Drive Protect

Andrewk

In case you have never heard of them, this is a company where you pay £12 pm and get free access to specialist solicitors if you get caught speeding. For an additional cost you can pay for cover in case you get banned and need a chauffeur.

I just wondered whether anyone has had any experience of them?

adamc260

Access to specialist solicitors to do what... if your speeding, expect points? Simple as really

Andrewk

Well actually it seems that points can be challenged. Anyone else care to share their experiences?

adamc260

You can challenge them if you weren't speeding yeh but... if your doing 50 in a 30... don't expect to get out of them? :S

lisyloo

if your speeding, expect points? Simple as really

Well it's not that simple.
Sometimes the signs are incorrect.
Sometimes the cameras have not been calibrated properly etc.

However as usual you with a bit of time an effort you can get all the information you need for free on the web.
There is a very good site called pepipoo which can help.

It wouldn't be MSE to take a product like this unless your circumstances dictate it.
e.g. you lose your livelihood without a car.
If this is the case then perhaps you should drive more carefully????

In general it wouldnt' be MSE tot ake this product.

stator

If you have enough points already that another speeding "ticket" would get you banned then perhaps you should just drive more carefully. £12 a month and then hope that the police or council made some technical mistake that could get you off or just driving within the speed limit? Seems an easy choice to me

Andrewk

I think the last post was the best advice. I don't do that much driving outside London (where it's possible to go faster) anyway. Driving more carefully is definitely the MSE way to go

Aztek

lisyloo wrote: »

Well it's not that simple.
Sometimes the signs are incorrect.
Sometimes the cameras have not been calibrated properly etc.

However as usual you with a bit of time an effort you can get all the information you need for free on the web.
There is a very good site called pepipoo which can help.

It wouldn't be MSE to take a product like this unless your circumstances dictate it.
e.g. you lose your livelihood without a car.
If this is the case then perhaps you should drive more carefully????

In general it wouldnt' be MSE tot ake this product.

Hi, I read a slight contradiction on your behalf, as in your openning statement you say: "Sometimes the signs are incorrect.
Sometimes the cameras have not been calibrated properly etc", then at the end you state "you should drive more carefully"?

The point being here is if you are driving carefully, it's not going to make much difference if your up against cameras and signs, which are incorrect and to be honest was the reason why DriveProtect was created..!
The bottom line here and I'm sure we all very aware that most of the speed cameras out there are for revenue making and NOT for our safety..!!

kingstreet

What you have to consider in a simple motoring allegation is the potential cost of contesting the charge and losing.

An alleged speed of limit + 10% + upto 9mph will now typically be punished by attendance at a speed awareness course at a cost of upto about £100 with no corresponding penalty points.

Only one "national" course is allowed in any three year period.

The cost of foregoing the course and subsequent conditional offer of fixed penalty (three points + £60 fine) is a trip to magistrates' court which could result in the same penalty points, but would mean a higher income-based fine, costs (unless in Scotland) and victim support charge. The fine can be reduced by an early guilty plea, but advice on Pepipoo is to take the course unless you have a strong defence to the allegation which makes the trip to the Mags potentially worthwhile.

It's also worth bearing in mind, until you are summonsed and make a not guilty plea, you are entitled to no evidence of your alleged offence, calibration certificates, nothing. You can ask the Local Authority for a copy of the TRO for the road/limit and you can photograph signage for adherence to the TSRGD but your ability to build a defence is limited, so you may wish to accept the course before having to accept the gamble of a court appearance.

chilmark

I think no matter how you look at it and as much as they will try and convince you its not about road safety its about a few more bucks for the chancellor, every time there is a bad financial report out, out come the speed cameras in their masses, so why arn't most near schools, why arnt they around between 8 to 9.30 when surely drivers should be extra cautious with school children, why are most placed not where accidents happen but where its an easy cop, mainly on roads where people drive safely at maybe a tad over the limit when there is no pedestrians around, but of course its so easy to stick a van covertly behind a bend or tree and nick sensible people who are going a tad over the limit but driving safely, and don't say "but you should be driving within the limit" everyone has been slightly over at one time or another, I even had the "Road safety partnership van fly pass me on the A34 when I was doing 70mph, so how fast was he going?, If it hadn't been illegal I would of got my camera out and filmed it. At the end of the day if it wasn't about revenue then they would put more of the flashing speed warning signs up, which people are thankful for as a reminder and not speed cameras which just !!!! people off, because they are just a huge revenue stream, Flashing Signs educate speed cameras irritate.

Fatangfatang

Andrewk wrote: »

In case you have never heard of them, this is a company where you pay £12 pm and get free access to specialist solicitors if you get caught speeding. For an additional cost you can pay for cover in case you get banned and need a chauffeur.

I just wondered whether anyone has had any experience of them?

Yes steer well clear...absolutely useless, no specialized motoring solicitor as promised, result 6 month ban for trotting up ( 12 points ) and £750 fine. About a year later, was contacted as to why I'd cancelled my membership, offered free membership for a year, no strings attached... Result they reactivated my dd mandate, tho only 10p a month, but then told me I' m on auto renewal unless I cancel....told them to cancel dd mandate, and now no communication whatsoever. Rubbish. All they want to do is flog you their crappy speed camera detectors.