swaussie

After a moment of stupidity last year I got caught speeding at a very high level. I now have my license back but also have a 12 month probation. If I break that I will go to Jail for 20 days as well as receive a criminal record and god knows what else (loose my job, get deported, never work in banking etc).

I have been told that there is a standard tolerance of about 15kmh (9 mph) which everyone is allowed before being referred to the courts. I have tried to be extremely aware of my driving but I looked down today to see that I was doing 100kmh on the open road (we are allowed 80) and that would have seen me behind bars.

Do you peeps think its worth the risk to keep driving or sell the damned car and buy a Lada or something much easier to drive without being stressed constantly?

And, Is there anyone here who honestly NEVER speeds, not even for a fraction of a second

corradoboy

I never not speed. 20 years of accident free driving, and a qualified driving instructor too. I'm out on the roads observing driving for up to 12 hours a day 4-5 days a week and can wholeheartedly state that accidents are caused by bad driving, not speed. Of course, high speed bad driving will exagerate the problem, but the problem is the bad driving. Make people better drivers and the speed issue become less relevent. I'd love to see a system where we had a decent traffic police force able to discern bad drivers and issue them with compulsory training orders, instead of inconsequential fines and trivial irritating penalty points. Lets face it, most decent people in the UK can stand 35 to 65 quid, and until you have 9 points they don't mean FA to most.

As for your situation in Switzerland, I'd move to Germany

swaussie

Must say that after resitting my driving test and having to have 8 hours of driving with an instructor (to sit my driving test in Switzerland after 15 years of driving accident free in Aus ), did remind me of a few interesting driving rules that I had fallen lax in, like checking my blind spot before overtaking But thats the problem now, I cant overtake and looking at the speedo more than the road is, somehow, affecting my confidence as a driver

Fuzz

No speeding ever...
Not a chance in hell

I don't think I've ever taken any notice of the speed limit in 19 yrs of driving.
Hell I even got told I was speeding on my TEST !!
Still passed.

Andy

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

No, how I have not been caught for it yet I don't know ?

falkster

I think although you ask the question about speeding, reactions of certain people (no on here) could be that you get flamed for doing so but it isnt necessarily the speeding but driving dangerously that gets you a bad rep.

If I didnt speed I would spend most of my working day on the motorway (not exactly true) as I have a 55 mile drive each way to work and I dont like driving but find by doing a steady 85/90 I can get there in about 50 (ish) minutes.......I also have 5 miles each side of the motorway on busy A roads.

I do, all too often, see w**kers undertaking, cutting in etc which does give everyone else a hard time when they are all trying to get to work or whatever!!!

*Off topic* My pet hate is, when Im on the A1 (2 lane parts), all the cars keep in the right hand lane and nothing is in the left hand lane so you get d**ks shooting down the inside and then cutting in thus causing the queue to get longer in the right hand lane......I just wish people had a clue how to drive on a motorway.

I had a driver on Thursday evening in the outside lane when nothing else was on the road!!! I pulled from the inside lane across the motorway into lane 3 and flashed him (he was doing 70mph) so I could get passed and then pull back into lane 1.

paul-s

I would just undertake, unless it was to prove a point of course

Suresh

My advice would be to sell your car or put it in storage for a year . Swiss public transport is excellent, so you won't miss it (that much). You're deffo going to speed again and the "buenzlis" will be there to catch you when you do. As you know they are as renowned for their lack of humour as they are for their punctuality...

I used to work for UBS in Opfikon. Which outfit are you with?

falkster

Its not to prove a point as my daily driver is an Alfa 156 2.0ltr so not the best car in the world. I suppose I was trying to prove a point as I did pull across the whole carriageway to get behind him and then back after I overtook him but the point was there wasnt another car for miles so why was he in the outside lane???Especially only doing 70mph

corradoboy

Many people don't know what the 3 lanes are for. The AA have conducted several studies asking the question at motorway service areas and it's always IRO 80%+ who have no idea.
The limit

falkster

I know someone was going to comment on that!

I agree he was doing the limit but how many people do you know drive within the limits?

I make sure, within 30/40/50 limits and built up areas, I stay within the limits as Im not a t**t but on the motorway I do exceed the limit. Remember these speed limits were set when HenryV111 was a kid so cars (maybe not drivers) can react quicker and have better breaks/steering etc.

