Gatso flash

[tut]

After some advice. My neighbour was driving back from Edinburgh last week, he had set his CC for a digital 78 and had driven through all the Gatsos and was then flashed by one, it was night but he thinks it was around Laurencekirk.

He received a NIP yesterday stating he was doing 80, so I have told him to contest it and get photographic proof. Initially he can only return it with the name of the driver, but I presume he will get chance to dispute it after that when they ask for his licence and a cheque. I know that cars from the opposite direction can set off a Gatso, Andy was an expert at it, but I don't think that applies to a dual carriageway.

I presume that they must be set at 79 to even issue him a NIP for 80, but that had to be a false reading as his true speed would have been no more than 76. Anybody else had a similar experience?

tut

[Scotty C]

My neighbour
tut

[tut]

Not me Scotty, have not been to Edinburgh and do not have CC.

tut

[GBOBM]

Cruise control can vary the speed slightly when hitting slight inclines and down hills.
If he was going down a hill and it gained speed, the cruise control would not slow him down to hit his requested speed.

[KennyT]

There is a Gatso near Laurencekirk that is in a 50 zone, if he was doing 75-80 it would have set it off.

To be flashed at 80 in a 70 is very bad luck and I would have thought unlikely, road side police wouldn't chase you for that.
You always expect indicated speed to be higher than actual speed measured on a GPS, and that is what I have worked on before but only recently using a sat nav I realised my Exige is scarily accurate.

[j2 lot]

I guess even if it was in the 70 limit he has a difficult defence 'I set my Cruise Control at 78' isnt going to go down well, and as GBOBM says the cc may not be accurate. The manual for any criuse control will also no doubt state that your speed may rise above the set limit depending on the circumstances.
If he was in the 50 limit its driver error/ not paying attention

[tut]

He definitely was not in the 50 area, will check the NIP to see if it says 80 in an 70. If he had been it would be 30 above and a Court case.

I thought that that the CC controlled the speed accurately both uphill and downhill apart for a 1mph lag, it does on the Vauxhall.

Elise/Exige do seem to be very accurate in general, I have no speedo in N3 but use the tacho and 4000rpm is 76. In convoy down to KH the other cars were going through the Gatsos at around 80 on the clock with no probs, but I always lifted off just to make sure. If he is fined, and I would certainly contest it if I was sure that I was below 80, then it will be the same fine and points as it would be if he had been doing 95.

I know our normal attitude is don't moan, just accept it, but I feel this is a different scenario. I have told him not to mention CC as it is no defence, just to emphasise that he was never doing 80mph. If it goes through to the PF I would have thought that at 1mph above it would not be followed through, but those days have probably passed. As Kenny said a patrol car would not even bother, and when I was pulled years ago for 97, they said that they would not pull below 85 as long as the car was being driven safely.

Just got my new licence back after my three year renewal, nice and clean.

Edit - removed license image (Shug)

tut

[philthy]

Id maybe take that down tut, dont know who may be reading the forum printing off your license

[tut]

Cheers Shug, I am just too naive.

tut

[j2 lot]

Just got my new licence back after my three year renewal, nice and clean.


tut

Ayeee, slowing down in your old age Tut - had to happen.

[tut]

Only on the A roads Keith, B roads are whatever speed she will go around corners.

tut

[skellyjohn]

I got done by the traffic police at the side of the road near Stonehaven doing 82mph at 11pm. I thought it was a bit harsh

[Corranga]

I thought that that the CC controlled the speed accurately both uphill and downhill apart for a 1mph lag, it does on the Vauxhall.

I think that some do, and some don't - if the brakes have no way to electronically activate, then this wouldn't be possible, and speed would be determined by idling engine, momentum and any gain from the steepness of the slope.

Similarly with the speed limiter options in some cars, they only limit throttle meaning you can roll over the limit.

Chris

[type28]

I got done by the traffic police at the side of the road near Stonehaven doing 82mph at 11pm. I thought it was a bit harsh

My wife once got a ticket for doing 78 on the motorway. It was a radar gun on a fly over.

Sent them the standard letter about gun calibration, copy of the calibration certificate, statement that it had a road side calibration on the day of use, information on the operator of the gun and copies of their relevant training documentation on the use of the gun etc.

Obviously couldn’t be arsed with the hassle so they never proceeded… Might work for others in the future.

[j2 lot]

Sent them the standard letter about gun calibration, copy of the calibration certificate, statement that it had a road side calibration on the day of use, information on the operator of the gun and copies of their relevant training documentation on the use of the gun etc.

Thats not something Ive seen before
Copy of it or a link to it might be worthwhile posting as a stickie in a private area of the forum if youre willing to share?