Urgent advice needed: late paying speeding fine

UEF

Hey guys

Urgent advice needed as I'm going off my nut

A couple of months ago I was caught speeding (for what it's worth, 83 on a Dual Carriageway (70).

I was sent a notice of Intended Prosecution which I promptly replied to, saying that yes I was the driver and yes I did it. Fair cop and I would await my fate.

Nothing seemed to happen for ages and wondered what had happened.

Today I have found out that my mother has had the letter for over a month (mislaid) asking for me to pay the £60 fine "within 28 days", which has now just elapsed.

I am absolutely cacking myself as the official alternative to this is a court sentence and/or £1000 fine. And its the weekend, and a bank holiday after that, which I'll now be spending fretting over whats going to happen.

My plan is to ring their office as soon as I can and offer to pay over the phone, but they may not be open until Tuesday due to the bank holiday (its now friday evening) which is going to push me even further past the 28 days.

Can anyone please give me some words of advice?

Thank you

Conor_3

Forget bothering to ring. It's in the system now so you'll be getting a letter with a court date. When you're in court, state that you're pleading guilty and explain about the letter situation. As you weren't massively over the limit in the first place, you'll most likely end up getting a judgment that's the same as the FPN was.

bargepole

^^ Disagree with the above. They don't usually process the paperwork for a court summons until well after the 28 days has elapsed.

Ring the ticket office on Tuesday, explain what happened, and tell them you can send the form and cheque in the post straight away. They would far rather get their money through a simple fixed penalty system than go through all the bother of a court hearing.

In any case, it's 28 days from receipt of the fixed penalty offer, and they usually allow a couple of days' grace for the postal system. Have a great weekend and stop worrying.

CHR15

^^ Disagree with above lol

I missed the deadline some years ago. In fact I didn't but my License had been through the washing machine so I couldn't surrender it (I took all the pieces into the Police Station :laugh: )

The police were good about it, Their opinion was that I HAD produced it (even though they couldn't read it)
They entered it into the log and simply told me to bring the new one once I received it and they would send it off for the points.

Unfortunately the wheels were in motion, the Police were unable to help (although they did try) and I got a summons.

In Court the Judge said "I have heard of Laundering Money Mr xxxxxxxx, but this is ridiculous!!"

He gave me the £60 fine with 3 points, no court costs.

Total waste of time.

UEF

Bump just incase anyone else can reassure or advise...

bargepole

UEF wrote: »

Bump just incase anyone else can reassure or advise...

Do what I said. I've been involved in over 20 speeding cases (mostly as an advisor), which is far more than most on here, and in nearly all of them the information leading to a summons wasn't lodged with the Court until around 5 months from the offence date.

CHR15

The best you can do is visit the ticket office in person.

If they accept the fee, great.

In my case they simply refused. Complete jobsworths, not even the police could talk them around, nor a grovelling letter to the guy in charge.

alanrowell

UEF wrote: »

Today I have found out that my mother has had the letter for over a month (mislaid) asking for me to pay the £60 fine "within 28 days", which has now just elapsed.

Does this mean you are living at a different address from your mother?

If so you do realise that you are committing an offence by not informing the DVLA of the change of address - and what address is your insurance at as if it isn't your home address it's probably void (which is another offence)?

uncanny

I had a slightly different experience. In my case, I got my first notice 50 days after the "you must pay within 28 days" date. Last friday actually. Notice was stuck to my post slot, so.. there is no human way possible it was delivered earlier. I sometimes wonder if they don't delay posting these out to make it a forced payment (you're essentially at court date if you don't pay almost immediately). However, before I raise a stink about that, I'd like to know if anyone else has had the same experience?