Following an SP30 back in 2019, my much delayed day in the sun has finally arrived, ironically i now only have 6 points (soon to be 3) as the last lot dropped off last year.
What happens at these sort of things? Should i wear a tie? Should i write something down about how the world will stop if i lose my license?

Magistrates court for an sp30? I take it speed was excessive for a nip?

Have you talked to Mr LoopAsshole.:-)

Dad used to be a JP. Basically said whatever excuse you make, it always comes across to the bench as “I am self entitled and don’t think the rules should apply.”

Recommended admitting wrong and showing remorse in order to minimise fine.

Did they not offer a guilty plea via letter or would that have taken you over 12.
3 points and a big fine.

Recommended admitting wrong and showing remorse in order to minimise fine.

This definitely.

Many years ago I was caught doing a stupid speed on the motorway, dressed up in my best bib and tucker, showed lots of remorse, apologised and said how ashamed I was to be there.

Got fined and a months ban. The Clerk took me to the cash desk to pay and even he commented on how lightly I had got off. Normally much longer bans for the speed I was doing.

There was sun in your eyes and your foot slipped.. then a wasp flew in and landed on the accelerator so you had to keep stamping on it to make sure it was dead.
Im innocent your honour!

Magistrates Court for speeding, what ti expect?

Lighter treatment than you’ll get here.

Tell the truth. They like honesty almost as much as they hate liars.

Recommended admitting wrong and showing remorse in order to minimise fine.

Do court / Mag know previous record before deciding penalty in these cases? Because with what used to be 9 points (assuming as ‘last lot dropped off last year’ and another lot about to drop off leaving 3) I’m not sure the actions will particularly back up any expressed feelings of remorse.

Which then leaves the excessive hardship to try to get it down.

Tell the truth.

I’m not sure “frankly I dgas and I do it all the time, just I got caught today” is likely to help.

When I got done a good few years ago for 99 on a motorway I did the plead guilty by post thing and my mate who is a magistrates court clerk said to me they get fed up of all the bullshit excuses so instead make them laugh. Miy plea was a limerick admitting I was an arse. result was less points and fine than I expected

so no bullshine excuses – they have heard them all and believe none. Admit wrongdoing and if you can get a laugh without being an arse then do so

Wear a suit and tie, admit your error, apologise, make no excuses like “I was the only one on the road, I wouldn’t have killed anyone if my car left the road in a ball of flames” as in the judges eyes the legitimate excuses for speeding are very very limited.

Think about a statement to say of what might happen if you get banned for 6 months, re. work, job etc etc and consider getting someone professional to represent you if it is actually pretty odds on for a ban… they speak the lingo.

Don’t take your car to the court unless someone else is driving you….

Admit wrongdoing and if you can get a laugh without being an arse then do so

Dangerous strategy 😀

Ages ago I ran a red light on my bike in parliament square, not a brilliant idea as the pm was leaving house of commons and all traffic was stopped. A bunch of 3 of us I think, anyway, police stopped us.i fessed up, said how sorry I was,never do it again…let me off. The other 2 started arguing with the copper and got a ticket.

Recommended admitting wrong and showing remorse in order to minimise fine.

This. Disclaimer: Mrs TiRed is a JP. They’ve heard every excuse. If you might lose your license, a solid dose of honesty is important too. They’ve heard every excuse…

The guilty contrition advice above is correct.
Many moons ago I got summonsed for well over 100 in a 70.

Possible ban.
They cannot ban you in your absence so even after a guilty reply to NIP, you will then get a summons.
I returned NIP with my licence and a letter of contrition. As I expect to be banned I do not want to waste courts time with a hearing etc, so I assume I am banned, and I promised not to drive until I hear back..
Very sorry I have carried out online rospa training, got a new copy of highway code and realise what a dick I am.

Now they cannot ban you in your absence so if they wanted to ban me they would have summonsed me anyway, but my attempt to be really good paid off.
Licence came back with 6 points and 175 fine.

I got caught for similar speed to TJ, luckily I went to court as on the day they also tried to do me for driving with no insurance. I had to get my insurance company to send over the details (again).
I knew there was no point arguing, I was in a sports car obviously being a pillick, so just accepted the fine and 4 week ban.
Didn’t expect an immediate ban, but that’s what happened.
I also got a bit of a rollicking from the JP. I just said how I was ashamed of my actions and I’d even sold the car and replaced it with a 4 seater family car…..I left out that it was an AMG merc I’d replaced the TVR with.
I didn’t wear a suit, probably chinos and a smart shirt, no tie.

