Get out of a speeding ticket and 3 points?

Wed Jan 19, 2011 2:03 pm

I got done twice on the same road over a 60 minute period years ago. I wrote them a letter and asked them to reduce it to one charge and I'll cop for it. The letter back had evidence of three offences and I was told to pay the fine or all three would be reported and at that time, I'd get banned.

I'm no fan of traffic laws and how they are enforced but I did learn that in 'trivial' matters the police can be flexible and generally follow that before using the rule book.

Wed Jan 19, 2011 2:39 pm

i did have a thought about the technicalities of average cameras the other day (while suffering a 50mph speed limit for "safety" on the m4 at stupid am)
they say you have been speeding at some point between point a and point b. but for all they know you could have done 30 for most of it and one bit at 90. meaning your average was over 50.

so where and when did you commit the offence?
can you be prosecuted for a crime where they can 100% say how fast you actually went or the exact geographical location of the crime?

you have a right not to incriminate yourself, so they cant force you to spill. the burden of proof is on them to prove the location of the offence.........

Wed Jan 19, 2011 4:28 pm

I think a stretch of motorway that is less than 500m(between the cameras) would be considered pretty accurate in a judges mind.

Wed Jan 19, 2011 4:46 pm

but that still leaves the question of the peak speed attained, your average may only be 10mph over the limit but your peak could be nearly double.

Wed Jan 19, 2011 9:11 pm

HairyScreech wrote:but that still leaves the question of the peak speed attained, your average may only be 10mph over the limit but your peak could be nearly double.

So which would you prefer?

They bend the rules to please themselves, always have done always will do....

Wed Jan 19, 2011 10:09 pm

DanThe wrote:That is some really bad news, wouldnt want that landing on my doorstep, was this from a camera van, gatso or average camera?

It was the average cameras - you know, the ones which are always mounted up in roadworks now on yellow lamposts....

Normallly these are just struck up as a visible deterrent on Motorways in roadworks - obviously these ones were wired up!!

Wed Jan 19, 2011 11:54 pm

i don't have an awful lot of respect for police, however, before generalizing we must remember that there are many different forces and branches at work across the uk and from my experience their attitudes differ from one to the next. Thats my main gripe with 85% of the officers i've dealt with.......their attitude.
apologies to any reasonable characters on the force but traffic police are by far the most egotistical, pig headed, smarmy, sarcastic, usually bald headed with a face you'd love to punch bunch of, and i find this to be the most appropriate term in our language for these people, arseholes.
Unfortunately these little hitlers in their 'performance' cavaliers and E60 diesels with 13" 5 spokes severely taint my opinion of the force. And as a die hard motorist they are the ones we seem to deal with the most often, gaining unhidden and exaggerated pleasure from watching us squirm as they shine their maglite up and down your 'old banger' while doing their daily wrigleys orbit jaw exercises.
as painfully tempting as it is, on seeing a marked 530d whistling its tits off as it careers down the motorway with no blues or infact, twos, in obvious excess of 100mph, i have thus far resisted carefully placing all 44 tons of my daily ride infront of them at the last second, and claiming i hadn't seen them due to their excess speed and lack of flashing lights.
Most of the fresh faced, spiky haired piglets that patrol in their foci with ridiculousy attractive wpc's in tow are nice lads. Just give it a few years until they do their 'advanced' driving course and start polishing their craniums.........

Thu Jan 20, 2011 7:54 pm

I'd say find someone to take these points for you, standard charge is 250 quid plus costs for 3 points. I'm told. Ahem.

Thu Jan 20, 2011 8:06 pm

i could be wrong on this as it was second hand information i recieved and i havent read all this thread
but a copper told my mrs that average cameras on road works ie motorways cant be inforced because to change the speed limit of a road it has to go through parliment and to do this on such a regular basis would be impossible
so it might be worth checking with a solicitor

Thu Jan 20, 2011 10:31 pm

If your going to just take it like a man the at least try the thing where you pay the fine by cheque, wright it out for too much then they send you a refund for the extra amount by cheque, dont cash it ever then the case stays open and the points dont get added (not untill the case is closed which will never happen as long as you dont cash the cheque) Not sure it works but its got to be worth a shot

Thu Jan 20, 2011 10:32 pm

spic wrote:If your going to just take it like a man the at least try the thing where you pay the fine by cheque, wright it out for too much then they send you a refund for the extra amount by cheque, dont cash it ever then the case stays open and the points dont get added (not untill the case is closed which will never happen as long as you dont cash the cheque) Not sure it works but its got to be worth a shot

Urban legend

Thu Jan 20, 2011 11:29 pm

Haha, your having a giraffe! All these stories of "I got out of a speeding ticket because I put the wrong date on the cheque, I didnt send my licence with the cheque, blah blah blah" its all bollocks, ive tried a few and just had a very stern letter back from the local CPO more or less threatening me that if I dont comply next time round it WILL be dealt with by my local magistrates court.
They are not stupid and do not appreciate being treated as such

Fri Jan 21, 2011 12:23 pm

robsy wrote:I think Hitler used a similar defence a few years back.

