I have been driving now for 47 years and had my first "Notice of Intended Prosecution" from South Yorkshire Police for driving 35 MPH in a 30 MPH Speed Limit. I have now lost a proud unblemished record and will have to attend the naughty school,,,,,anyone been there?

All money making schemes. My son was doing removals in a transit and got clocked twice doing 36 and 39 mph in a 30 limit at 1.00 in the morning.

He now has a £200 fine and 6 points on his previously clean license. The punishment is way over the top

Cant you do the speed awareness course?

My other half got done for speeding on her way home from the naughty school, that's how effective it is

Doing removals at 1am?

Firthy wrote:All money making schemes. My son was doing removals in a transit and got clocked twice doing 36 and 39 mph in a 30 limit at 1.00 in the morning.

He now has a £200 fine and 6 points on his previously clean license. The punishment is way over the top

Agreed, the problem is that motorists are an easy target. When you compare the punishment that motorists get compared with shoplifters and the like it's just plain wrong. 9 times out of 10 shoplifters get conditional discharges!

Wilsden - your missus a slow learner!?

CleggHall wrote:Wilsden - your missus a slow learner!?

Danish!! Spent most of the course pointing out to them how ridiculous they were being

Nice oxymoron

Completed speed awareness course at Dukenhalgh recently, 4 hours of my life I won't get back! Learnt what a 30mph sign means though !!!

To be honest, I went on one and learnt a lot. They don't preach.

TheOriginalLongsider wrote:To be honest, I went on one and learnt a lot. They don't preach.

Very different then to when I had to attend one.

Very patronising, I don't think Jesus himself could touch those preachers.

Took it on the chin, as it saved me 3 points.

Long time ago but same for me, spent much of the time telling us how to avoid getting caught again, just to keep reoffender numbers down to make it look like they were achieving something.

Easy peasy... Keep within the speed limit and you won't get done..

I enjoyed the course myself also saved the points and is a bit cheaper than the fine. What annoys me though is that in most cases it is an error of judgement rather than blatant law breaking. I was driving through Edenfield where the road changes from 50 to 30 and I was actually slowing down doing 33mph in the 30 zone.

The speed awareness course is actually quite good you have to go on it with the right attitude though. You have to realise you have broken the law and listen to what they say. Lets be honest with ourselves the law is actually there to prevent deaths on the roads so can't be a bad thing surely. When i did mine i didn't agree with everything that was said but as they are driving instructors who am i to question them. Speeding is speeding whether at 3 AM or 3 PM under our current laws although I do think at certain time the speed limit should be more relaxed on some roads.

JarrowClaret wrote:Speeding is speeding whether at 3 AM or 3 PM under our current laws although I do think at certain time the speed limit should be more relaxed on some roads.

That's a very large part of the problem, Jarrow. According to the law, both in theory and in practice, doing 35mph on Padiham Road (dual carriageway with no footpaths and no pedestrians) on a bright clear day with no traffic about, is the same offence as doing 50mph past a school at closing time on a wet winter day. There is no taking account of circumstances. They tend to put the speed cameras on the roads where it's safer to speed, because they catch more people there. Few people drive at 50 mph past schools, so they don't catch many criminals that way; lots of people drive at 35 mph on dual carriageways, so there's convictions to be had.

djt agreed I have been on 2 speed awareness course's first time was a lack of concentration whilst speaking to my son having just picked him up and the second was not realising I was over the speed limit. 1 thing I picked up and sticks with me is when in a 30 MPH zone don't leave 3rd gear and you sort of naturally sit in the region of 30 MPH.

Been on two....quire enjoyed them... .did learn a bit as highway code has changed a lot over the years....had a laugh as well and a few nice birds in my little group who were easy on the eye lol.

Yes dsr I agree but the placing of Cameras (also a bugbear of mine) is a different subject.

Recently got caught for the first time going up to Newcastle with work. Was doing 61 in a 60 but I was in a van and unfortunately no one told me vans had to do 10mph less on carriageways. I was new to driving vans at the time so didn't have a clue.

As for the course it self. Boring and tedious are best I can think of.

If you do 50mph past a school you won't be on a speed awareness course!

dsr wrote: According to the law, both in theory and in practice, doing 35mph on Padiham Road (dual carriageway with no footpaths and no pedestrians) on a bright clear day with no traffic about, is the same offence as doing 50mph past a school at closing time on a wet winter day. There is no taking account of circumstances.

I don't think that's true, (or at least not in terms of the penalties), though I stand to be corrected.
35mph on Padiham Rd and you most likely get a speed awareness course,no other penalty - (3 pts and £100 if you're unlucky)
50 or more in a 30 zone, and you can get a much bigger fine than the fixed penalty, 6 or more points, and depending on the circumstances, a disqualification of between 7 and 56 days.

Firthy wrote:All money making schemes. My son was doing removals in a transit and got clocked twice doing 36 and 39 mph in a 30 limit at 1.00 in the morning.

He now has a £200 fine and 6 points on his previously clean license. The punishment is way over the top

Removing what? Dead bodies

Claretforshaw wrote:"Notice of Intended Prosecution" from South Yorkshire Police for driving 35 MPH in a 30

Bloody harsh that, I always thought they allowed you 10% plus 2, so 35 in a 30 would be acceptable, obviously not.

