Court summons for 58 in a 30 - any advice appreciated
Discussion
Got notification at the end of July 05 that i had been caught by a GATSO at 58mph in a 30 limit.
Returned the form declaring that i was driving, and have only just received a summons (which states that i can either attend court or send in a guilty plea and await the verdict which will be decided in my absence).
This is a first for me and so was wondering if there was any advice on offer, primarily:
Is it worth attending?
If so any advice for the day?
Any chance of convincing them to put me on a driving course instead of points - (i am on 3 years ncb and am 22yrs old, therefore 6 points could be tough on insurance)?
Looking on the net the recommended charge for 58 in a 30 is 6 points, possible 15 day ban and up to £1000.
Any thoughts appreciated
Returned the form declaring that i was driving, and have only just received a summons (which states that i can either attend court or send in a guilty plea and await the verdict which will be decided in my absence).
This is a first for me and so was wondering if there was any advice on offer, primarily:
Is it worth attending?
If so any advice for the day?
Any chance of convincing them to put me on a driving course instead of points - (i am on 3 years ncb and am 22yrs old, therefore 6 points could be tough on insurance)?
Looking on the net the recommended charge for 58 in a 30 is 6 points, possible 15 day ban and up to £1000.
Any thoughts appreciated
(no need for obsceneties) springs to mind, advice? sell the car, you probably wont be able to drive it for a while anyway. S'pose you realise at that speed, you had increased your stopping distance by almost 70 metres, a bloody long way mate!
>> Edited by on Saturday 8th October 00:19
It isn't all that bad !
If you can afford a solicitor- get one...
You will be called before the magistrates, and just explain the circumstances (for example, no traffic, dry road) and if a ban would affect you job, tell them that too.
I was caught at 101mph by a traffic officer with a laser on the A19 in North Yorks. I had prepared a written statement, explained the circumstances and left the court with 6pts and a £345 fine.
Any more advice just mail me.
Cheers,
Rob
If you can afford a solicitor- get one...
You will be called before the magistrates, and just explain the circumstances (for example, no traffic, dry road) and if a ban would affect you job, tell them that too.
I was caught at 101mph by a traffic officer with a laser on the A19 in North Yorks. I had prepared a written statement, explained the circumstances and left the court with 6pts and a £345 fine.
Any more advice just mail me.
Cheers,
Rob
RTBMotorsport - Thanks for a useful reply, will mail if necessary.
Parrot of doom - I to am worried that i didnt see the camera, as normally i am completely paranoid about them!! snooper now installed so hopefully shouldnt happen again!!
Vipers - Sell the car???! dont think so! u t
t.
Parrot of doom - I to am worried that i didnt see the camera, as normally i am completely paranoid about them!! snooper now installed so hopefully shouldnt happen again!!
Vipers - Sell the car???! dont think so! u t
t. m3 conv said:
I to am worried that i didnt see the camera, as normally i am completely paranoid about them!!
But if you are indeed paranoid about the cameras what on earth encouraged you to be doing 58 in a 30 in the first place?
38 I could understand. But, though paranoid, you hit 58 in a 30? We must have different interpretations of what paranoia means.
Give the guy a break, as clearly some fellow PHers seem determined to rub salt into this lad's wound. He asked for advice. (Note: he has a so far clean record at 22, which is actually not bad going).
I'd suggest a Sol, or perhaps AA or your home insurance may have you covered for a Sol, or at least some advice.
I'd suggest a Sol, or perhaps AA or your home insurance may have you covered for a Sol, or at least some advice.
There are plenty of extended 30 limits around my way which used to be NSL, never used to be dangerous to be doing those speeds if being observant etc.
An arbitary amount over a limit is not necessarily dangerous by any means. Not very PC maybe, but how many of these limits are clearly defined????? & obeyed???
I can think of several places where the local Scamerati prowl that are 30 limits that don't even have proper pedestrian access! let alone hazards. Heres two example where 58mph is caterogically NOT NECESSARILY A HAZARD
1: Southampton M3-To Docks Area: 50-40mph 3 Lane carriageway, down to Dual 30 limit (marked only by streetlights) Little or no pedstrian access. Perfectly safe to do 45-50 odd if clear.
2: Yeovil central through route A30 Dual carriageway again unmarked 30 limit, little pedestrian access 85th percentile must be nearer 50 than 30.
An arbitary amount over a limit is not necessarily dangerous by any means. Not very PC maybe, but how many of these limits are clearly defined????? & obeyed???
I can think of several places where the local Scamerati prowl that are 30 limits that don't even have proper pedestrian access! let alone hazards. Heres two example where 58mph is caterogically NOT NECESSARILY A HAZARD
1: Southampton M3-To Docks Area: 50-40mph 3 Lane carriageway, down to Dual 30 limit (marked only by streetlights) Little or no pedstrian access. Perfectly safe to do 45-50 odd if clear.
