SVA Forum

Eclipse · Joined: 14 Apr 2010 Posts: 48 Location: Cheshire

FYI...the speed camera in Alpraham is working. Damn it!!!!

Victoria
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Victoria Murray
Eclipse PA Solutions
www.eclipse-pasolutions.co.uk
0843 289 4974

vpa-ni · Posted: Sun Aug 29, 2010 1:51 pm Post subject: Speed Camera

One of my clients received a speeding ticket the other day. He had to complete a form stating who the driver of the vehicle was - then a couple of days later he received a letter giving him the following options.

A) pay the £60 speeding fine and get 3 points on his licene or
B) attend a "driving refresher day" run by the AA at a cost of £85

I know which one I would go for!!!!
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Heather Greig
VPA-NI
(Virtual Personal Assistant-Northern Ireland)

Phone: 07796 570850
Email: info@vpa-ni.co.uk
Web: www.vpa-ni.co.uk

coxvos · Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2010 7:13 am Post subject:

I wish the refersher day had been offered to my husband when he was in this position. He was a delivery driver and ended up losing his license for 6 months under the totting up rules. Although he paid his fine, served his 6 month ban and had to change his job (now works permanent nights) we are forced to pay extra on car insurance for 5 years so in fact it wasn't a 6 month ban, the penalty does in fact last 5 and a half years, during which time we're paying out extra on five years of insurance premiums.
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Regards

Lynn

caroline · Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2010 11:03 pm Post subject:

Those buggers on the M6 got me 3 weeks after I got my new car - ZOOOOOOM!!! I will learn though... to keep my beady eyes on all the bridges!!!

I don't think it's fair that the cameras are on the motorway - fair enough in a residential area, but on a motorway I reckon it's fair game. Far more accidents are caused by people going slowly on the motorways than people going fast. In a very scientific experiment on a bank holiday weekend my lovely hubby counted the numbers of accidents and who was involved - the results are in: 3 caravans, 2 trucks and 3 cars. Which considering that the vast majority of traffic was cars means that the trucks and caravans have an absolutely appauling safety record and should be banned... My own personal dictatorship would be a wonderful place!
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coxvos · Posted: Tue Aug 31, 2010 7:39 am Post subject:

As a former caravan owner and main tower in the family I have to respond to you, Caroline - this is one of my pet subjects. I have been trained by one of the caravan clubs to a standard that is part of the advanced driving course to tow and manoeuvre caravans and am experienced. The law says that caravans must travel 10mph slower than the speed limit in force and on motorways/major routes with more than two lanes caravans are not allowed in the outside lane. The maximum speed a caravan can be towed at is therefore 60mph.

The problem with caravans is generally not usually the caravan tower - it is usually the way other drivers react to being near a caravan, and drive too close behind so they cannot be seen, or overtake and pull in too close in front forcing the caravaner to brake sharply. Caravaners cannot stop as fast as cars - the force of towing a 23 foot long (or even larger) caravan causes a momentum which needs a much longer stopping distance than if you were not towing but other drivers treat caravans with disdain and disrespect and get a "red mist" that says they must get past the caravan but do not consider stopping distances. Sometimes being forced to brake sharply will cause every caravanner's worst nightmare - a "snake", where the caravan weaves from side to side and takes control of the car and forces that to weave from side to side too. The only way to end a snake safely is to slow down without braking.

Some caravanners do cause problems by not loading the caravan properly, or by mismatching the tow car and weight of the caravan, both of which are very dangerous. Towing in high winds like we had over the weekend means caravaners must drive slower than usual to avoid "snakes".
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Regards

Lynn

Eclipse · Joined: 14 Apr 2010 Posts: 48 Location: Cheshire

I struggle with morons when I'm towing my horse. On the A49, a particularly fast and winding road, I was stuck behind a farmer's "sh1t flinger" and had to leave masses of room between it and me as all the bozos behind me thought it was me driving at 25mph, kept shooting past and getting the fright of their lives when the realised what was in front of me!

I also once had a boss who offered to pay me to take his points!!!! Needless to say it was his licence marked and not mine! He was a cheeky monkey!

Caroline - my cousin got caught from a bridge doing 78mph...78!!! on the M6. The swines.

Victoria
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Victoria Murray
Eclipse PA Solutions
www.eclipse-pasolutions.co.uk
0843 289 4974

OfficeStuff · Posted: Thu Sep 02, 2010 9:27 am Post subject:

I'll remember about speed cameras on bridges as I'm heading down the M4 to Reading tomorrow!

We were on our way back from Chepstow on Sunday, on the A449 dual carriageway, when we were overtaken by a 4x4 pulling a horse box, driven by a woman. Himself reckoned she was doing over 70mph! He then researched speed limits and said she should only have been doing 40, max. Is this correct, Victoria?

I don't have a problem with caravans on motorways and to be honest it's usually the idiot car drivers that cause the problems. But I can understand the frustration of drivers behind a caravan on an A road with bends!
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Carole Meyrick
Office Stuff
Perfectly Practical Office Support

Eclipse · Joined: 14 Apr 2010 Posts: 48 Location: Cheshire

40 mph?? Eh? I wouldn't go above 55mph and do do 60mph on motorways as people start doing silly things if you go too slowly. I think laden you're able to go up to 60mph but don't quote me on that...I'm an age where I didn't have to do a towing test.....this is from the National Trailer and Towing Association's website (bet they do a lovely line in anoraks!!!)

Driving With a Trailer
Speed limits:
Always keep to the legal speed limit for the road you are using.
Speed limits for cars towing caravans or trailers.

30mph limit applies on all roads with street lighting unless signs show otherwise.
50mph applies on single carriageways unless signs show otherwise.
60mph applies on dual carriageways and motorways.
It should be remembered that you must not travel in the right-hand lane of a motorway, with three lanes or more, if you are driving a vehicle drawing a trailer.

There we go!

Victoria
_________________
Victoria Murray
Eclipse PA Solutions
www.eclipse-pasolutions.co.uk
0843 289 4974

caroline · Posted: Fri Sep 03, 2010 1:22 pm Post subject:

I think what really annoys me is when the caravaners/trucks try to overtake each other and then take up two lanes whilst they inch forward at precisely 1 MPH faster than the vehicle they are overtaking. Drives me daft!! Especially since the trucks seem to just pull out in some sort of macho "bash me if you dare, I am a truck, and I am big" display without actually indicating or checking their mirrors.

Victoria - I suspect your cousin and I got caught in the same sting - 78 mph on a bridge on the M6 - those swines in Dumfries and Galloway got me! Lake District is also very bad.
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