[steveisfrowning]

Never had a speeding conviction, generally a very good boy.

Returned from holiday and today a letter from N Wales constabulary stating I was caught doing 42mph (presumably in a 30 zone) somewhere rural on the a5025 on Anglesey. I've no recollection, so I'm assuming I've just been an idiot and not been quick enough to suss the change in limit.

Bang to rights, filled my NIP form in and hope they offer me something like a speed course to limit the damage.

Hey, proves the HR-T can get up to 42mph still.

:mope:

 

[lukew]

NW police used to be known for hiding in 50 zones, catching people doing 50 in a 50, and claiming they were in a 30. I know thew 5025 well, most of it looks exactly the same. Asking for the photos and the exact location may be useful.

 

[bazza]

Good luck. I wonder if a speed awareness course would be local to the offence? Would mean quite a trek...

 

[Verbout]

Always ask for disclosure of the facts.

 

[keithyboy]

Good luck. I wonder if a speed awareness course would be local to the offence? Would mean quite a trek...

I don't believe so. I did the course for the first time about 12-13 years ago and a man from Leeds had driven over for it. He was quite thick tough, in those days you had to bring your license (it was in block letters in the course info) and he didn't. I got nicked by Lancashire constabulary and did mine under the jurisdiction of GMP.

42mph is the limit. Above that, you won't get offered the course. You also won't get offered it if you've done the course within 3 years (which is why I now have points on my licence for the first time since I was about 20).

 

[Verbout]

The Fast and Furious thread.

 

[ronan]

Suppose you could always ring them and ask about the course..... that's if you have a working phone.
You must be living life at the moment.

 

[Belcheee]

My wife was caught doing 36 in a 30 and was offered to take the 3 points and £80 fine, or do the speed awareness course.

Turned out the course cost £100 to take, and it was 4 hours. So you do save yourself points on your licence but it's a bit more expensive than the fine, and... 4 hours!
Her course was also local to the area - she was caught in Blackpool so the course was up that way.

I think generally 3 points on your licence for a minor speeding offence does not affect your insurance too much. You could also do a quote on gocompare etc to see the difference with and without one.
Also, our insurer specifically asked the question "have you been on a speed awareness course" which put the premium up £5 over the year.

 

[keithyboy]

SP30 is now a £100 fine (or it was in June). Around here the course is £90 but it varies between regions. A bit of Welsh information for you:

https://gosafe.org/education/driver-awareness-course/

"A Speed Awareness Course can be attended in any force area where the National Offender Retraining Scheme has been adopted, irrespective of where the offence occurs. Details of the course providers can be found here"

https://gosafe.org/media/1945836/national-speed-awareness-course.pdf

The only insurance cost of my recent SP30 was the £20 charge for change to the policy. If they asked me if I'd done a speed awareness course, I'd ask why. If they said "so that we can put your premium up" I'd go elsewhere.

As long as you're not a foaming-at-the-mouth gammony sort of a person who constantly bleats out the mantra of "Bloody police should have better things to do", the course is very good.

 

[mj2k]

Sometimes it's better just to take the hit and do the speed awareness course - I got 'clocked' doing 35 mph in a 30 mph zone whilst parked outside my house and asleep in bed...

When investigating how to appeal against this it turned out it'd take much longer to appeal (would have involved an appearance at the local magistrate's court) and would be more expensive because I'd get the maximum fine if the appeal failed, so I just sucked it up and grumpily did the course.

And when they asked 'what lessons have you taken from this course' I replied "Don't park my car outside my house, or I might get a speeding ticket when I'm asleep in bed"

 

[Verbout]

@mj2k

I am speechless.

 

[TonyGr]

Good luck. I wonder if a speed awareness course would be local to the offence? Would mean quite a trek...

Over ten years ago I got caught in Warwickshire and could take the course locally in the Humberside Police area. At the time that meant trekking over the Humber bridge and across to east Hull for 9:00am just as everyone was rushing to work in the centre of Hull but still a better option than going down to Warwick.

 

[MalcQV]

The Fast and Furious thread.

:lol: :lol: I have tears in me minces.

I got away with it a few weeks ago. Me and my good lady went to cafe/pub/restaurant thingy in poorsh Knutsford but because the A56 (or A556??) is all dual carriage and confusion (no that was not where I was confused over the limit) the satellite navigation on my telephone took me through the Manchester airport tunnels.

Well I was in me 360 and it makes lots and lots of loud exhaust noises and when it does I feel all warm and very good inside. I do love a screaming symphony of 8 behind my lugs. It's actually very addictive.

So I am in lane one approaching the first tunnel with my missus (Joanne) looking longingly at my face because I have drool all down my chin, windows all down in anticipation of the audio orgasm awaiting.. but then a BMW appears in lane two and passes me closing up behind a diesel discovery.

They were doing exactly 40 :boxedin:. I was shaking with cold turkey as I advance on the BMW after swapping lanes and slower Disco :driving:. No way are they moving so I drop it in second and there's just a touch of racket (quite a lot) and as we emerge from the tunnel there's Mr Plod and his video camera hoping to glimpse an exotic doing 150mph :wow:

I never got a chance to thank the BMW and Disco driver. Plod was pointing his camera at lane two, must have had Take That playing in his headphones because he never even blinked :lol: , for some reason where everybody was doing 40 in a massive queue too.

I am guessing the BMW driver and maybe the Disco driver knew what I might do perhaps.

I just can't resist tunnels but have learned my lesson. I'm still points free :angel:

 

[bazza]

Blimey. I didn't know the police hide between the tunnels there. I might have to be a bit careful myself about enjoying the V8 going through them.
That said, I never go through them at ridiculous pace - my method is to slow down to a crawl first so I can enjoy some acceleration without hitting warp speed. Probably still means I'm maxing out at a good 20mph above the limit though, for all of a couple of seconds.

 

[photoman]

I did the course locally last December which at £80 was better than a £100 fine and 3 points. Four hours was an absolute B$%l-ache though. The interesting point is that you are not obliged to disclose the course to anyone......insurance, employer, wife....it's as if it never happened.

 

[steveisfrowning]

who was the mad gammon on here who always went on about cheating fines and car park charges?

 

[bazza]

I'm a freeman of the land!!!!!!!

 

[keithyboy]

I'm a freeman of the land!!!!!!!

There always seems to be some debate about whether it's of the land or on the land. However, as most of them are in prison for non-payment of fines, free doesn't really come into it.

 

[lukew]

I'm a freeman of the land!!!!!!!

I have a great story about one of them, unfortunately I can't really disclose too much. They did loose a 30 grand vehicle though.

 

[Verbout]

I have been in magistrates court a few times to observe these sovereign citizens, as they are called in America, "Freeman of the land" in the UK.

I think they mostly believe in maritime law, or laws written by King Ethelred with his kn0b.

On the several occasions I have witnessed the court has bent over backwards to assist them, given the use of the court duty solicitor just prior to them heading off to Armley on remand.

It's not a generalisation to say the few I have met are elderly, have white captain Birdseye beards and are in need of being pointed in the direction of soap and hot water. They accept their fate without much of a fuss.

They are an odd bunch but they probably look at me with the same judgmental attitude.