56mph in a 30mph zone...
Discussion
No point in trying to justify that, I was an idiot.
I was stuck behind a horse box for a huge amount of time on the way home from Goodwood at the weekend, as soon as I saw a clear stretch I just floored it. As soon as I was just in front (still on the wrong side of the road) I saw the speed van on the side of the road.
I thought it was too late and it would have been too dangerous to just slam my brakes on so I slowed a lot but the speed had already been caught.
Am I likely to be looking at a ban or 6 points and a hefty fine? Does a letter from your employer stating my licence / ability to drive is key to my job / livelihood still hold some weight in court to sway a judge towards a bigger fine and no ban?
I was stuck behind a horse box for a huge amount of time on the way home from Goodwood at the weekend, as soon as I saw a clear stretch I just floored it. As soon as I was just in front (still on the wrong side of the road) I saw the speed van on the side of the road.
I thought it was too late and it would have been too dangerous to just slam my brakes on so I slowed a lot but the speed had already been caught.
Am I likely to be looking at a ban or 6 points and a hefty fine? Does a letter from your employer stating my licence / ability to drive is key to my job / livelihood still hold some weight in court to sway a judge towards a bigger fine and no ban?
a fine plus 6 points or a ban of 1-8 weeks
https://www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk/offences/item...
get someone else to drive you to court
https://www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk/offences/item...
get someone else to drive you to court
In the 1980's my mum was following a horse box. She never was Sabine Schmitz and so not being in a hurry, she stayed behind it. The next thing she knows is she's being pulled over by the police who told her to put her foot down. So may be the the OP, should argue he was doing his bit for traffic flow.
garyhun said:
REALIST123 said:
So by your own admission you couldn't see the road ahead, yet you floored it up to twice the limit?
What do you think should happen?
I'm not sure your comprehension skills are adequate for this thread.What do you think should happen?
It's a valid point though: there might have been a cyclists ahead that caused the horsebox to serve, a broken down car, roadworks or other obstruction, a left hand turning with something about to come out, a speed camera van, etc..
On my bike, i'd pull out wide to have a good look before nipping past, but it is bad luck for you that a van was there.
I bet the horsebox driver was laughing their head off.
Ian
Ian
SteveS Cup said:
No point in trying to justify that, I was an idiot.
I was stuck behind a horse box for a huge amount of time on the way home from Goodwood at the weekend, as soon as I saw a clear stretch I just floored it. As soon as I was just in front (still on the wrong side of the road) I saw the speed van on the side of the road.
I thought it was too late and it would have been too dangerous to just slam my brakes on so I slowed a lot but the speed had already been caught.
Am I likely to be looking at a ban or 6 points and a hefty fine? Does a letter from your employer stating my licence / ability to drive is key to my job / livelihood still hold some weight in court to sway a judge towards a bigger fine and no ban?
Too fast for a course. Too fast for a fixed penalty. Anticipate court proceedings. Probably a SJPN rather than a summons/requisition. Depends where the case is. Try to deal with your case online or by post. There's no ban if you're not there at the first hearing. The court has authority to endorse 3-6 points or a ban of any length and fine you anything up to £1000. If you plead guilty at an early stage then the fine should not exceed 75% of the statutory maximum. The court will refer to your net weekly income to determine the fine. For speeds over 51/30 mph, the sentencing guideline indicates a "Band C fine" (google it) and endorsement of 6 penalty points or a ban of 7-56 days. N.b. Guidelines are only guidelines. The court is not confined by guidelines. You asked about a hefty fine. This depends on your income. Hefty income, expect a hefty fine. No or little income then anticipate a small fine. Example fines from posters here or blokes in the pub should be completely disregarded. Their fine was assessed according to their income, not yours. You should get a letter from work if your work involves driving. Cf. simply driving to/from work. Unlikely to be a judge deciding this case. Possibly but unlikely. These cases are dealt with by a single magistrate, or if there's a court hearing then it's usually three magistrates.I was stuck behind a horse box for a huge amount of time on the way home from Goodwood at the weekend, as soon as I saw a clear stretch I just floored it. As soon as I was just in front (still on the wrong side of the road) I saw the speed van on the side of the road.
I thought it was too late and it would have been too dangerous to just slam my brakes on so I slowed a lot but the speed had already been caught.
Am I likely to be looking at a ban or 6 points and a hefty fine? Does a letter from your employer stating my licence / ability to drive is key to my job / livelihood still hold some weight in court to sway a judge towards a bigger fine and no ban?
If you already have 6 relevant points then different considerations apply.
Thanks for everyone's input.
I wasn't expecting to post this thread without a number of people looking down on me or picking holes in my driving!
However, the road was clear, we had been sat at around 20-25mph for quite some time, the road opens up in to a dead straight flat road, so I went for it. You wouldn't of seen the van the whole time you were behind the horse box no matter how wife you went.
