Oh no...Erratic speedo

[mrzigazaga]

Hi Peeps...Bit of an un-eventful day really...Went out for a drive as its a glorious day...Went up a stretch of road which is pretty much straight and the speed camera has been taken down..Ok its a 40mph..Anyway i gave it some beans and low and behold mr plod pops out with a speed camera.....I thought he said..Slow it down with the hand gesture and took it that i would be receiving a fine through the door at some point, 63 in a 40...Then i see blues and twos behind me..He pulls up next to me and asked me to pull into the petrol garage where he proceeds to give me a lecture on the "If...Buts and maybes" I tell him that I'm fully aware and admit to being irresponsible..We have a brief chat and all this time I'm being polite and calm..He then asks me to pull the car forward a little bit...In the petrol garage..I move about a foot and he say's.."That will do..Right I'm now fining you for not wearing your seat belt"..He then proceeds to caution me..I said.."You are joking right".."Wheres the candid camera"..I then thought shall i smack him one..But he then say's.."Im fining you for not wearing a seatbelt ..Or would you prefer 3 points on your licence"..I then saw what he was saying so opted for the seatbelt...Its £100 pound fine either way though...

Then my speedo deciders to start jumping around like it has a flea up its arsh....Great....Happy day's...Ziga.

[ElvisWedgely]

Now that he has booked you for the lesser charge of not wearing a seat belt, could you now not argue and contest that a petrol station is private land and a seat belt is not compulsory on private land?

Tony.TCB

[wooly350i]

Don't argue the toss, you've got away with a lesser charge and it wont show up on your insurance, he was being reasonable in a candid sort of way, live and learn mate.

[adam quantrill]

Wait for 14 days then they are too late to give you the speeding NIP.

Then you can argue the toss.

Now I'm not sure about the private land argument, that needs a little researching.
If the public has access you may still need the belt.

Maybe he was trying it on because the speeding evidence was a bit iffy at the time. If it was radar it may have gone a bit wrong.

I found this - take a look if it's relevant, it was for a car park but maybe similar:

"Whether an FPN can be issued will depend on the offence.

No seatbelt - road only so could only have been issued on the "road" part of the car park, not in a parking bay."

Edited by adam quantrill on Wednesday 9th April 18:55

[hallsie]

wooly350i said:

Don't argue the toss, you've got away with a lesser charge and it wont show up on your insurance, he was being reasonable in a candid sort of way, live and learn mate.

you got away with it, most would have given you te points.

Suck it up, pay the money, and if there is a number on the speed sign then stick to it.



Stu

[mrzigazaga]

hallsie said:

you got away with it, most would have given you te points.

Suck it up, pay the money, and if there is a number on the speed sign then stick to it.

Exactly..Im not going to argue about it as the speeding issue is still logged and will only come up if i contest it in court or don't pay the £100 fine...Which i will...I'd rather have a clean license...

Thinking about it there was no speed limit which means the national speed limit must apply..Which means i was only 3 mph over...

How much of a nightmare is the speedo to change...I was hoping that it was a case of a dodgy earth to the gauge...Cheers for the help...Ziga

[400SE Dave]

mrzigazaga said:

Thinking about it there was no speed limit which means the national speed limit must apply..Which means i was only 3 mph over...

I think it is the other way around, you have to assume 30mph unless it is posted different, especially if there are street lights.

Sounds the best deal to take it on the chin and pay it, as you say better than points.

[wooly350i]

Street lights every 30 yards or so and no regular speed signs apart from at the beginning its 30.

[ElvisWedgely]

The problem with people in this country is that the majority accept what ever is handed to them and do nothing about it. Which is why we are in the mess we are in at the moment and the motorists are being fleeced by the authorities. Let's look at the facts and circumstances:-

You were over the speed limit and he pulled you up. This in itself is fair enough. However, instead of booking you for the offence you have committed he bends the rules, supposedly in your favour, and books you for an offence you didn't actually commit of your own accord. If he can bend the rules one way, he can also bend them in the other. It wouldn't surprise me if he ended up booking you for both offences.

He is either a very kind hearted officer or one quite the opposite. After all, if he were that kind he could have let you off with a caution. If it was me, I'd be looking into this a lot more closer and find out every detail relevant to this case. I can assure you I wouldn't be just taking it on the chin and paying the fine. Not without a fight.

Tony. TCB.

[mrzigazaga]

There were no street lights..Signs...Houses or people...In fact i don't even remember it happening..The ticket i was issued has just turned blank..And the plod looked a spit of Jimi Hendrix...And there was a purple haze around the car...

