OT: 4 speeding fines in under 2 minutes



D

Danny Colyer

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This was brought to my attention by the weekly "This is True" newsletter
[1], well worth subscribing to. Anyway:

<URL:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/11/18/wspeed18.xml>

Speeding driver is trapped four times by same camera in 1 min 37 sec

The world's most hapless driver faces the loss of his licence and a huge
fine after being flashed by the same speed camera four times in the
space of one minute and 37 seconds.

Throughout his record-breaking run, the 40-year-old motorist had no idea
that he was passing a speed trap. His bafflement at being repeatedly
flashed led him to pass the spot again and again.

The driver, a Turk whose identity cannot be revealed under Swiss privacy
laws, told police that he thought someone was trying to annoy him with a
flashgun and wanted to check "what was going on".

It was a feat requiring both precision driving and "a little bit of
stupidity", police said.

The driver's unwitting achievement was made possible by the location of
two roundabouts, a short distance apart, on either side of the camera,
which is in a 50kph (31mph) zone in the centre of the town of Kreuzlingen.

The BMW's initial pass was made at a relatively sedate 36.6mph, just
enough to trigger a flash from the camera mounted on top of a traffic
light, which was set permanently at amber as it was night and traffic
was light.

The driver headed back and passed the light again at 39mph - flash! That
prompted him to double back for a fresh look, this time at 47mph -
flash! That led to one last run - flash! - at just under 42mph. A single
offence normally brings a fine of £110.

Rolf Müller, the director of communications for the Thurgau police,
said: "Usually, speed cameras are in a box on their own. He could not
believe it was on top of a traffic light."

He conceded that even the famously sober Swiss-German police found the
incident "maybe a little amusing".

However, they will prosecute the man for four separate speeding
offences, plus failing to wear a seat belt.


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Danny Colyer (my reply address is valid but checked infrequently)
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