YouTube Speeder Doesn't Leave Enough Evidence For Police
from the lucky-him dept
While we've seen some stories of speedy drivers getting fined for posting videos of themselves speeding on YouTube, it seems that one British motorcyclist made out just fine, after the police realized that without an official date and time on the video, they had no way of making sure that the ticket was presented within 14 days of the event -- leaving him free to speed and YouTube yet again. Of course, before doing the same, you might want to check the statute of limitation on giving speeding tickets in your area... and wait to post the video until after that. Of course, how long will it be until we see laws proposed to make it illegal to film yourself speeding?Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.
While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.
–The Techdirt Team
Reader Comments
Subscribe: RSS
View by: Time | Thread
How Long?
Well, if it was recorded with a camera-phone then it is already illegal in many states.
I guess you'd have to make sure you were using a much larger and more cumbersome video camera in order to stay on the good side of the law.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
That's too easy...
Of course, how long will it be until we see laws proposed to make it illegal to film yourself speeding?
Nah I see lawmakers removing the statue of limitations on speeding. And if I recall there are precious few crimes that have no statue of limitations.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: That's too easy...
Is that like Lady Liberty, only it has a stopwatch and a calendar instead of a torch and books?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: That's too easy...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Never admit it was you...
But do not lie under oath either.
I don't know is always a good answer.
Oh, I'm first.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Never admit it was you...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Never admit it was you...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Never admit it was you...
It can be shown in a court that you were trying to hide your involvement, knowledge of something, etc.
The correct response (IMHO) is "I require legal advice before answering.", or if you're in the US, just don't answer.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Yes, and in this case - the crime would be not paying the city the money it's entitled to...
Which is worse than murder or treason anymore.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
Or maybe that was your point...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
maybe it's just me
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: maybe it's just me
Won't anyone think of the children!! No, seriously, someone could have gotten really hurt. Just because police weren't around to catch this guy being jerk doesn't mean he shouldn't pay the price.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
statute of limitations
I thought the point was that they couldn't prove WHEN the video was taken...so why would anyone need to wait until after the statute of limitations has run out before posting the vide? :)
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Columbo
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Actually it does
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Actually it does
Ok, so I was wandering off topic. My point is that these people are not educated enough to realize that if a car pulls out in front of you when you are traveling 100MPH, you WILL have an accident. At 100MPH you are traveling about half a foot ball field a second. The average non-race car driver, is not going to react in time to even try to make a controlled maneuver. Best case would be that you wreck your car and miss the other person. Worst case is that you obliterate both cars and kill everyone involved and possibly kill bystanders. Either way, it's a bad day for you. It's just not worth the risk. Does this mean I have never done anything stupid? No, but at the same time, these actions are more then just stupid. Actions such as driving 100MPH, in a 30MPH zone, in a city is grossly negligent. If someone was going 100MPH on a freeway in the middle of the night and away from traffic, I wouldn't care. If he wrecked out there it wouldn't risk other people, but in town is totally different. I don't care if stupid people kill themselves, but they should not be doing it around other people.
On a final note, no matter how good of a driver you are, on the road you are surrounded by horrible drivers. Every day commuting to work I dodge half a dozen of the worst drivers I have ever seen. I learned that driving around these people is more like driving with the idea that they are all out to hit you. If you add additional speed to the equation, it gets far harder to dodge them. I have no problem with people driving 80MPH or more on a highway where traffic is going 65MPH+. In that equation you and your vehicle only have to overcome about 20MPH or difference to avoid an accident. Of course this goes back to my rant about vehicle safety. If your driving an SUV or truck, you have no business over 65MPH anyway.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Never admit it was you... by Ajax 4Hire
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Moron
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Profit?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Take the FIFTH
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
Some crimes due not have limitations, such as murder. But other heinous crimes do, like rape. I believe the statute of limitation in rape cases is 5 years. And yet if you come to court after that time with VIDEO proof it happened and who did it, the criminal still gets to walk free.
It is not like the police are going to have the resources to arrest every dumb kid who video tapes themselves spray painting a building, but for other dangerous crimes like the one in this story, well that guy should have had some kind of punishment.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re:
The statute of limitations (I think that may be a US term) exists due to speed cameras, and basically states that you have to issue the ticket within 14days, otherwise the accused cannot reasonably be expected to remember who was driving the vehicle at the time. It's there also to prevent wasting the courts time with un-provable arguments going back and forth
In this case, although the video identified the address it didn't identify the driver specifically. If he had admitted it was him I am reasonably sure that he could be prosecuted - yeah its effectively a loophole but probably not one worth closing off unless lots of people start posting evidence to youTube in this manner
I should clarify that I am not a lawyer so cannot guarantee the above but am reasonably sure this is the case - are there any UK lawyers out there willing to back or beat me up for the benefit of clarity? ;0)
Either way the guys a tit driving 100mph through what is probably a residential area (30mph usually = residential in the UK). Local Somerset papers should publish the link in their next edition, so local people know which window to throw the bricks through - yeah that’s vigilantism and no I don't care
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- GK Chesterton
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: GK Chesterton quote....
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Common Sense is Dead
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
best comment ever
I am a very good driver however i agree with you 100% not to say that i havent gone over 140 sometimes on a middle of nowhere highway(i have a 1994 supra) but people arent robots and when your driving fast and they think you might hit you even if you just want to draft off them you never know what they might do driving in a residential or populated area or on a road with any drivers is not safe unless its sanctioned(meaning only on a track or on the autobahn.)
[ link to this | view in chronology ]