[raptorz]

I was travelling up through bracknell and approaching a roundabout when I realised I needed to turn left and I was in the right hand lane. I checked my mirrors, signalled and then changed lanes but turns out there was someone in my blind spot! Totally my fault and I apologised but I had to speed up a bit otherwise she would have ran into the back of me. Immediately I slowed down as I knew there was a speed camera there but I dont know if it was too late!

The thing is, I feel it would be unfair if I did get caught and fined because I had to in order to avoid an accident (even though it was my fault in the first place but it was now avoidance after the first mistake). I didnt see a flash but it was day so I cant be sure wherher it took it or not, and I dont even know which way the speed camera was facing!

Im going to be really worried for the next 2 weeks now. Did I do the right thing, and do you think I could contest it if I did get a ticket?

You can try and contest it, but I've seen newspaper articles where blokes have been rushing women in labour to hospital that weren't let off speeding fines.

You'll have to hope that there was no film in the camera.

[Cruachan]

Did you do the right thing? Speed up to avoid a collision? Yes. Try to move left when it wasn't safe to do so? No. Was there an option to slow down and tuck in behind the vehicle on your nearside? Anyway, these things happen.

If you've been caught by this revenue camera I do not think that you have any defence. Sorry ... and I hope that you have not been selected to add to the government's coffers.

[Finglonga]

What type of scamera was it and did it flash?

[chrisjr]

I have never been caught by a camera but seen plenty go off to know that even in daylight you would see the double flash if it had been triggered.

But I doubt you would be able to use the scenario you have described as a get out anyway. Unless you can produce this other driver or other independent witnesses to back up your story how can the authorities know it is true?

Oh and advice for next time

If you are in the right hand lane and really want to go left then simply do a 360 round the roundabout. Far safer than crashing into someone in a blind spot.

And never rely solely on the mirrors when changing lanes! If you have the slightest bit of doubt glance over your shoulder out of the side window.

Either of these would have avoided any chance of an accident and the risk to your licence and pocket of points and a fine.

[raptorz]

Originally Posted by Cruachan

Did you do the right thing? Speed up to avoid a collision? Yes. Try to move left when it wasn't safe to do so? No. Was there an option to slow down and tuck in behind the vehicle on your nearside? Anyway, these things happen.

To be honest, it all happened so quickly and I didnt even realise there was a car there untill I was half way over and even then only realised when I heard her beep like crazy at me. Thats when I decided the best decision would be to speed up rather than go back out to my lane.

Originally Posted by chrisjr

I have never been caught by a camera but seen plenty go off to know that even in daylight you would see the double flash if it had been triggered.

I hope your right. I never actually saw the camera at the side of the road, only the lines on the road and I have checked now Im home and it says there was a camera there. Its in a 30 zone which just changed from a 40 so even more chance of getting done. I recall my speed being around 43 which I reduced down to about 30-35 as soon as I could. Although the other car quickly went out and over took me really fast so they would have probably been done aswell.

Just out of interest now, if 2 lanes go past a speed camera and one is doing slightly faster than the other which car does it get?

[raptorz]

Originally Posted by Finglonga

What type of scamera was it and did it flash?

Didnt see the camera, just the lines in the road. Have checked online and it says there is a camera there, I think it was a gatso camera, but like I said, I didnt see any flash but could have been masked by the daylight.

[Mad Pixie]

There are white lines on the road near a Shell (?) garage in Bracknell but there is no actual camera there. What road were you on?

Edit: Road i'm thinking of is A322

[raptorz]

Originally Posted by Mad Pixie

There are white lines on the road near a Shell (?) garage in Bracknell but there is no actual camera there. What road were you on?

Edit: Road i'm thinking of is A322

I think it was this one here http://www.scdb.info/nl/software-karte/11979 I could be wrong though. Im really bad with maps and directions.

I was heading for the M3 from the M4 so it was somewhere between there. Im not from that area so was following sat nav - which btw does have speed cameras loaded into it and it didnt detect it either but I thought it was strange online they have one being registered there.

Heres the directions I would have been following.


