Speeding ticket

[Piff]

A couple of weeks ago on my way home from work I got stuck behind a car on the A140 for about 15 miles. Generally the speed limit is 50mph but through a couple of villages it reduces to 30mph.
The car I was following was driving at generally 5 to 10mph below the speed limit. Applying its brakes randomly, following the white lines then randomly veering across the road. I was convinced that they may have consumed a drink or two (or more).
At the southern end of the A140, the road opens up to a dual carriageway but the clever boffins at Suffolk County Council have also restricted the dual carriageway to 50mph.
Yes, there is an accident blackspot a mile or so on, but this is covered by a fixed speed camera.
The car I was following finally accelerated to 50mph - I breathed a sigh of relief - but then it stuck its brakes on again. I accelerated to pass around it with at least 6 cars behind me (I know from the speed camera photo) and there (in a location I'd never seen it before) was the "safety" camera van.
I was clocked at 61mph in a 50mph limit and no doubt several of the cars behind me were clocked also.
So, I have a notice of intended prosecution for my crime of 61mph on a dual carriageway and the "erratic" (pissed) driver carries on their business. That's why they are called "safety" camera vans.

 

[clk320x]

Make sure you download and run Waze at all times for notifications of scamera vans… (people report the locations as soon as they see them)

 

[slade1]

Revenue vans

 

[nyssa7]

Don’t suppose you have dash cam footage? Your choice really, take the hit and pay the fine or contest it. You have a Good story but without the dash cam footage you can’t prove your story

long time ago, 1983 at a guess, I was stopped by the police (the old fashioned way), they had come up from behind with blue light flashing. It didn’t occur to me I had done anything wrong so moved over to let them by before realising it was me they were after. It was a little after midnight, I was a young lad in a Fiat X1/9

the conversation went much as follows:
PC: Excuse me sir, we have just been following you at speeds of up to 58 mph, the speed limit here is 30mph
Me: Surely the limit here is 40? And I was following a chap up to the last roundabout who was doing no more than 44. You may have been doing 58 but when I crossed the hump back bridge halfway along that road, you were not in sight, so not surprised you will have had to do 58 to catch up with me
PC: I’ll be issuing you with a court summons


of course the NIP arrives, court date is set. I write the following to the court

i plead guilty to speeding but dispute the figure stated. I was travelling along a road I believed to have a 40 limit, have since found out it changed to 30 that week. I was following another driver at approx 44mph and as I crossed the bridge there was no car behind me. I turned off at the end of the road (now into a 40 limit) at which point a police car came up behind me and I moved over to let it pass. I can only assume the officers had to reach 58 mph as they started so far behind me

Fully expected to collect the endorsement and fine, was pleasantly surprised when the court notice came back that prosecution had withdrawn the charge

guess you get lucky sometimes - are you feeling lucky (punk)

 

[Charliecloud]

Have you been offered an online safety course ?
If you plead guilty and it's hard not too, as the photos, video and calibration cert for the camera are hard to argue against. I got done, first time in 22 years just a month ago, 35 in a 30. The choice was £100 +3 points or an online course for a few hours. Cost of course via KCC was £92 and no points. No brainer really as the points would just increase the Insurance premium. My course is booked in September.

 

[Teego]

Tough merde mon brave.
A few years ago on my bike I was hooning down the Via Gellia. Race can, 3rd gear and pretty quick on average.
On the gas out of a left-hander cop with unmarked car flags me in. Shittenkitten I think.
Park up and helmet off.
Plod: Is this your bike sir?
Me: Yes and you probably know all about me already.
Plod (holding speed gun): Do you know why I stopped you?
Me: Yes, I think so.
Plod: Do you know the speed limit here?
Me (after thinking about pleading ignorance and losing the argument): Yes, it's 50.
Plod: Do you know how fast you were going? Before you answer, I'll tell you. And before I tell you, I'll tell you that my machine waas calibrated this morning. I got you at 66mph. Have a look.
We get talking as he asks me all the usual questions.
Plod: And your age?
Me: (Edit for you lot). Life can be shit when you get old.
Plod begins to crack up and gives me a ticket for 62mph.
When the NIP arrives it offers me a place on the speed awareness course. Strooth, I'm home free.
At 66 it would have been a fine and points. At 62 the cost was the same as a fine but zero points. Good cop. Not many around.
In fact I could have been flashed at anything up to 85ish in a 50.

 

[Bayleaf]

A couple of weeks ago on my way home from work I got stuck behind a car on the A140 for about 15 miles. Generally the speed limit is 50mph but through a couple of villages it reduces to 30mph.
The car I was following was driving at generally 5 to 10mph below the speed limit. Applying its brakes randomly, following the white lines then randomly veering across the road. I was convinced that they may have consumed a drink or two (or more).
At the southern end of the A140, the road opens up to a dual carriageway but the clever boffins at Suffolk County Council have also restricted the dual carriageway to 50mph.
Yes, there is an accident blackspot a mile or so on, but this is covered by a fixed speed camera.
The car I was following finally accelerated to 50mph - I breathed a sigh of relief - but then it stuck its brakes on again. I accelerated to pass around it with at least 6 cars behind me (I know from the speed camera photo) and there (in a location I'd never seen it before) was the "safety" camera van.
I was clocked at 61mph in a 50mph limit and no doubt several of the cars behind me were clocked also.
So, I have a notice of intended prosecution for my crime of 61mph on a dual carriageway and the "erratic" (pissed) driver carries on their business. That's why they are called "safety" camera vans.

