Advice needed re possible speeding ticket

[Prestwich_Blue]

That was 2 years ago. Times have seemingly changed.

Three people out of the 18 on the course said they were just one or two mph over the limit, one person was from Leeds, another said they were from Stoke, the last didn't say where they were caught.

The instructors didn't leave the room to check, they explained that as speed cameras were far more accurate now, there was an increasing zero tolerance attitude by some forces regarding speeding.

The lady sitting next to me from Leeds was on the course for travelling at 31mph in a 30mph zone. She said the speed camera that clocked her near her home had just been replaced by one of the new ones, and the instructors said they were seeing increasing numbers of people attending their courses with similar stories.

The instructors weren't ex police, had no idea what we had done to be there and had no interest in finding out.

The course is about road safety, despite what some on here say to the contrary.

It was revealing how so few on the course didn't know speed limits, what a dual carriageway was, what the lanes on motorways were for, and the answers to the hazard perception videos were, quite frankly, a frightening enlightenment on just how switched off the majority on the course were in assessing the road ahead for potential problems.

I was the only person there answering each question correctly. I'm not blowing smoke up my own backside with that. I ride a motorbike and drove coaches for a living before I retired over 6 years ago. I had my driving regularly assessed by a driver trainer, where attitudes to driving and the scenarios brought up on the course were made aware to me many years ago, and I ride defensively.

I was caught out by a momentary lapse of concentration, which is why I was on the course, but it was an absolute revelation to me, if the others on the course are representative of the general driving population, how little they know about the rules of the road.

What was worse, after clear and concise explanations from the instructors on particular points, many of them still couldn't answer the questions correctly and hadn't learned anything.

I'll leave it at that.

We've all seen it. Drivers doing 50-60 in the middle lane on motorways when the inside lane is clear, is the obvious example.

I was driving locally a couple of years ago on a main road and came to a mini-roundabout,which just had one road off it, to my left. There was a car coming towards the roundabout from the road but I had priority so went straight ahead. To my horror, the car didn't stop and shot out just in front of me.

Now we all make mistakes but the female driver gave me abuse and two fingers. She clearly thought she had priority even though I was there first and had started to cross the roundabout. I suppose she could've been foreign though.

 

[stonerblue]

Stop fucking speeding is the obvious solution

 

[mcfcantc]

A question which I think I already know the answer.
My dad was done on the 18th May (pic and letter both dated 18th), however he wasn’t out at that time.
It’s clearly from the day before as he was dropping me and my lad for our coach to Wembley.
We know he’s been caught etc etc, but can the accuracy of the camera not be challenged?

 

[Tuearts right boot]

Am I right in saying that if you get caught speeding you have to attend the course in that area....?

 

[Sheikh rattle and roll]

Just phone the police they will be fine and will tell you yes or no
No skin off their nose tbh

 

[Sheikh rattle and roll]

Am I right in saying that if you get caught speeding you have to attend the course in that area....?

No any - just choose an area that suits bizarrely some are cheaper

 

[dickie davies]

Am I right in saying that if you get caught speeding you have to attend the course in that area....?

No any - just choose an area that suits bizarrely some are cheaper

They're nearly all done on line now and you have to sit one within a certain period of time of accepting the driver retraining as a punishment
The cheaper ones (only by a tenner or so) are always booked up
But as SRR says, you can choose the course from any area

 

[NPBlue]

I have just had a look and all of Yorkshire and Staffordshire councils allegedly do not prosecute for 10% plus 2mph

Well, three people on the course I was on were there for travelling at 1 or 2 mph over the speed limit.

I'm not making it up, they were caught by the new speed cameras which are more accurate than the old ones.

When the lady from Leeds said she was there for travelling at 31 mph in a 30 limit area, we initially thaught she was mistaken and must have been in a 20 mph zone, but she showed us the letter she had received that stated the figures.

I don't know what else to say, really, other than they would probably dispute whatever is being claimed on whatever website you have read, and as I wrote, the course instructors were specific in saying they were seeing increasing numbers of people attending with transgressions such as those.

