British Man Fined for Warning Other Drivers of Speed Trap by Flashing Lights

If there’s one thing all car enthusiasts can agree on, it’s that speed cameras are a nuisance. Back in the good ol’ days, you would see the van or a sign indicating a fixed camera long before you came to it. You’d slow down, pass by it and then speed up again. Don’t be shy, we all do it. Now, these so-called “life savers” hide behind bushes in unmarked vehicles, all the while speed related deaths and injuries continue to rise.

In what I’ll fancifully describe as the government’s latest bid to demoralise its citizenry, a British man has been fined £175 (US$279) and ordered to pay £265 (US$412) in court costs and surcharges after flashing his lights seven times at oncoming motorists in July of last year. Why was he flashing his lights? To warn them of a speed trap, of course.

The man, Michael Thompson, was in the Grimsby Magistrates’ Court last week where the verdict was handed down. The charge was “willfully obstructing a police officer”, which Mr. Thompson disputed in his hearing. He claimed that he was trying to warn motorists of the trap to prevent them braking suddenly upon sighting it – a cause of many-a rear-end collision.

Mr. Thompson was pulled over by police in his home town of Grimsby. In the hearing, it was revealed that the officer told Mr. Thompson that what he had been doing was perverting the course of justice, to which he replied, “I don’t believe that’s the case.” The officer then said, “I was going to let you off with a caution – but I’m not now.”

In my opinion, it’s hard to see how it that could be perverting the cause of justice, unless “justice” is catching motorists speeding and not preventing accidents. When questioned whether the case was absolutely necessary, a spokesperson for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) responded:

"Cost is not a consideration in our decision to prosecute. When a file is provided to the CPS from the police, it is our duty to decide whether it presents a realistic prospect of conviction and whether a prosecution is in the public interest. In accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors a prosecution was deemed appropriate.”

Though Carscoop does not endorse speeding or breaking the law, it’s hard to see how this latest case is in the public interest. You would think getting motorists to slow down through blackspots (this being the original purpose of speed cameras) would be more important than revenue raising, but then I don’t work for the British government. Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

Via Telegraph

Lotus Evora Tries Out Police Uniform in the UK

Lotus has loaned a brand new Evora to the boys in blue at the Central Motorway Police Group (CPMG). The police-liveried version of the British sports car was officially revealed at this week's Autosport International Show at Birmingham’s NEC. Once its show duties are over, the sports car maker will hand the keys of the Evora to West Midland's police officers who will then trial the car for a two week test period.

Gino Rosato, Director of Corporate Operations at Lotus comments: ‘Lotus is proud to take part in this and similar initiatives to help create a safer road culture for our customers and other road users. We believe that you do not have to compromise fun for speed and to that effect we build sportscars that are fun to drive within legal limits! We will be working with Officers from CMPG to teach them how to get the best from the Lotus Evora at our test track to ensure that any high-speed activity is as safe and effective as possible.”

PC Steven Rounds from, CMPG said: “The Lotus is a visually stunning machine which offers us the opportunity to engage with the public, reinforce and promote the life-saving messages of road safety.”

Unbelievable, but True: Man Booked for Same Offence in Two Different Continents by the Same Policeman!

What are the odds of receiving a ticket for the same offense, by the same officer, in two different continents? Well, as policeman Andy Flitton recently discovered, it's not as impossible as it sounds. Back in 2009, shortly before migrating to New Zealand, Constable Flitton ticketed an unnamed man for speeding in England. At the time, Mr Flitton was an officer for the Metropolitan Police in London for about 26 years.

Fast forward to 2010, and Mr. Flitton is working for the Rangiora police department in New Zealand. In late September, the 47-year-old officer stopped a speeding driver near Leithfield. Upon asking for details, the driver showed his South African and British licences and told the police officer that he had recently emigrated from England where he had lived for 12 years.

Mr. Flitton went back to his car to write up the ticket. When he returned he saw the man smiling.

"He asked if I had worked in London. I said, yes," Flitton said. "He asked if I used to operate the laser gun on the A5 in North London. I said, yes. And he said, 'I thought it was you. You gave me my last speeding ticket there two years ago'."

Mr. Flitton told reporters that at first he didn't recognize the man. " The minute he said it though, I remembered the whole thing. We both just had a laugh."

"We must have some sort of connection," Mr Flitton added. "He only ever broke the law twice and both times I was the one to give him a ticket. It cost him £60 over there and $120 over here so it wasn't cheap. It just shows what a small world it really is."