I didnt know Hitler ever got pulled for speeding...

[/quote]

Officer...DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM????

Fri Jan 21, 2011 1:14 pm

i got caught last night on the m4, just before midnight hardly any traffic, marked bmw 5series hidden away with lights off, they got with there gun doing 97mph, it was too light by the time i seen them! 3pts £60 pound fine.......PR$C£s

Fri Jan 21, 2011 1:42 pm

popey7676 wrote:i got caught last night on the m4, just before midnight hardly any traffic, marked bmw 5series hidden away with lights off, they got with there gun doing 97mph, it was too light by the time i seen them! 3pts £60 pound fine.......PR$C£s

Errr, you were caught doing 97mph and got away with 3 points and a £60 fine and you call them pr!cks????

What did you expect them to do? Shake your hand and marvel at your amazing driving skills?

I think only 1 party in that story deserves the name-calling and it's not the boys in blue (for once!)

Fri Jan 21, 2011 1:54 pm

popey7676 wrote:i got caught last night on the m4, just before midnight hardly any traffic, marked bmw 5series hidden away with lights off, they got with there gun doing 97mph, it was too light by the time i seen them! 3pts £60 pound fine.......PR$C£s

Lucky, 97 can have you banned.

Fri Jan 21, 2011 8:01 pm

dimebag_from_hell wrote:
popey7676 wrote:i got caught last night on the m4, just before midnight hardly any traffic, marked bmw 5series hidden away with lights off, they got with there gun doing 97mph, it was too light by the time i seen them! 3pts £60 pound fine.......PR$C£s
Lucky, 97 can have you banned.

yes true, il take the fine and points on the chin................im annoyed about the way the poilice where a bit sneaky........and the fact that it was midnight with no other road users about........ i never seem to see them about in the daytime anymore....... thats when you get the majority of accidents.

Sun Jan 23, 2011 11:41 pm

drive it like you stole it

just dont get cought

Tue Jan 25, 2011 1:35 pm

popey7676 wrote:i got caught last night on the m4, just before midnight hardly any traffic, marked bmw 5series hidden away with lights off, they got with there gun doing 97mph, it was too light by the time i seen them! 3pts £60 pound fine.......PR$C£s

Sounds like you were lucky to be let off with only 3 points and the fine tbh.

robsy wrote:Well it looks like after having a clean licence for years, ive now got a notification in the post for speeding.....Roadworks on the M621 - where the speed limit had been dropped to 40 - i was doing 57...

I will admit i was over the limit and will say that to them - however, i will fight this all the way...

So you will admit it, but also fight it at the same time? What's going to be your argument?

Tue Jan 25, 2011 2:06 pm

George wrote: So you will admit it, but also fight it at the same time? What's going to be your argument?

The only defence for that will be to claim your speedo wasn't working.

Tue Jan 25, 2011 2:20 pm

Brian, that should be an option for almost all E30 owners going on the number of posts for speedo not working.

Tue Jan 25, 2011 3:14 pm

Brianmoooore wrote:
George wrote: So you will admit it, but also fight it at the same time? What's going to be your argument?
The only defence for that will be to claim your speedo wasn't working.

And their reply well be, "well your car should not have been on the road then without a working spedometer."

Tue Jan 25, 2011 9:38 pm

Brianmoooore wrote:
George wrote: So you will admit it, but also fight it at the same time? What's going to be your argument?
The only defence for that will be to claim your speedo wasn't working.

nice

Wed Jan 26, 2011 12:50 am

49 in a 40 is a minor i got caught doing 69 in a 40 and only got 4 point and £200 fine. just say in ure mitagation that u was slightly carless to ure EXACT speed at the time and will take more observation and care of speed limits in differnent types of road now forth and dont make up any exuces as that can get technical in court and then u should b all bless

Wed Jan 26, 2011 10:39 pm

annoying yet thats what happens. you have a right not to incriminate yourself but you also have to justify you actions and answer all questions put to you - ultimately incriminating yourself...so thats a pointless rule.

someone i know got caught doing 139mph at 3am one dead night on the m1. the copper gave him a caution and 3 points at the roadside coz the m3 he was racing was going to get the whole hog as it sped off into the night and they had his plates on camera. not clever i know, but that goes to show that the law isnt 'iron clad' and does have flex.

being caught at 3 points along the roadside on the same stretch sucks but youll have to take it on the chin now that youve fessed up (noble - but sucks regardless). you couldve chucked everything that couldve put a spanner in the works to try to get out of it - if it didnt work then you can hardly be any worse a position than now anyway.

i suppose the rule is that there really arent any rules - it depends what the cops are like that you are dealing with. judges will follow the rulebook and give you the standard slap on the wrist that the book denotes, which would be 3 points for each offence and a negotiable fine as they are obliged to follow protocol with the punishment but can be lenient with the fines if youre deemed to be a character of remorse and respect. for the love of - if you do go to court wear a shirt and tie - dont turn up in trackies

Wed Jan 26, 2011 10:49 pm

deanocool wrote:
i suppose the rule is that there really arent any rules - it depends what the cops are like that you are dealing with. judges will follow the rulebook and give you the standard slap on the wrist that the book denotes, which would be 3 points for each offence and a negotiable fine as they are obliged to follow protocol with the punishment but can be lenient with the fines if youre deemed to be a character of remorse and respect. for the love of - if you do go to court wear a shirt and tie - dont turn up in trackies

True words here,and make a note of the final line,I did the above when looking at possibly several bags of fines and a ban but came away with a piddly fine,6 points and smacked wrist.

