Single Justice Procedure - any dos or donts? (All new to me)
Discussion
Morning all, I was stopped in North Wales a few months back, clocked at 111mph (not big, or clever) in a 70. The SJP came through yesterday, in 19 years I’ve never had any speeding issues, haven’t even been pulled over since my yoof days with a noisy Nova, so it’s all new territory.
I don’t want to put anything on there I may regret later, I know I’m expecting lots of points, even a ban but as a mechanic my license is handy.
Thanks!
I don’t want to put anything on there I may regret later, I know I’m expecting lots of points, even a ban but as a mechanic my license is handy.
Thanks!
Go to court, wear a suit and tie, get there early.
Don't try and make any excuses as to why you did it, just admit it was a stupid mistake and going forward you've learned from the whole experience to keep an eye on your speed and it won't happen again.
That's what I did about 9-10 years ago anyway when clocked at 109 on the M25 and got 6 points and a means tested fine.
It also helps if the photo/video shows the road was clear and dry (which in my case it was).
Don't try and make any excuses as to why you did it, just admit it was a stupid mistake and going forward you've learned from the whole experience to keep an eye on your speed and it won't happen again.
That's what I did about 9-10 years ago anyway when clocked at 109 on the M25 and got 6 points and a means tested fine.
It also helps if the photo/video shows the road was clear and dry (which in my case it was).
I would estimate 6 pts + fine.
The magistrates won't care if you need the car to get to work or the shops but they will take into consideration if others rely on you driving. If say you need to travel to care for someone or work for a business that would go under if you couldn't get there, ask them to write a letter detailing why you losing your licence would impact their lives/business and pass this to the magistrates. This may help you get points over a short ban. A short ban even 1 or 2 weeks impacts insurance a lot more than 6 points.
The magistrates won't care if you need the car to get to work or the shops but they will take into consideration if others rely on you driving. If say you need to travel to care for someone or work for a business that would go under if you couldn't get there, ask them to write a letter detailing why you losing your licence would impact their lives/business and pass this to the magistrates. This may help you get points over a short ban. A short ban even 1 or 2 weeks impacts insurance a lot more than 6 points.
19 years without going over the speed limit, impressive! 
(It’s a minor dig, but why is it people say they’ve done X years without getting in trouble/getting points, etc, when what they really mean is that they’ve done that long without getting caught…)
I think you’re probably looking at a straight ban to be honest, but good luck anyway.
(It’s a minor dig, but why is it people say they’ve done X years without getting in trouble/getting points, etc, when what they really mean is that they’ve done that long without getting caught…)
I think you’re probably looking at a straight ban to be honest, but good luck anyway.
Durzel said:
19 years without going over the speed limit, impressive!
(It’s a minor dig, but why is it people say they’ve done X years without getting in trouble/getting points, etc, when what they really mean is that they’ve done that long without getting caught…)
You're only in trouble when you're caught. If you're not caught you get away with it and avoided trouble.(It’s a minor dig, but why is it people say they’ve done X years without getting in trouble/getting points, etc, when what they really mean is that they’ve done that long without getting caught…)
At only a few years younger than you I was driving too fast regularly, but eventually got caught in 1985 at 108 on the M11. January evening, quite busy with traffic, dark and wet.
I saw the brown Sierra XR4 join the motorway just in front of me where the motorway goes from two lanes to three. I had been driving the previous 13 miles of two lane road in a long queue of 65 mph traffic, and we were already late. Me and the Audi in front put the foot down and five miles later on came the blue lights in the unmarked Sierra.
Back then it was a day in court, and as expected I got a one month ban.
It did slow me down, which was a good thing. I had already had one big accident at high speed, and looking back at my driving then, I was heading for a bigger one. During the month's ban my wife showed me what it felt like to be my passenger, and it was rather unpleasant, lots of driving up to the car in front and slamming the brakes on, and generally driving too close.
So it did take the ban (and the Mrs) to slow me down, make me more speed aware and a smoother driver, and I actually haven't had a speeding fine or a bad accident since then. I have on occasion driven over the speed limit, but have chosen my moments, and I have stopped doing what you see so much of on motorways and dual carriageways, driving in the outside lane at 80-85 in a line of Audis, BMWs, Range Rovers and large vans.
I still regularly do 125-140 mph, but I save that for track days, which help me get the need for speed out of my system.
So summarising what has been said above, you look like you are in for a short ban or 6 points and a fine. Get caught again at those speeds and it will be far worse. So please try to learn from it.
I saw the brown Sierra XR4 join the motorway just in front of me where the motorway goes from two lanes to three. I had been driving the previous 13 miles of two lane road in a long queue of 65 mph traffic, and we were already late. Me and the Audi in front put the foot down and five miles later on came the blue lights in the unmarked Sierra.
Back then it was a day in court, and as expected I got a one month ban.
It did slow me down, which was a good thing. I had already had one big accident at high speed, and looking back at my driving then, I was heading for a bigger one. During the month's ban my wife showed me what it felt like to be my passenger, and it was rather unpleasant, lots of driving up to the car in front and slamming the brakes on, and generally driving too close.
So it did take the ban (and the Mrs) to slow me down, make me more speed aware and a smoother driver, and I actually haven't had a speeding fine or a bad accident since then. I have on occasion driven over the speed limit, but have chosen my moments, and I have stopped doing what you see so much of on motorways and dual carriageways, driving in the outside lane at 80-85 in a line of Audis, BMWs, Range Rovers and large vans.
I still regularly do 125-140 mph, but I save that for track days, which help me get the need for speed out of my system.
So summarising what has been said above, you look like you are in for a short ban or 6 points and a fine. Get caught again at those speeds and it will be far worse. So please try to learn from it.
mcdjl said:
Durzel said:
19 years without going over the speed limit, impressive!
(It’s a minor dig, but why is it people say they’ve done X years without getting in trouble/getting points, etc, when what they really mean is that they’ve done that long without getting caught…)
You're only in trouble when you're caught. If you're not caught you get away with it and avoided trouble.(It’s a minor dig, but why is it people say they’ve done X years without getting in trouble/getting points, etc, when what they really mean is that they’ve done that long without getting caught…)
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