Highest speed you’ve been let off for
Discussion
Many years ago, my pet iguana Iggy may have been pulled over on the M4 (NSL section), and told by the officers that they had him on video doing 120mph. Good conditions and no other cars except Iggy’s and the unmarked police car that came on behind him at J10.
To Iggy’s surprise and gratitude, they let him off. They didn’t even make that big a deal of it, simply pointing out, sensibly enough, that it was a very stupid thing to do if he wanted to hold onto his licence.
They were also filming Road Wars at the time. Cameraman told Iggy that the case wasn’t exciting enough to end up on the programme. Iggy was more than happy to delay his 15 minutes of fame.
What comparable tales do people have?
To Iggy’s surprise and gratitude, they let him off. They didn’t even make that big a deal of it, simply pointing out, sensibly enough, that it was a very stupid thing to do if he wanted to hold onto his licence.
They were also filming Road Wars at the time. Cameraman told Iggy that the case wasn’t exciting enough to end up on the programme. Iggy was more than happy to delay his 15 minutes of fame.
What comparable tales do people have?
Clocked at 111 on the M25 (in a Citroen AX!). Got pulled by an unmarked car that happened to be coming down the slip road as I shot past. He got a call to attend somewhere else and I was free to go! I was only 17 at the time so I was very lucky to get away scot-free.
Edited by MrGTI6 on Tuesday 21st April 17:51
About 120. Overtook a black X5 (I know) which happened to be an unmarked car driven by a police inspector who then followed me down an empty DC bypass before lighting up.
We had a little chat and was allowed to go on my way.
I was running late for a flight (genuinely) and I suspect he had clocked off and had better things to do.
Very lucky indeed.
We had a little chat and was allowed to go on my way.
I was running late for a flight (genuinely) and I suspect he had clocked off and had better things to do.
Very lucky indeed.
Many years ago, I was tooling up the A1(M) in Hertfordshire in my Mk2 Mondeo V6 Ghia X. All of a sudden, a black Skoda Octavia vRS came zooming up behind me, and glued itself to my rear bumper, at about 85-ish MPH.
Thinking it was a sales rep on his day off, I dropped a cog or two, and shot off up the motorway. What I should have done, in hindsight, is stick my left indicator on, and let him go past.
The pair of us got up to about 110-ish through the Hatfield tunnel, at which point, his car lit up like a Christmas tree. This is when (too late), I dropped into the inside lane, and slowed down. The Octavia, which I now realised was an unmarked Police car, pulled in front of me, with his "PULL OVER" rear sign beaming in my face from his back window.
The wife at the time (in the passenger seat) was not impressed, and proceeded to give me untold grief as I tried to find somewhere safe to pull over at the next junction. Safely stopped, the copper got out of his car, and I got out of mine.
The Policeman then proceeded to read me the riot act, but stopped suddenly when he caught sight of the wife's face through the windscreen of my car, which resembled a bulldog chewing a wasp.
He then said "It doesn't matter what I do to you, what she does to you will be ten times worse". I muttered agreement whilst looking at my shoes and shuffling uncomfortably at the roadside.
The copper sent me on my way without a ticket, wishing me good luck with the wife.
I needed it. She was bloody furious!
Thinking it was a sales rep on his day off, I dropped a cog or two, and shot off up the motorway. What I should have done, in hindsight, is stick my left indicator on, and let him go past.
The pair of us got up to about 110-ish through the Hatfield tunnel, at which point, his car lit up like a Christmas tree. This is when (too late), I dropped into the inside lane, and slowed down. The Octavia, which I now realised was an unmarked Police car, pulled in front of me, with his "PULL OVER" rear sign beaming in my face from his back window.
The wife at the time (in the passenger seat) was not impressed, and proceeded to give me untold grief as I tried to find somewhere safe to pull over at the next junction. Safely stopped, the copper got out of his car, and I got out of mine.
The Policeman then proceeded to read me the riot act, but stopped suddenly when he caught sight of the wife's face through the windscreen of my car, which resembled a bulldog chewing a wasp.
He then said "It doesn't matter what I do to you, what she does to you will be ten times worse". I muttered agreement whilst looking at my shoes and shuffling uncomfortably at the roadside.
The copper sent me on my way without a ticket, wishing me good luck with the wife.
I needed it. She was bloody furious!
Was very surprised to get away with racing an unmarked Audi S3 down a sliproad. Not sure exactly how fast we got up to but definitely over 100. They pulled alongside me and looked very annoyed, but didn't bother actually stopping me, probably because my expression told them how stupid I felt about it.
Also had a police bike flash their blue lights at me but not actually pull me over for 120ish in my old 850 T5. I've been pretty lucky I think: never had so much as a speed awareness course since I started driving.
Also had a police bike flash their blue lights at me but not actually pull me over for 120ish in my old 850 T5. I've been pretty lucky I think: never had so much as a speed awareness course since I started driving.
I think it was about 124 indicated... The officer did say he was not concerned about that speed (clear roads etc) but my taking the roundabout at about 90 or so.... I also got a finger wave when I was doing a little over 100 at 2am on the M25 in the TVR one night........ They pulled alongside me and when I looked I got a "naughty boy" sign then they accelerated off up the road whilst I unsurprisingly reduced my speed.....
Me: got a flash of the blue lights from an unmarked V70 whilst doing a ton on the motorway in my ST170 estate about 15 years ago. No one else about; don’t drive like that any more.
My housemate when I was a passenger: 55 in a 30, UP a hill. She’s French, told them she’d misread the KMH speed as MPH. Was filmed for road wars but I don’t think made it on.
