# Caught speeding and now waiting for the sting :-(



## kingswood (Jun 23, 2016)

on way home form gym tonight in the dark, get stopped at pedestrian crossing, goes green so accelerate steadily to 30.........

Im front of the cue so didnt realise Id accelerated so far, untill the lights reflected off the speeding van - i look down and see its about 35 :wall:

sly press on the brakes and play at been little bo peep :driver:

no one to blame but myself, which makes it more frustrating! 

spent 10mins googlying and hopefully look forward to a speeding course and learn ones lesson :thumb:


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## Derekh929 (Aug 28, 2011)

Well allow for the fact speedo might be 2mph out if your lucky and depending the tolerance on the van, with us usually 10% + 2mph you may scrape it if im honest.
He could have tagged another car as well


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## Danny33232 (Sep 11, 2017)

kingswood said:


> on way home form gym tonight in the dark, get stopped at pedestrian crossing, goes green so accelerate steadily to 30.........
> 
> Im front of the cue so didnt realise Id accelerated so far, untill the lights reflected off the speeding van - i look down and see its about 35 :wall:
> 
> ...


If you haven't done a course before you will be given it you was only just over so you should be fine

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## staffordian (May 2, 2012)

kingswood said:


> on way home form gym tonight in the dark, get stopped at pedestrian crossing, goes green so accelerate steadily to 30.........
> 
> Im front of the cue so didnt realise Id accelerated so far, untill the lights reflected off the speeding van - i look down and see its about 35 :wall:
> 
> ...


I know all speedos vary, but is there a chance your indicated 35 is less?

Whilst GPS isn't necessarily 100% accurate, I think its far closer than a car's speedo. My satnav tells me I'm doing 30mph when the speedo reads 33 (so close to the max 10% error allowed) but it would mean in my case that 35 on the dial was a true 32 or so; which should be penalty free...


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## 182_Blue (Oct 25, 2005)

As above, i reckon you might just scrape through, if not i would be amazed if they didn't send you on a speed awareness course.


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## Naddy37 (Oct 27, 2005)

I wouldn’t worry about it, at most it’ll be a Speed Awareness Course.

I did one last week, and mine was 61 in a 50  quite interesting, and funnily enough, we got told straight from the start, there is no such thing as 10% + 2.


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## Derekh929 (Aug 28, 2011)

Naddy37 said:


> I wouldn't worry about it, at most it'll be a Speed Awareness Course.
> 
> I did one last week, and mine was 61 in a 50  quite interesting, and funnily enough, we got told straight from the start, there is no such thing as 10% + 2.


They are all different in areas of the country , it was a traffic cop the my info came from, they won't want you thinking that in their kneeck of woods they don't need to allow but much lower could be open to challenge :thumb:


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## Kerr (Mar 27, 2012)

I thought they were getting harsher on speeding in England and Wales?


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## macca666 (Mar 30, 2010)

Derekh929 said:


> They are all different in areas of the country , it was a traffic cop the my info came from, they won't want you thinking that in their kneeck of woods they don't need to allow but much lower could be open to challenge :thumb:


Derek this has changed in recent times and related to Scotland. It used to be 10 % plus 10 with a warning if you were over 10 but still under the 10 + 10%. IE in a 30 zone if you were 39 you wouldn't get stopped, 40 - 43 you'd get stopped and get a warning and above that you'd get done. It woyld change in high risk zones though for instance outside schools.

I've been stopped years ago doing 41 in a 30 and got a warning and also never got stopped doing mid to late 30s.

It changed in recent times where cops were tasked with issuing x amount of tickets meaning less warnings and more fines......


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## PaulaJayne (Feb 17, 2012)

S172 request to name drive must arrive within 14 days - ensure your V5 is up to date.

www.pepipoo.com for advice.


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## macca666 (Mar 30, 2010)

Eric the Red said:


> If you dont acknowledge the letter that comes through door asking you to admit the offence there is nothing they can do, by signing the letter and sending it back you are admitting to the offence, because you have signed it its the same as a contract, you are giving them the green light to threaten prosecution, its a system and you need to understand it, now a lot of people will now say i am in the wrong and thats fine, but i have not paid a speeding ticket in the last 10 years, now i will wait for all the reponses.


It's an offence for the keeper of a vehicle to fail to identify the driver when required by police which is your 172 request.

