Speeding- Help!

Sweet_Sugar_1984

HiA couple of days ago, I think I was flashed by a speed camera. I was doing 36mph in a 30mph zone. I've already got 3 points on my license for speeding & can't afford to get any more!I am still waiting for a Presecution note to come through, but I was just wondering what options I have?....Can I request to go on a Speed Awareness Course or is this something that is decided by the authorities? At what point in the whole process will I find out what my 'punishment' is likely to be?- Will it be after I fill in the initial form, or after I send off my license? Is there anything I can do to avoid getting the 3 points? Will a pleading letter help?Thank you!PS- This may sound like a silly question, but how can you tell if you have been flashed by a camera?...During the day, would you normally expect a white flash or a red one? My first speeding offence was at night & on that occasion it was a red light, whereas in the recent one, I saw a white light.

mountainchrisriver

Second speeding offence... they won't let you go on a course... a pleading letter won't help... you were speeding!!!... fixed penalty offence 3 points and a fine (not sure of the amount at this present time!)...

Just have to hope the camera was faulty, was not 'live' etc... in future slow down when you see a speed camera... they are fairly conspicuous... even better only do 30 in a 30 zone!

Wig

Officially there is nothing you can do, they will want to give you one thing and take one thing from you.

They will want to give you 3 points in exchange for £60. There will be no discussion entered into.

You will only know if you were caught by waiting 14 days (assuming the car is registered at your address) for the NIP to fall on the mat.

pepipoo.co.uk is the place to get up to date advice on how to possibly beat the NIP and walk away with no punishment.

Sweet_Sugar_1984

Thanks for that........looks like I've got another 3 points to look forward to?Can someone confirm that the white flash is likely to have been the speed camera?

Tao81

The camera may have been going off on one of it's regular test flashes, this has happened to me a couple of times in the past, worried the life out of me! knew I wasn't speeding at those times and heard nothing.
I have reasonably frequently witnessed cameras go off when there has been nothing within their path, so they must ocassionally test their flash light or something similar??! From what I have been reliably told by the police speed cameras are set at 8mph above the speed limit within which they exist, so I doubt this is a genuine capture if you were actually only doing 36mph. I often go past cameras up to about 5 mph, give or take a couple of mph, and never normally get flashed.

If it helps, I was definately speeding in London years ago and didn't realise there was a camera in a 40 mph limit on a three lane stretch of what felt like motorway, the camera flashed as I passed but never heard anything! ....So not sure what happened there?!! You may be fortunate like I was and not hear from the police. Don't know how quickly you can stop holding your breath though, as not been speeding for sometime and therefore don't know how quickly they send out the tickets these days?!

Tao81

Deleting this message as it has come out twice!! Having a problem with URL errors on the site! Anyone else having problems with the site?

Sweet_Sugar_1984

Hey Thanks.........I'm just worried sick about the whole thing- it's causing me sleepless nights!The camera was on the left side of the road and as I went past I saw a white flash in the passenger window- I'm just hoping that it was another car flashing at me..............

Conor_3

If you're so worried about it, perhaps you should try keeping to the limit.

If a FPN comes through, you're getting 3 points. Speed awareness courses are "first offence" offers. You could always try going to court to contest it but then you're opening yourself up to being given 4 points instead of 3 however if you've passed your test under 2 years ago, it may be worth doing this if the 4-6 months it'd take to go to court would take you over that 2 years.

Personally speaking as someone who has driven 1.8 million miles since the introduction of speed cameras all over the UK and hasn't been caught by one once, I'd question whether anyone who can get caught twice by a big bright yellow reflective box is really observant enough to be on the road anyway but then again as I do over 2000 miles a week with such people and it'll be one of them who makes sure I don't make it home one day, I'm a bit biased.

hotnuts21

Tao81 wrote: »

From what I have been reliably told by the police speed cameras are set at 8mph above the speed limit within which they exist, so I doubt this is a genuine capture if you were actually only doing 36mph.

This depends in which county you are in, some are more lenient/strict than others. 10% + 2 is the norm, however it is not uncommon that in a 30 zone for you to get flashed doing anything from 35 up, after all these are usually in areas where people are around.

Dont try fighting it, if its your second offence, and you try taking it to court or arguing it, you will lose, they have the law on there side!!

Lastly a lot of the cameras still use good ol film, the flash however is automatic! So when the film runs out the flash will keep firing and firing and firing at speeding people, but it wont be recorded. If your lucky you just got flashed!

Hope that helps and keep your fingers crossed for it being a flasher only.

Wig

Regarding the "flash" I'd be very surprised if you saw the flash in daytime. It could have been anything. I have had people say to me they saw a flash in the daytime, in two different places where I know 100% there is no camera, guess what no NIP came. No camera = no flash.

You cannot be sure so just sit back try to get some sleep and wait 14 - 15 days - assuming it is registered at your address, if it is registered at some other address then you just got yourself 3 - 4 months of worry.

blue_haddock

face it you were speeding so be big enough to take the points and fine on the chin and deal with the consequences.

If you don't want to get points and a fine slow down.