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Can your phone data be used against you - speeding
Posted: Fri May 15, 2026 7:45 am
by Trinity765
Does anyone know if your phone data can be used against you for driving offenses, such as speeding?
There are various apps that track your location, speed, phone usage, hard acceleration and braking. I suppose its similar to Satnav logs. Can this be used for or against you in court?
Also, some apps share that data with your friends. Could a friend submit evidence against you?
Re: Can your phone data be used against you - speeding
Posted: Fri May 15, 2026 9:33 am
by Count Steer
Trinity765 wrote: Fri May 15, 2026 7:45 am
Does anyone know if your phone data can be used against you for driving offenses, such as speeding?
There are various apps that track your location, speed, phone usage, hard acceleration and braking. I suppose its similar to Satnav logs. Can this be used for or against you in court?
Also, some apps share that data with your friends. Could a
friend submit evidence against you?
That's a very loose use of the term 'friend'.
Re: Can your phone data be used against you - speeding
Posted: Fri May 15, 2026 10:11 am
by Yorick
If it's not been properly tested like a police speed gun, I'd be surprised if the info could be trusted as 100% true.
Re: Can your phone data be used against you - speeding
Posted: Fri May 15, 2026 10:37 am
by Skub
In the case of an accident the police often ask for dashcam footage,plus the self righteous crusaders often supply evidence of 'bad driving' to the authorities.
https://www.westmidlands.police.uk/poli ... tion-snap/
Most modern bikes for some time now are loaded with tech and able to log things like top speed,but I don't know if that,or phone data is enough to get you collared in itself,maybe further evidence if something bad did happen.
Re: Can your phone data be used against you - speeding
Posted: Fri May 15, 2026 1:42 pm
by Trinity765
Skub wrote: Fri May 15, 2026 10:37 am
In the case of an accident the police often ask for dashcam footage,plus the self righteous crusaders often supply evidence of 'bad driving' to the authorities.
https://www.westmidlands.police.uk/poli ... tion-snap/
Most modern bikes for some time now are loaded with tech and able to log things like top speed,but I don't know if that,or phone data is enough to get you collared in itself,maybe further evidence if something bad did happen.
I was told by a policeman friend that dashcam footage needs to include the 10 minutes prior to the "offence" and not just a snippet.
I also wonder about calibration as while my Garmin logs are pretty accurate, they sometimes show speeds of four digits
I'm looking into this because I'm thinking about using an app that tracks everyone in a group you create. It tracks speed, hard acceleration, hard braking, live location etc. So when I say "friend" it could be someone I barely know. I have biker friends who use it for group rides, but they really are friends so they don't mind the invasiveness of it. I want to know the legal implications of it before I go touting it as a good thing and be prepared for any questions.
Re: Can your phone data be used against you - speeding
Posted: Fri May 15, 2026 1:52 pm
by Horse
Skub wrote: Fri May 15, 2026 10:37 am
Most modern bikes for some time now are loaded with tech and able to log things like top speed
Don't know about bikes, but car data logging systems also log stuff like steering, brake and accelerator pressure, g forces, seatbelt wearing.
Re: Can your phone data be used against you - speeding
Posted: Fri May 15, 2026 1:54 pm
by Trinity765
Additional info, the app I'm talking about it called Life360.
There are lots of benefits to the Gold membership I have including SOS. crash alerts, breakdown recovery blah blah but, the reason my biker friends like it is it gives you a drive/ride report each day which counts the number of times you accelerated hard, braked hard, exceeded 80mph for more than a few seconds etc. and comparing this data in the pub at the end of the day is fun.
It's also fun watching someone when they're lost.
But, as I say. I'd like to be able to answer any questions that I'm asked, particularly about the legalities.
Re: Can your phone data be used against you - speeding
Posted: Fri May 15, 2026 2:05 pm
by Skub
Do a flat out run,then report yourself and see what happens.
Re: Can your phone data be used against you - speeding
Posted: Fri May 15, 2026 2:15 pm
by Trinity765
Skub wrote: Fri May 15, 2026 2:05 pm
Do a flat out run,then report yourself and see what happens.
I was looking for a volunteer. Download the app and I will send you a code. You go out tomorrow and I will drop the data off with a friend. I would do it myself but I am on call this weekend
Re: Can your phone data be used against you - speeding
Posted: Fri May 15, 2026 2:40 pm
by Skub
Trinity765 wrote: Fri May 15, 2026 2:15 pm
I was looking for a volunteer. Download the app and I will send you a code. You go out tomorrow and I will drop the data off with a friend. I would do it myself but I am on call this weekend
I could always add it to my 'list of riding achievements' over the last 54 years.
Re: Can your phone data be used against you - speeding
Posted: Fri May 15, 2026 2:47 pm
by Nordboy
I've used someone's own GoPro video against themselves in court before. It had location and speed on the screen. Well, I say I used it, I disclosed that I was going to, and funnily enough, they changed their plea to 'guilty'. I wonder why?
Dashcam, you don't need anywhere near 10 minutes. A snippet is fine if it proves the offence.
You know that if Police ask for dashcam footage of vehicles driving prior to a serious collision etc, that there is probably a witness or some sort of allegation of crap driving and someone is probably very much at fault.
Bikes, like cars these days store pretty much everything, the police can apply, in certain circumstances to retrieve the information that was stored by the on board computers.
Re: Can your phone data be used against you - speeding
Posted: Fri May 15, 2026 3:19 pm
by Trinity765
Nordboy wrote: Fri May 15, 2026 2:47 pm
I've used someone's own GoPro video against themselves in court before. It had location and speed on the screen. Well, I say I used it, I disclosed that I was going to, and funnily enough, they changed their plea to 'guilty'. I wonder why?
