Caught Speeding - Likely Fines?

Wig

I think the "national speed limit" signs should be abolished.

Wherever there is a change in the speed limit there should be signs saying numerically what the new speed limit is.

iolanthe07

This constant changing of speed limits for no apparent reason is a purely income generating device, nothing to do with safety at all. Once you realise this you just have to see it as another form of stealth tax.

TheImportanceOfBeingIdle

Wig wrote:

I think the "national speed limit" signs should be abolished.

Wherever there is a change in the speed limit there should be signs saying numerically what the new speed limit is.

The national speed limit signs are not used to indicate one speed. They are used to tell you that the national speed limit applies for the particular vehicle you are driving.

So your suggestion is remove ONE sign and replace it with several indicating the different speed limits for different vehicles.


'Sorry I was speeding officer I was just lookig for the sign that told me how fast I could travel in this particular vehicle'

immoral_angeluk

If you get a NIP (Notice of impending prosecution ie the letter you get before you get the 3 points and £60 fine.) you can appeal the decision and it'd go to court where you can plead your case. Apparently the officer that caught you has to turn up or else the case is dismissed so I'd probaby do that.

arnie&caseysma!

ghost1001 wrote:

I was caught doing 82mph in a 50mph.

Does anyone have any idea or experiences on what my likely punishment will be??

Are the following circumstances likley to help?

- I was driving a hire car (so not familiar)
- I was not local to the area and as the speed limit kept changing, perhaps it was a little confusing?
- I only have 3 points on my license which have now expired anyway.
- My car is necessary for my work (visiting clients)

I genuinely didn't realise how fast I was going.

I don't think the excuses will wash. They will just come up with....

1. If it was a hire car and therefore unfamiliar then you should have been taking extra care operating the vehicle, driving at a lower speed, and not exceeding ALL speed limits applicable to that vehicle (after all 82mph is 12mph higher than the motorway limit for a car).
2. Not local to the area, again taking extra care with the unfamiliar vehicle and shows you are not concentrating on observations as well as the driving of the vehicle.
3. 3 points which have now expired? Don't bring up any previous - shows you have not learned your lesson
4. Necessary for work? Many people reply on their vehicles for work and also livelihood depending on where they live. Does not always work that way and many people I know have lost their work, life, etc etc through not having a drivers licence.

I would think that any of the excuses you have used would only result in the case being forwarded to a court which could have the possibilty of either your fine or points level being increased, or both, or even a ban depending on the mood of the Sheriff/Magistrate etc.

ghost1001

I haven't given any excuses though yet. Its just I'm really worried about a ban!

I would gladly take 6 points and a larger fine - Lesson learnt..

Does anyone have an idea of what I'm likely to get?

arnie&caseysma!

Not sure, each are deals with these things differently. It used to be that 30mph over speed limit = ban but I think it depends on where you are and other circumstances surrounding the actual time you were caught.

If you are prepared to take the points then do so, take it on the chin and hopefully you will get the minimum. If you try and contest it and make excuses then there will be the chance of it going to court and the penalty being higher.

kev3000gt

i was also caught on that road doing 101mph in a 70mph zone.V stupid at the time and have learnt lesson since.Spent 6 months worrying about getting a ban.Went to court and pleaded guilty without making any excuses and got 6 points and a £285 fine.I think i got off lightly considering usually anything over 100mph is an automatic ban.
Good Luck:

nickmack

ghost1001 wrote:

I was caught doing 82mph in a 50mph.

Oh dear.

Does anyone have any idea or experiences on what my likely punishment will be??

You certainly can't rule out a ban. It generally depends on the prosecuting police force and some other random factors. 82mph in a 50mph is fairly excessive, they might argue, you were exceeding even the 70mph national limit by a reasonable amount.

Are the following circumstances likley to help?

- I was driving a hire car (so not familiar)
- I was not local to the area and as the speed limit kept changing, perhaps it was a little confusing?
- I only have 3 points on my license which have now expired anyway.
- My car is necessary for my work (visiting clients)

No, none of these are mitigating circumstances. Using these excuses is only likely to increase your punishment in court.

I genuinely didn't realise how fast I was going.

For goodness sake don't say that!

I'm going to have to go to court aren't I?

Maybe, if you get the option of a fixed penalty, take it.

Idiophreak

My thoughts

1) I also thought you're pretty likely to get banned more than 30 above the limit.

2) South Wales Police are the biggest gits in the world for speeding (as mentioned above) - so I wouldn't count on them being sympathetic.

3) The M4 in wales is just dumb. There isn't a bit of it (except, maybe, the tunnel) that isn't safe to drive at 70, so all of the speed limit changes are completely unnecessary and just there to make life hard.

4) I love that people think the national speed limit sign is confusing - if they don't know what the national speed limit is for a given road, I wonder what other basic driving rules they don't know.

edit: also, do you *need* to drive for your job?
If you're a paramedic or a courier etc it might work in your favour - if you just can't be bothered to get the bus, it won't.