Speeding Advice - Scotland
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Don Veloci

Original Poster:

2,209 posts

312 months

Tuesday 23rd October 2007
quotequote all
I can't sit and stew in my own stupidness any longer. I feel I need to start seeking advice.

Stopped by a pair of traffic cops on Friday evening 95mph on the nsl A702.

There is absolutely no way I expect anything other than a summons.

Should I face the P.F. on my own or is it better advice to be supported by a Solicitor?

I will asking my Manager to provide a statement confirming (genuine) that my license is required for work duties including an on call rota (1 week in 4, 24/7).

I would intend to appear on my own being fully apologetic and remorseful and provide my Manager's statement.
But having no experience would a Solicitor make a difference in the Scottish P.F. system?

I'm not trying to wriggle out of a punishment. Any ban would be a disaster!

SirSimon

6,811 posts

234 months

Tuesday 23rd October 2007
quotequote all
Hi Don,

Where on the a702 where you stopped at. im not promising anything but i thought 95 is under, therefore 3 points and 60 quid fine. Did he say otherwise?

Don Veloci

Original Poster:

2,209 posts

312 months

Tuesday 23rd October 2007
quotequote all
SirSimon said:
Hi Don,

Where on the a702 where you stopped at. im not promising anything but i thought 95 is under, therefore 3 points and 60 quid fine. Did he say otherwise?
Before Silverburn headed south. I slowed with traffic for the 40mph limit (and would being doing the 40mph anyway). They caught up very quickly past Silverburn.

Both the cops were polite and professional. Passenger cop who done most of the interviewing stated that I was above "a threshold" - I guess where they would offer 3 points/£60 directly. This guy did say that the P.F. office have been known to issue the same fixed penalty to keep court costs/time down.
But on reflection I read that as trying to keep me calm and preventing me having a heart attack on the spot. Short of some riots keeping the courts busy I'm expecting big trouble.

The other guy's last line was advice to be careful at Dolphinton. Not thinking straight I said "Oh I'd never break the village limit.......(thinking) ......oh you mean the 1+1/4 mile straight before"
"Yes".

Whatever happens I don't think I'll be breaking any limits again.

Wigeon Incognito

3,274 posts

249 months

Tuesday 23rd October 2007
quotequote all
I feel for you on this one.

Let's face it, 95mph is way too fast for a single carriageway road but the A702 just seems to goad you into pushing your luck.

dcb

6,070 posts

296 months

Tuesday 23rd October 2007
quotequote all
Wigeon Incognito said:
Let's face it, 95mph is way too fast for a single carriageway road but the A702 just seems to goad you into pushing your luck.
Depends entirely on the road.

Some roads have visibility of miles and
only one car every few hours. Plenty
of roads in Scotland are like that.

I've been quite a bit faster on some single carraigeway
roads, and that was five up because the family was
with me and I was doing some overtaking.

No way I'd take chances with the nearest and
dearest on board and her indoors doesn't even
like it when the autobox does kickdown.

You can't measure safety by numbers on
council poles.

Don Veloci

Original Poster:

2,209 posts

312 months

Wednesday 24th October 2007
quotequote all
Wigeon Incognito said:
I feel for you on this one.

Let's face it, 95mph is way too fast for a single carriageway road but the A702 just seems to goad you into pushing your luck.
Aye, don't get me wrong I would not be sitting at that pace over a distance. I was taking the opportunity to overtake a people carrier so that I'd be in a better position to deal with the slower LGV traffic further ahead at the next opportunity (ie: I didn't want a slower Picasso in front when dealing with LGVs).

Wigeon Incognito

3,274 posts

249 months

Wednesday 24th October 2007
quotequote all
dcb said:
Wigeon Incognito said:
Let's face it, 95mph is way too fast for a single carriageway road but the A702 just seems to goad you into pushing your luck.
Depends entirely on the road.

Some roads have visibility of miles and
only one car every few hours. Plenty
of roads in Scotland are like that.

I've been quite a bit faster on some single carraigeway
roads, and that was five up because the family was
with me and I was doing some overtaking.

No way I'd take chances with the nearest and
dearest on board and her indoors doesn't even
like it when the autobox does kickdown.

You can't measure safety by numbers on
council poles.
Overtaking fair enough in the right conditions (as with the OP by the sounds of things) but I always think that maintaining that kind of speed on a single carriageway road, even a well sighted one, is courting disaster.

What if a sheep, deer, fox etc that you haven't seen (and let's face it at that speed you're not going to have much chance of spotting a well camouflaged animal) runs out onto the road?

It isn't like a motorway where you usually have 3 lanes plus the hard shoulder for manouvre.

Einion Yrth

19,575 posts

275 months

Wednesday 24th October 2007
quotequote all
Wigeon Incognito said:
dcb said:
Wigeon Incognito said:
Let's face it, 95mph is way too fast for a single carriageway road but the A702 just seems to goad you into pushing your luck.
Depends entirely on the road.

Some roads have visibility of miles and
only one car every few hours. Plenty
of roads in Scotland are like that.

I've been quite a bit faster on some single carraigeway
roads, and that was five up because the family was
with me and I was doing some overtaking.

No way I'd take chances with the nearest and
dearest on board and her indoors doesn't even
like it when the autobox does kickdown.

You can't measure safety by numbers on
council poles.
Overtaking fair enough in the right conditions (as with the OP by the sounds of things) but I always think that maintaining that kind of speed on a single carriageway road, even a well sighted one, is courting disaster.

