Just got flashed by one of those Gatso cameras near my house while I was doing about 33 mph in a 30 zone. I wasn't speeding intentionally, just didn't notice the limit changed. Will I actually get a fine for being 3 mph over, or is there some kind of tolerance?
Most places do have some tolerance built in, and 3 mph over is usually pretty safe - a lot of jurisdictions won't pursue you unless you're doing like 35+ or sometimes even 40 in a 30. That said, it depends where you are, because different countries and regions have different policies. Your best bet is to wait and see if anything arrives in the post over the next couple weeks, since that's when they typically send notices. Honestly you're probably fine, but if a ticket does show up you can always check the specific rules for your area or contest it if the evidence seems dodgy.
Most speed cameras have some tolerance built in, yeah. In the UK (assuming that's where you are based on "Gatso"?) theres typically a 10% threshold plus 2 mph before you'd actually face enforcement. So for a 30 zone that'd be around 35 mph before they'd typically pursue it. Being at 33 you're probably fine, but I'd ask - are you in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland? The exact rules can vary slightly between regions and also depend on individual police force policies. Some forces are stricter than others.
That said, just because theres tolerance doesn't mean the camera definitely won't have recorded you or sent anything through. The safest thing is just wait and see if you get a notice in the post. If you do get something, then you'd have grounds to challenge it given how close you were to the limit. But honestly at 3 over you're pretty unlikely to get prosecuted. Most of the time cameras are going after people doing 40+ in a 30. Have you had any notification yet or are you just worried about what might come?
You're almost certainly fine - as some answers noted, most forces won't pursue anything that minor, and even with stricter enforcement the tolerance is usually enough to cover you at 33 in a 30. That said, it does depend on which police force covers your area since they have some discretion on these things, but honestly I wouldn't worry about it.
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