Just got my first speeding ticket...?

Question

I was doing 75mph on a national A road early on the morning with very little other traffic.

First question: is there any way of getting out of the fixed penalty notice to save me getting 3 points?

Second question: I went to purchase a Snooper Sapphire speed camera detector at my local Halfords. Were I travel there are no fixed cameras, just mobile laser detector vans. The guy at Halfords basically said speed detectors do not detect laser cameras most of the time because the operator aims the laser at your bumper and the detector cant read it. Is this true? If not can someone please reccommend a reliable detector for laser speed detectors.

And no I am not a speed demon! Im a sensible driver.

To all you losers who are slagging me off for doing 15 miles over the limit with almost no other traffic on the road which is a dual carriage way get a life. Unless you folk obsessively stare at your spedometer and not the road are you honestly trying to tell me you have never slipped over the limit. If I was doing 80, 90 or a 100 I would be a ****. 75 come on! If you sit at 60 other twats tail gate you. You people are much too judgemental and most likely complete hippocrites!

Answer 1

Yes, it happens. But if you have already got the ticket then the only thing you can do is pay up the £60.00 and accept the 3 points on your licence. If this is the first ticket you have had, you have 9 points to go before you lose your licence (UK). So be careful in the future. To those sanctimonious s o b s who pontificate, you probably can't even drive ! Speed cameras are simply a way to make more money out of the already overburdened motorist and do not help keep the roads safe. As to detectors there are some that give warning of radar , but these are not legal now. However, what you can get is a device which gives you warning of the whereabouts of cameras. On the whole, though , keeping to the limit is the only safe way.

Answer 2

Firstly if they "clocked" you at 75 then you were probably doing nearer 80 on the speedo. It's an EEC directive for your car speed to read faster than your real speed but by no more than 10%. A lot of car manufacturers use this to make there cars see faster than they rally are!! Therefore you're typically stuffed on the 3 points unless they failed to calibrate the speed gun.

However enough slagging off. To answer your 2nd Q. During transmission in air, laser light diverges at a set rate. From some of the sums I've done the so called "dot" shined at your bumper from over 1/2 mile away is actually over 10 feet in diameter. At that type of range there is a lot of scattered light going in all directions that laser detectors can respond to. However Mr PC Plod knows this and therefore waits until you are close enough that the dot gives minimum scatter - so you should be able to see him. Personally my preference is to a) stick to the speed limit and b) my sat nav has all the potential camera locations downloaded to warn me to keep an eye on both the speed limit and the cameras

Answer 3

In the US we have the option of taking a defensive driving course where they teach you how to drive safer. These course can be taken instead of paying fines and will remove the ticket from your record. I would ask if this is an option in your area.

2nd Question: Radar/laser detectors have come a long way in being able to detect the police before he detects you. However, the police have become quite good at preventing detection. For older style radar guns, the detection of the radar waves is pretty easy. However, they police have 'instant on' guns now that only produce a short burst which reduces the chance of you detector picking it up. For new Laser types, the detection of the light waves becomes really tough. These light beams or very tight and directional and thus difficult to detect. Think of the old radar style as a shot gun and the laser style as a rifle. It's easier to see the larger pattern of shot gun over the single bullet of laser. Also laser guns only produce short burst by design thus again reducing the chance of early detection.

Like most things, radar/laser detectors ability to perform is relative to their cost. Spend more money... get better detection. Several magazines have done comparitive test on the detectors and if you search online for 'Laser Detector comparison' I'm sure you'll find plenty of research to help you with your choice.

Good luck.. and slow down!

Answer 4

I sympathise, but honestly "it's a fair cop".

I'm assuming by looking at the figures that you drive a van, and as such were only allowed to do 60 or the dual carriageway. - could be wrong.

I've been pulled by plod for doing about 70.5mph in the work van...well I did overtake them doing about 69.5 in the pursuit vehicle at the head of a MASSIVE queue they'd created) - just got a telling off.

75mph actual will be about 82mph on the speedo - so you knew you were going a bit quick, but I agree. 75mph is nothing - I might feel you were irresponsible if you said 105mph or 125mph.... but 15mph over is gonna be a standard £60 and 3 points unless you TRY to fight it, if you lose it's the same fine & points and also court costs - could be a couple of £1000.

