104mph on the M6 Toll - HELP!
Discussion
Could do with some advice as I drive for a living.
My origin b2 failed to save me while hooning along the beautifully smooth and totally empty M6 toll (north).
As I crested a slight hill a motorway bridge came into sight about a mile away. I immediately saw 2 flourescent jackets. Jammed on the brakes and decelerated very quickly from approx 120mph to 75mph. When I passed them by it wasn't clear whether they were trafpol, civilians or motorway workers. Thought nothing of it and patted myself on the back for having seen them so quickly.
Having gone through the toll booth and paid the fare for my ride I saw a sea of blue flashing lights. There were trafpol cars coming from every slip road in sight and pulling over roughly 1 in 2 drivers. (25? in total ) Still feeling smug and having slipped the net I accelerated back up to 70mph and saw the flashing grille of a T5 loom in the mirror.
BUM!
Really nice cop - told me that I'd been clocked by laser doing 104mph and did I have anything to say. I replied that I was late for a a meeting (I actually was, but how lame is that?)
He was impressed that I was an advanced driver and really quite apologetic in his own way - said in my case, given that the car had good brakes and handling, that it was dry/good visibility/ empty road etc, he regretted having to pull me over and wished I'd been doing 5mph less so he could have shown discretion. But it was a major crackdown on M6 toll speeders, many of whom seemed to think it was derestricted or (like me) take the view that they'd somehow paid for the privilege of higher speeds.
Said that he'd be reporting me for the offence of driving at 104mph and that I should expect to recieve something in the post.
This was over 2 weeks ago and nothing in the post. Can't quite remember the type of laser equipment being used I think it was clearsomething. There was no video evidence which surprised me. He just showed me my registration written down on a slip of paper on his pad and told me that the bridge workers had radio'd through all the indexes. Presumably they kept a log of some sort which can be reconciled against?
Any thoughts? I have an otherwise clean license and want to keep it that way.
My origin b2 failed to save me while hooning along the beautifully smooth and totally empty M6 toll (north).
As I crested a slight hill a motorway bridge came into sight about a mile away. I immediately saw 2 flourescent jackets. Jammed on the brakes and decelerated very quickly from approx 120mph to 75mph. When I passed them by it wasn't clear whether they were trafpol, civilians or motorway workers. Thought nothing of it and patted myself on the back for having seen them so quickly.
Having gone through the toll booth and paid the fare for my ride I saw a sea of blue flashing lights. There were trafpol cars coming from every slip road in sight and pulling over roughly 1 in 2 drivers. (25? in total ) Still feeling smug and having slipped the net I accelerated back up to 70mph and saw the flashing grille of a T5 loom in the mirror.
BUM!
Really nice cop - told me that I'd been clocked by laser doing 104mph and did I have anything to say. I replied that I was late for a a meeting (I actually was, but how lame is that?)
He was impressed that I was an advanced driver and really quite apologetic in his own way - said in my case, given that the car had good brakes and handling, that it was dry/good visibility/ empty road etc, he regretted having to pull me over and wished I'd been doing 5mph less so he could have shown discretion. But it was a major crackdown on M6 toll speeders, many of whom seemed to think it was derestricted or (like me) take the view that they'd somehow paid for the privilege of higher speeds.
Said that he'd be reporting me for the offence of driving at 104mph and that I should expect to recieve something in the post.
This was over 2 weeks ago and nothing in the post. Can't quite remember the type of laser equipment being used I think it was clearsomething. There was no video evidence which surprised me. He just showed me my registration written down on a slip of paper on his pad and told me that the bridge workers had radio'd through all the indexes. Presumably they kept a log of some sort which can be reconciled against?
Any thoughts? I have an otherwise clean license and want to keep it that way.
Bye bye M6 Toll Revenue....... 
Sorry to here about this tale of woe. Sounds like the officer verbally advised of the intention to prosecute so the 14 day rule is not relevent. I think they have 6 months in which to issue court proceedings against you.
Ordinarily you may be looking at a short ban (1 month or so). Mitigation of driving for work and your previously unblemished driving record may lead to a reduction in the ban to maybe a couyple of weeks or no ban at all (very much depends on the magistrates).
