We must have legal speed limit signage
WITH reference to the many articles printed in The Herald concerning the confusion over the speed limit and speed limit signage (or rather the lack of) on Gdynia Way. And to the attitude of the so-called safety camera partnership team who are insisting that all relevant speed limit signs are in place, and who appear to adopt the attitude that because they represent the law, that they are right and everyone else is wrong.
Well, allow me to point out that while yes, there are drivers disregarding speed limits who deserve to be brought to book for their breaking of speeding regulations, there are also guidelines laid down in legislation covered by the traffic signs regulation and general directive act 1984, which every safety camera partnership team is legally obliged to obey.
-
Embankment Road leading to Gdynia Way
Where according to direction eight section 85 of the act, clearly states that at the commencement of any speed limit there is to be displayed two signs displaying the limit with one sign placed on either side of the road and neither sign is to be obscured from the motorists field of vision by any shape or form.
Otherwise any speed limit is illegal and, as the photograph unquestionably shows this to be the case at this site, causing any legal action by the authorities illegal. Therefore any notices of intended prosecution sent out by the authorities are also illegal for which they should be made to explain their actions in a court of law. They above all others, should be aware of legislation and I for one cannot accept that they do not, and appear to rely heavily on the fact that the motoring public are probably very limited in their knowledge of legislation. Which incidentally I have been studying for quite some time and have become quite learned in the field of the T S R & G D (Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directive act).
Business Cards From Only £10.95 Delivered www.myprint-247.co.uk
View detailsOur heavyweight cards have FREE UV silk coating, FREE next day delivery & VAT included. Choose from 1000's of pre-designed templates or upload your own artwork. Orders dispatched within 24hrs.
Terms: Visit our site for more products: Business Cards, Compliment Slips, Letterheads, Leaflets, Postcards, Posters & much more. All items are free next day delivery. www.myprint-247.co.uk
Contact: 01858 468192
Valid until: Friday, May 31 2013
The fact appears that the guidelines are not being obeyed constituting a breaching of legislation by the authorities for which they must be made to answer. Strong words maybe but instigated by strong feelings of persecution and underhanded tactics, and a view shared by many probably wrongfully convicted motorists.
I am also in complete agreement with J F Smith, Your Say, September 8. Where it is questioned as to why do the powers that be not introduce more speed limit signs as the one that is in place is blatantly insufficient, not to mention that word illegal again. Fact is, the so-called safety camera partnership team do not want you to know the speed limit resulting in more motorists creeping over the limit, therefore swelling their coffers as it is no secret they are strapped for cash due to Government cutbacks adding to the rapidly increasing public description of speed detection cameras as nothing more than cash machines.
The photograph again un mistakenly shows the illegality of the speed limit signage was refused to be used as evidence by the clerk of the court in a recent court case which surely constituted an unfair trial and the defendant was duly found guilty. Not surprising when you consider that the safety camera partnership teams are not only members of the police force but very often include magistrates as well as other professional bodies involved with the law.
I, like so many others, feel so very strongly about the extreme, unfair and seemingly illegal treatment being dished out. I would challenge a member of the partnership team to provide me with some honest answers to some honest questions regarding legislation in the presence of the media, including TV cameras, which incidentally should make them feel at home, but I am not holding my breath.
Let's unite and fight together, all we want is legal signage and maybe an admission of wrongful prosecutions.
R R LANG
Peverell
Comments
by sufc_blues
Monday, September 17 2012, 6:40PM
“I went down there the other day my average speed was 35 I never got a ticket quit your moaning about these signs it's 30mph end of.”
by paulmh66
Monday, September 17 2012, 12:18PM
“Just too add, Waltersmith, you explain the signage for the 40 and 20 mph limits spot on, thus backing up that no signage equals 30mph limit. nuff said.”
by paulmh66
Monday, September 17 2012, 12:13PM
“I agree with the "poster" that stated the picture used is taken from the nearside seat, or even from a standing position on the pavement. The signage IS visible from the drivers seat of a right hand drive vehicle. Read the highway code, I am sure somewhere in it, it states unsigned roads are treated as 30mph limits, or words to that effect. I use Gydinia Way very rarely and know, before all this kicked off, that the NEW speed limit along it's entire length is 30mph. It was advertised for about 6 months the limit would be that, even before it was completed, stop whinging and follow the speed limits as CLEARLY set out on this stretch of road.”
by Tony_Starr
Monday, September 17 2012, 11:22AM
“Photo taken from what appears to be the nearside kerb - I suspect that from the drivers side of a vehicle the sign is clearly visible, as I've never noticed any obscuration driving through there!
It seems the papers are giving a voice to a whinging minority, when the vast majority of people think cameras are a good thing.
Can we extend the system through the 40 limit back to Marsh Mills please, and perhaps the other main routes in to the city where no-one complies with the limit, as this seems to be the only place where the traffic dives smoothly and sensibly now.”
by anglo_dutch
Sunday, September 16 2012, 3:19PM
“Here in Holland the default limit in a built up area ( within city/town limits) is 50kph.I always thought that the same applied in the UK ( 30mph) .Under or above that requires speed limit signs . A dual carraigeway doesn't automatically mean that a higher speed is allowed.”
by AnneTeak
Sunday, September 16 2012, 10:32AM
“What a plonker!
Go read the Highway Code. You're not competent to drive.”
by fazer58
Sunday, September 16 2012, 9:40AM
“When is the Herald going to stop giving publicity to people bleating about this? They've been told here by people who can drive and have read the Highway Code recently that they're wrong.Those that go on the Speed Awareness Courses are told exactly the same,why they're there in the first place.If they struggle with the basics of Road Traffic Law I for one would prefer that they get the bus or a taxi anyway.
The Herald keeps giving these misguided people space to whine about being caught breaking the law and the answers they get are always the same.
Go on Mr Lang,put your money where your mouth is,drive down Gdynia Way at 40 and when your ticket comes though state your case in Court.If you're right you'll win,if you don't you'll get 3 points and discover why even such "learned" people as solicitors havn't used that defence.
Bottom line,don't break the speed limits and you'll never get done for speeding,not hard is it?”
by PL1Plym
Sunday, September 16 2012, 9:32AM
“NEXT!”
by Waltersmith
Sunday, September 16 2012, 9:20AM
“@colin99
Exactly what I said. You backed me up.
I do not see what you are fretting about. If there are lights it is 30 mph unless signs say otherwise. Hence in lit areas with 40 mph limit there will be lots of 40 mph signs the speed limit is 40 mph (check another poster who complained about the number of 40 mph road signs), similarly if the sign says 20 mph that is the speed limit.
Oh - and it is a limit so you really should be driving slower than what is recommended.
Go to France and try telling their traffic police that the road signage is illegal if you are speeding. I'd like to see the size of the fine they'd give you!”
by colin99
Saturday, September 15 2012, 10:54AM
“To Waltersmith
Section 81(1) lays down a speed limit of 30 mph on a restricted road; Section 82 defines a road as a 'restricted road' in England and Wales if it has street lighting provided by lamps not more than 200 yards apart.
So your statement is not the complete and perhaps it is you who needs to retake your test?
Now if you have time to stop and measure the distance between the lamp posts, bearing in mind these are large ones and do look to be candidates for wide spacing, then you may well have collided with something.
Clear signs are the proper solution.”