Beware of a Poole Speed Camera

[Seahope]

After more years than I can remember I have just received a Notice of Intended Prosecution for Speeding. Oh the shame of it

I was visiting Poole last Saturday and didn't realise that the 50mph dual-carriage way on Holmes Bay Rd dropped to 30 mph at the traffic lights with the junction of Sterte Road. Apparently they have installed, I have discovered, a speed camera that catches 'speeders' as well as red light jumpers. I drive for mpg these days and have downsized my car so getting up to 50mph takes quite some time

Can anyone local to Poole tell me if there is a sign advertising the change to 30pmh or is it that the distance between the street lights changes at the lights indicating to the very observant motorist that the speed should be 30mph? I don't remember seeing a 30 mph sign before the traffic lights, however, as I was in the outside lane at the time overtaking stationary traffic on the inner lane my eyes were focusing on the road ahead and the other cars. On the previous occasions I have driven to Poole these traffic lights have always been Red.

Any advice as to whether it is worth going to Court to plead my case or just take the fixed penalty procedure and gain my first points?

This speed camera appears to be a local revenue generator rather than a true safety measure.

I am hoping that a berth closer to home is soon confirmed so that I won't have to run the speed camera gauntlet in Poole again!

 

[me2]

There are 30 mph signs on both lanes coming up to the lights , they have always been there.

 

[Geoffs]

I got flashed there just before Christmas, not heard anything, so hope I've got away with it.

There is a 30 mph sign about 200 yds before the traffic lights. I assume you got caught by the camera at the lights, like I did, these cameras (in both directions) used to just be there catch those jumping the lights (popular in Dorset), but were changed to incorporate speed. There is a sign warning that speed is monitored as well, but only on the carriage way leaving Poole.

I'm fear you've probably got to take the punishment, I doubt you'd get anywhere by challenging. As you say, nice little earner.

 

[Seahope]

There are 30 mph signs on both lanes coming up to the lights , they have always been there.

Thanks for the confirmation. Time to pay up and shut up then!

 

[me2]

If you have not been caught speeding before they will offer you the chance to go on a half day course on speeding (this is done at Winfrith), if you go there will be no points just the fine.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Depending on how indignant you feel about this, it may be worth your while speaking to some lawyors specialising in traffic offences. A few years ago, I successfully fought a speeding prosecution in a 30mph zone in S Bucks. Without boring you with too much detail, my lawyors were able to prove that the 30mph zone was inadequately signed and Plod dropped the case. The lawyors used this bloke http://www.getjustice.co.uk/ to draw up the evidence

 

[strakeryrius]

There was a thread all about these exact same cameras last year - a quick search dug it out.
http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=206729&highlight=speed+camera

Luckily we always approach Holes Bay from the Bournemouth side so don't go along that stretch of road, but SWMBO was caught doing by a camera 37 in a 30 zone in Parkstone and as it was her first ever offence opted to do the driver awareness day - she found it useful and it was handy preserving her clean license for the insurance.

 

[Greg2]

I got flashed there just before Christmas, not heard anything, so hope I've got away with it.
.

Notice of Intended Prosecution has to be sent within 14 days so unless it is lost in the post you may well hear nothing further.

 

[Firefly625]

OK, I am touching wood..... I passed my driving test 1 week after my 17th birthday... and now knocking on 40.... cars are my way of life.... see link in my signature. We were an NSX dealer and I always ran our demo's, always have something interesting in my garage or on my driveway and mostly I drive like I have just stolen my car, but never in built up areas and never over 100....well not on motorways anyway... apart from European trips. To date I have never been stopped and never been flashed, my licence is as clean as it was in 1987..... I know it will happen but a friend forwarded me this;

https://www.talex.co.uk/giveaway

I have put my name down for one, cheapest way to get a gps speedtrap detector I have ever seen.... better safe than sorry!

 

[oGaryo]

Has to be said I'm afraid that I am dismayed by the attitude here guys.. pretty much all these speed restriction measures are there for a purpose, principally to save lives... fretting you've been caught doesn't cut it for me, it just suggests you're more concerned about your licence than the safety of others on the road... including the little girl that got wiped out at the end of our road a few years back, at exactly the same spot that my boy crosses the street to go to school, by some dickwad that thought 30 didn't apply to him don't take the easy option and pay the fine, get yourself on that course would be my advice

 

[Firefly625]

Has to be said I'm afraid that I am dismayed by the attitude here guys.. pretty much all these speed restriction measures are there for a purpose, principally to save lives... fretting you've been caught doesn't cut it for me, it just suggests you're more concerned about your licence than the safety of others on the road... including the little girl that got wiped out at the end of our road a few years back, at exactly the same spot that my boy crosses the street to go to school, by some dickwad that thought 30 didn't apply to him don't take the easy option and pay the fine, get yourself on that course would be my advice

Gary

totally agree, and we all have sad horrifying story's we can tell of people being wiped out, my oldest brother for one was run over at the age of 10 years old.... so I drive at sub 30 in 30mph zones, sub 40 in 40mph zone, and in any town or built up area always not only drive within the speed limit, but concentrate on driving 110%, sounds a silly thing to say, but the one thing that gets me more angry than any single thing is the people who drive and pay no attention to what is actually going on, that includes people who smoke in cars or eat sandwiches while driving!!! I admit in the right de-restricted roads in the right weather conditions, with little or no other traffic I drive briskly. I will never say I am a good driver, that's the thing dickwits state, but I held a racing licence for 10 years + and I suppose you could say driving is my second hobby. For that reason I have purchased a speed trap detector, have not even taken delivery of the thing, but I wish to protect myself for those cameras which are still in locations that are just revenue traps, I don't mean the ones outside schools, or in 30 or 40mph zones, these I applaud, but the ones which are actually gradually being withdrawn because the police can no longer justify there existence..