What if a sheep, deer, fox etc that you haven't seen (and let's face it at that speed you're not going to have much chance of spotting a well camouflaged animal) runs out onto the road?

It isn't like a motorway where you usually have 3 lanes plus the hard shoulder for manouvre.
You've not driven in the highlands much, have you? Sheep, deer, fox etc would have a hell of a lot of trouble sneaking up on you on a lot of the roads I know. On many roads a ton would not be a problem; on many more 45 would be pushing it. Drive to conditions.

moanthebairns

19,177 posts

229 months

Wednesday 24th October 2007
quotequote all
I was recently caught on the A9 at Daviot by a mobile van, bloody thing was sitting waiting at bottom of a hill. I was clocked at 94mph and recieved just 3 points and a £60 fine. You should be "fine"

hemibum

833 posts

248 months

Wednesday 24th October 2007
quotequote all
AFAIK In Scottish Law your personal circumstances cannot be taken into account when assessing any punishment, only circumstances related to the offence.frown

Don Veloci

Original Poster:

2,209 posts

312 months

Wednesday 24th October 2007
quotequote all
hemibum said:
AFAIK In Scottish Law your personal circumstances cannot be taken into account when assessing any punishment, only circumstances related to the offence.frown
Er, bugger!

But the P.F. is still a thinking human with power of discretion to apply a number of penalties. I would expect a short period to make my apologies and state my case.

I could only hope to be as lucky as the Falkirk fan on the A9.
But sighting somebody else's case (eg: if I knew the actual facts of the Dean Gaffney offense) is likely to land me in more trouble.

moanthebairns

19,177 posts

229 months

Wednesday 24th October 2007
quotequote all
best thing i would do if you dont recieve a conditional offer is to scroll through pages on this forum and pick up the advice about how to present yourself at court should the case escalate. Also maybe book yourself on IAM pior to your court date. though at worse it will be 5 penalty points in a slighty higher fine

D_T_W

2,502 posts

246 months

Wednesday 24th October 2007
quotequote all
Wigeon Incognito said:
Overtaking fair enough in the right conditions (as with the OP by the sounds of things) but I always think that maintaining that kind of speed on a single carriageway road, even a well sighted one, is courting disaster.

What if a sheep, deer, fox etc that you haven't seen (and let's face it at that speed you're not going to have much chance of spotting a well camouflaged animal) runs out onto the road?

It isn't like a motorway where you usually have 3 lanes plus the hard shoulder for manouvre.
(My bold) I would imagine he would do exactly the same if it was a dual carriageway, try and avoid it or prepare for the imapct, it will not make the blindest bit of difference that he is on a single carriageway. There are very few motorways up here beyond the Central Belt, mostly double and single carriageway A roads, some better than others. I've driven the A90 more times than i care to remember, it's dual all the way from Dundee to Aberdeen, and the number of times i have passed Deer standing 5 feet from the edge of the road is scary. Nothing you can do to avoid them either if they step out, you'd have a couple of seconds max to respond at night, during the day possibly a little longer. Both single and dual carriage ways have nothing to stop animals from entering the road, so again, makes no difference.

I don't know the road in question, but i can tell you i know of many single carriageway A roads where 95+ is easily possible

To the OP, i was caught at 93.82 on the A9 and was given 3 points/£60 fine (very nice chaps, i was very grateful to get off so lightly), i would expect minimum 5 points and a big fine, as that's what i was told at the time i would get if i had been going a bit faster

Edited by D_T_W on Wednesday 24th October 14:34

Dwight VanDriver

6,583 posts

275 months

Wednesday 24th October 2007
quotequote all
If Scotplod are sticking to ACPO Guidelines then at 95mph they could have issued a Fixed Penalty Notice (£60/3points) for the offence of speeding. At 96 mph and above the Guide is Court appearance.

Whilst it is not mandatory that they should issue a FPN and can submit process for a summons, now why didn't they issue one?


Hmmmmm......unless they are going to stick a dangerous/careless driving charge on you.???????????????????? Were these words ever mentioned?

dvd

Don Veloci

Original Poster:

2,209 posts

312 months

Wednesday 24th October 2007
quotequote all
Dwight VanDriver said:
Hmmmmm......unless they are going to stick a dangerous/careless driving charge on you.???????????????????? Were these words ever mentioned?
dvd
The driver cop did the offical caution line at the end and I could not tell you at the time what he said being in a daze of panic and stress.
I only remember "do you understand" "yes" "do you have anything to say" "no".


Wigeon Incognito

3,274 posts

249 months

Wednesday 24th October 2007
quotequote all
D_T_W said:
I don't know the road in question, but i can tell you i know of many single carriageway A roads where 95+ is easily possible
Agreed.

On the road in question there are stretches that 95 would be fine on, however there are other sections that although straight are banked by trees on one or both sides and caution would be advisable.

SS2.

14,712 posts

269 months

Wednesday 24th October 2007
quotequote all
Dwight VanDriver said:
If Scotplod are sticking to ACPO Guidelines then at 95mph they could have issued a Fixed Penalty Notice (£60/3points) for the offence of speeding. At 96 mph and above the Guide is Court appearance.

Whilst it is not mandatory that they should issue a FPN and can submit process for a summons, now why didn't they issue one?
I think the OP was pulled on a single carriageway NSL, dvd..

Dwight VanDriver

6,583 posts

275 months

Thursday 25th October 2007
quotequote all
Oblgd SS

Wrist slapped......no option then Court job.

dvd