Im not saying I tear down the M62 at 130 like a **** but I do keep to 3,900 revs (worked out this is the compromise between getting to work quicker and not using too much fuel) and that works out at 85 (ish) mph. I indicate as I should and move in and out for cars as they pass me etc.

corradoboy

Not a pop, just a little humour, hence the

STi-Frenchie

Swaussie be careful about that 9km/h tolerance figure. One of the guys who works for me got done in Geneva last week - 40 CHF for being....4 km/h over the limit. Was done for doing 59km/h in a 50 zone so that was only a 5km/h tolerance limit. The limits and fines in Switzerland are nuts.

pslewis

You need to get a very slow diesel car my friend .....

Anyone who cannot drive properly should be taken off the roads permanently - and that includes knowing how fast you are travelling at any point in time.

We all get caught out now and again - but for silly speeds there is no excuse whatsoever!

That said I hope you can control your speeding urge and get through the next 12 months.

jasey

If the threat of jail isn't enough to stop you speeding you need to sell the car - ASAP

pwhittle

After years of fairly quick cars, now driving a Mondeo TD, I passed a camera van at 45 on the A65 yesterday, thinking it was a 50, then noticed the 40 signs. Must have though I was a complete numpty not even slowing down.

Expecting a NIP soon...

then coming down the A1 we were passed by dozens of cars doing well over a ton, with scamera drivers tucked up in bed.

No, I couldn't not speed constantly...

swaussie

the threat of Jail "is" doing my head in Jasey.

I tend to be a careful driver (20 years now with my only accident was when a very cute babe in a Micra ran into me ) but how many times have you missed a speed limit sign, or crept over the limit at roadworks or on the motorway etc. It happens so easily and mostly is harmless but its only going to take one lapse of concentration and I could find myself being Bubba's bitch

jasey

It would do my head in too and I have sympathy for your predicament.

My advice is based on what I would have to do in your position.

If practical - Sell the car.

If not use public transport as much as possible.

General advice - If you're driving slowly enough to have three cars behind you getting annoyed you're probably not speeding

GrahamG

So yuo got cought speeding doing 61mph??????

swaussie

I got overtaken by some idiot in a new Fiat Panda yesterday on a blind corner and I was thinking that instead of making the roads safer, my new skill at keeping to the speed limit, is making the roads more dangerous

Anybody want to buy a well looked after 2002 Sti?

swaussie

No like I said GrahamG, in a moment of madness (I was seeing if my new IC was keeping my charge temps down) I got caught at the red line in 4th on a back road. 5 month ban and 5300 Sfr fine + 12 month probation with a 20 day jail term attached if I get caught at >15kmh over within a year. This was my second speeding fine in 5 years (last one was 6 kmh too fast) so I am not always speeding but did from time to time.

Wurzel

iTrader: (1)

Scott don't sell the car! how would you get to Böblingen for a **** up if you did

I currently am waiting for a speeding fine for doing 129 in a 100 limit on a 3 lane autobahn at the start of December. Fortunately I think I am within the tolerance of having the book thrown at me.

I have no advice to give you I am afraid except don't sell the car and don't go insane, it is hard not to speed but after a few near scares of getting caught I now poodle around BBN below the limit and it is far less stressful and you actually get to notice the surroundings. As for the A roads and back roads, you just need to be a bit careful but saying that the Polizei are fairly predictable and you can work out where they will site cameras and where they will park and wait.

I am a lot less stressed with my new attitude towards conformity. The good thing here is when you do get on the autobahn and it is either fast flowing or unrestricted plus you rarely get the police on the autobahns round here.

rossyboy

iTrader: (8)

I saw a notice on a rear screen at the weekend:

"SORRY IF I AM HOLDING YOU UP, BUT I AM ON 9 POINTS!!"

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Like the above!

I think I'd make a point of driving VERY VERY slowly in traffic in Swiss cities, **** off a few cops whilst at it. when stopped it's "Ooh, ooh officer, I was SO scared of going over the limit!" What can they do you for?

Recently talking to a guy who owns a 306, told me it's fitted with a speed control, set the top speed you want it to do, and no matter how hard you press the accelerator, it does no more than that speed. It's NOT cruise control, BTW.

Alcazar

Wurzel

iTrader: (1)

er isn't that what the government are proposing in the UK that you are all up in arms about????

Stephb1986

i speed all the time by accident im naughty i know but i cant help it

turboman786

Was this sentence passed in the Uk or Switzerland??

paulr

I could do it.I'm on 6 points and am nearly there.

swaussie

Switzerland.