Just got my first speeding ticket today, absolutely gutted...beeen driving for 5 years now without incident.
38mph in a 30mph limit, mobile van....DOH!
Just got my first speeding ticket today, absolutely gutted...beeen driving for 5 years now without incident.
38mph in a 30mph limit, mobile van....DOH!
it took 2 weeks to get mine
dont care what anyone says they are just making money, the people who make descisions like that couldnt give a toss about saving lifes. makes me sick to my stomach
worst that can happen is an extra amount added to the fine by the court. Also, by taking it through the court system, it would appear that the camera partnership that caught you won't get any funds. Instead, it will go into the public purse and hopefully be used to pay for more police.
Wrong, if you take it to court and you lose the case, you'll end up with a bigger fine AND YOU will PERSONALLY have to pay the court fees, the
Well no, the basics of what I originally said are right actually (although I'm sure there will be some cases where what I have said is not correct - I don't claim to be a policeman).
Its not impossible that you could have extra points added for appealing in court, but its highly unlikely. What is more likely is that you will have a bigger fine to pay and court costs as I said, although these will not usually be enormous on a case like the one mentioned at the start of this thread. Also, if you have been caught speeding by more than a certain amount (I understand this varies between different areas according to how the ACPO guidelines are interpreted and followed) a court summons will automatically be issued anyway.
The only thing that really would annoy a judge is if you simply showed up with no case at all. However, if you have anything whatsoever to contest, such as the clarity of photo from a GATSO camera, or camera calabiration or placement issues, or even the length of time between the date of the "offence" and the NIP being received (there will usually be something thats questionable in a speed camera case - although this is much harder to do if you are actually pulled over by the police themselves), its certainly worth challenging it in my opinion.
Loosing the case isn't really the issue, I think that challenging it is.
To be honest i was speeding...like i say by only 8mph but i was still speeding.
The calibration of the camera might be in question seen as it's a mobile van but to honest i don't have the time or inclination to contest it, i'll just pay my dues and move on.
I agree with what everyone has said above, but i'm more annoyed with myself than the system really as i was semi-aware that i was speeding and i noticed the van from about 200m away but couldn't decide whether it was a cop van or not.
Just life i suppose.
Never mind, i'll live.
Cheers for the consolations though guys. Much appreciated
Sorry, mis-read your post. Thought you said you wouldn't have to pay court fees.
Well its good your being honest and up front about it anyway. I mean, if you knew you were speeding you were "breaking the law" and thats the end of it. You just happened to get caught out. Whether or not you were actually driving dangerously is another matter, but that debate has been covered many times before on here.
Not really fussed about the £60 fine, i'd take that over the points without batting an eyelid...although i can understand why people get narked about the fine as speed cameras are basically a revenue generating option for the government....conveniently coupled with "life saving properties" of course.
It might be a revenue option for the goverment, but what other punishment could the goverment seriously imply, as an alternative other than a small fine and the 3 points. I do break the speed limit when i drive, i'm not a overly fast driver but I do tend to drive around 35mph in a 30. Yet if I was caught it'd be my own fault, I know alot of people that have been caught, yet I cant see how they can complain when they take the risk.
Nobody here can possibly say that they haven't entered a 30zone at 38mph, done 80mph on a motorway, not realised that a speed limit had changed, or simply considered it safe to travel slightly above the speed limit on an empty road at 2am. Theres absolutley no discretion. Every single person on this website who drives a car could get caught by a speed camera tomorrow if they happen to make a driving misake in the wrong place.
i'll admit to speeding on motorways. no stupid speeds at stupid times, mainly early in the morning driving between my flat and my house.
speed cameras should be in residential areas, where they are needed, where speeding is really dangerous, not on the middle of a three lane motorway in the middle of nowhere.
if they were restricted to residential areas i would say that yes, they are there to prevent accidents from speeding. but on a motorway? no, pure profit
swines
I cant say I can think of many speed cameras in 40 or 50 zones. Arnt motorway speed cameras (that work) only usually in places that are often congested and where most accidents happen and near major cities? I also believe most motorway speed cameras are set at almost 87/90mph, which at the end of the day is reasonable.