 

[NPBlue]

We've all seen it. Drivers doing 50-60 in the middle lane on motorways when the inside lane is clear, is the obvious example.

I was driving locally a couple of years ago on a main road and came to a mini-roundabout,which just had one road off it, to my left. There was a car coming towards the roundabout from the road but I had priority so went straight ahead. To my horror, the car didn't stop and shot out just in front of me.

Now we all make mistakes but the female driver gave me abuse and two fingers. She clearly thought she had priority even though I was there first and had started to cross the roundabout. I suppose she could've been foreign though.

I've seen and experinced no end of brainless behaviour on the roads over the years, and my attitude has always been 'so what'.

I had up to 50 odd people sitting behind me expecting a comfortable ride, drove thousands of miles a month, and expecting the unexpected and not reacting in a way that would alarm them was my priority.

Shit happens, and expectations of perfect driving from other road users is unrealistic. You have to deal with it and just accept people make mistakes.

So she gave you the bird? I'd have been laughing at that and wouldn't have given a shit about it in all honesty.

 

[denislawsbackheel]

I never presume right of way at a roundabout.

 

[stonerblue]

I never presume right of way at a roundabout.

I alwas presume other drivers are shit and will do summat stupid

 

[denislawsbackheel]

Round here many behave as if it isn’t there. Don’t slow done at all, just bang straight across.
Prats.

 

[dickie davies]

Round here many behave as if it isn’t there. Don’t slow done at all, just bang straight across.
Prats.

UK law is now 3 points and £100 fine for driving directly across a roundabout

 

[richardtheref]

Well, three people on the course I was on were there for travelling at 1 or 2 mph over the speed limit.

I'm not making it up, they were caught by the new speed cameras which are more accurate than the old ones.

When the lady from Leeds said she was there for travelling at 31 mph in a 30 limit area, we initially thaught she was mistaken and must have been in a 20 mph zone, but she showed us the letter she had received that stated the figures.

I don't know what else to say, really, other than they would probably dispute whatever is being claimed on whatever website you have read, and as I wrote, the course instructors were specific in saying they were seeing increasing numbers of people attending with transgressions such as those.

I originally read it in Which magazine. They had asked via a freedom of information request. They did point out that you could be prosecuted for being 1mph over but the majority did the 10% plus 2mph.
If you Google it now most websites say the same.
As I said earlier when I went to the course, with my letter, and pointed it out to the instructor, he went off and came back saying I didn't have to be there. I was caught by 1 of those mobile units.

 

[Citizen of Legoland]

I originally read it in Which magazine. They had asked via a freedom of information request. They did point out that you could be prosecuted for being 1mph over but the majority did the 10% plus 2mph.
If you Google it now most websites say the same.
As I said earlier when I went to the course, with my letter, and pointed it out to the instructor, he went off and came back saying I didn't have to be there. I was caught by 1 of those mobile units.

The key word is “discretionary”. It’s unlikely that a police force will try to impose points on your licence if caught inside this 10%+2 margin of error as a good lawyer would probably get it overturned. However most people won’t challenge a speed awareness course imposed on them that doesn’t affect their insurance premiums so that’s what they do, probably to meet some quota to prove they’re attempting to catch speeding motorists.

 

[jimharri]

Well, three people on the course I was on were there for travelling at 1 or 2 mph over the speed limit.

I'm not making it up, they were caught by the new speed cameras which are more accurate than the old ones.

When the lady from Leeds said she was there for travelling at 31 mph in a 30 limit area, we initially thaught she was mistaken and must have been in a 20 mph zone, but she showed us the letter she had received that stated the figures.

I don't know what else to say, really, other than they would probably dispute whatever is being claimed on whatever website you have read, and as I wrote, the course instructors were specific in saying they were seeing increasing numbers of people attending with transgressions such as those.

She got pinched for going 1 mph over the limit? Fucking hell. Yes; I realise that the line has to be drawn somewhere. But that's incredibly harsh. Mind you, she's from L***s, so tough shit!


;-)