Speeding fines

Anonymous

i got caught doing 74 in a 70 in a work van t'other day and have had a form through from the hire company who leased the van to my employer.

whats the score with speeding fines? ive been driving for 11 years and never had a single point on my license for anything so am in new territory.

how much will i be fined for speeding, how is the fine issued (do i have to go to court?) when do i have to pay it?

cheers.

Gazlar

jebus 74 in a 70 seems awfully harsh, I always thought you had 10% leeway, obviously not

cat_with_no_tail

I think they normally allow a 10% leeway as Gaz says. BUT... I don't think they have to allow this.

IIRC, it's something along the lines of the fixed speed cameras are programmed with a certain leeway built in, and the mobile cameras run on the officers discretion.

Disclaimer - We don't have speed cameras here, so I'm going purely on what I remember from driving across and as such, could be talking complete horse-shlt.

ol\'gregg

When I got done I was doing 34 in a 30. Got 3 points on my license and a £60 fine, it was all sent through to my house and had to send my license off to have the points put on.

projectsome

don't they have to prove you were driving at the time? could've been anyone driving....

TheNorthernTrain

Never had one yet (fingers crossed) but the advice i have been given if it ever comes to it is

1) Ignore it and often they wont chase it up, if they do then pay, as far as i am aware the fine and points stay the same.

2) Write them a letter saying you wish to take it to court. Supposedly they ignore a lot of minor speeding offenses as it will either overload the system or they haven't filled in the paperwork correctly and will write back saying no further action will be taken . However they can then take you to court which would probably be more expensive.

TBH i would probably pay anyway, you still got 9 points left on the license.

butcher of bakersfield

gazderry wrote:

jebus 74 in a 70 seems awfully harsh, I always thought you had 10% leeway, obviously not

Nope. No leeway at all. The boss at work has been caught several times doing less than 34 in a 30.

Mobile cameras are operated by individual organisations. I can't remember if this also applies to static cameras. So rules can differ between counties. I got caught for the first time in 14 years recently. Luckily Northumbria police offer a speed awareness course for those caught the first time and only a little over the limit, keeping the points off your licence - which happens to cost the same as the fine: £60. So I got a day off work, and educated on the whole subject, which was actually quite interesting. It's offered in other counties, but as I say, rules differ.

projectsome wrote:

don't they have to prove you were driving at the time? could've been anyone driving....

Unfortunately, it's up to you to prove you weren't driving. If no-one admits to it, it's going to go to court.

Interestingly, there's very few cameras switched on at one time. They alternate.

Anonymous

there is no doubt that i was driving, i have signed the vehicle ticket the day of the offence and i remember passing the camera van in question.

im under the impression that the old 10% sketch is an urban myth, i havent seen it written down anywhere so i have no isue with being caught doing more than the speed limit.

from what i can gather i will get a 60 quid fine and 3 points.

can anyone tell me what effect 3 points will have on my insurance?

Gazlar

I was sure there was a leeway due to the tolerances involved in the manufacture of speedometers, I found this online

http://www.speed-trap.co.uk/Accused_Home/Rules_useage/The_Law.htm

If this is the case, then I suggest you could appeal it as it is within that tolerance level. Perhaps speak to C.A.B or a solicitor, or someone with legal knowledge

TheNorthernTrain

sheepsteeth wrote:

can anyone tell me what effect 3 points will have on my insurance?

Insurance will increase, how much i couldn't say, it depends on the insurer i guess. I would also assume failure to notify them of the speeding fine would mean that they may refuse to pay out if you had an accident.

Torres

butcher of bakersfield wrote:

Luckily Northumbria police offer a speed awareness course for those caught the first time and only a little over the limit, keeping the points off your licence - which happens to cost the same as the fine: £60. So I got a day off work, and educated on the whole subject, which was actually quite interesting. It's offered in other counties, but as I say, rules differ.

They run them up here too; mine was £75 last year, but it can vary; some constabularies don't offer them, others two parts, one in a room, one on the road (or so i've ben told).
Mine was about 5 or 6 hours and it wasn't as bad as i was expecting, the guys running it were friendly and no where near as patronising as i feared they might be, if you get given the opportunity i'd definitely recommend it instead of points; if they don't run it near you, i'd just pay the fine; not worth the hassle if they start chasing you.

angry_bird

I check each week to find out where they'll be based, then i can speed safely
http://www.slowitdown.co.uk/Camera-Locations.html

ol\'gregg

sheepsteeth wrote:

.

from what i can gather i will get a 60 quid fine and 3 points.

can anyone tell me what effect 3 points will have on my insurance?

From what I remember of mine it made no difference to my insurance. But it was 8 years ago so things may have changed

-liam-

north-sure wrote:

1) Ignore it and often they wont chase it up, if they do then pay, as far as i am aware the fine and points stay the same.

You can't ignore it lol!

Should he ignore the court summons that then arrives ?

Sheepsteeth

You will get a 60 quid fine.

You will also in all probability get the 3 points on your licence.

Some forces however, offer the option to waive the points if you attend a short course which will teach you not to drive over the speed limits

3 points on its own will not effect your insurance premium much, if at all. You should notify your broker though otherwise your policy could become void if you ever need to make a claim on it and you haven't told them.

Relax, its not a biggy, at one point, 4 or 5 years ago, I had 9 points on my licence and had to be very very careful for 3 years before the points were wiped off. Nervous times

Stevo_666

Try here for some ideas:
http://www.pepipoo.com/

thekickingmule

You should be offered the Speed Awareness Course, though this could be regional as previously mentioned.

I was told by a police officer that if you have been awarded the ticket more than 14 days after the alleged offence, they can't do anything about it. So was it within the last 2 weeks?