All I can say is hard luck (and I mean that sincerely) But the thing is is that the speed limit whether it's 30 /40 / 50 is the maximum speed your supposed to to do not the minimum . You say you thought the driver was inebriated but how do you know, he could have been a senior citizen driving over cautiously. Don't get me wrong here my friend I'm not against you ( I've been done twice for speeding myself ) but you've got to take it on the chin and use it as a learning curve as I have.

 

[Tonygw]

These erratic drivers who cause all sorts of issues are never prosecuted. Only those "mostly" responsible drivers who creep over the limits are the true criminals who get the full force of the law thrown at them...


Driving to work this morning, there was huge queues of traffic where there normally is none, turns out a van had crashed into a wall on a straight road.. No doubt doing the speed limit while texting on his phone. No other vehicles involved. The result was huge delays.

I would imagine no charges brought against him.

Safety cameras LOL they have the wrong name for sure... I have never thought to myself, oh great the roads are much safer now the " mobile safety" camera is there.. I find the roads far more dangerous these days and these vans don't help one bit. But they do generate a nice amount of revenue... mm ??

 

[Germgh0st]

Has to be said they only generate revenue because people speed. If nobody did, there would be no cameras. Tough luck for the OP, he decided to make a maneouvre and most of us, me included, might have been at least tempted to do the same. Unfortunately wrong place, wrong time. Got to take it on the chin, it's a fair cop.

Also you have to wonder how much worse off we'd be in this country if the government didn't have the revenue generated from speed cameras - in that respect speeding tickets are doing the country a favour. Just a thought

 

[Piff]

I'll take it on the chin.
I travel this route 5 days a week for the last 3 years. I'm aware of the usual "safety" camera positions & positions often occupied by plod.
This time the "safety" camera was in a new position.
Usually I drive to within a little of the speed limit. Covid lockdown was great - journey to work was 5 minutes less due to less traffic & the ability to crack on at 55mph
I consider myself to be a "reasonable" driver, not necessarily sticking to the speed limit but sticking to a speed reasonable for the traffic & road conditions. In 46 years driving this is my first speeding ticket. I guess I have been lucky!

 

[Piff]

So I received the offer of either "educational" course or fixed penalty & £100 fine or magistrates court.

I'm choosing to be "educated"

The have sent a list of counties where I can book the course and it appears that I can do the course online, booking through any of the providers.
Prices vary dependant on location from £73 to £90. My local one is £90. As the course is online can I choose Durham of Cleveland at £73?

 

[zipdip]

Wow you do a speed awareness course on line !! so they zoom it,and you miss out on the tea or coffee and biscuits,but they save on hiring the venue,and all your money goes to the police and camera van people,just remember to stay awake they hate it if you start to snooze.

 

[baxlin]

Wow you do a speed awareness course on line !! so they zoom it,and you miss out on the tea or coffee and biscuits,but they save on hiring the venue,and all your money goes to the police and camera van people,just remember to stay awake they hate it if you start to snooze.

For once someone appears to be passing on (at least some of) the savings - our local ‘in person’ course is £100...

 

[Bayleaf]

These erratic drivers who cause all sorts of issues are never prosecuted. Only those "mostly" responsible drivers who creep over the limits are the true criminals who get the full force of the law thrown at them...


Driving to work this morning, there was huge queues of traffic where there normally is none, turns out a van had crashed into a wall on a straight road.. No doubt doing the speed limit while texting on his phone. No other vehicles involved. The result was huge delays.

I would imagine no charges brought against him.

Safety cameras LOL they have the wrong name for sure... I have never thought to myself, oh great the roads are much safer now the " mobile safety" camera is there.. I find the roads far more dangerous these days and these vans don't help one bit. But they do generate a nice amount of revenue... mm ??

I the police turned up to the scene the first thing they would have done is breathalysed the driver, and the second thing would be to check his phone to see if it was being used at the time of the RTA if any of the cases was positive he will be prosecuted. That's how it works these days.

 

[Bayleaf]

I'll take it on the chin.
I travel this route 5 days a week for the last 3 years. I'm aware of the usual "safety" camera positions & positions often occupied by plod.
This time the "safety" camera was in a new position.
Usually I drive to within a little of the speed limit. Covid lockdown was great - journey to work was 5 minutes less due to less traffic & the ability to crack on at 55mph
I consider myself to be a "reasonable" driver, not necessarily sticking to the speed limit but sticking to a speed reasonable for the traffic & road conditions. In 46 years driving this is my first speeding ticket. I guess I have been lucky!

Good on you mate. I could be wrong but I think a static camera is installed when there has been a fatality in that area. I Googled once when I got caught and I think that's the case.

 

[Germgh0st]

Wow you do a speed awareness course on line !! so they zoom it,and you miss out on the tea or coffee and biscuits,but they save on hiring the venue,and all your money goes to the police and camera van people,just remember to stay awake they hate it if you start to snooze.

I believe all of the money actually goes to the people who run the course, who are neither police nor local council.

 

[Bayleaf]

I believe all of the money actually goes to the people who run the course, who are neither police nor local council.

I think it's the AA

 

[Jibbajabba]

You get three points too right ? If so - do you still get them with the course ?

 

[MissyD]

I think it's pay the fine and get points or do the course and no points

 

[AMGeed]

I think it's pay the fine and get points or do the course and no points

We have a winner.