What on earth is happening with the speed cameras lately?!

Has anyone been nailed to the wall by speed cameras recently, to an insane extent? Let me provide some background: For the first year I was living here, I drove exactly how I wanted without worrying too much about speed limits, because my car still had its American license plate on and I was told that having a foreign plate gives you virtual immunity unless you do something outrageous, not because you aren't breaking the law, but because of the administrative hassle the UK police have in trying to prosecute people from outside the country. During this period I had no problems whatsoever, and what's more, I was never even photographed by a speed camera anyway- I never saw a single flash. I don't drive like a maniac, so this wasn't completely shocking, but still I was surprised that everyone seemed to completely overrate their chances of getting nailed by a speed camera...after all, I certainly drove somewhat over the legal limit regularly and was never ever photographed...

...until last week. POW. I found out with a dramatic, lightning-like flash what it looks like when you're photographed. Right outside the local police station, only a minute from home, at night. Why the hell would they install a camera right in front of the police station- isn't its presence deterrence enough? Well, my "reverse psychology" strategy failed that night and I just figured that they must have installed a new camera there that day, as I'd driven that road at the same pace many times before and never been photographed. I made a mental note to slow down on that road. My car wears UK plates now so I no longer have "diplomatic immunity". : )

But then the next day...FLASH- I was photographed again, on an entirely different road (but in the same town), not going any faster than I normally would. What on earth is happening- Did the town of Marlow just forget to switch on its speed cameras the entire year, until last week? I made a mental note to slow down in all areas of Marlow.

But tonight I was on the M4 and suddenly FLASH- I got hit yet AGAIN, this time as I was about to exit! What the...? I quickly glanced down at the speedometer- there was no way I was speeding, for Christ's sake, I was driving a bloody Volkswagen Polo 1.2L loaner car, which struggles to exceed walking speed- and I was indeed at the speed limit, but there was also some annoying construction zones around that area (and most areas of that part of the M4, unfortunately!), so they could have subtly posted a temporary slower speed limit further up the road.

So I've been nailed 3 times in around 7 days, after not being photographed a SINGLE time in over 500 days. There is no way that this is just a "coincidence" or bad luck. What is going on?! Is this some draconian push for more revenue (in the form of speeding fines) at year-end that the police/DVLA are orchestrating?

I'm worried that I'm going to lose my UK license before I even get it! My practical test is this coming Tuesday; all I have is a provisional license currently (and my U.S. license).

Questions:
1. Has anyone been photographed and NOT gotten a ticket?
2. Any chance the points won't count toward my UK license, which hasn't even been issued yet?

Thanks for listening to my rant.

Questions:
1. Has anyone been photographed and NOT gotten a ticket?
2. Any chance the points won't count toward my UK license, which hasn't even been issued yet?

Thanks for listening to my rant.

Yes it is possible to be flashed by a Gatso and not get a ticket. Some are not maintained and could be without film. Its a bit of a lottery. My car is foreign plated and while I do not set out to break the law,I do understand how difficult it can be to adjust once you have UK plates. I can not help you with your other question.

I feel most Gatsos are just another form of tax. They do nothing to address the reckless or drunk drivers. If you have a second you might enjoy this site .

www.speedcam.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk

  On the left side click Gatso and then choose Vandalised Gatsos.   

So I've been nailed 3 times in around 7 days, after not being photographed a SINGLE time in over 500 days.

Could it be other cars around you getting flashed?  J/w if that's a possibility especially since you weren't speeding the one time.  It's happened to me in the US that I wasn't speed and the cars around me were.  I was barely keeping up with crazy Detroit traffic.  I know for sure I wasn't going over the limit and I got pulled over.  I asked the police office if the lasers can pick up other cars and he said it was possible.  (I got let off!)

I know there have been a lot of complaints about the cameras in some areas, and while I support the enforcement of speed limits, I do feel that a lot of them are probably there more for revenue than for safety.   

The other thing is that the cameras make little distiction between the continual deliberate speeder and somebody who has just accidentally strayed over the limit briefly. 

You might find the following forum useful:  www.pepipoo.com

I can confirm that when you recieve points in the UK on your US licence, the DLVA makes a ghost licence for you.  If and when you apply and recieve a full UK licence those points will transfer to your new UK licence. 

While on my first year here (hence driving on US licence) got two tickets.  Plead guilty to each, points applied to US licence (and unknown to me, my UK ghost licence), paid fine.  When I recieved my UK licence, one of those tickets was applied to my new UK Licence.  I tried to fight this and wrote letters back and forth to the DVLA for months.  Then they stopped writing....

Fastforward til now.  I moved home and hence changed my UK licence to the new address.  When I recieved the new licence it had been endorsed with those three points.

Mind you, as a newly licenced UK driver if you recieve 6 points in the first 2 years you will lose your licence.  You will need to reapply from scratch (written, hazard, practical).  OUCH!!!

The link that Pau_1966 has put up is highly useful. 

Thanks very much for your sympathy and advice.  Although I love sports cars I don't drive recklessly and I was amazed to suddenly get photographed almost every single day out of nowhere, after no problems whatsoever for 1.5+ years!

