[Help] O/T Advice needed speeding summons

[Worthing exile]

Those solicitors will charge you more than the fine.

To the OP, tell her to ask for the photo.

Seen the photo, just shows the car, occupants and the writing bit at the top which says 106 mph

 

[goldstoneseagull]

Seen the photo, just shows the car, occupants and the writing bit at the top which says 106 mph

Considering most speedos read 5mph off, that would be 111mph on the speedometer. That's difficult to achieve in a 1 litre.

I don't know the process for contesting speeding tickets though.

 

[Audax]

If the car genuinely cannot reach the speed claimed, the easiest way to dispute it will be to prove that fact ... but you'll need to find somewhere that you can legally push the car to its limit.

 

[TWOCHOICEStom]

The assertion you're making is basically that the measuring equipment is faulty. Can't you request a calibration certificate for the camera they used?

The most likely thing from an outsiders point of view is that your relative was driving 106mph - why do you think she wasn't?

 

[Bold Seagull]

If the car genuinely cannot reach the speed claimed, the easiest way to dispute it will be to prove that fact ... but you'll need to find somewhere that you can legally push the car to its limit.

I suspect any car with an MOT can achieve 100mph down that hill from the Hove turnoff heading West.

 

[CHAPPERS]

Being that there were kids in the car at the time she's almost certainly lying about doing 106 for fear of being called a total **** by her loved ones.

 

[happypig]

I was a magistrate for 9 years and sat on dozens of speeding cases so I will offer some advice from that perspective :

You've been accused of exceeding the speed limit and sent the evidence the police will rely on to try and obtain a conviction; this is referred to as disclosure.
You initially have two choices, admit the offence or contest it.

If you chose to admit it, you should be able to do it by post but, 106 in a 70 limit is in the region of a disqualification so you might get asked to attend court to be disqualified (whilst you can be disqualified in absence, I never liked doing it because there's a chance that the defendant might get caught driving without being aware they arent allowed to).
If the disqualification is by "totting" (ie reaching 12 points) then the disqualification is for a minimum 6 months. If the court decides that, due to the speed/circumstances, a disqualification is appropriate for that single offence, then the maximum for that is 56 days.

If you chose to dispute it, you will have to attend court and plead Not Guilty. You will be asked what the basis of your defence is.
If you are going to argue that the speed gun is wrong you will be asking the police to prove that it is correctly used and calibrated. This will could entail them producing an expert witness or paperwork etc.
If you are going to argue that the car isn't capable of doing 106 you will need to provide evidence to that effect, something like and engineers report (hint: "a bloke on the internet said..." is NOT evidence).
If it finds you guilty then you will be liable for costs and this could run into hundreds of pounds, especially if an expert witness is called.
If you are found not guilty you can apply for any costs incurred in defending the case.

Caveat: the above info is from when I stopped doing it in 2015 but the principles are the same.

Most of all though, if you are even considering contesting it, SEE A SOLICITOR, it could save you hundreds of pounds (or enable you to avoid a disqualification should the court be considering it).

 

[Birdie Boy]

The last speeding fine that I had, showed the calibration details on it. I logged into the penalty notice and it was there with the picture.

 

[Chicken Run]

Sussex Safer Roads mobile van camera is often parked in the lay-by just after the Dyke Road on the A27 west, sounds like it was there before the Hangleton Link exit.

 

[Doonhamer7]

I thought the police had their speed guns calibrated constantly so that you could never win in court on this technicality. Only two people I know who got done over a hundred both lost their licence for a few weeks and big fine. One of them said they were asked how many days leave they had left that year, the amount was added to 4 weeks ban - he was happy with as expecting 3months.

 

[Lush]

She will probably plead by post as she would go to pieces in Court so if anyone has a good form of words to use that would be great.

If you don't want to plead, don't do the speed.

Or something.

 

[junior]

Firstly it wasn't me. Secondly, yes they were stupid.

Right, a relative of mine has been summonsed for doing 106 on the A27 at Hangleton.
There is no specific location on the summons other than A27 at Hangleton and you can't make it out from the photo but we assume it is eastbound going down from Dyke Road to Hangleton Bottom (Toads Hole).

We assume it was there as the car in question wouldn't do 106 without falling to bits but might get up to 80/90 down that long hill.

Does anyone have any advice? Yes they were no doubt doing more than 70 but 106? never.

Do the Police have to provide a more specific location? They haven't even said what direction lol.

Is there a good way to plead guilty to speeding but dispute the speed? So she gets a fine but not a ban?

If I thought she had been doing 106 I wouldn't be trying to help her. Especially as she had kids in the car at the time.

She will probably plead by post as she would go to pieces in Court so if anyone has a good form of words to use that would be great.

Many thanks.

Either you're telling porkies, or she is.

These days, there's no way that equipment won't be calibrated.

 

[el punal]

...

Ooooh! You’re cruel.

 

[drew]

Considering most speedos read 5mph off, that would be 111mph on the speedometer. That's difficult to achieve in a 1 litre.

I don't know the process for contesting speeding tickets though.

I think you will find it is the other way around in that speedos (not the swimwear) are calibrated never to show a speed lower than what you are actually doing. Normally it will show a speed a few percentage points above what you are actually doing to avoid breaking the speed limits, eg, if your speedo shows 30 you are probably doing about 27.

Also, changing certain things can give a false reading, for example, switching to low profile tyres.

 

[Weststander]

I'm no expert but surely most cars could reach that speed if there less than 30 years old ? i had a fiat 500 loaner for two weeks and got a ton out of that with a bit to spare i reckon .

Especially going down hill as well.

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

Sussex Safer Roads mobile van camera is often parked in the lay-by just after the Dyke Road on the A27 west, sounds like it was there before the Hangleton Link exit.

That sounds like the one as I've seen that there a few times. People often pick up speed as they have their foot down to get up the hill from the A23 and then keep it down as they go down the other side. Very easy to find yourself hitting 80 there so even if the 106mph is unrealistic, your relative may still have been comfortably over the limit.

 

[thony]

Are you sure the summons is genuine? There are scams out there that use fuzzy photos, vague locations and unrealistic speeds to scare people into paying a supposed fine by post without question. As suggested by a few others, it's worth seeking professional legal advice before committing to anything.

 

[Tory Boy]

The police calibrate their speed guns before every shift.

Same with the cameras in the vans, calibrated before every shift.

TB

 

[Westdene Seagull]

The police calibrate their speed guns before every shift.

Same with the cameras in the vans, calibrated before every shift.

TB

Really ? I ask as I used to work for a weapons company and of course that is rather exact work. Tools and machines were calibrated every six months with a calibration certificate issued each time. It had to be done by a highly trained engineer from an outside agency.

Even one machine isn't a five minute job.

I'd be very suprised if the cameras were calibrated every shift because :

1. I doubt individual officers would be trained in it
2. Each force isn't going to have the resources to hire engineers to calibrate every shift
3. It would seem highly suspicious if the police were allowed to calibrate their own equipment - it should be done by approved third party

 

[goldstoneseagull]

I think you will find it is the other way around in that speedos (not the swimwear) are calibrated never to show a speed lower than what you are actually doing. Normally it will show a speed a few percentage points above what you are actually doing to avoid breaking the speed limits, eg, if your speedo shows 30 you are probably doing about 27.

Also, changing certain things can give a false reading, for example, switching to low profile tyres.

Lol this is what I meant! ie if they claim they caught him at 106, 111 would be on the speedometer. That's pretty quick in a small car, depends on road etc obvs.