I would look at booking two weeks holiday following on from the date of the court case.
DAZ
(No authority/training on the above just offering an opinion to a fellow motorist)
Sorry to here about this tale of woe. Sounds like the officer verbally advised of the intention to prosecute so the 14 day rule is not relevent. I think they have 6 months in which to issue court proceedings against you.
Ordinarily you may be looking at a short ban (1 month or so). Mitigation of driving for work and your previously unblemished driving record may lead to a reduction in the ban to maybe a couyple of weeks or no ban at all (very much depends on the magistrates).
I would look at booking two weeks holiday following on from the date of the court case.
DAZ
(No authority/training on the above just offering an opinion to a fellow motorist)
I've been on the M6 toll on a few occasions and am hugely impressed - it is what our motorways should be...
Having said that, I can but help myself sticking my foot down, which =
if they catch you
Sorry to hear you've been 'done' - I reckon given that you've got a clean license, the conditions were 'favourable' and that driving is part of your job, I think you'll get away with a fine and 4 points.
Having said that, I can but help myself sticking my foot down, which =
if they catch you Sorry to hear you've been 'done' - I reckon given that you've got a clean license, the conditions were 'favourable' and that driving is part of your job, I think you'll get away with a fine and 4 points.
Well they have made their contribution to civilisation and you have made yours. The M6 toll road is theft, we own the roads and the more this happens the better, then perhaps we will get together and smash the tollbooths, wreck the equipment of oppression.. Get a lawyer, you are going to need it.... I am truly sorry it had to hit you this way.
NHyde said:
mmmmm , 104mph , M6 toll , isn't that similar to a certain senior police officer from the NW , who escaped a ban because he "Considered he was driving safely" ?
This is a critical piece of evidence. Anything more than this guy got and it's obviously one law for them, one for us.
Dwight,
I'd been stuck for 4 hours on the M1 coming up from Kent and was desperately (1hr) late for a meeting in Manchester. Prudence went out the window I'm afraid.
Def not bragging - as I think most modern cars can do 120mph. Keeping your foot glued down in top gear on a straight road is not what I'd call skilled driving.
:-)
I'd been stuck for 4 hours on the M1 coming up from Kent and was desperately (1hr) late for a meeting in Manchester. Prudence went out the window I'm afraid.
Def not bragging - as I think most modern cars can do 120mph. Keeping your foot glued down in top gear on a straight road is not what I'd call skilled driving.
:-)
I'd keep very quiet about the 'advanced driving' thing.
Most magistrates view someone who claims to being 'an advanced driver' in mitigation as a good reason to be harder than they would on someone who did not have the benefit of additional training. The argument is that with advanced training you should have known better.
There are far more appropriate paloced to enjoy the capabilities of your car than the public highways. No excuses.
Hugh
Most magistrates view someone who claims to being 'an advanced driver' in mitigation as a good reason to be harder than they would on someone who did not have the benefit of additional training. The argument is that with advanced training you should have known better.
There are far more appropriate paloced to enjoy the capabilities of your car than the public highways. No excuses.
Hugh
Hugh - you're 100% right about that and I had no intention of using it in mitigation. The trafpol saw the test certificate fall out of my document wallet as I fumbled nervsously for my Insurance docs.
Privately homwever - I see no reason why it is unsafe to do 120mph on an empty road in good conditions. It is breaking the law though - and for that I shall have my just desserts!
Privately homwever - I see no reason why it is unsafe to do 120mph on an empty road in good conditions. It is breaking the law though - and for that I shall have my just desserts!
As tonker and nhyde have pointed out, this story seems identical to your own www.manchesteronline.co.uk/news/s/115/115273_104mph_police_chief_to_keep_his_job.html
If you get sentenced to anything more than this, you must be able to have some form of appeal?
Hope it goes well for you
Philthy
>> Edited by philthy on Sunday 23 May 20:48
If you get sentenced to anything more than this, you must be able to have some form of appeal?
Hope it goes well for you
Philthy
>> Edited by philthy on Sunday 23 May 20:48
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