 

[Robin]

I don't condone speeding, nor drunk driving nor using mobilephones when driving etc.

Nor do I condone tax collection by cameras, which is a big money earner in Dorset and Poole/Bournemouth in particular. SWMBO was flashed at 35mph in a 30 zone in an industrial area which was a 40 zone until a few days before. She did the driver awareness course option and met others caught the same way, one van driver twice in the same day. I can point to several cameras hidden behind road signs, bus stop signs, overhanging trees and so on, quite blatantly flouting the rules. We have a long stretch of dual carriageway with centre barriers that was dropped from 70 to 50 and with 4 cameras in about 3 miles. The accident rate didn't change so now it is to be dropped to 40. Locals do not get caught, they know where the tax man is located, it is the tourist who gets the picture welcome to the area.

We have 'Safety Cameras' on our satnav for this very reason locally, not that we need to find the way home but how to find it with an intact licence.

The latest in the area are these traffic light cameras. A good thing surely to stop people jumping lights. However these are designed to catch you in that indecisive moment when the light changes as you are right on it, do you go or do you hit the brakes and let white van man rear end you? OK so you go, and accelerate to make sure you get over smartly - FLASH, go to jail, collect 3 points and lose £60! The new camera is set to catch exactly that!

 

[DavidJ]

If you have not been caught speeding before they will offer you the chance to go on a half day course on speeding (this is done at Winfrith), if you go there will be no points just the fine.

In Birmingham this is only offered to marginal speeders ie up to 38mph (in a 30 limit). A pal of mine has just been on one and he said it was actually very informative and cost the same as the fine but, as you say, no points.

 

[Seahope]

H fretting you've been caught doesn't cut it for me, it just suggests you're more concerned about your licence than the safety of others on the road... including the little girl that got wiped out at the end of our road a few years back, at exactly the same spot that my boy crosses the street to go to school, by some dickwad that thought 30 didn't apply to him don't take the easy option and pay the fine, get yourself on that course would be my advice

I respectfully disagree with you. I wasn't knowingly speeding. The crux of road safety is inappropriate speed not absolute speed (within reason). During the snow period even 30pmh would have been too fast!

 

[Nautibusiness]

Depending on how indignant you feel about this, it may be worth your while speaking to some lawyors specialising in traffic offences. A few years ago, I successfully fought a speeding prosecution in a 30mph zone in S Bucks. Without boring you with too much detail, my lawyors were able to prove that the 30mph zone was inadequately signed and Plod dropped the case. The lawyors used this bloke http://www.getjustice.co.uk/ to draw up the evidence

Hi Mike

Unfortunately at this particular speed trap (sorry "safety camera") there are two very big 30 signs a couple of hundred yards before.

Tom

 

[Seahope]

Hi Mike

Unfortunately at this particular speed trap (sorry "safety camera") there are two very big 30 signs a couple of hundred yards before.

Tom

I obviously was too busy paying attention to the road and didn't notice that these signs said 30 rather than 50. A momentary loss of concentration which is troubling.

I have just looked up the UK penalty system and if I had been speeding i.e. driving the normal UK limit on a dual carriage way 60 mph and then passed through the speed camera then I would have been banned as I would have been travelling 30 mph over the speed limit. Goes to show how careful we all need to be these days.

I wonder how long it will be before speed cameras are installed at sea too?

 

[maverickofpoole]

I wonder how long it will be before speed cameras are installed at sea too?

They have, well almost. They are using radar guns and radar in GUESS where?

Martin

 

[Robin]

According to the Bournemouth Echo last week somebody has it in for these local cameras because four in the last few months have been set on fire, the latest near Bear Cross roundabout last week had a burning tyre put round it. It wasn't me guv, honest.

 

[Tranona]

Wondered why it had a big orange cover with "Not in Use" on it!

 

[Nautibusiness]

According to the Bournemouth Echo last week somebody has it in for these local cameras because four in the last few months have been set on fire, the latest near Bear Cross roundabout last week had a burning tyre put round it. It wasn't me guv, honest.

Gulp.

Didn't even know there was one on Bear Cross roundabout! That stretch of dual carriageway all the way down from the top is only 40mph, but there's no obvious reason why... It's very easy to accidentally do 50 or more down there.

Back to the camera on Hole Bay.
I drive by it every day on the way to work and I checked again today.
Roughly 300m before is the nice 50mph repeater.
Roughly 200m before is the nice BIG 30mph sign.
Roughly 100m before is a dinky little 30mph repeater with a speed camera warning sign.

...What will catch a lot of people out unless they are paying 100% attention (of course we should be) is the first 50mph repeater. You just cruise on at 50 regardless.

Be careful and drive safely

Tom