Can I renew my car insurance with 0 speeding convictions, before sending back a NIP for speeding?

The_Rainmaker

MinuteNoodles said:

The days of a copper standing behind a tree with a speed gun and suddenly jumping out are long gone. 

Not up here, my niece was telling me the places she is hiding behind trees in the squad car with the gun out and why they don't like certain places because they are too visible.

Supersonos

The_Rainmaker said:

MinuteNoodles said:

The days of a copper standing behind a tree with a speed gun and suddenly jumping out are long gone. 

Not up here, my niece was telling me the places she is hiding behind trees in the squad car with the gun out and why they don't like certain places because they are too visible.

So how come a police officer can "hide" and get people by surprise but speed cameras have to be visible?

We sometimes get a speed van park on the grass verge near us (you always know when it's there, though, because cars coming towards you flash like crazy as a warning).  The other day I noticed a sign warning that the speed van "might" be there today.  I've never known such a pathetic law - it's illegal to speed, but we'll warn you when you might get caught.  And if you do get caught, we'll put you on a speed awareness course.  Why aren't there parking awareness courses?  Or theft awareness courses?

AdrianC

Supersonos said:

giraffe69 said:

Generally the increase in premium for the first 3 points is not very much. 

This is what I'd heard - a colleague told me that his speeding conviction made no difference to his premium.

None might be an exaggeration - but next-to-none, sure.

A single FPN SP30 is trivial, makes no difference to claims likelihood, and insurers recognise it as such.

Speeding essentially goes unpunished.

A single SP30 or SP50 within five years is a minimal punishment.
£100 fine and 3pts, or a £90/half-day opportunity to learn something.

Repeatedly get caught, though, and the penalties escalate.
2x will certainly affect your premium.
3x will be a serious hike.
4x within 3yrs is a non-trivial holiday from driving, and TT99 on your licence means insurers will take a very dim view.

If "exceeding the speed limit" is the single most appropriate charge, then by definition it's a victimless crime of one number being bigger than another. If there is a risk being posed to other drivers through inattention or deliberate action, then there are more appropriate charges - and, of course, they can be incurred just as easily within the limit as above it.

The main problem is the way speeding enforcement has changed over recent decades. What would have seen you get a bollocking from a real-live-stripy-volvo now gets a little stroppogram through the post a week later. No opportunity to address other issues at the same time. If somebody is in their cups, driving a stolen car, and about to kill somebody... nothing that the photo can do about it.

It's the method of enforcement that's trivialised it.

...mobile phone out of reach.

And you know that both the law and insurers (rightly) view that as far more serious than simply one number being bigger than another.