Ducati Sporting Club UK > Model Specific - Discussion, Technical Problems and Help > General Motorcycles only > Police Pilot & Speeding advice - 3rd May Resolution

[Carbon749]

Hi,

Recently stopped by the police for speeding and was hoping that someone may have some advice on Police Pilot that may help me. I have heard of stories of not being accurate, human error etc

In short I came off an island and accelerated along a dual carriage way and was pulled over 1 mile later. Copper claimed that he'd timed me over 0.6 of a mile at speeds up to 125mph and that my average was 102mph. His fixed marks were a "Road Scar" and a "change in road surface". Now I know I was speeding and will admit to 90 ... but I don't think I went from 30 odd to 125 and back down to 60mph and still managed a 102mph average all in 0.6 mile.

He did not caution me, inform me that he would summons me or sit me in the car to discuss this. He gave me a producer and made 4 mistakes filling it in.

I've now received a summons and the copper has lied through his teeth on it and signed it as a true statement.

I'm in court at the start of May and hoped that someone may have some advice that may help me with this case. I know that the police pilot relies on human input and have heard of errors being made .... does anyone have any hard evidence of discredited Police Pilot etc etc ?Text

[Edited on 3-5-2005 by Carbon749]

[rcgbob44]

Carbob

Many yeras ago i was done for speeding, the details on the sumons was wrong, the location was wrong, my name was wrong and my registration number was wrong.
I went to court and pleaded not guilty and was told by the magistrate that if i continued to pleade not guilty then the court would just cancell the sumons and re issue another one with the corect details in it.

The officer who stopped me lied left right and centre on the documents that he filled in but I`m afraid the courts will always take the coppers word for it as there deemed to be a proffesional and impartial whitness.

In the end I was advised to plead guilty so as to reduce the fine.

My own feeling are that your on a hidding to nothing, unfortunatly there are rotten eggs in every basket and police forces are no exception.

If its worth anything I was done by the MET by a traffic officer based in Bromley and beleive it or not he actually came looking for me at my place of work after the case to find out what the outcome was.

[Carbon749]

Yep ..... understand what you have said.

My solicitor has advised me to plead guilty as there is no doubt that I was speeding, however, he has advised me to plead guilty to no more than 90mph and throw up enough of a stink about the way I was dealt with, errors etc etc that the court may just go with 3 points rather than try to argue it out with me.

Must admit I'm looking for any evidence of the Police Pilot being discredited. I have one story from a mag' were the reading of 125mph was the speed of the cop car trying to catch the bike, when they caught up with the bike it was doing 85mph. This is very much like my case but in the mag they had video which showed that it was the police car doing 125mph and not the bike.

[Carbon749]

Not sure if it's good or bad, but, no video.

Hi,

Just a few questions on this one, was he alone or with a partner, was the vehicle video equipped, did he show you any equipment readings, what mistakes did he make and what car was he driving?

Cannot promise anything but had a similar 'event' with a rather nasty Met. Officer, I eventually discredited him and his system, but it was not easy.

Cheers.

[Carbon749]

Wow, I'll try to answer the questions in order :

They were 2 up, no video that I'm aware of, did not sit me in the car but pointed to a red digital display that said 102mph then shut the door. Vauxhaul Astra or Vectra, not sure as the whole thing lasted no more than 5 mins because he was on another call and just stopped me on route.

Made 4 errors completing the producer: date, reg number, need for MOT and didn't ask me to self define ethnic group.

He did not read me my rights or tell me that he would summons me, however, when the summons came through 6 weeks later his signed statement to the court says that he did read me my rights and that he did inform me that he was going to summons me .... I know he's lying.

My solicitor say that we should use the fact that he made 4 mistakes completeing a form that he's filled in 1000's of times as proof that he was in a hurry and did not deal with me in the correct manner and that procedure was not followed.

I'm hoping someone out there will have proof of a discredited Police Pilot reading.

Again my solicitor says that with the speed and short distances involved the Police Pilot relies on human input and could be out by a few seconds making all the difference between 3 points and a ban.

[rcgbob44]

When he said 102 mph , I`ll put money on it that that was the spead "he" reached trying to catch up with you. I`d question that fact as I know of others who have got away with it just on that fact, but don`t keep your hopes up.

[Carbon749]

Fully agree with you about 102mph being his average as he accellerated trying to catch up with me.

I came of an island, accelerated and then slowed as I caught tarffic. From the island to being stopped was 1.1mile .... I will argue that in that short distance it was not possible for me to reach that speeds that they are claiming ( a high of 125mph) and back to 60mph all in 0.6 of a mile and still average 102mph.

Solicitor thinks that by pleading guilty to a max of 90mph the court may go with me rather than try to fight about all the errors etc.

[Festa748]

If the details on the nip for are wrong it shouldnt stand up in court at all

You have U2U