I have been driving for 17 years and not a single offence, I buy a scobby and within 6 months I'm caught for speeding. I was driving on a dual carriage way (40 limit, I thought it was a 60 limit) and was caught with a lazer doing 91 at 271.8m, dry day and perfact conditions. PC said I woud receive a summons as I was doing well over the speed limit. Can anybody offer any advice

 

Marky,

this wouldn't be the A33 out of Reading (from the IDR to the M4) by any chance?

The words "fish" and "barrel" spring to mind if it was. Nice, dead-straight road with a ridiculous speed limit - which is rigorously enforced!

Whatever, you are probably in big do-do's, 'cos you were clocked at well over the limit (double, and more than 30mph over). You won't know for sure until the letter arrives, but maybe you need to start thinking about purchasing a push-bike.

Hard luck mate.

mb

 

Get ready to go to court and plead like you've never pleaded before! My mate got done for 74 in a 50, but the policeman ademantly said it was a 40 zone, and that he would receive at least 6 points plus a hefty fine. We're going to photograph the bit he got done on next week before he goes to court cos we know the copper was wrong about th limit he wrote on the ticket.
I think if you just send off the summons without going to court it may be a ban, but the most knowledgeable person on this seems to be the guy who runs the speedtrap site (i'll try and find the web address).
Cant find that site, but here's a posting on the XROC of someone offfering advice:

 

Hi Marky,

Sounds like you got a problem there buddy, apart from the advice given above, I would seiously suggest getting in touch with a solicitor. The fact that you have never been prosecuted before in 17 years of driving will go in your favour massively. If you rely on your transport for the purposes of work, then I would advise making a point about you being dependant on your mode of transport and without your license, you wont have a job,

Good luck either way.
Cem

 

Didn't Paul Gander (STI in EVO magazine) get off more lightly for doing over a ton on his Ducati? I think he questioned if the laser gun had been calibrated for speed and aiming accuracy? The copper admitted that it had not and he got a less severe penalty than he would have otherwise.

It's gotta be worth a go because at the sort of speed you were clocked at you've gotta be looking at a ban

Ask a solicitor about this line of questioning.

David.

 

If you want advice on what might happen to you, see the bbs.22b.com site under "General Questions" with the topic "advice". There's a guy from traffic police who drives an STI V and he's offering advice on the following address:
the_black_rats@hotmail.com

Read the post first, but he might be able to advise. Good luck.

Jo
Silver MY95 WRX

 

What's fair??

Marky's licence is at great risk for not causing harm to anyone. There is a stretch of dual carriageway between the M5 & Weston here in the south west. The dual carriageway is straight, safe & has no junctions. There is a completely unnecessary 50 limit there & a blasted speed camera.

In December last year, my soon to be ex-wife was driving her Ford Ka in a built up residential area at high speed near to midnight. It was raining. According to her police statement, as she was driving, she had her left foot on the dashboard showing her new shoes to her front seat passenger. The next moment she has a head on collision with a van - writing off both vehicles. 3 police cars attended expecting fatalities - no-one was injured. What happened to my ex-wife? NOTHING!!!!! Not a jot! This woman should not be on the road.

 

Think yourself lucky you were not on a bike, I got a tug a couple of years ago for driving too close to a Shogun on my bike. Before you all start I hate 'tail gaters' as well but this was a typical "My four wheel drive is a Turbo and should therefore be in the outside lane for ever" type. Anyway the copper reported me and I got a summons for Careless Driving, Eight point, 200 quid fine + costs!!! According to the magistrate I was intimidating the Shogun driver... I think not, he was in a huge car and I was on a bike... I am almost certain he did not even know I was there. Very fair...

 

I had the same last year, with a totally clean licence. I was 42 mph over in a 50 zone.

The result was 6 points and a £1000 fine.

You WILL get a heavy penalty, and probably a ban. A solicitor will NOT be able to get you off scot free, but will be able to provide the best gloss on your case - then again, if you feel happy standing up in court yourself, go for it.

One thing I'd point out - they fined me what they thought to be 3 month's worth of disposable income, ie after mortgage/child care/food bills etc. This is never checked, and although I'd not suggest that you lie to the court (ask Jonathan Aitken about this one!)now might be a good time to set up a savings scheme, maybe additional payments to your pension? They will want to look at 3 months worth of bank statements/pay slips, but if you can invent some additional outgoings, you'll reduce the fine levied. If you start some sort of disposable-income-reduction now, there's a good chance that by the time you get to court they won't be able to see the older, higher numbers on the last 3 bank statements.

If you get a ban, it'll probably be for a month. If you don't, you'll probably get 6 points, though you should get one point knocked off for pleading guilty.

Either way, it's gonna cost you! Go for the big fine rather than the ban if you're given the option - the insurance implications of a ban rather than points can be imagined.

Good luck!

Nick

 

Spence

I find most bikers ride FAR too close to my rear bumper - its a real pet hate of mine. I am not tarring you all with the same brush though.
In a way I find it more intimidating for a biker to do this for the simple reason that if a bike hits you - whoever is to blame - then the biker is likely to end up dead or seriously injured - much more so then if a car hits you from behind....so I end up being far more edgy.

Ro

 

Yeah I know what you mean and to a some extent I agree with you, I don't think we help ourselves alot of the time... I try and stay back and sit off the vehicles right quarter as I think there is more chance of being seen, i.e. rear mirror and wing mirror.

I was just giving what I felt was an example of me being treated very unfairly...

 

Does sound very unfair to me also....
My brother rides a Ducati (after selling his R1) & from being on the back of his I tend to respect bikers far more than I did.
I always pull to the left when they pass & usually get a "thanks" wave !

Ro.

 

I was done for 72mph on a 40mph dual carriageway - I thought I was right on the limit.

Court summons > never been in trouble before > first offence, please don't fine me too much.

I got 6 points and a 70 pound + 30 pound costs fine. Not too bad. If you were doing 90mph then I think you are in trouble, and I'm afraid that you may have to prepare yourself for a ban. It's a shame, but not the end of the world as you may think. At least it's not for dangerous driving or drunk driving as then you are in a world of hurt with insurance.

 

Thanks for the imput but it does not look good, I shall prepare for a 3 month ban and any less will be a blessing. Will get back and leave a thread soon.

 

Best of luck, mate. Get yourself a solicitor, poss some character references, and a letter from your employer saying your job would be in jeopardy.

I reckon the best you can hope for is six points. If they are feeling tight they may threaten to ban you, then hear you plead and eat humble pie. They will then ramp up the fine, if they are feeling flexible and maybe let you keep your licence.
Thats what they did to me.

Good luck.

Smudge

PS On they way back from Le Mans last year, met a guy in a Scooby who had just been done for 139.2 mph on the M2 - what do you reckon he would be in for? 18 months? Chokey?

 

Double-check if it was a 40 or 60 limit. You were over anyway but by less if it was 60. Also, they may be bigger sticklers for the lower (30, 40) limits than the higher ones. If you were doing 90 in a 40 I'd say you're looking at a ban unless you have <I>very</I> good mitigation. They can ban you for as little as a week but as someone pointed out a ban is a ban and you have to declare it. Good luck.