Should I take the fixed penalty

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hotchyboy

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Mar 30, 2005
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44
This morning I went through a red? amber? light at a junction. Traffic cops were the second car at the junction wating for the green light so they could turn right.

They said it was red, I said it was amber. They were not behind me so how could they tell? They issued me with a fixed penalty and threatened that if I appealed they would recommend a charge of dangerous driving.

I felt a bit hard done the rest of the car journey to the office. When I looked at the fixed penalty I noticed that the police officer had stated the wrong street name on the form.

Is it worth taking a chance?( I have no points on liscence)

Also If I accept the fixed penalty(3 points and £60) am I admitting guilt?

What would you do? Thanks.

Craig
 
This morning I went through a red? amber? light at a junction. Traffic cops were the second car at the junction wating for the green light so they could turn right.

They said it was red, I said it was amber. They were not behind me so how could they tell? They issued me with a fixed penalty and threatened that if I appealed they would recommend a charge of dangerous driving.

I felt a bit hard done the rest of the car journey to the office. When I looked at the fixed penalty I noticed that the police officer had stated the wrong street name on the form.

Is it worth taking a chance?( I have no points on liscence)

Also If I accept the fixed penalty(3 points and £60) am I admitting guilt?

What would you do? Thanks.

Craig

OK if you went to court and the judge said to you "do you plead guilty or not guilty" you could say not guilty. when asked why you could say that you were not in that street, and it should be thrown out of court.

Technically you should not go through a amber light unless it is not safe to stop or would have been dangerous in your view
 
Was the street name on the ticket the other road at this junction maybe?

TBH going through a dodgy amber/red light with a traffic car sitting there is a bit daft. As Malcolm has pointed out, you're supposed to stop for an amber light anyway (which is displayed for 3 seconds ... should be enough time to stop).

At many junctions you have a clear view of the 'other' lights so it's easy to see when someone has gone through a red. Your word against two traffic cops probably isn't going to work in court ... I assume you were on your own?

Yes taking the fixed penalty is admitting guilt ... that's why you get the points on your licence. Which could affect your insurance, it's normally only speeding points they're not that bothered by.
 
TBH going through a dodgy amber/red light with a traffic car sitting there is a bit daft. As Malcolm has pointed out, you're supposed to stop for an amber light anyway (which is displayed for 3 seconds ... should be enough time to stop).



.

Thanks for the 3 second bit, I know that many traffic lights in town centers have automatic cameras for this going and through on amber
 
"When I looked at the fixed penalty I noticed that the police officer had stated the wrong street name on the form."

This happend to my friend, and at court the case got thrown out, but he got charged again with the correct street name (which was the opposite junction) as soon as he got out of the court.

sTeVe
 
"When I looked at the fixed penalty I noticed that the police officer had stated the wrong street name on the form."

This happend to my friend, and at court the case got thrown out, but he got charged again with the correct street name (which was the opposite junction) as soon as he got out of the court.

sTeVe

hmm have always wondered about this as i have had them through with the wrong name too.... i have just said this person does not live at this address in the past and have not heard anythign back...
 
Friend of mine contested this one a few years ago.

Result, same, just more cost..chance of actually winning against the word of the nations finest is arouns 0%

My view, take it on the chin
 
You're stuffed. Two Traffic Officers will corroborate each other and no court will believe your word against theirs unless you have cast-iron independent witnesses to demonstrate that they are not telling the truth. The wrong street name may be correctable under the slip rule (which is meant to deal with minor errors like writing a 5 instead of an "S" or whatever), or failing that you could be re-charged with the correct info unless you get past the time limit for summons under a revised charge (probably 6 months).

This isn't meant to sound patronising, but think yourself lucky that someone else wasn't anticipating the lights in the other direction at the same time you were pushing your luck and you collected eachother. Pay the fixed penalty and be more careful at traffic lights in the future.
 
Goto the nick and get the officers details and call there bluff that you are telling your story to your local paper.



got wound up a bit!
 
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We have a few serving police officers on this forum and perhaps your comment might be seen as offensive?

John
 
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Must admit I think this is a terrible attitude to take and bypassing the forum's swear filter is not big and it's not clever.
 
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We have a few serving police officers on this forum and perhaps your comment might be seen as offensive?

John

And some who are not police officers who still find that sort of remark puerile. I wonder where poster will go for help when he needs it?
 
I was trying to be tactful, but I confess to being very surprised at evdok, it does seem out of character.

John
 
The reason for the hard post was that i went through the same thing, nicked for doing 120mph in a golf gti lookalike, it was a 1.4!! went to court and got adjourned, went back to court this time officers never turned up so i pleaded guilty to speeding over 70mph. I was out of pocket £1000 for solicitor.

My apologies if it offended anyone:)
 
The reason for the hard post was that i went through the same thing, nicked for doing 120mph in a golf gti lookalike, it was a 1.4!! went to court and got adjourned, went back to court this time officers never turned up so i pleaded guilty to speeding over 70mph. I was out of pocket £1000 for solicitor.

My apologies if it offended anyone:)

I really don't want to start anything here.....but....I really don't see how anything you have just related in this post justifies your previous remark....which frankly I think you should remove.
 
I really don't want to start anything here.....but....I really don't see how anything you have just related in this post justifies your previous remark....which frankly I think you should remove.

Maybe you should read the thread again!
 

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