Dashcam, you don't need anywhere near 10 minutes. A snippet is fine if it proves the offence.
You know that if Police ask for dashcam footage of vehicles driving prior to a serious collision etc, that there is probably a witness or some sort of allegation of crap driving and someone is probably very much at fault.
Bikes, like cars these days store pretty much everything, the police can apply, in certain circumstances to retrieve the information that was stored by the on board computers.
So, a lot of devices track your speed/position - e.g. Google maps, satnavs, phone apps (like life360) and in a lot of cases, your vehicle. The police can, in certain circumstances, apply to retrieve that information. It could be used as evidence if it helps to prove an offense.
This normally only happens when someone pleads not guilty.
So, just fess up and make everyone's life easier...or, even better, don't ride like a dick
Re: Can your phone data be used against you - speeding
Posted: Fri May 15, 2026 3:41 pm
by Jody
Trinity765 wrote: Fri May 15, 2026 7:45 am
Does anyone know if your phone data can be used against you for driving offenses, such as speeding?
There are various apps that track your location, speed, phone usage, hard acceleration and braking. I suppose its similar to Satnav logs. Can this be used for or against you in court?
Also, some apps share that data with your friends. Could a friend submit evidence against you?
I hope so, because according to Strava, last winter I hit 184mph ......... on a snowboard. Thats 40mph over the world record......
Re: Can your phone data be used against you - speeding
Posted: Fri May 15, 2026 3:46 pm
by Trinity765
Regards the 10 minutes, at the time we were discussing road rage so maybe in relation to that kind of offence. My bad.
I think the difference with shared apps is that other people have evidence of your speed as opposed to a personal device with just your data.
Re: Can your phone data be used against you - speeding
Posted: Fri May 15, 2026 3:53 pm
by Mussels
I have life360.
Driving reports can't be shared unless you pay a premium, on top of that I turned the recording off on my phone so nobody can use it to critique my driving.
Re: Can your phone data be used against you - speeding
Posted: Fri May 15, 2026 3:56 pm
by Yorick
Mussels wrote: Fri May 15, 2026 3:53 pm
I have life360.
Driving reports can't be shared unless you pay a premium, on top of that I turned the recording off on my phone so nobody can use it to critique my driving.
We saw it last time and we all laughed
Taipan laughed the most, oh yes it was him
Re: Can your phone data be used against you - speeding
Posted: Fri May 15, 2026 3:59 pm
by Mussels
Yorick wrote: Fri May 15, 2026 3:56 pm
Mussels wrote: Fri May 15, 2026 3:53 pm
I have life360.
Driving reports can't be shared unless you pay a premium, on top of that I turned the recording off on my phone so nobody can use it to critique my driving.
We saw it last time and we all laughed
Taipan laughed the most, oh yes it was him
I had only used it in town when I saw the first report and it said I had a driving age of 98.
Re: Can your phone data be used against you - speeding
Posted: Fri May 15, 2026 4:50 pm
by Rockburner
Trinity765 wrote: Fri May 15, 2026 1:54 pm
Additional info, the app I'm talking about it called Life360.
There are lots of benefits to the Gold membership I have including SOS. crash alerts, breakdown recovery blah blah but, the reason my biker friends like it is it gives you a drive/ride report each day which counts the number of times you accelerated hard, braked hard, exceeded 80mph for more than a few seconds etc. and comparing this data in the pub at the end of the day is fun.
It's also fun watching someone when they're lost.
But, as I say. I'd like to be able to answer any questions that I'm asked, particularly about the legalities.
I'd like to know the exact parameters that are used to define "hard acceleration" and "hard braking".
Re: Can your phone data be used against you - speeding
Posted: Fri May 15, 2026 5:06 pm
by Trinity765
Rockburner wrote: Fri May 15, 2026 4:50 pm
Trinity765 wrote: Fri May 15, 2026 1:54 pm
Additional info, the app I'm talking about it called Life360.
There are lots of benefits to the Gold membership I have including SOS. crash alerts, breakdown recovery blah blah but, the reason my biker friends like it is it gives you a drive/ride report each day which counts the number of times you accelerated hard, braked hard, exceeded 80mph for more than a few seconds etc. and comparing this data in the pub at the end of the day is fun.
It's also fun watching someone when they're lost.
But, as I say. I'd like to be able to answer any questions that I'm asked, particularly about the legalities.
I'd like to know the exact parameters that are used to define "hard acceleration" and "hard braking".
The F.U.N. config.
Re: Can your phone data be used against you - speeding
Posted: Fri May 15, 2026 5:18 pm
by Yorick
Trinity765 wrote: Fri May 15, 2026 5:06 pm
Rockburner wrote: Fri May 15, 2026 4:50 pm
Trinity765 wrote: Fri May 15, 2026 1:54 pm
Additional info, the app I'm talking about it called Life360.
There are lots of benefits to the Gold membership I have including SOS. crash alerts, breakdown recovery blah blah but, the reason my biker friends like it is it gives you a drive/ride report each day which counts the number of times you accelerated hard, braked hard, exceeded 80mph for more than a few seconds etc. and comparing this data in the pub at the end of the day is fun.
It's also fun watching someone when they're lost.
But, as I say. I'd like to be able to answer any questions that I'm asked, particularly about the legalities.
I'd like to know the exact parameters that are used to define "hard acceleration" and "hard braking".
The F.U.N. config.
Wassat????