Have to say I've never paid for a speeding ticket in the last 20 year but then again that's because I'm a relatively careful driver IMO not because I'm breaking the law and attempting to exploit it via a loophole!!


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## m500dpp (Feb 17, 2006)

I find it hard to keep to 30, so I use cruise control all the time...........good luck with this.


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## staffordian (May 2, 2012)

m500dpp said:


> I find it hard to keep to 30, so I use cruise control all the time...........good luck with this.


My current car has a speed limit control as well as cruise control. Didn't think the limiter would be any use but I find it exrremely helpful. For example, the M6 has a long stretch of roadworks with 50mph average speed cameras. I set the limiter to 56 (which I know is a true 51) and simply keep my foot down. Relieves any stress of having to check the speedo all the time. Also a long straight stretch near me has speed cameras. Set limiter to 35, true 32 and all is fine.

The advantage to me of the limiter over cruise control is that I can drive normally, slowing and accelerating as necessary knowing I won't exceed the limit, whereas with cruise control, as it's not adaptive, I'd have to keep resetting it if I slowed down.

Many gadgets on cars do seem rather pointless, but the limiter is one I whole heartedly agree with.

On the other hand, don't think I've used the cruise control since I got the car...


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## Sam534 (May 10, 2017)

staffordian said:


> My current car has a speed limit control as well as cruise control. Didn't think the limiter would be any use but I find it exrremely helpful. For example, the M6 has a long stretch of roadworks with 50mph average speed cameras. I set the limiter to 56 (which I know is a true 51) and simply keep my foot down. Relieves any stress of having to check the speedo all the time. Also a long straight stretch near me has speed cameras. Set limiter to 35, true 32 and all is fine.
> 
> The advantage to me of the limiter over cruise control is that I can drive normally, slowing and accelerating as necessary knowing I won't exceed the limit, whereas with cruise control, as it's not adaptive, I'd have to keep resetting it if I slowed down.
> 
> ...


I agree with this as well, especially in London where there is so much going on to also focus on speedo is another added strain on paying 100% attention to what's going on, slap it at 30 and do not have to worry

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## Kerr (Mar 27, 2012)

Sam534 said:


> I agree with this as well, especially in London where there is so much going on to also focus on speedo is another added strain on paying 100% attention to what's going on, slap it at 30 and do not have to worry
> 
> Sent from my STF-L09 using Tapatalk


I just fail to understand why so many drivers have such a big issue maintaining speed and glancing at their speedometer.

It really is such a basic element of driving.


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## staffordian (May 2, 2012)

Who said it was a big issue?

It's like ABS, satnav, heaters, Aircon etc. If you have an aid why not use it when it helps?


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## kingswood (Jun 23, 2016)

Thanks for the replies. Heading off to Rome for a few days early tomo so will miss the post and maybe come back to the letter. 

Agree with all the posts about cruise and usually do use it, big V6 sits at 30 in 6th alday, but as I said I was accelerating to 30 -ish- when I got pinged


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## Andy from Sandy (May 6, 2011)

If you read the latest data on speeding with the fines and bans you can expect there is no concept of 10% + whatever.



> Whilst GPS isn't necessarily 100% accurate, I think its far closer than a car's speedo. My satnav tells me I'm doing 30mph when the speedo reads 33 (so close to the max 10% error allowed) but it would mean in my case that 35 on the dial was a true 32 or so; which should be penalty free...


Not necessarily:-

Band A offences are for drivers travelling between *one and 10mph *over the stated speed limit.

Band B offences relate to drivers exceeding the speed limits by between 11 and 20mph.

Finally, band C offences correspond to offence which are 21mph and above the stated speed limit.



> I just fail to understand why so many drivers have such a big issue maintaining speed and glancing at their speedometer.


I feel the same, usually accompanied with a good dose of braking hard as they have no clue how fast they are going after seeing a camera (even when it is an average speed one).


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## ollienoclue (Jan 30, 2017)

I hate speed cameras by default. The odd fine I would agree with, but only where people were seriously speeding; not just a few notches over the limit. Points are ridiculous, pure and simple.

When I am in a car, particularly in an unfamiliar area on an unfamiliar route, I do not have the ability to constantly monitor the speedo, I am reading signs, observing traffic and looking for other hazards. Do you want people's attention directed at their dash all the time?

