Ignoring Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) for Speeding (Scotland)

[M3Driver]

So last week I was stopped by the police and issued with a FPN for 93mph in a 70mph limit. I have 28 days to present my licence for 3 points and make payment of a £100 fine.

Several people have suggested that FPN's are regularly not chased up if payment and licence aren't offered by the driver. Some have suggested simply ignoring the FPN and I might not hear any more about it.

My question is: Is this realistic, or a chance worth taking? Should I ignore this and see if indeed it is forgotten about, or whether anything further happens?

Also, after the 28 days, will I be issued with a reminder and an opportunity to pay the original £100 and still receive only 3 points? I've read conflicting advice online, some sources suggest that after 28 days it may instantly result in a court summons or the potential fine being increased by 50% and subject to collection by the courts.

I'm just looking for a bit of clarity from anyone who may have been through the process. I'm quite happy to wait and see if I hear anything further, as long as the reminder will allow me the option of simply paying the original penalty of £100 and 3 points.

[kiethton]

Really?

Just suck it up an pay man, they will chase it up, it will end up going to court if you don't pay and then you'll be made to look very unreasoable and be hit with 3-5 points and a fine (plus costs) of multiples of what your being offered.

Just pay it (it'll make fk all difference to costs inc. insurance beyond the £100) and get on with your life.

[snorky782]

Ignore it. Speeding fines are never, ever chased up. Quite often when processes are created by the legal system they only ever do a Step 1 and then give up straight after.

Let us know how you get on.

[Chester draws]

Exactly, they rely heavily on people simply rolling over and paying up on the first demand. It's going to cost them far more than £100 to take you to court anyway.

[donkmeister]

Not sure if the two above are serious... parrot woosh over my head?

[Cat]

If you don't comply with the requirements of the conditional offer the officer who issued it will be informed and they will report the matter to the procurator fiscal. You will then receive a court summons. If it is dealt with through the courts and you are found guilty you are likely to end up with more than 3 points and a £100 fine.

There is a possibility that the paperwork could go astray or be overlooked but it is vanishingly unlikely. The choice of what to do is yours.

Cat

[anonymous-user]

donkmeister said:

Not sure if the two above are serious... parrot woosh over my head?

Surely not?

[speedking31]

Quickly sell the car. Scotland is a foreign country and the DVLA won't tell them anything ... I heard

[M3Driver]

Cat: Thanks, so would I receive no reminder notice and no 'second chance' to take the previously offered penalty?

Speedking: The only reason I mentioned it was Scotland is that I live here and we have a different legal system to other countries, despite being part of the UK.

[matchmaker]

kiethton said:

Really?

Just suck it up an pay man, they will chase it up, it will end up going to court if you don't pay and then you'll be made to look very unreasoable and be hit with 3-5 points and a fine (plus costs) of multiples of what your being offered.

Just pay it (it'll make fk all difference to costs inc. insurance beyond the £100) and get on with your life.

No costs.

[Cat]

M3Driver said:

Cat: Thanks, so would I receive no reminder notice and no 'second chance' to take the previously offered penalty?

The PF could choose to deal with it by way of a further conditional offer once it is reported to them but generally they take the view that you've not taken up the first offer so there would be little point in offering it again.

Cat

[aw51 121565]

M3Driver said:

So last week I was stopped by the police and issued with a FPN for 93mph in a 70mph limit. I have 28 days to present my licence for 3 points and make payment of a £100 fine.

Several people have suggested that FPN's are regularly not chased up if payment and licence aren't offered by the driver. Some have suggested simply ignoring the FPN and I might not hear any more about it.

My question is: Is this realistic, or a chance worth taking? Should I ignore this and see if indeed it is forgotten about, or whether anything further happens?

Also, after the 28 days, will I be issued with a reminder and an opportunity to pay the original £100 and still receive only 3 points? I've read conflicting advice online, some sources suggest that after 28 days it may instantly result in a court summons or the potential fine being increased by 50% and subject to collection by the courts.