As for the RADAR & LASER detectors, it IS true that they attempt to aim them at a flat surface (to reflect the beam back) and that it can be over 10' in size, but tracking a moving vehicle is near impossible to do perfectly. Also, it takes under 0.25 seconds to read your speed - so if you are the 'target'...you've had it. The detectors are pretty much useless - get a GPS based system & put on the S.Camera files. 100% legal in the UK.
I'd advise TomTom...great system.

Anyway....I am sorry you got done for such a minor infraction.

Answer 5

Unless you are able to find some irregularity wth the paperwork and procedure, you are unlikely to be able to avoid this.

You do not give enough information for me to be able to comment on where you might look for areas where the authorities may have failed to follow the legally-required procedures.

Be wary of the various chargeable websites which claim to be able to find 'loopholes' to get you off the hook; Autoexpress did an article on these recently, and found them to be pretty useless. You might check the Auto Express site to see if the article is still available, because it did contain some useful general information.

No doubt you will have seen the recent official report which confirms what TRUE experts have been saying for years, that excessive speed is a factor in only 5% of accidents.

I am NOT a lawyer, but my advice would be to pay up, because a court may feel that such a margin over the posted limit might warrant a higher penalty.

You have my sympathy - for this, and also for the usual and predictable self-righteous loonie comments contained in some of the other answers.

Best wishes!

Answer 6

I have a speed camera detector and it does 'sound off' a warning when approaching parked up SAFETY VEHICLES from which the speed cameras are operated. I am not a constant 'speed' merchant but the warning device does make me aware when keeping up with other vehicles on motorways and major dual carriageways. Most vehicles on the motorways do exceed the 70 mph limit and occasionally speed cameras are operated from bridges. Many times I have to pulled over to the inside lane and slowed down - only to witness numerous vehicles passing at 70 plus.

Answer 7

1. Pay the fine, and take the points. Be thankful you didn't take a life instead! Very little traffic on the road is no excuse.

2. Save your money. If you aren't a speed demon - as you state - then why do you need this expensive piece of technology?

As for being hypercritical, 15mph is a huge difference. No one expects you to watch your speedometer over the road, therefore 3 or 4mph extra can be justified. But if you can't tell or feel the difference between 60mph and 75mph, then you shouldn't be driving at all. You are lucky that you still have your licence!

Answer 8

You can elect to attend court rather than pay your speeding fine! However, the speed limit is there for a reason - no matter what the rest of us might think. Unfortunately the general public CANNOT decide what speed they THINK it is safe to do, when they feel like it.

Yes, we all speed occasionally and in doing so, we know and accept that we could get caught.

If you ever get stopped, don't try telling the police that you were unaware of your speed as you were watching the road! Whilst you are driving a couple of tonnes (or whatever weight!) of steel (or whatever), you are effectively driving what can become a lethal weapon.

So, you can try your luck in court if you think you have a genuine reason and defence for your speeding. But I don't know if the magistrates would agree that sensible drivers exceed the limit!

Your choice.

Answer 9

If it was a motorway then 75 is not that fast and you possibly can argue the case in court, but 75 in a normal 60MPH national speed limit road is very dangerous - I think you should pay the fine.

I think you should save the money from a speed detector and spend the money on other things like books and DVDs that you will enjoy.

Remember they love to fine you for anything so don't give them an excuse to fine you!

Have fun and be safe!

Answer 10

law enforcement officers off accountability get rushing tickets each and every of the time, some officers will supply a off accountability cop some allowance, yet whilst it is over, even carrying a badge won't enable you to. And to three officers, in case you're a officer, they beleive you realize extra valuable, additionally generally there are subject concerns between city and county officers, and that they seem for of undertaking to write down up one among the different officers. Very seldom might a officer on accountability get a value ticket, even nonetheless it would desire to ensue, I even have seen a on accountability officer have a smash in his patrol card and get a value ticket for some thing. ** and that i've got seen them fastened by potential of the police cheif calling the different departmetn additionally.