107mph mind, but I'm pretty sure that all of the other 25 weren't going quite so fast.
They wind me up as back home most speed traps are on roads where I have never seen an accident

Angry White Pyjamas

100mph+ is a pull regardless of conditions.

Just coz you've never seen an accident doesnt mean they dont happen there. A lot of times we'd have to put up a speed trap at the request of the council who want traffic in a particular spot monitored because local residents have complained about speeding etc there. In which case we'd use radar to check speeds and golden rivers to check flow and give results to the council. To the passing motorist it would look like were being arsholes zapping cars for fun but infact we werent.

Ray

What is really funny is being on OP.... and seeing the old met special patrol group come flying up the road fully kitted out...jump out and smash down a house door .. then realizing the hit was supposed to be on 137 ...not 131...

BigDavyG

Ok, I'll rephrase - I had never heard of or seen an accident at many of the sites the local plods chose.
In addition if they are there to deter people from speeding why hide behind hedges, lamp-posts, etc - that confused me.

Still, regardless of how they chose to police traffic most of them are still w*nk*rs

Angry White Pyjamas

That would've been my uncle. He was SPG in the early 60's. I dont think they were big on appologies when that kind of thing happened.

Bit of a family trade really...cousin in the Met SB, father was a Redcap.

BigDavyG

Ray if you remove the gun from your pic you look startlingly like someone who has been chained to a radiator in Bagdad for 3 weeks

Angry White Pyjamas

Still contrary to belief we're not there to deter people from speeding...we're there to catch the inconsiderate bastards that choose to ignore the traffic laws.

I must admit although I did a secondment on traffic and it has its moments I prefered real police work.

BigDavyG

Its kind of funny.
Back home the local plods no longer attend rta's unless an ambulance is also involved which makes insurance calims in disputed incidents a nightmare.
Wtf are traffic branch actually supposed to do if they don't police traffic ??