Flashed on Motorway

[Pheidippides]

I was driving home on the M26 and the smart/variable speed road had restricted speeds The last sign I had been through had said 60 and I was doing about this. I was trying to change lanes - the sign about 100 yards ahead said 40 and I was preparing to stand on the brakes and change lanes, having overtaken a slower moving vehicle. I noticed the NEXT sign change from 40 to National Speed Limit in the distance.

I was literally pressing the brake pedal when I saw the sign change (almost above me) to the NSL sign and so took my foot off the brake and must have gone through somewhere north of 50 mph

I went under the gantry and was flashed - as I looked in the rearview mirror I saw several vehicles (at least a couple of dozen) get flashed ab9ut 100 yards behind,

I know that there is a 60-second grace period when VSL signs are first illuminated, but is there also an automatic tolerance for the situation I have described? If not how on earth do I prove that what I described actually happened if I were to receive a ticket?

Regards

Tet

[BullDog]

No idea. Please tell us what happens.

[swill453]

You could ask them to prove, to the second, when the limit changed, and compare that with the exact time of your ticket (assuming you get one).

They should have that information.

Scott.

[MrFoolish]

Maybe when the signs are changing they take more pictures than is necessary, applying worst case (lowest) limits so they can build up a timeline of events just in case.

So I wouldn't worry about it (much).

[sg31]

WAs it you that got flashed or a car behind?

[Pheidippides]

Me and LOTS of cars behind me also

I went through pretty much on my own and certainly well over the previously posted 40mph.

The pulse of traffic behind me obviously sped up, or not slowed down - remember that this was the FIRST 40 after a previous 60 - I would guess at least 20 flashes in the pulse behind me

Regards

Tet

[bungeejumper]

I'd always understood that the grace period applies whenever they reduce a speed limit. (There's presumably no need when they increase it?)

I suppose it's possible that nobody had told the flash camera, so it carried on snapping as though the old limit was still in force, but I'd be pretty surprised if anything comes of this. The radar cameras must surely have to record the time of every "offence" to the millisecond, and it would be a bit surprising if the exact millisecond of the changed limit hadn't also been recorded. A quick comparison of the two, and case dismissed.

BJ

[absolutezero]

I see this a lot on the 'smart' motorways near me.
Cars going WELL under the speed limit get flashed.
I assume it's a test.