Caught Speeding - Any Advice

[StonehamPark]

I've also heard that speedo's in cars over estimate your speed. This is certainly in keeping with the speed my Sat Nav displays.

And (ready for more shouts from the do-gooders' I was quite pleased when I read my penalty notice and saw the speed as 89MPH! I know that was not what my speedo was on at the time.

Don't use your Satnav to judge your speed, they're too unreliable.

How do you know that your speedo wasn't at 89mph at the time you were driving 89mph?

 

[Gazwag]

Interesting. Does that mean if you set cruise control to 78 on a motorway you will always be in the clear?

I think the 10% is there to allow for a margin of error in a car's speedo

 

[chimneys]

A radio article the other day claimed that the courses and set speeds for courses were based around educating people that could still be converted and would take on board the messages being delivered. Going above and beyond certain speeds they claimed showed a bigger disregard for them and that in the past these people were not affected by the course and just avoided points and fines, often being repeat offenders.

Exactly what I was told on my course, which I got a lot out of.

 

[Diego Napier]

Don't use your Satnav to judge your speed, they're too unreliable.

I believe GPS is more accurate than the average car's speedometer.

 

[Paul Reids Sock]

I've also heard that speedo's in cars over estimate your speed. This is certainly in keeping with the speed my Sat Nav displays.

And (ready for more shouts from the do-gooders' I was quite pleased when I read my penalty notice and saw the speed as 89MPH! I know that was not what my speedo was on at the time.

From watching traffic cops and other such educational programmes, as well as knowing a couple of coppers, i have heard it said that they will sometimes get the offender on a lesser speed so as to still get points and a fine but avoid having to go through courts etc.

Would 90+ mean you got a bigger fine etc.? that may be them showing leniency enough

This may, of course, be complete rubbish

 

[symyjym]

Don't use your Satnav to judge your speed, they're too unreliable.

How do you know that your speedo wasn't at 89mph at the time you were driving 89mph?

Because the speedo was reading 95mph

 

[Mackenzie]

What part of my initial post or my replies was a complaint?

There are 1000's of other threads on this great board which probably hold greater interest for you, so I'm not sure why you picked this some to reply with such a pointless comment!

Yeah, but where is the fun in that.

 

[kingcole]

Because the speedo was reading 95mph

Pretty much.

Like many, when you see that flash, my eyes instantly diverted to the speedo, followed by the 'Oh Shite' feeling as you realize you have just been nicked!

 

[Arthur]

Interesting. Does that mean if you set cruise control to 78 on a motorway you will always be in the clear?

This was what I was told when I did the course a couple of years back by the instructor. I was caught doing 36 in a 30 and he told me it's 10%+2mph so 1mph slower and you wouldn't have got done.

 

[maltaseagull]

Slow down?

My thoughts exactly

 

[Guy Fawkes]

Interesting. Does that mean if you set cruise control to 78 on a motorway you will always be in the clear?

Someone where I work got done for driving at 76 in a 70. I also think it depends on the force in question as some give far less leeway than others

Also, do all forces offer the speed awareness courses? I'm not sure they all have that option as a course of action for offenders

 

[Goldstone1976]

Speed awareness course for 34 in a 30 in Cardiff. Gatso camera.

 

[Guy Fawkes]

From watching traffic cops and other such educational programmes, as well as knowing a couple of coppers, i have heard it said that they will sometimes get the offender on a lesser speed so as to still get points and a fine but avoid having to go through courts etc.

Would 90+ mean you got a bigger fine etc.? that may be them showing leniency enough

This may, of course, be complete rubbish

I've seen some too and the car they've stopped had been filmed at over 100mph, but they took it as an average at 99mph.

I believe that 30mph over the limit is a ban so the driver in this case had points and a fine instead

 

[greyseagull]

My advice; don't speed

 

[Arthur]

[tweet]704634175484239873[/tweet]

 

[carlzeiss]

Buy one of these

 

[Normal Rob]

you could copy this, which got me off the hook (and was also entirely true) also you may struggle with the certificate part...

Ms xxxxxxxxxx

Ref: xxxxxxxxxx

The fixed penalty notice above has been sent to my father’s address for an offence committed on 14/1/2013. Sadly my father passed away some 3 weeks earlier on 24/12/2012. I have enclosed a death certificate for your records.

I have been advised by PC xxxx (xxxx) from the entrance office at Bridewell Police Station, Bristol, that the correct course of action is to return these forms to you, not completed, in order for the notice to be reviewed/re-directed.

I am the person who was behind the wheel of Dad’s car that morning. Therefore any re-direction of this penalty should be addressed to me. That day was the day of my father’s funeral, and I had been trying to find an outfit for my sister-in-law who had flown in from Paris the previous evening. Unfortunately her bag never made it. At the time of the offence I was returning to Frome, having sorted my sister-in-law out with an appropriate outfit, to collect my wife in order to attend the funeral. I accept responsibility and apologise for the offence, my first in 22 years of holding a UK driving license. I would kindly ask that these mitigating circumstances are taken into account.

My details are as follows...

 

[8ace]

I believe GPS is more accurate than the average car's speedometer.

It will usually be more accurate retrospectively, less so the instant you need to know your speed.

 

[Albion my Albion]

OK, I'll give them a call.

I know a friend who was offered the course doing 40 in a 30. My offense from a lower percentage over the limit, so I guess it's worth a try.

My word. How could they do that to you. He was much more dangerous than you. How could the authorities hold you to a punishment that fits the crime when other blokes are getting off with much lesser penalties?

 

[kingcole]

My word. How could they do that to you. He was much more dangerous than you. How could the authorities hold you to a punishment that fits the crime when other blokes are getting off with much lesser penalties?

I was merely asking what the rules were and thankfully I have had a good number of informative replies before this ignoramus one.

Although I wasn't looking for a discussion on how dangerous, disrespectful, or idiotic my driving may have been I am going to use my response to your pity-full statement to state that I believe that driving at about 90 MPH on any empty motorway in good weather in a vehicle that is rated to be able to perform at nearly twice that speed IS somewhat safer than someone who chooses to drive at 40MPH in an environment of two way traffic where pedestrians, cyclists, parked cars and children are present.

I acknowledge I broke the law and have been caught. These events may also make me drive slower in the future despite my belief in my words above. I fully accept any punishment and am grateful to those who took the time to respond with the information I requested. Note to self that if I am a more frequent offender, I will no doubt be more familiar with said procedures and won't need to ask my questions on this my favorite forum.