Meggle's story is by far the most frightening- I'm really sorry to hear that. I can't believe they took care to screw up not only your local license but also your license from a totally different country which is not even in the E.U.! That's insane and unfair- They don't let us exchange our U.S. licenses, but suddenly when it comes time to prosecute us, the two countries are sister states?

The main reason why I want my UK license is because I want to move elsewhere in the EU next year and I know I can exchange it for a German one etc. easily. I have a worst case scenario plan: Renew my U.S. license in South Carolina (My sister did this even though she wasn't living there, just visiting the family during a brief rest from her Asian adventures), pretend to live in France briefly (My parents do live there, I can perhaps pretend I've moved in with them if there's no risk of getting caught), exchange my S.C. license for a French one, et voila! I'd have an E.U. license.

I think it's strange that a moving violation in the UK would put points on a US license!  Most states in the US don't even have reciprocal violation-reporting agreements amongst themselves. 
For example, if you get a speeding ticket in Pennsylvania, but you are driving there on a New York license, the New York State DMV never finds out about it, as long as you pay your fine in Pennsylvania.  Therefore, you don't receive points on your license.

Also, regarding speed cameras in the UK, my fiancé told me that some of the yellow boxes don't even have cameras in them, since their mere presence slows people down.  He also believes that some of them have fake flashers in them.  But I don't believe that, since it would be a complete waste of money.

While on my first year here (hence driving on US licence) got two tickets. Plead guilty to each, points applied to US licence (and unknown to me, my UK ghost licence), paid fine.

I knew that DVLA would set up a "ghost" license here so as to give points, but I had no idea they were now working in cahoots with American DMV's to be able to apply points to a U.S. license.    I would guess it's only with those states with which they have an arrangement.

letters back and forth to the DVLA for months.

That's always fun........  

The main reason why I want my UK license is because I want to move elsewhere in the EU next year and I know I can exchange it for a German one etc. easily. I have a worst case scenario plan: Renew my U.S. license in South Carolina (My sister did this even though she wasn't living there, just visiting the family during a brief rest from her Asian adventures), pretend to live in France briefly (My parents do live there, I can perhaps pretend I've moved in with them if there's no risk of getting caught), exchange my S.C. license for a French one, et voila! I'd have an E.U. license.

You intended to stay in France with your parents but then had a change of plan, didn't you?  

From what I've heard, the last thing you want to do is have to go through the  German test (assuming Germany doesn't have a reciprocal agreement with SC).     There was a story on the news a couple of years ago about German teenagers coming to Britain to learn to drive and get a U.K. license in order to avoid the expense and bureaucracy in Germany (mandatory number of hours of lessons at very high rates, etc.).  

Just wanted to say I have been flashed a few times and in five years I have never received a ticket!

Errmm..this isn't going to be popular but..

You could just try sticking to the speed limit.

Errmm..this isn't going to be popular but..

You could just try sticking to the speed limit.

 

What fun is THAT?!?!?

I think most us Americans rely in the police in the US to allow us 5 MPH over the limit but here in the UK they are very strict. My brother in law got a ticket for going 33 in a 30 zone! 

I think most us Americans rely in the police in the US to allow us 5 MPH over the limit but here in the UK they are very strict. My brother in law got a ticket for going 33 in a 30 zone! 

Yep!! I always set my cruise on the expressway to 74/75.  I've pass soooo many state police and sheriffs and have never gotten a ticket.  I think I seriously passed 3 of them last weekend.  Of course, the rest of the traffic is going the same speed

While on my first year here (hence driving on US licence) got two tickets.  Plead guilty to each, points applied to US licence (and unknown to me, my UK ghost licence), paid fine.  When I recieved my UK licence, one of those tickets was applied to my new UK Licence.  I tried to fight this and wrote letters back and forth to the DVLA for months.  Then they stopped writing....

I mistyped in the above quote.  Only now that people are quoting it do I realize my mistake.  The points I recieved in the UK were NEVER applied to my US licence.  They were applied to my UK ghost licence.  Sorry for that!

I never realized there was such a thing as a ghost licence, if I had I would have been so much more careful about the speed limit.

As per grace limits- ie how fast over the speed limit you can drive and not get flashed-  each area has their own rules.  Unofficially it's 10% + 1 mph (30mph limit is really 34, 40mph limit is really 45 etc).  But this is just a guideline!!!

As per grace limits- ie how fast over the speed limit you can drive and not get flashed-  each area has their own rules.  Unofficially it's 10% + 1 mph (30mph limit is really 34, 40mph limit is really 45 etc).  But this is just a guideline!!!

The grace limit is for errors in reading your speedo.  Speedometers on UK cars are supposed to be calibrated to have errors above the speed you are going (i.e. your speedo could be reading 30mph, but you're actually only driving at 27mph).  On older cars, however, due to wear and tear, you could be driving at 30mph on your speedo, but actually be going at 34mph, for example.
If you have GPS in your car, turn on the current speed option (if available) and you'll see how inaccurate your speedo is - it is usually less accurate at slower speeds.
My tip: get a GPS system, and download the speed camera database from http://www.pocketgps.co.uk, and make sure you download the monthly updates.  It'll tell you where most of the speed cameras and mobile speed traps are (but not all of them!)