Just got flashed by a camera doing 40 in a 30 zone. Stupid. I was rowing with the wife about being late for dropping her off at work and forgot that it was there!

What is the deal regarding points and/or a speed awareness course? Do I get a choice? Is it a regional thing (It happened in Manchester)?

First time in 23 years of driving. I feel like a bit of a knob. Pah.

It depends entirely on the constabulary and whether they've decided to offer the choice in your area – you can check which areas do it – dunno…check your police website?

AFAIK, it also depends on what speed you were doing when flashed. You say 40 so if you're telling the truth, and I'm assuming you are, then your "actual" speed will probably have been between 35 and 40. I think if you were doing over 40, then you get points and a fine without the option of the course because they figure you don't deserve a second chance. Also, again I could be wrong, but doing 90 on a motorway wouldn't get you the option of doing a course. The speed awareness courses are all about you learning the consequences of doing over 30 around towns and residential areas.

I did my course a few years ago for doing 37 in a 30. My area is Avon and Somerset. I was surprised by how informative it was.

I think the option of a speed awareness course is regional. It'll be down to individual forces. My cousin did one recently, and found that it did change his mindset towards driving. They do seem to get good feedback. If you don't have that option it'll be 3 points and £60 (or you can choose to go to court if you want more!). If it's the first one on 23 years then don't lose to much sleep over it.

TBH, I'd just stump up the fine and forget about it. If you're usually that careful/lucky ( 😉 ) then it'll be cheaper in the long run than paying for the course to avoid 3 points, which will be toatally meaningless to your insurers.

🙂

Yes, I meant to add, the people who run the courses are often ex traffic cops etc and are completely non judgmental – they've dealt with far worse than 20 people in a room who have all been a bit naughty.

If it doesn't change your mindset, then I don't know what will. There are four or five little nuggets I picked up that I always think about when I'm driving in urban areas…especially the bit at the end of the course where they tell you that around 9 people will have died that day… 🙁

(of course, according to the STW Petrolhead massive, that will have been because of bad driving, not speed).

Unlucky by the way – first time in 23 years – tough break but most of us have been there unfortunately.

depends if there was a camera in it. In Grampian only a certain % have cameras in them, they move the cameras around the static camera points.

which will be toatally meaningless to your insurers.

You see, I hear this all the time. But when I was getting (online) quotes for insurance, I tried getting the quotes with and without declaring my three points (SP50, speeding on a motorway) and funnily enough, the quotes were always higher with the points than without.

The speed awareness courses are a good thing and are designed to make you think about the consequences of the speed at which you drive. Why take three points and 60 quid when you can pay your 60 quid and get some education along with it?

of course, according to the STW Petrolhead massive, that will have been because of bad driving, not speed

Very true.
Hitting somebody/something at 30mph is a lot worse than NOT hitting somebody/something at 40mph. Stands to reason.

Told you so.

Why take three points and 60 quid when you can pay your 60 quid and get some education along with it?

because you can "afford" the points (esp if it's a sp30) and don't have to take a day off work ?

because you can "afford" the points (esp if it's a sp30) and don't have to take a day off work ?

Well, fair enough then, I'd just rather not have the points. And, from experience, it's a good course. But, if you can "afford" it then, take the points and as you were…

Couldn't you just go back at night and 'remove' the evidence?

RAF foundation:

TRL research indicates that excessive speed is a factor in some 6% of collisions and the JDT review of West Midlands accidents in 1989 indicates that excessive speed was a factor in only 2.8% of collisions compared with failure to conform to a sign or signal [19%] or turning right without due care [11.4%]. Excessive speed as a factor in accidents has been dropping since 1991.

One speeding offence in 23yrs is good going; don't beat yourself up. But the awareness course is worthwhile by all accounts.

RAC (sorry)

(of course, according to the STW Petrolhead massive, that will have been because of bad driving, not speed).

So what you're saying is that the STW Petrolhead massive actually know what they're talking about (unlike those who see road safety only in terms of speed)?

(Mr MC posting) both me and MC have 3 points (SP50 and SP30 respectively) and neither had any impact on our insurance (so for her car insurance both named drivers have speeding tickets). And I insure an R1 where you might expect them to be sensitive to proof I speed!

If you get a course you dont have to declare it to your insurer.

Awareness courses are down to the force, and your speed. In Thames Valley (TVP) its only offered to low level offenders – ACPO guideline for prosecution is 10%+2, TVP prosecution threshold policy is 10%+2+1, and the course is only offered for a couple of mph over that.

So in a 30, in TVP you could expec to get prosecuted at 36mph, and the course might only be offered if you did 36, 37, or 38. If your speedo read 40 you were probably doing ~36-37.

So what you're saying is that the STW Petrolhead massive actually know what they're talking about

pmsl. are you hora in disguise?

I got caught recently for 80 on a dual carriageway. Didn't get the option of a course. Also a mate got done for 35 and 38 in the space of a few weeks, no courses there either. All in Wiltshire. Have to say, I have driven slower since being fined so for me the current system works.

