40 mph sign Pranksters

[drdel]

Anyone see this in the Telegraph?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/roa...signs.html

40 mph signs were erected on the A360 in the Rotherham area and a number of motorists have been shot with speeding fines as it is a 30mph zone !!

So far the Police and Council have not backed down on the basis it was a 30 zone. Tough luck if you were a visitor and were using the signs to adjust your speed - I'd be livid.

Of course we have the old rule that if the street lights are within a certain distance (can't remember what it is) they define a built-up area and thus 30 mph is the limit.

Based on that rule nearly every roundabout with overhead lighting is a 30mph zone !!!

Of course, none of this will worry this Forum's law abiding members.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Cant see the link!! I agree though that if I was nicked on the basis of a bogus sign I wouldn't be happy and would be contesting it and asking what they are doing about arresting the pranksters

 

[North Mimms]

The rule about street lights and built up areas is so confusing.
I rely on a 30mph or 40mph sign to advise me of the speed limit, so I'd have been nicked!

Does this link work?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukn...-tricked-by-fake-40mph-speed-limit-signs.html

 

[Khamelion]

On my dad's estate it is 20mph all over, and the police have been out with speed guns enforcing it. 20mph is ridiculously slow, it's not even past a school, nor any crossings.

Same on my estate, 20mph all over, no schools, no crossings, wide open road, pure stupidity.

I think the signs were put up because the council had spare cash in the budget and didn't want to lose what they didn't spend.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Wonder were the people stand legally ?

 

[Imurg]

The signs look official, confirmed by the Council, so I can't see how the tickets will stand up if challenged.
One of the basics of driving is to use signs to determine speed and direction
If they are maliciously placed what alternative do you have..? If they had been National Limit signs nobody would go 30 along that stretch.
I would expect the tickets to be rescinded...

 

[Deleted member 15344]

The signs look official, confirmed by the Council, so I can't see how the tickets will stand up if challenged.
One of the basics of driving is to use signs to determine speed and direction
If they are maliciously placed what alternative do you have..? If they had been National Limit signs nobody would go 30 along that stretch.
I would expect the tickets to be rescinded...

If signs on the road contradict the lampost law and spacing then which one takes precedent ?

 

[drdel]

Cant see the link!! I agree though that if I was nicked on the basis of a bogus sign I wouldn't be happy and would be contesting it and asking what they are doing about arresting the pranksters

The 'link' is that 30 mph applies when street lights are less than 200metres apart and on most roundabouts this would be the case. In 2012 they also relaxed the rule that a 30 zone needed to have repeater signs at regular intervals.

Which altogether makes it a bit of a lottery which is why I use a GPS speed limit and camera location warning device.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

The signs look official, confirmed by the Council, so I can't see how the tickets will stand up if challenged.
One of the basics of driving is to use signs to determine speed and direction
If they are maliciously placed what alternative do you have..? If they had been National Limit signs nobody would go 30 along that stretch.
I would expect the tickets to be rescinded...

I agree especially when one of those convicted was a fellow instructor like your good self. I suspect once the prosecutions start and the bad publicity starts the council and police will back down

 

[anotherdouble]

If signs on the road contradict the lampost law and spacing then which one takes precedent ?

Signs on the road. It is feasible to have a higher speed limit with lamp posts, the same as in my area we have a 30 area with no lamp posts.

 

[Imurg]

If signs on the road contradict the lampost law and spacing then which one takes precedent ?

The basic rule is that if there are street lights the default speed limit is 30 UNLESS there are signs telling you differently.
So in this case, the lights could have been 2 feet apart, the signs overrule..

Nobody can know, especially if they are driving that road for the first time, if signs are malicious or not..
That's why the tickets will almost certainly be overturned

 

[Deleted member 15344]

The basic rule is that if there are street lights the default speed limit is 30 UNLESS there are signs telling you differently.
So in this case, the lights could have been 2 feet apart, the signs overrule..

Nobody can know, especially if they are driving that road for the first time, if signs are malicious or not..
That's why the tickets will almost certainly be overturned

Cheers for the info :thup:

 

[Blue in Munich]

On my dad's estate it is 20mph all over, and the police have been out with speed guns enforcing it. 20mph is ridiculously slow, it's not even past a school, nor any crossings.

Same on my estate, 20mph all over, no schools, no crossings, wide open road, pure stupidity.

I think the signs were put up because the council had spare cash in the budget and didn't want to lose what they didn't spend.

They shouldn't be, if the limit has been correctly researched, designed & implemented it should be self-enforcing.