2: Yeovil central through route A30 Dual carriageway again unmarked 30 limit, little pedestrian access 85th percentile must be nearer 50 than 30.
m3 conv said:
RTBMotorsport - Thanks for a useful reply, will mail if necessary.
Parrot of doom - I to am worried that i didnt see the camera, as normally i am completely paranoid about them!! snooper now installed so hopefully shouldnt happen again!!
Vipers - Sell the car???! dont think so! u tt.
Mind, a blue beemer is nice, smashing wheels as well.............
Paranoia is whats kept me free of tickets to date - come on - it really is not difficult to hit 58 (especially when you dont know its a 30 and its an A road), we are talking a few seconds on the throttle.
PKJK - Thanks for that, i will see if any insurances cover me for advice or a sol.
I have worked out that insurance will increase by £800 for 6 points, but given i have been with the same company for a few years, it might be lower. Assuming max fine of £1000, makes it a potential £1800 mistake - which i will take on the chin (despite the fact that it is £1800 that could have gone towards a forced induction upgrade
) , as i am obviously in the wrong. However, if there is any advice that will help reduce this cost then im gonna take it!!
I think i am going to submit a mitigation letter rather than attending in person, which i will have drafted by a sol.
Anyway, its a nice day so im off to remind myself why it is so worth the cost and stress of motoring!
PKJK - Thanks for that, i will see if any insurances cover me for advice or a sol.
I have worked out that insurance will increase by £800 for 6 points, but given i have been with the same company for a few years, it might be lower. Assuming max fine of £1000, makes it a potential £1800 mistake - which i will take on the chin (despite the fact that it is £1800 that could have gone towards a forced induction upgrade
) , as i am obviously in the wrong. However, if there is any advice that will help reduce this cost then im gonna take it!! I think i am going to submit a mitigation letter rather than attending in person, which i will have drafted by a sol.
Anyway, its a nice day so im off to remind myself why it is so worth the cost and stress of motoring!
m3 conv said:
Paranoia is whats kept me free of tickets to date - come on - it really is not difficult to hit 58 (especially when you dont know its a 30 and its an A road), we are talking a few seconds on the throttle.
PKJK - Thanks for that, i will see if any insurances cover me for advice or a sol.
I have worked out that insurance will increase by £800 for 6 points, but given i have been with the same company for a few years, it might be lower. Assuming max fine of £1000, makes it a potential £1800 mistake - which i will take on the chin (despite the fact that it is £1800 that could have gone towards a forced induction upgrade
I think i am going to submit a mitigation letter rather than attending in person, which i will have drafted by a sol.
Anyway, its a nice day so im off to remind myself why it is so worth the cost and stress of motoring!
Remember that that insurance increase sticks with you for 5 years... ie the actual cost is £4000 plus fine!
Well the drive worked 
Dont think that the insurance will accrue like that - as i put on the years, and the NCB increases, the effects of the points should be reduced, but premium will of course be higher over the next few years than it would have been. Been paying rip off insurance for a few years now anyway, so a few more wont kill me.
klm - how did you get away with £60 and 3 points???? Just shows how wide ranging the penalties are!!!! Maybe it is worth paying for a solicitor to represent me
Dont think that the insurance will accrue like that - as i put on the years, and the NCB increases, the effects of the points should be reduced, but premium will of course be higher over the next few years than it would have been. Been paying rip off insurance for a few years now anyway, so a few more wont kill me.
klm - how did you get away with £60 and 3 points???? Just shows how wide ranging the penalties are!!!! Maybe it is worth paying for a solicitor to represent me
m3 conv said:
Paranoia is whats kept me free of tickets to date - come on - it really is not difficult to hit 58 (especially when you dont know its a 30 and its an A road), we are talking a few seconds on the throttle.
I couldn't agree more with your comments about a few seconds on the throttle and that it is easy to fall foul of stupid limits on an A road which does not deserve them.
However, to me, paranoia would dictate a speed much closer to 30 than 60 under such circumstances.
On the other hand, since your reply does not seem to suggest you habitually race around between cameras but you just missed one on this occasion, I wonder why is was you did not know it was a 30 limit? Is there any chance that the signs were missing or obscured or that repeaters might have been needed and were not in place? Is the location close enough to home to go and check? Such things may not get you off the prosecution but might provide strong mitigating circumstances, so worth considering anyway.
I just had a laugh and joke with the officer addmited that I was speeding as soon as he stopped me and he said I should be going to court but because I had a laugh with him and did not give him any shit he said he would deal with it by way of fixed penalty.
I put it down to if they get there leg over the night before as to the mood they are in.
I put it down to if they get there leg over the night before as to the mood they are in.
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