This has very much opened my eyes to speed. My Z4 isn't the quickest car in the world but it's still under 6 seconds 0-60 and 20-80 is very quick. I've been hankering after something more powerful but after this I'm tempted by something slower but more involving. It's just too easy to get in to licence losing speeds in fast cars these days (yes I know, we still control the throttle but we're not all angels).
I wasn't expecting to post this thread without a number of people looking down on me or picking holes in my driving!
However, the road was clear, we had been sat at around 20-25mph for quite some time, the road opens up in to a dead straight flat road, so I went for it. You wouldn't of seen the van the whole time you were behind the horse box no matter how wife you went.
This has very much opened my eyes to speed. My Z4 isn't the quickest car in the world but it's still under 6 seconds 0-60 and 20-80 is very quick. I've been hankering after something more powerful but after this I'm tempted by something slower but more involving. It's just too easy to get in to licence losing speeds in fast cars these days (yes I know, we still control the throttle but we're not all angels).
SteveS Cup said:
However, the road was clear, we had been sat at around 20-25mph for quite some time, the road opens up in to a dead straight flat road, so I went for it. You wouldn't of seen the van the whole time you were behind the horse box no matter how wide you went.
Regrettably you hang yourself here with those who want to condemn you. If you couldn't see the van no matter how long you sat behind the horse box or how wide you pulled out, you couldn't be sure the road was clear. To me, you made an error, it's probably going to cost you, it happens. Willy Nilly said:
In the 1980's my mum was following a horse box. She never was Sabine Schmitz and so not being in a hurry, she stayed behind it. The next thing she knows is she's being pulled over by the police who told her to put her foot down. So may be the the OP, should argue he was doing his bit for traffic flow.
Was that in a 30...?I feel for you pal. Hope it doesn't hurt too much when it gets before the mags. We all make mistakes! Shame you got caught at such a high speed.
I was stuck behind an old dear in a washing machine last week about to join the a5. 30mph zone and she was doing about 10mph. Pulled past, smoothly to 35. Perfectly parallel to a bloody disguised scamera van. They got me at 35mph. So pointless. No buildings, no pavement, no side roads. There goes my clean licence. Still the leaflet attached to the NIP blabbers on about road safety and why the limits are there for a reason.
I was stuck behind an old dear in a washing machine last week about to join the a5. 30mph zone and she was doing about 10mph. Pulled past, smoothly to 35. Perfectly parallel to a bloody disguised scamera van. They got me at 35mph. So pointless. No buildings, no pavement, no side roads. There goes my clean licence. Still the leaflet attached to the NIP blabbers on about road safety and why the limits are there for a reason.
SteveS Cup said:
Thanks for everyone's input.
I wasn't expecting to post this thread without a number of people looking down on me or picking holes in my driving!
However, the road was clear, we had been sat at around 20-25mph for quite some time, the road opens up in to a dead straight flat road, so I went for it. You wouldn't of seen the van the whole time you were behind the horse box no matter how wife you went.
This has very much opened my eyes to speed. My Z4 isn't the quickest car in the world but it's still under 6 seconds 0-60 and 20-80 is very quick. I've been hankering after something more powerful but after this I'm tempted by something slower but more involving. It's just too easy to get in to licence losing speeds in fast cars these days (yes I know, we still control the throttle but we're not all angels).
I wouldn't beat yourself up over it to be honest. I'm sure there would be many that would have done the same. One moment of brisk acceleration doesn't in my mind equate to a fragrant disregard for the rules of the road. If you had done it in a residential 30 on the other hand, with houses nearby, you'd deserve vilification.I wasn't expecting to post this thread without a number of people looking down on me or picking holes in my driving!
However, the road was clear, we had been sat at around 20-25mph for quite some time, the road opens up in to a dead straight flat road, so I went for it. You wouldn't of seen the van the whole time you were behind the horse box no matter how wife you went.
This has very much opened my eyes to speed. My Z4 isn't the quickest car in the world but it's still under 6 seconds 0-60 and 20-80 is very quick. I've been hankering after something more powerful but after this I'm tempted by something slower but more involving. It's just too easy to get in to licence losing speeds in fast cars these days (yes I know, we still control the throttle but we're not all angels).
I'm not rabidly anti-speed camera like many are on here, I can see justifications for them in places where there genuinely have been accidents, and I have no complaints about them at all in residential areas, but a camera can't see context - and I'd like to think that a cop that was behind you, seeing that everyone was stuck behind for an extended period of time, that you overtaking briskly, and returning back to 30 very quickly, would fall under discretionary " no action" treatment.
edit: FWIW recently I got done for speeding by an unmarked car. I know I was doing at least 110, but he gave me a FPN - probably because I wasn't making excuses and it was on an empty two lane single carriageway (besides him) on a sunny, clear, dry day. Were that a camera I'd have been crucified.
Edited by Durzel on Friday 12th May 10:01
HantsRat said:
This chap was 56 in a 30... http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/15272949.Former_Sa...
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