Speed won't be a factor in causing lots of accidents, but I'd like to see stats of the relationship between speed and the severity of injury.

And yes, I am a hypocrite 🙂

Wife caught last night by a camera – first offence in 30 years of driving – which is a supprise the way she cains the car

And I insure an R1 where you might expect them to be sensitive to proof I speed!

Surely if you own an R1, a speeding ticket is simply proof that you got caught!

You said that you were rowing with the missus and you were dropping her off at work.

Sounds like it was her fault.
Make her pay the f**ker.

😉

Just because you've been flashed doesn't mean you'll automatically get a ticket. I've been flashed several times and never received anything. Often the cameras have no film in them and just flash to make other road users slow down. Once in Norfolk, twice in London but they did get me one time locally. It's usually when i'm lost and trying to find road signs that i don't notice the cameras although one of them was also when i was rowing with the GF and failed to slow for a traffic camera i knew was there.
Don't worry about anything until you know one way or the other if you have a ticket or not.

Besides, you could just pay a student or elderly relative to say they were driving like most people seem to these days….. 😉

Cheers Jase.

I'll forward your comments on to her. She gets home at about 5:30, so that gives you a 2 and a half hour head start.

lol.

I'm off!

Be very afraid. Never underestimate a pregnant librarian who has been forced to work a Saturday. Its more dangerous than pulling the tail on Zazoom the bad tempered donkey (you have to be of a certain age and have watched The Bananasplits to get that reference).

The one and only time i have ever been caught by speed camera was in Manchester in 1992. It was after midnight, i'd done 300 miles that day (part of which was in central London) and I had been chatting to my wife when I got flashed. I didn't see the signs as they were part obscured by foliage and green with algae. A 40 limit went to a 30 with no obvious reason. A combination of factors, but my fault. I was clocked at 43mph. What a crook!

The next day I read in the local paper that they had spent £20k on cameras on the A6 to catch people who "willfully flout the law and disregard the safety of others". The tone said it all! No mitigating circumstances come into play with a camera. Rules is rules! I concluded that they just wanted to get their £20k back (plus a profit) and that I was one of thousands who would help them with this. I coughed up my £60 which was worth a lot more then, than it does today.

If I ever get caught out again and a road safety course is offered in lieu of points, I'd definitely take it. I might learn something, but the main advantage would be that I'd be more focused on the hazards on the roads and the potential consequences of my actions.

>aracer – Member

>>And I insure an R1 where you might expect them to be sensitive to proof >>I speed!

>Surely if you own an R1, a speeding ticket is simply proof that you got >caught!

oh the irony- I got the ticket driving MC's 54hp 3cyl 1100cc car at 83 on a motorway. Thankfully I have avoided detection on my R1 😉

did it flash once or twice? don't the cameras flashing once have no film in?

Personally, I would just take the fine and points and get on with it.

usually the nip will arrive within 14 days if it's going to. start breathing easier in a couple of weeks.

don't the cameras flashing once have no film in?

Is this true?

It flashed once.

yes it is true. There's one not too far from us which flashes all day long when it's empty.

Oh, and the reason they flash twice it to get the reference markers on the road and your position – which is how they confirm the speed you were doing.

not always totally meaningless to the insurers. If you dont tell them then you may as well not have insurance as when the time comes to make a claim or if you have an accident they will use every little thing they can find to NOT pay out.

Not telling them you have an sp30 back in july will have some insurers rubbing their hands together and telling you to get on yer bike. be 100% honest.

another thing i do when phoning my insurers is writing down exactly what they have told me,along with the time and date and the name of the person.

Ive had to call insurers about certain things years later after certain incidents and they have said they had listened to old phone calls and told me that so and so wasnt the case.. ive replied with "well i was speaking to so and so on this date at this time and they said that this or that would be o.k."

they had called/written back saying that they were sorry, and i was indeed correct.

Oh Cock.

Just got the letter this morning. 37mph. Arse.

Well at least it proves your speedo is fairly accurate 8)

PS If you get the chance,take the course,the wife works in traffic & recommends everyone caught speeding to do so….

Unlucky Harry. I had 3 points for stupidly driving through a camera at 40 mph last year at around 6am. Then I got pulled over by an unmarked car while driving to innerleithen a couple of weeks ago. They spotted me on the triple carriageway section of the A1 in Cambridgeshire and followed me for 14 miles. They knew that, as I was driving a hire van, I probably wouldn't slow down when it went down to a dual carriageway. I didn't (didn't think I was doing anything wrong) and got pulled. Up to 6 points.

Then got a letter this morning saying that a mobile gatso got me doing 81 on the A23 last weekend. Never got flashed and never remembered the speedo going anywhere near 80!

Got to spend over 2 years on 9 points now!

That's why it's best to take the course if it's offered 😉

Bravo Scott keep it up and do the country a favour. 😆

Just done a course last Tuesday in Northampton, well worth doing it to be honest the course not the speeding.

One of the speakers said someone had their insurance premium lowered because they had been on the course. I am a bit sceptical but that is what he said.