I'm just looking for a bit of clarity from anyone who may have been through the process. I'm quite happy to wait and see if I hear anything further, as long as the reminder will allow me the option of simply paying the original penalty of £100 and 3 points.

You fall at the first hurdle, really, with regard to what the several people have said. If your speeding had been detected by a camera van in Scotland and the police had subsequently sent out a request for the name of the driver of the vehicle at the time of the alleged offence, then you could maybe choose to ignore this and any further similar requests. Oh, and living in England rather than Scotland helps, as does not answering the door (in case it is the local police making enquiries) for 7 months.

But you were stopped by the police and they know who you are, so the proposed game was over before it even began. Pay up and send your licence off for points, is the line of least resistance here.

[grumpyscot]

snorky782 said:

Ignore it. Speeding fines are never, ever chased up. Quite often when processes are created by the legal system they only ever do a Step 1 and then give up straight after.

Let us know how you get on.

They are in Scotland! Be assured of that! And a court appearance normally leads to a minimum 50% uplift on the fine.

It's only Council parking fines that tend not to be chased up. But the Procurator Fiscal has no hesitation in following up motoring (non parking) offences.

[snorky782]

grumpyscot said:

snorky782 said:

Ignore it. Speeding fines are never, ever chased up. Quite often when processes are created by the legal system they only ever do a Step 1 and then give up straight after.

Let us know how you get on.

They are in Scotland! Be assured of that! And a court appearance normally leads to a minimum 50% uplift on the fine.

It's only Council parking fines that tend not to be chased up. But the Procurator Fiscal has no hesitation in following up motoring (non parking) offences.

There was a significant amount of sarcasm in my post.

[Retroman]

The only advice i've seen related to this is if police in Scotland send you a NIP for a speeding offense that happened in Scotland and you live in England you respond to the NIP but leave it unsigned.

At that point police in Scotland will contact police in England or Wales who cover the area where you live who will usually then visit your home at random times for an unspecified amount of time to deliver a verbal NIP instead.

Depending on how keen they are for a conviction this could be a few days, or a few months.

If you live in Scotland and you get a NIP for a speeding offense in Scotland the best thing to do is complete it as per the instructions and send it back within the timescales.

[nct001]

I've got away with so many non endorsible offences over past 15 years - never paid a penny and they just drop off system after six years and information not properly cross referenced with other parties ie police.

Don't sign anything, ignore everything

Eg no tax (sales car) £100 fine plus back tax and dvla fine or no seat belt etc or using phone whilst driving before this was an endorsible matter.

Ignore
Court
Bailiff
Ignore
Goes back to court
Letter from court
Letter for means payment

Then nothing.

Then nothing.

There must be legal reason why they can't do anything other than this.

Best one I got away with was customer caught speeding in car gave proof of customer but too late, magistrate in Barh letter said you must attend as dr of co minimum 6 points or £1200.... Didn't go didn't want risk 6 points - fine never paid. That was 10 years ago!

[Retroman]

If the OP ignores the FPN it will likely go to court where there is a chance of more than 3 points and it will incur more costs.

[matchmaker]

Retroman said:

If the OP ignores the FPN it will likely go to court where there is a chance of more than 3 points and it will incur more costs.

It won't incur any costs, but there is every chance the fine will be a lot higher.

[Retroman]

matchmaker said:

It won't incur any costs, but there is every chance the fine will be a lot higher.

By costs, i meant it will require the OP to pay more money.
The FPN is as good as a deal as they will get and ignoring it in the hope it will go away is foolish.

[bobthebench]

You like a gamble ? In my experience if unpaid it will go to the PF. Time limits permitting they can offer same penalty again. Just now, too busy so expect straight to court. They will post out documentation once or twice and see if you reply. Then get a local cop to serve it. If they manage this within 6 months and you don't reply, expect a warrant for your arrest.

If you attend court, expect £300 and 4 or 5 points for a first offender.

All sorts of firms claim to find loopholes. Those who can charge £2000 plus. Don't believe any 100% claims. Such firms find error in only a few per cent of cases taken to them.

Sounds like caught by Unipar SL700 device. Your outlook is poor. Odds on wriggling out, very very remote.