9: Merge onto A329(M) via EXIT 10 on the LEFT toward WOKINGHAM/BRACKNELL. 3.6 Miles
10: A329(M) becomes A329. 1 Miles
11: Enter next roundabout and take 1st exit onto BERKSHIRE WAY/A329. 0.6 Miles
12: Enter next roundabout and take 2nd exit onto DOWNSHIRE WAY/A322. 0.6 Miles

13: Enter next roundabout and take 4th exit onto BAGSHOT ROAD/A322. Go through 1 roundabout. 1.5 Miles
14: Enter next roundabout and take 2nd exit onto A322. 3.6 Miles
15: Enter next roundabout and take 1st exit. 0.4 Miles
16: Take M3. 6.3 Miles

[floraandfauna]

I've been flashed twice by a speed camera, the first one I ignored as I got it 13 days after it happened (you're supposed to receive notification within 14 days) and I know I wasn't speeding as I looked at my speedometer at the time. I haven't heard anything since and it was 3 years ago, I'm assuming it was a faulty camera

The second time I was flashed was in a zone which was a 40mph speed limit but had recently been changed to a 30mph with hardly any signs or notification. I checked on the return journey and there's a tiny sign at the end of the zone to say 30 but there's nothing at the beginning and nothing to say it had been reduced from a 40 to a 30 It must have been early days into the change and I think they realised they had made a mistake by putting the speed limit at the end of the zone and not the beginning

You can always contest speed cameras, if you have a good enough reason they can dismiss the charge

[Channel Hopper]

Rarely cameras near (within 200m) of roundabouts

What speed limit is the road and how far from the exit were you ?

[technology_love]

www.askthepolice.co.uk (speeding is covered somewhere on there)

If you don't get anything in the post within 14 days, you are in the clear.
If it comes after that time, get a good lawyer and contest it on that basis (came too late).

[Ultrasonic]

Hope you don't get a fine/points. I hate Money Making Machines.

[Devilot]

Originally Posted by raptorz

To be honest, it all happened so quickly and I didnt even realise there was a car there untill I was half way over and even then only realised when I heard her beep like crazy at me. Thats when I decided the best decision would be to speed up rather than go back out to my lane.



I hope your right. I never actually saw the camera at the side of the road, only the lines on the road and I have checked now Im home and it says there was a camera there. Its in a 30 zone which just changed from a 40 so even more chance of getting done. I recall my speed being around 43 which I reduced down to about 30-35 as soon as I could. Although the other car quickly went out and over took me really fast so they would have probably been done aswell.

Just out of interest now, if 2 lanes go past a speed camera and one is doing slightly faster than the other which car does it get?

It would photograph both of them but would know who was speedng by their positions on the white lines on the road.

FWIW, each time I was caught by a speed camera, the first I knew was when the N.I.P came through my door, I never saw any flashes at all.

[Finglonga]

Originally Posted by raptorz

Didnt see the camera, just the lines in the road. Have checked online and it says there is a camera there, I think it was a gatso camera, but like I said, I didnt see any flash but could have been masked by the daylight.

If it's a Gatso you would have seen the flashes even in bright sunlight if you didn't it didin't trigger.

Originally Posted by raptorz

Just out of interest now, if 2 lanes go past a speed camera and one is doing slightly faster than the other which car does it get?

They use the lines on the road to establish the vehicle that has covered the longer distance, they will also check if the slower car was also speeding as well.

[raptorz]

Originally Posted by Channel Hopper

Rarely cameras near (within 200m) of roundabouts

What speed limit is the road and how far from the exit were you ?

According to the internet its a 30 limit road but it seemed like everyone else was going faster than that. We must have been within 200m of the roundabout. I know there is a camera near where I live that is reversable and if its put the one way it would be within about 100m of the roundabout.

Originally Posted by Finglonga

If it's a Gatso you would have seen the flashes even in bright sunlight if you didn't it didin't trigger.

Thanks. Im keeping my fingers crossed now that either there was no camera there/it didnt trigger, or that if it did there was no film in it.