Speed is not the issue with today's roads, it's general driving standards and observation that are poor.

I personally set my cruise control at 50mph in those motorway limits, if the other traffic feels I am travelling too slowly, they can overtake. 6mph makes utterly no difference to me.


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## Rayaan (Jun 1, 2014)

Well I know my sons mk5 Golfs speedo is about 2 mph out at 30mph according to GPS so you should be OK to be fair.


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## voon (Apr 28, 2010)

m500dpp said:


> I find it hard to keep to 30, so I use cruise control all the time...........good luck with this.


30 mph? What are you going to do in 30 kmh zones I have on my daily drive home  (PS: I use a tempomat as well .. keeps me from doing silly things).


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## Andyblue (Jun 20, 2017)

I find the speed limiter on the cruise control brilliant - especially when going through the ave speed 50mph sections on the motorway - means when in traffic and can't use cruise control, I don't have to have 1 eye on the speedo and the other on the road, I can keep them both on the road looking out for the idiots that seem to be around


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## Dode (Jun 13, 2013)

voon said:


> 30 mph? What are you going to do in 30 kmh zones I have on my daily drive home  (PS: I use a tempomat as well .. keeps me from doing silly things).


I use mine in 20mph zones, its an aid. I have had cars without power steering in the past, but managed, but prefer its there.


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## kingswood (Jun 23, 2016)

Well it's been over a week now and no news?! 

Hoping no news is good news but can't see how they missed me :-/

Still not one to smack a gift horse in the chops - will be more aware in the future 


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## 182_Blue (Oct 25, 2005)

kingswood said:


> Well it's been over a week now and no news?!
> 
> Hoping no news is good news but can't see how they missed me :-/
> 
> ...


They have 14 days to send it to you


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## staffordian (May 2, 2012)

kingswood said:


> Well it's been over a week now and no news?!
> 
> Hoping no news is good news but can't see how they missed me :-/
> 
> ...


I'd be inclined to get a mobile phone speed app and just see what it records whilst travelling at an indicated 35mph. It might be different enough to ease your worrying a little.


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## Helicopter_red (Oct 28, 2017)

I have been in this situation a few times not that much over, I think with the tolerances and probability, you are more likely to get away with it than not but it is something to bear in mind! 
I drive a company van with a tracker and our company monitor our speed! We are flagged as speeding in a 30 if we reach 30! And all other zones the same 
I constantly use my speed limiter and have found after constantly using it for 4 years I automatically flick it in at the correct speed so it does also help you to learn speeds just have to use the brakes down hills as the engine does not stop the speeding up when down hills
Due to the tracker I’m regularly overtaken by artic lorries which is frustrating and when there is a long Q behind you it’s quite an uncomfortable feeling! Please just be more thoughtful of us company van drivers that hold you up, it’s not by choice, would rather go with the flow of traffic!
Regarding 20 mile an hour zones they are popping up everywhere and the signs are not that visible I have found more because there are so many more hazards to be looking at so quite often miss the sign and still think I’m in a 30! Good job my memory is not too bad
Best of luck!


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## m500dpp (Feb 17, 2006)

> I have been in this situation a few times not that much over, I think with the tolerances and probability, you are more likely to get away with it than not but it is something to bear in mind!
> I drive a company van with a tracker and our company monitor our speed! We are flagged as speeding in a 30 if we reach 30! And all other zones the same
> I constantly use my speed limiter and have found after constantly using it for 4 years I automatically flick it in at the correct speed so it does also help you to learn speeds just have to use the brakes down hills as the engine does not stop the speeding up when down hills
> Due to the tracker I'm regularly overtaken by artic lorries which is frustrating and when there is a long Q behind you it's quite an uncomfortable feeling! Please just be more thoughtful of us company van drivers that hold you up, it's not by choice, would rather go with the flow of traffic!
> ...


Interesting legal situation! If a company had a driver that exceeded speed limits and had an accident the company could be held liable as they knew the driver was frequently driving illegally. I share your pain, I do try and use cruise or speed limit to stick to limits and use sat nav to confirm my speed, but the vast majority have no intention at all of sticking to 30 or 40 limits, and close up behind you. Guess you can only do the right thing and let others look after themselves.