I think you should blow up a few speed cameras to instill karma

*AL*

Sheeps, what type of van were you driving ?

Briggo

What, they issued a ticket for doing 74 in a 70? Thats insane, even the speed cameras arn't 100% accurate as they're effected by so many things.

Surely you can appeal saying the van said you was doing 70.

camerauk

Just challenge it and ask for a calibration certificate for the camera in question I know alot of people who have got away with speeding tickets this way
It is worth a go you have nothing to lose

stumpyjon

Own up, get the fine through the post, pay it like a bill (£ 60), get 3 points, don't worry about the insurance.

Basically it feels bad if it's your first, particularly at your age ( ) but it really is very minor.

You might be given the opportunity of a speed awareness course, still pay the 'course fee', £ 60 and avoid the points. Personally I'd rather have the points than have to keep my mouth shut while some pompous prat wibbles on at you about the dangers of speeding before getting back in their plod mobile and ... speeding.

I'm all for cameras and speed limits being enforced. What I've had enough of is inappropriate speed limits, speed limits being dropped to make roads safer when the council should actually be spending real money to straighten out the bend, improve the road markings or just cutting the hedges back. From what I hear the course are very directive, no real room for argument, they're right, you're wrong.

Getting done for 74 in a 70 is a bit harsh to, bet they were better places they could have parked the van up.

paul.skibum

cops on the road will give you ten percent leeway, cameras wont.

Anonymous

my insurance didn't go up at all they actually said over the phone "Oh, 3 points for speeding? That doesn't count, everybody's got that these days" :shock:

Anyway, I tried to take it to court, because they refused to show any evidence of me driving, and I distinctly remember being stuck in a slow moving traffic jam on the section of road they said I'd been caught doing 35mph.

They kept pressuring me and pressuring me to pay, and threatening more points and a hefty fine, a possible short term jail sentence if I continued to pursue a court hearing.

In the end they got so damned scary I just gave in and paid the £60.
WAKNERS

larfingravy

*AL* wrote:

Sheeps, what type of van were you driving ?

As Al said, what type of van?

I'm pretty sure many vans are actually limited to 60mph on dual carriageways and motorways.

larfingravy

Would also need to know if on a motorway or dual carriageway.

*AL*

larfingravy wrote:

*AL* wrote:

Sheeps, what type of van were you driving ?

As Al said, what type of van?

I'm pretty sure many vans are actually limited to 60mph on dual carriageways and motorways.

Depends on the gross vehicle weight of the van.

Anything over 2 tonnes (2000kg) GVW is subjected to a 50 mph limit on a single carriageway and 60mph on a dual carriageway
(ie 10mph less than a car) the motorway limit is the same as a car.

More info HERE and HERE

larfingravy

Good point Al, I only know because a workmate got done for doing 70 in a van on a national speed limit dual carriageway. No one actually realised it was restricted to 60 on a DC by law.

RupertCommunicator

Jesus wept? 74mph?! Have you asked them to calibrate the camera? Surely 4mph is within the realms of inaccuracy? Have you tried changing the name on the workticket? Do they have a photo of you? Were there lines on the road? Surely you can get off with this! Do not sign the form until you have exhausted all these options!

F*cking jobsworth traffic police! Solve some real crime!

-liam-

Our 09 plate renault truck at work is supposedly limited to 62mph...I got close on 80mph from it on friday morning. I pretty sure pulling that trick won't work

Briggo

butcher of bakersfield wrote:

gazderry wrote:

jebus 74 in a 70 seems awfully harsh, I always thought you had 10% leeway, obviously not

Nope. No leeway at all. The boss at work has been caught several times doing less than 34 in a 30.

Mobile cameras are operated by individual organisations. I can't remember if this also applies to static cameras.

First off, the "leeway" is up to 10%, 34 is over that leeway, although that leeway seems to have gone out of the window now with this example.

As far as Im aware from experience there is still the whole leeway scenario, the scamera near me hasn't gone off when I was just over the limit by accident, however it does flash at people properly speeding.

Second off, since when are mobile speed cameras operated by individual organisations.

Anonymous

the van was a normal non hgv van (transit, the best vans in the world of course) the speed limit was definately 70, i was on a dual carriageway, the speed limit was clearly displayed as national speed limit, im certain i could do 70.

i was however doing 74 according to the camera which caught me so i know this is over the limit, i know i am due some kind of punishment.

i am more than prepared to pay for the offence with a fine and some ppints if the alternative is listening to some pious hippy sheepstwat who wants to show me some pictures of awful traffic incidents (bearing in mind i look at the reports of every incident which occurs in afghan) as im not bothered or affected when some bellend tries to make me feel guilty about someting which didnt actually do any harm*

the funny thing bout the notice i recieved is that i was also sent a letter about another van (which was being driven by my mate) which was flashed at 83mph about 18 minutes before, im not certain that i can be both people!! i had signed for both vehicles so was sent a letter for both, i wish i could be arsed to say, if you were wrong about one, yo must be wrong about both!!

*i appreciate speeding can be harmfull but i know for a fact that any speeding i happen to have done has never caused any harm to anyone.

*AL*

sheepsteeth wrote:

the van was a normal non hgv van (transit, the best vans in the world of course) the speed limit was definitely 70, i was on a dual carriageway, the speed limit was clearly displayed as national speed limit, im certain i could do 70..

That'll be it Sheeps,a medium wheelbase, medium roof, Tranny panel van has a kerb weight of around 1,800 kg, so the GVW is bound to be over 2000kgs, which would mean the lower speed limit would apply.

I'm afraid it looks like you were 14mph over the speed limit, not 4mph