Talk Morgan Forums Community The Malvern Arms what has happened to motorists?

Rule 110 states: “Only flash your headlights to let other road users know that you are there.

“Do not flash your headlights to convey any other message or intimidate other road users.”

The Department of Transport claim that a breach of Rule 110 and 111, which outline the rules of motorists flashing their headlights, could stand up in a court of law as evidence.

While alone that is not to see the motorist convicted, if drivers were using their headlights to warn a motorist of a speed trap then it could be breaching another road law. Section 89(2) of the Police Act 1996 outlines what can happen if motorists obstruct an officer.

It says: “Any person who resists or wilfully obstructs a constable in the execution of his duty, or a person assisting a constable in the execution of his duty, shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one month or to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale, or to both.”

It could be argued that a motorist warning other drivers of a speed trap could be ‘obstructing’ an officer.

In my view speed cameras are often set in locations where it is reasonably safe, driving to the conditions, to go faster than the posted limit. Also, quite often, speed limits can be set in way that it is easy to miss a change in limit. The speed cameras are often set quite knowingly at these points.

I agree that speed should be controlled on roads that pass through villages, or points that are dangerous, but often to have a speed limit set to 20 on a major road and then to place a speed camera within yards of the change of limit is nothing but a revenue earner. Speed limits that are justified by the presence of a school that can be enforced even in the middle of the night or during school holidays is another good example.

Every speed camera earns huge amounts of revenue, often amount to millions. Whilst some may be justified many are simply revenue earners justified by a self righteous "well you broke the law so you should pay".

There is no valid reason for exceeding a speed limit no matter
how offenders squirm. Due to pratts exceeding 30mph we now have 20mph speed limits which are excruciating.

I agree that there is no valid reason, in law, for exceeding the speed limit.

But, other than ease of policing, there is no valid reason IMHO for some of the blanket speed limits we have.

We can probably all think of situations we have witnessed where certain drivers, perhaps taking The Duke of Edinburgh as an example, are not even safe at the speed limit whereas an advanced driver, in their prime, in a modern car would be perfectly safe above the limit.

But a speed camera can't tell a safe driver from a dangerous driver so we have to abide by the law, however broad brush it might be.

I am happy you can enjoy 20mph which is not excruciating as it is accordung to the rules: there is no valid reason for exceeding a speed limit...

Its called a limit - hence the given speed 'limit' is just that. Not a target to be exceeded wherever possible. Attitudes are slowly changing towards speeding - a bit like drink driving did back in the old days. Once commonplace but became socially unacceptable.


Speed limits are set for a reason - if its 30 its generally for good reason.


What Phil said in the earlier post I find myself agreeing with also.

I'm much more compliant as I've got older. So I also agree with Phil.

And as a regular pedestrian and walker, in narrow urban locations there should be more 20mph zones!

This happens around me quite a lot. I will always flash oncoming motorists who are unaware of the 'trap' and I appreciate it when I'm warned too.

I was obeying the limit in a 30 zone yesterday (a small village with a curvy road going down to a water meadow & then up.
A BMW SUV shot past & had to carve me up to miss an oncoming car.

Alas no camera or plod present.

This thread amply answer my question as to what has happened to the traditional way that fellow motorists helped each other avoid entrapment.

More piety here than ever enters our local church!