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## PaulaJayne (Feb 17, 2012)

182_Blue said:


> They have 14 days to send it to you


Even if it arrives outside of the 14 day window the S172 must be returned naming the driver.


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## uruk hai (Apr 5, 2009)

There is a bit of a clamp down regarding speeeding in our area at the moment, the 10% plus 2 mph is just a courtesy that is sometimes extended by the Police who catch you. My sister in law recently went on a speed awareness course and someone on the same course was caught at 22 in a 20mph zone, which strikes me as harsh but there we go !


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## MDC250 (Jan 4, 2014)

uruk hai said:


> There is a bit of a clamp down regarding speeeding in our area at the moment, the 10% plus 2 mph is just a courtesy that is sometimes extended by the Police who catch you. My sister in law recently went on a speed awareness course and someone on the same course was caught at 22 in a 20mph zone, which strikes me as harsh but there we go !


Think it's everywhere at the minute, never seen so many mobile speed traps. If it was genuinely about safety there would be a publicity campaign to go along with it. Some cynics may say it's plain old revenue raising. The 'newer' style fines are rich pickings it seems to me, money for old rope.


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## Kerr (Mar 27, 2012)

It does sound harsh, but i guess being a 20mph there was a school or something nearby? They'd be trying to send out a message. 

I was sitting at the bus stop yesterday afternoon just as school fishing time. There is two primary schools only a few hundred yards apart and the road is 20mph at school times. 

In 5 minutes I must have seen at least 15 drivers with their phone in their hand. Do people become even more complacent with lower speed limits?


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## MDC250 (Jan 4, 2014)

Every residential road by me is now 20. Some of the more major roads swap up and down between 20 and 30 but multiple times, like they can’t make their mind up.


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## ffrs1444 (Jun 7, 2008)

November 2017 thread


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## tmitch45 (Jul 29, 2006)

m500dpp said:


> I find it hard to keep to 30, so I use cruise control all the time...........good luck with this.


yep the good old pit limiter lol

I was thinking with modern tech in cars which read and display signs surely there would easily be a way to press a button when entering a new speed zone that automatically limits the car to that speed? If everyone stopped speeding the police and government would loose a huge amount of income, its not just about road safety.

My dad who is a slow careful driver was recently done on a piece of road that has very recently been change from national speed limit to 30 due to a new housing development. So the police play 'lets catch people out' by camping at the side of the road a few days after the change. He was recorded at 33 in the 30 zone which to me is not excessive speeding and a bit excessive on the part of the police. Lucky for him and due to his no speeding in 55+ years of driving he's been offered the speed awareness course. If its really about road safely they could have pulled drivers over and made them aware of the new changes. They must have made an absolute mint that week!


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## should_do_more (Apr 30, 2008)

tmitch45 said:


> yep the good old pit limiter lol
> 
> I was thinking with modern tech in cars which read and display signs surely there would easily be a way to press a button when entering a new speed zone that automatically limits the car to that speed? If everyone stopped speeding the police and government would loose a huge amount of income, its not just about road safety.


Apparently my bmw does this but not used that function yet. Interested if anyone has and if it works.


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## Andyblue (Jun 20, 2017)

should_do_more said:


> Apparently my bmw does this but not used that function yet. Interested if anyone has and if it works.


Yes, mine has Cruise and Limit - works brilliantly when going through ave speed roadworks on motorway near us, when in traffic, set it to 50mph, can drive with speed of traffic without having to worry about keeping an eye on the speed - you can concentrate driving.

Have used it in 30mph zones as well - especially if it's a hot spot for the camera vans...


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## Derek Mc (Jun 27, 2006)

I do a lot of driving in my own but also in a load of rental cars and know that almost every manufacturer has them pegged about 28mph for an indicated 30 on the speedo quite intentionally it seems as it is just as easy to make it 100% accurate and 100% inaccurate!!

I also know many councils operate a zero tolerance policy of 1mph over and your done, however this doesn't stand up to scrutiny due to the speedo error margin but many just roll over and pay the tax,,,err fine anyway!!

Sensible councils and police forces are still operating with a spped plus 10% plus two policy but are also increasing the scope of the 20mph areas as well which makes sense to really, so where does this leave the OP?
Well I suspect if you were indicating 35mph, you could well be fine and not get anything out of it or, worst case a driver awareness course and a slap on the wrist.


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