As an aside, I didn’t get any points, I declared the sp30 on my insurance and it didn’t make any difference.

Just say you were overtaking a cyclist who doesn’t pay road tax. You’ll probably get a medal.

OP – what were your previous points for? I assume a court appearance didn’t happen as if it did you would know the best procedure.

Doesn’t matter what’s dropped off since then or about to drop off, it’s all based on what you had on the day of the offence.

Did you need a shit?

Sir Alex Ferguson, the manager of Manchester United, was yesterday found not guilty of illegally driving on a motorway hard shoulder after magistrates heard he had been suffering from severe diarrhoea and was trying to get to a toilet.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk/1999/oct/05/vivekchaudhary

In England the sentencing guidelines are all online: https://www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk/offences/magistrates-court/item/speeding-revised-2017/

English courts will try to do as much as possible via the Single Justice Procedure if you are pleading guilty – this is a desk/paper process. This can save you a trip to court unless you fall into a trap like writing something that might actually be a defence, or they want to consider disqualification. If not, there’s no need for a suit, but dress respectfully (flip flops, football strips, manky boiler suits are likely to see you told to go get changed). If disqualification is likely then you can make a written undertaking not to drive till you hear the outcome of the case, this used to be strongly discouraged but is welcomed to reduce footfall in courts for covid. Keep what you write short, legible and logical – imagine facing a pile of 50 speeding cases for the morning. Avoid writing things that actually sounds worse like “not paying attention”. Whilst people say not to make excuses I would say it does no harm to quickly emphasise things which are true and help confirm the absence of aggravating factors, e.g. “Whilst the traffic was light, the visibility was good and the road surface dry I completely accept this does not excuse exceeding the limit”. Otherwise, you are relying on the JP finding that in the CPS info…

Different offence, the OP got done for speeding, whereas Ferguson was passing too quickly. And also undertaking.

You’ll get a jolly good drubbing. My advice, if you can afford it, is to go out in a blaze of glory like Sting in Quadrophenia. What’s the worst they can do? And you retain self-respect. Legend of the dock. One for the grandkids.

Tell them you’d do it again in a heartbeat and to go **** themselves. You’ll probably get a slapped wrist, laughable fine, bit of community service and a slight telling off judging by what happened to the guy who drove his car in to my house whilst drunk and banned before fleeing the scene and trying to pretend it wasn’t him.

Based on TJ’s advice:

Roses are red, violets are blue,
I’m a gigantic arse,
Do what you do

Doesn’t matter what’s dropped off since then or about to drop off, it’s all based on what you had on the day of the offence.

That made me happy

Ferguson was passing too quickly

So to speak

Wear a tracksuit to blend in. If you wear a suit, you’ll get hassled by other defendants who think you’re the duty solicitor.

Never been but stopped one memorable time…

Do you know why I stopped you?

Yes I was driving like a ****….

Car not registered to me and a different colour…. got a producer and s bollocking

You say you now only have 6 points. It is the date of the offences that matters. If you had 9 in the three years prior to this new offence then you may find yourself in a spot of bother as you may reach the magic 12. The minimum points you can get is 3 for an endorseable offence.

As Poly says, the sentencing guidelines are all online so it is possible to work out what to expect.

The roads were dry, the weather was fine
It wasm’t too bad just doing 99
Now this may seem random but I ride a tandem
So can I get off with a fine?

Limericks are just so last year:

Points tally rises.

Have not learned my lesson yet.

Just one more chance please?

Thanks all. I’ll just be honest and humble and see what happens. Gonna chuck the bike in the van in case I need to ride home.
I’ll report back later.

Magistrates hate cyclists even more than speeding drivers, get someone to give you a lift.

you may reach the magic 12.

Ooh! Is that when you get a complimentary alarm clock or really nice pen?

i was doing 84 in a 40 many moons ago (was a dual carriageway, so mildly less dickheadish than on a single carriageway).

But i went to court, admitted it was a moment of madness/stupidity, apologised, explained i needed my car for work, to see my daughter etc. I got a £275 fine and 56 day ban. A worthy punishment for my stupidity.

At the time i had 3 points for speeding (so clearly hadnt learnt my lesson at the time), which they took into consideration when dealing out my punishment.

Good luck and keep us in the loop!