Anyway..Its a 40mph zone..I was a silly billy and have paid for my silliness..Heres a vid of Poppy that i took earlier..Sounding sweeeeet...Cheers...Ziga

She would look good if it weren't for the scabby boot!
https://plus.google.com/u/0/110269682970429450265/...

[Waynester]

Live & learn Zig. As an ex Police Officer myself, if there was manoeuvring room to use and apply a little discretion..I would.

Edited by Waynester on Wednesday 9th April 20:21

[celcius]

Hi zig
Sorry to hear about what happened
Sometimes in life you cut your losses, accept it and move on.
If you were not speeding you wouldnt have had a conversation with plod in the first place
We need to take 4 cylinders away?
;-)

Greg

[adam quantrill]

Tony is right - I was pulled for a red light offence a few months back and argued the toss in court - result was aquittal and costs to me.

But you have to follow procedure - wait the 14 days before acting. Do not hand over your licence in the cop shop if given a producer.

What it boils down to - if you can hold your nerve and want to save the £100, then go not guilty. Be prepared though - get the CCTV recording from the garage now to back up your story - before it gets erased. (He shoots - he scores! The magistrate would have to be pretty hard-nosed to convict on that!)

If you don't want the stress and can afford it, bend over and take the fine.

Edited by adam quantrill on Wednesday 9th April 21:26

[marcus1875]

Argue it mark. Wait the 14 days for the NIP. If no show then argue the ticket. You moved poppy while following BiB instructions and were on private land, can I get done for no belt on my drive?
Something odd about the whole thing though. BiB was on a speed watch in a 40 zone, but then decides to chase after you? Why?
argue it, the PF will never pursue and in court the BiB will incriminate himself when he admits entrapment.
Marcus

[mrzigazaga]

adam quantrill said:

Do not hand over your licence in the cop shop if given a producer.

Hi mate...I don't need to hand over my license as I'm not getting fined for the speeding...

adam quantrill said:

If you don't want the stress and can afford it, take the fine.

I can't really afford to give over £100 just like that but at least i will have a clean license..The last time i got 3 points it made no difference to my insurance but if i contest it and i loose then i could face being fined for both offences even if i argue until the cows come home its a policeman's word against mine so unless I'm lord lardydar of lardydarville then i have two hopes..Bob and no....I think i will just pay it and behave myself in future......Okay your honour I'm coming clean...Your blonde wig and knee high boots are very fetching...Can i be excused now...

[adam quantrill]

Zig I don't think you quite grasped the point:

The police have 14 days from any offence like speeding to hand you a Notice of Intended Prosecution. The policemen did not state that we was going to prosecute you for the speeding offence (correct me if I am wrong). He did not issue you with a ticket for the speeding. So the clock is ticking.

If after 14 days they have not sent you this document then you are in the clear on the speeding. End of story. They cannot prosecute.

Then you can address the fine for the seatbelt.

So - leave it 14 days, then decide. Nothing to lose, is there?

[mrzigazaga]

Hi Adam...I know what you are saying as i was only issued with a seat belt fine...Its all that is on the ticket i was given and i could contest it as there is evidence on the garages CCTV that the officer clearly pointed in front of me indicating me to move the car..Upon doing so he produced the little pappy that he printed out the ticket/Offence on.

If i was 100% sure that there is no supporting evidence as far as the speeding incident then i would contest it but how do i find out if there is or isn't ?

I will wait 14 days to see if anything else comes through the door...Cheers..Ziga

[vampire222]

Wear your seatbelt next time silly!

[adam quantrill]

mrzigazaga said:

If i was 100% sure that there is no supporting evidence as far as the speeding incident then i would contest it but how do i find out if there is or isn't ?

I will wait 14 days to see if anything else comes through the door...Cheers..Ziga

That's exactly right - even if they have watertight evidence, they MUST issue the NIP within 14 days. Otherwise it gets thrown out as a matter of procedure. So bide your time.

In the mean time, formally request the CCTV footage to back up your case, if the policeman directed you to move then you were obeying him, which it is your duty to do. If he didn't say to put on your belt, just to move the car, then you were obeying him. At the end of the day you were following the PC's directions.

[wooly350i]

And if you give the copper some stick for this by contesting, then advise to keep looking in your rear view mirror, he was exercising discretion because he was happy for you to learn without it becoming a major headache with regards to points and insurance increase, simple.
If I was the copper and all this started to kick up because I did you a favour, I'd be looking out for you in future and so would my mates in blue !