Motorway variable speed limit speeding fine, inadequate signage

avinashvv

Thank you all for your replies   
As I can read from the replies, there is no reason why I should challenge this. Better pay and be careful going forward, not end of the world. 
It was an honest mistake as I was not speeding as such on motorway. And I felt, it was unfair to suddenly change an exisitng speed limit without prior warning and activate the speed camera around this, as there were a few gantries without any information prior to this which can easily show this. We dont live in a fair world always

If I go to court, the judge also might ask the same questions you guys did

Exodi

I've been to a motorway speed awareness course, and like you I felt like I was totally in the right and the stars just happened to align in such a way that it was totally out of my control to speed through the gantry.

Then I get to the course, and would you believe it - every single person is exactly the same, all victims of circumstance, a room of the unluckiest people in England, no-one suggested they had made a mistake.

During and shortly after the course I properly reflect and accept it was completely my fault. It is interesting our natural response as humans is to instinctively blame anyone and everyone except ourselves.

I suspect you will read this thread back in several months time and realise they were excuses, like I did.

Imagine if someone had just run in the road and they'd quickly changed the nearest gantry to 30 - do you think it would fly for you carry on flying along at 70 because you were not provided ample warning of several gantries showing a gradually reduced speed and 'didn't feel safe slamming on my brakes'. You make it sound like the only way to have reduced your speed from 70 to 50 in the long approach to the gantry was an emergency stop - despite this everyone else appeared to manage.

fwor

avinashvv said:

We dont live in a fair world always

I think that's a fair conclusion. Most of us have probably been in situations where (for example) there's a lot going on and it's hard to keep track of everything that's happening. Fortunately most insurance companies seem to accept the occasional speeding fine due to a lapse of concentration - the first instance doesn't seem to have too much of an impact on premiums, usually.

avinashvv

Exodi said:

I've been to a motorway speed awareness course, and like you I felt like I was totally in the right and the stars just happened to align in such a way that it was totally out of my control to speed through the gantry.

Then I get to the course, and would you believe it - every single person is exactly the same, all victims of circumstance, a room of the unluckiest people in England, no-one suggested they had made a mistake.

During and shortly after the course I properly reflect and accept it was completely my fault. It is interesting our natural response as humans is to instinctively blame anyone and everyone except ourselves.

avinashvv said:

I was travelling at 72mph. I have recieved a offer for fixed penalty of £100 +3 points. Is it worth fighting in court? I dont have any previous fines or points. 

I'm surprised you were not offered a course on this occasion, especially as you mention you have no previous fines or points?

avinashvv said:

I was driving on cruise control and usually the car adjusts to speeds automatically after it passes the first sign. I was trusting this was ok as i got atleast one warning on my previous experiance. 

Have you by chance already been on a motorway speed awareness course in the last 3 years?

The rest of this I suspect you will read back in several months time and realise were excuses, like I did.

Imagine if someone had just run in the road and they'd quickly changed it to 30 - do you think it would fly for you carry on flying along at 70 because you wasn't given ample warning of several gantries showing a gradually reduced speed and 'didn't feel safe slamming on my brakes'. You make it sound like the only way to have reduced your speed from 70 to 50 in the long approach to the gantry was an emergency stop - despite this everyone else appeared to manage.

No, I didnt had any previious warnings. I tink its because of what @Mildly_Miffed mentioned - "You were nearly 10mph above the upper threshold for a course being offered, and only a few mph below the upper threshold for a fixed penalty to be offered."

Exodi

avinashvv said:

Exodi said:

I've been to a motorway speed awareness course, and like you I felt like I was totally in the right and the stars just happened to align in such a way that it was totally out of my control to speed through the gantry.

Then I get to the course, and would you believe it - every single person is exactly the same, all victims of circumstance, a room of the unluckiest people in England, no-one suggested they had made a mistake.

During and shortly after the course I properly reflect and accept it was completely my fault. It is interesting our natural response as humans is to instinctively blame anyone and everyone except ourselves.

avinashvv said:

I was travelling at 72mph. I have recieved a offer for fixed penalty of £100 +3 points. Is it worth fighting in court? I dont have any previous fines or points. 

I'm surprised you were not offered a course on this occasion, especially as you mention you have no previous fines or points?

avinashvv said:

I was driving on cruise control and usually the car adjusts to speeds automatically after it passes the first sign. I was trusting this was ok as i got atleast one warning on my previous experiance. 

Have you by chance already been on a motorway speed awareness course in the last 3 years?

The rest of this I suspect you will read back in several months time and realise were excuses, like I did.

Imagine if someone had just run in the road and they'd quickly changed it to 30 - do you think it would fly for you carry on flying along at 70 because you wasn't given ample warning of several gantries showing a gradually reduced speed and 'didn't feel safe slamming on my brakes'. You make it sound like the only way to have reduced your speed from 70 to 50 in the long approach to the gantry was an emergency stop - despite this everyone else appeared to manage.

No, I didnt had any previious warnings. I tink its because of what @Mildly_Miffed mentioned - "You were nearly 10mph above the upper threshold for a course being offered, and only a few mph below the upper threshold for a fixed penalty to be offered."

Sorry I edited my reply removing that bit just as you quoted it - yes indeed.

Arunmor

avinashvv said:

I was driving on cruise control and usually the car adjusts to speeds automatically after it passes the first sign.

You had your car set to adjust your speed to the whatever speed was relevant, yet you were clocked at 72mph in my car that would be showing as just under 80 on my speedo.  So that statement is nonsense.  Take the points and pay the fine, I don't fancy your chances in court.

Mr.Generous

Arunmor said:

avinashvv said:

I was driving on cruise control and usually the car adjusts to speeds automatically after it passes the first sign.

You had your car set to adjust your speed to the whatever speed was relevant, yet you were clocked at 72mph in my car that would be showing as just under 80 on my speedo.  So that statement is nonsense.  Take the points and pay the fine, I don't fancy your chances in court.

Most speedo's read about 2 mph over, so an indicated 72 would be 70 on a radar or camera. The OP should have just braked, anything close to 50 and no action taken. 

When I was plodding up and down the heavily cammera'd M6 in Cheshire I used to set the cruise at 76/77 mph and never had an issue with it. A genuine 75 is tolerated, whereas in Wales that would probably be the death penalty from the traffic taliban.

Nasqueron

Question also would be, with the context of me not knowing the road, why are you in lane 3 when 1 and 2 are empty?

What dashcam also with left and right views or is that something like a Tesla with inbuilt cameras?

Car_54

avinashvv said:

I was driving on cruise control and usually the car adjusts to speeds automatically after it passes the first sign. 

"After" is too late. The speed limit starts at the sign. 

You should rely on your eyes, rather than the technology, which has already let you down. As others have pointed out, the sign would have been visible from about 300 yards, which gave more than enough time to slow down safely.

Robin9

avinashvv said:

I was driving on cruise control and usually the car adjusts to speeds automatically after it passes the first sign. I was trusting this was ok as i got at least one warning on my previous experience. 

Surely this is unsafe .    Should you not be switching cruise control off when you see the sign (which is probably visible a mile away)