My housemate when I was a passenger: 55 in a 30, UP a hill. She’s French, told them she’d misread the KMH speed as MPH. Was filmed for road wars but I don’t think made it on.
Edited by PartTimeShedMan on Tuesday 21st April 19:13
1986 inbound on M32 in the wee small, having been good all along the M4, the digital speedo (guess the vehicle) showed 126.
As I got into the lit section & 60 limit, slowed down to that and realised that the headlights a little behind were installed in a SD1 traffic car. Drove then as per the refresher course I had recently attended. The blues came on for a stop in Old Market (for those who know Bristol).
The conversation went along these lines:
PC: 115 on the M32-you’re taking the p155
Me: Yes-sorry-should know better etc. (Full grovel mode engaged)
PC: If you do that again you will go to court and you will lose your licence.
(Pause to allow this to sink in).
PC: By the way are you in the Job?
18 months later was on the other side of the conversation in same area.
I was so impressed I transferred to the A&S.
Plus Mrs Standards being a Bristol girl might’ve been a factor
As I got into the lit section & 60 limit, slowed down to that and realised that the headlights a little behind were installed in a SD1 traffic car. Drove then as per the refresher course I had recently attended. The blues came on for a stop in Old Market (for those who know Bristol).
The conversation went along these lines:
PC: 115 on the M32-you’re taking the p155
Me: Yes-sorry-should know better etc. (Full grovel mode engaged)
PC: If you do that again you will go to court and you will lose your licence.
(Pause to allow this to sink in).
PC: By the way are you in the Job?
18 months later was on the other side of the conversation in same area.
I was so impressed I transferred to the A&S.
Plus Mrs Standards being a Bristol girl might’ve been a factor
Returning home along the M4 after a Pre 65 Scramble with my TriBsa on the trailer, pulling 95mph on the speedo when the police car drew alongside with the nice officer in the passenger seat holding up 6 fingers and then a zero. I acknowledged respectfully and slowed down, did not see them again or receive any follow up; have to admit though this was back in 1988.
103 on his gun but 125 when I saw him in his fully liveried Volvo as I crested a hill. Asked me why and said I was showing off to my brother who’d never been in a Porsche Boxster before. After a well deserved lecture he let me off with a ‘driving in excess of 70mph’ ticket so 3 points and £60 rather than an inevitable ban. Passed the attitude test apparently, he said I’d been honest and upfront and not been a dick about it.
A mere 90mph near Chester le street where I came up behind a police car on my GSXR 750:as he peeled off left. Sneaky bugger went down the slip road and up the other side. Fortunately I just got a good talking to.
I was on my way down to see the future Mrs Draw on a Saturday morning.
Unfortunately I didn’t take the talking to to heart as I got done on the way home on the Sunday evening on the A1 at 91mph which resulted in 6 points and 600 quid fine.
As the saying goes ‘Some you win some you lose’
120 on a motorbike - got the ‘wagging’ finger and didn’t even get stopped .
65 in a 30 and after a chat about army and navy rugby match got let on my way with minor telling off.
130 in a 50 but they didn’t get have a speed gun, just caught up with me after they blues and twos it ,I pulled over got a telling off and let me on my way.
All a long time ago and now I m much more sensible.
Not exactly “let off” but in the scheme of things it was a good result.
I was pulled over well over a decade ago now, by an unmarked car doing just shy of 100 leptons in a 40 (‘twas an NSL 60 yards prior). Officer said I was polite, courteous, appeared to be genuinely remorseful and wasn’t driving in a dangerous manner (the road was dead, mr unmarked car pulled out to follow me from a country pub car park, caught me up at a red light).
Put my speed down as 65, which meant FPN. I happily accepted it. It’s nice to be dealt with by a human rather than a camera.
I was pulled over well over a decade ago now, by an unmarked car doing just shy of 100 leptons in a 40 (‘twas an NSL 60 yards prior). Officer said I was polite, courteous, appeared to be genuinely remorseful and wasn’t driving in a dangerous manner (the road was dead, mr unmarked car pulled out to follow me from a country pub car park, caught me up at a red light).
Put my speed down as 65, which meant FPN. I happily accepted it. It’s nice to be dealt with by a human rather than a camera.
Something over 120 in parents car (think it was a mk3 golf vr6) when I was younger. It was about 4am down an empty motorway. Apparently the copper was doing over 140 to catch me but luckily he was alone and no camera so I went on my way with a warning.
I've been very lucky on quite a few occasions come to think of it, unlike mrs lawyered who drove past a camera van in a 30 on the way to the shops, drove by it again on the way home but forgot it was there and got done for doing 34!
I've been very lucky on quite a few occasions come to think of it, unlike mrs lawyered who drove past a camera van in a 30 on the way to the shops, drove by it again on the way home but forgot it was there and got done for doing 34!
Back in 2015 we got lit up by an unmarked car in Cornwall on the Land's End-Lowestoft midsummer night run.
I'd just blown past a line of traffic stuck behind a tractor carting hay bales when I realised that we had a car coming with us. I was certainly into 3 figures,but maybe not as high as some posters have already mentioned.
I'm convinced that the fact we were driving a Belgian-registered car saved us - they just waved to us to slow down, then headed off into the distance.
It was also on this run that I saw my favourite (but most ambiguous) road sign of all time -
I'd just blown past a line of traffic stuck behind a tractor carting hay bales when I realised that we had a car coming with us. I was certainly into 3 figures,but maybe not as high as some posters have already mentioned.
I'm convinced that the fact we were driving a Belgian-registered car saved us - they just waved to us to slow down, then headed off into the distance.
It was also on this run that I saw my favourite (but most ambiguous) road sign of all time -
Edited by sunbeam alpine on Tuesday 21st April 21:16
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