Thu Jan 27, 2011 2:34 pm

jonny323i wrote:i could be wrong on this as it was second hand information i recieved and i havent read all this thread
but a copper told my mrs that average cameras on road works ie motorways cant be inforced because to change the speed limit of a road it has to go through parliment and to do this on such a regular basis would be impossible
so it might be worth checking with a solicitor

The police can give you a fine and point for speeding in a temporary speed limit. And that limit is there to protect people me who work on the roads!

Thu Jan 27, 2011 2:44 pm

deanocool wrote: someone i know got caught doing 139mph at 3am one dead night on the m1. the copper gave him a caution and 3 points at the roadside coz the m3 he was racing was going to get the whole hog as it sped off into the night and they had his plates on camera. not clever i know, but that goes to show that the law isnt 'iron clad' and does have flex.

I was caught doing 60mph over the speed limit, I near shit my nags when I seen the blues come on behind me.

Thu Jan 27, 2011 3:07 pm

town325i wrote:
jonny323i wrote:i could be wrong on this as it was second hand information i recieved and i havent read all this thread
but a copper told my mrs that average cameras on road works ie motorways cant be inforced because to change the speed limit of a road it has to go through parliment and to do this on such a regular basis would be impossible
so it might be worth checking with a solicitor
The police can give you a fine and point for speeding in a temporary speed limit. And that limit is there to protect people me who work on the roads!

Only when the temp signs are in a red circle, if it's the matrix you mean that displays an advisory speed, these are not enforceable.

Thu Jan 27, 2011 4:39 pm

jonny323i wrote:a copper told my mrs that average cameras on road works ie motorways cant be inforced because to change the speed limit of a road it has to go through parliment and to do this on such a regular basis would be impossible

Not entirely true. It doesn't need to go through parliament, they are just local authority orders. They do need to be in place though to enforce temporary speed limits and any decent solicitor would investigate this as a part of your defence.

Thu Jan 27, 2011 11:16 pm

bav wrote:49 in a 40 is a minor i got caught doing 69 in a 40 and only got 4 point and £200 fine. just say in ure mitagation that u was slightly carless to ure EXACT speed at the time and will take more observation and care of speed limits in differnent types of road now forth and dont make up any exuces as that can get technical in court and then u should b all bless

I've read this three or four times and still can't make any sense of it.

Fri Jan 28, 2011 9:37 am

Simon wrote:
town325i wrote:
jonny323i wrote:i could be wrong on this as it was second hand information i recieved and i havent read all this thread
but a copper told my mrs that average cameras on road works ie motorways cant be inforced because to change the speed limit of a road it has to go through parliment and to do this on such a regular basis would be impossible
so it might be worth checking with a solicitor
The police can give you a fine and point for speeding in a temporary speed limit. And that limit is there to protect people me who work on the roads!
Only when the temp signs are in a red circle, if it's the matrix you mean that displays an advisory speed, these are not enforceable.

All the ones on the over bridges like on the m25 and the m6 the limit is enforcable also the metal signs that traffic managment put are enforcable.

Fri Jan 28, 2011 1:00 pm

town325i wrote:
jonny323i wrote:i could be wrong on this as it was second hand information i recieved and i havent read all this thread
but a copper told my mrs that average cameras on road works ie motorways cant be inforced because to change the speed limit of a road it has to go through parliment and to do this on such a regular basis would be impossible
so it might be worth checking with a solicitor
The police can give you a fine and point for speeding in a temporary speed limit. And that limit is there to protect people me who work on the roads!

I'd have to argue that there are infact no people working on the roads, ever - just miles of unattended roadworks with 50mph signs next to them

Fri Jan 28, 2011 2:08 pm

town325i wrote: Only when the temp signs are in a red circle, if it's the matrix you mean that displays an advisory speed, these are not enforceable.

All the ones on the over bridges like on the m25 and the m6 the limit is enforcable also the metal signs that traffic managment put are enforcable.[/quote]

Which are circled in red yes?

Fri Jan 28, 2011 9:28 pm

Green wrote:
town325i wrote:
jonny323i wrote:i could be wrong on this as it was second hand information i recieved and i havent read all this thread
but a copper told my mrs that average cameras on road works ie motorways cant be inforced because to change the speed limit of a road it has to go through parliment and to do this on such a regular basis would be impossible
so it might be worth checking with a solicitor
The police can give you a fine and point for speeding in a temporary speed limit. And that limit is there to protect people me who work on the roads!
I'd have to argue that there are infact no people working on the roads, ever - just miles of unattended roadworks with 50mph signs next to them

Come down the A1 in Cambridge tonight and you will see miles of cones with people working in them!!!