Speeding penalties

melbury

I have just been reading about how the law changed last April and new rules apply.

I a 100% sure that I was caught by a parked speed detector van today doing 38mph in a 30mph, so will that mean a big fine and 3 points on licence?

Although it is no defence, I would stress that I was well out of the town limit not near any houses, schools, pavements etc.

Don't people get offered the speed awareness course option anymore.

Johno100

Have another read.

No they've not done away with Speed Awareness Courses, they're what funds many speed cameras, or Fixed Penalty Notices. It is only those cases that end up at court, so for instance grossly over the limit, or where someone ignores the paperwork, or fails to name the driver that those higher penalties and fines kick in.

For a first offence of 38 in a 30 (probably even less if you are going by your speedo) you are looking at potentially a Speed Awareness Course or 3pts and a £100 fine.

melbury

Johno100 wrote: »

Have another read.

No they've not done away with Speed Awareness Courses, they're what funds many speed cameras, or Fixed Penalty Notices. It is only those cases that end up at court, so for instance grossly over the limit, or where someone ignores the paperwork, or fails to name the driver that those higher penalties and fines kick in.

For a first offence of 38 in a 30 (probably even less if you are going by your speedo) you are looking at potentially a Speed Awareness Course or 3pts and a £100 fine.

Thanks, of course I am not sure it was exactly 38, could have been 40:eek:

George_Michael

melbury wrote: »

Thanks, of course I am not sure it was exactly 38, could have been 40:eek:

Provided you are in an area that offers SAC's then you are still within the allowable speed band.
For a 30mph limit, courses can be offered to drivers who were driving at 42mph and below.
Bearing in mind that many vehicle speedometers over read so if your speedo was showing 40 then it's likely that your actual speed was a couple of mph below this.

melbury

George_Michael wrote: »

Provided you are in an area that offers SAC's then you are still within the allowable speed band.
For a 30mph limit, courses can be offered to drivers who were driving at 42mph and below.
Bearing in mind that many vehicle speedometers over read so if your speedo was showing 40 then it's likely that your actual speed was a couple of mph below this.

Thank you.

So you don't think I will have to pay a whack of my salary, get points and spend perhaps 7 days in prison:eek:

Nasqueron

I was going down a very steep hill out of a village in a 30mph limit, I was in third to try and control speed and eyes slipped off my speedo I admit. It was showing 35, flicked to 36 as I started braking, then noticed a speed van at the bottom. I suspect from those speed signs on the road that my speedo is at least 2mph under based on what they read so I think I was probably on 34mph max in reality, worried for 2 weeks but didn't get a ticket fortunately. I thought it was such a snide place to put it as you had to be on your brakes all the way down the hill to stay at 30mph. My fault if I'd been caught but I think there were better places to look for speeders where speeding was actually a risk to road users.

You're probably on 35/36/37 so will likely get the SAC or a ticket

melbury

Nasqueron wrote: »

I was going down a very steep hill out of a village in a 30mph limit, I was in third to try and control speed and eyes slipped off my speedo I admit. It was showing 35, flicked to 36 as I started braking, then noticed a speed van at the bottom. I suspect from those speed signs on the road that my speedo is at least 2mph under based on what they read so I think I was probably on 34mph max in reality, worried for 2 weeks but didn't get a ticket fortunately. I thought it was such a snide place to put it as you had to be on your brakes all the way down the hill to stay at 30mph. My fault if I'd been caught but I think there were better places to look for speeders where speeding was actually a risk to road users.

You're probably on 35/36/37 so will likely get the SAC or a ticket

I agree, some places where they park are rather sneaky. As I said before, they were parked just about out of the speed limit; surely it would be more sensible to check cars going into the speed limit area?

waamo

melbury wrote: »

Thank you.

So you don't think I will have to pay a whack of my salary, get points and spend perhaps 7 days in prison:eek:

Prison for 40 in a 30? Are you having a giraffe?

unforeseen

The salary based fine only occurs if you go to court.

Normally it will be a FPN if you are within the guideline limits.

TooManyPoints

"It is only those cases that end up at court, so for instance grossly over the limit, or where someone ignores the paperwork, or fails to name the driver that those higher penalties and fines kick in"

Yes the press coverage of last April's changes was particularly poor. It spoke of "new draconian rules" and did not emphasise that it was only cases that went to court that were effected and only the most serious of those. All that happened was that the penalty for the top band of seriousness (>40 in a 20 limit, >50 in a 30, >65 in a 40, >75 in a 50, >90 in a 60 and >100 in a 70) was increased from a "Band B" fine (one week's net income) to a "Band C" fine (one and a half week's net income). There was also a subtle change with the recommended points/ban. It changed from "six points or disqualify for 7 to 56 days" to "disqualify for 7 to 56 days or six points". There was no change for failing to provide driver's details. It remains at a Band C fine and six points.

You cannot go to prison for speeding no matter how fast you were travelling or how many offences you have committed.

melbury

waamo wrote: »

Prison for 40 in a 30? Are you having a giraffe?

I was joking;)