I thought the minimum speed limit you get prosecuted @ is 36 mph? I would question that if I was you. Isn't it 10% of the limit of the road you are on +3 mph on top of that? So @ 35mph you should face NO fine or course? Maybe you should of just received a letter informing you & no further action taken. I stand to be corrected mind! Utc

I thought that too Diesel, in fact I spotted the Van well before I got close to it and looked at my speedometer (a digital one in a Megane )which at that time was hovering around 31/32 MPH and didn't even bother to slow down thinking it would be within their tolerance level, apparently 32 MPH will prompt a prosecution, I do appreciate that I effectively broke the law so have to face the consequences but I am not a boy racer and very rarely exceed the limit unlike many other road users, particularly on the M62, it's a pity 47 years of careful driving is not taken into account.

Never been caught. Hopefully never will.

Don't speed in 30's and don't look like a dick doing 100mph in the outside lane whilst everyone else is doing 70. Also, see dem big yeller boxes on the side of the road? Slow down for them!

Learning to drive properly saves much more time, like learning how to read a roundabout or otherwise deal with traffic.

Its a funny one this the only way to guarantee you never go over thirty is to stare at the speedo rather than the road. Which would be another offence, driving without due care. It is easy to go slightly over the limit especially if your keeping up with the flow of traffic and as said where the speed limit changes unexpectedly.

No it wouldn't.

I could hold my car at 30 all day long, even new cars I get into.

If you can't stay within a mph or two of 30 for a very long time, you're not fit to drive

KEEP UP WITH THE TRAFFIC?

Most ridiculous thing a person can hear.

Does keeping up with the traffic help slow down for kids running into the road or people turning out of junctions?!

I don't believe you drive

I believe you're a **** driver

Sidney1st wrote:Doing removals at 1am?

'Removals'.. Cough burglary cough..

My niece had to attend one of these courses.

As the bloke was preaching about it taking up his time on a Saturday morning due to their misdemeanours, an older bloke sat next to my niece shouted out "calm down son, you wouldn't have a f---ing job of it wasn't for nobs like us".

Dyched wrote:Removing what? Dead bodies

Driving to catch the overnight ferry. I don't think he stopped at a graveyard as far as I'm aware

arise_sir_charge wrote:My niece had to attend one of these courses.

As the bloke was preaching about it taking up his time on a Saturday morning due to their misdemeanours, an older bloke sat next to my niece shouted out "calm down son, you wouldn't have a f---ing job of it wasn't for nobs like us".

And he could have very fairly pointed back that he has seen both the penalty of and consequences of speeding.

I've done 2 speed awareness courses, the first time they used the afternoon to take you out in the cars and I came away a much better driver. I was more aware of my surroundings, less hesitant and an all round better driver I think. They don't do that bit anymore.

The formal stuff, when watching a Powerpoint presentation is very patronising though. Its them basically telling you to get up earlier and stop being late.

starting_11 wrote:Never been caught. Hopefully never will.

Don't speed in 30's and don't look like a dick doing 100mph in the outside lane whilst everyone else is doing 70. Also, see dem big yeller boxes on the side of the road? Slow down for them!

Learning to drive properly saves much more time, like learning how to read a roundabout or otherwise deal with traffic.

And learning not to assume that the limit will not change for no apparent reason. If you're driving to the Liverpool to Isle of Man ferry, for example, you will drive along a dual carriageway with a 40 mph limit; except that at one of the traffic lights, busy junction, pedestrians about, there is also a sign for 30mph. Closely followed by a speed camera, closely followed by a 40mph sign again. That's the sort of thing they do.

What the police are basically saying in practice, not in theory, is watch out for speed limit signs and speed cameras. Don't bother watching for small children crossing the road, because they might distract you from seeing a speed limit sign.

I have just had a notice telling me I was doing 50 on the M6 near Birmingham (on my way back from the Turf on a Saturday evening). There was 1 of the overhead variable speed indicators set at 40mph in the middle of a procession of 50mphs. Needless to say the 40mph was on a camera fitted gantry. No traffic about either to even justify using the variable speed limits. Smart motorways my buttocks.

About 25 years ago I got fined (and points) for doing 90+ on the M66. Anyway, I couldn't be arsed to pay the fine and ended up having to surrender myself at Rawtenstall police station to be subsequently transported to Bury Magistrates.

Can you guess at what speed I was driven down the M66 by a civilian driver in a civilian car?

Yep!

bfcmik wrote:I have just had a notice telling me I was doing 50 on the M6 near Birmingham (on my way back from the Turf on a Saturday evening). There was 1 of the overhead variable speed indicators set at 40mph in the middle of a procession of 50mphs. Needless to say the 40mph was on a camera fitted gantry. No traffic about either to even justify using the variable speed limits. Smart motorways my buttocks.

I would suggest, if that was the case, that you have good grounds for an appeal. Request the data from the police - including the settings for the gantries and the cctv footage for the time and date. It will prove what you say.

bfcmik wrote:I have just had a notice telling me I was doing 50 on the M6 near Birmingham (on my way back from the Turf on a Saturday evening). There was 1 of the overhead variable speed indicators set at 40mph in the middle of a procession of 50mphs. Needless to say the 40mph was on a camera fitted gantry. No traffic about either to even justify using the variable speed limits. Smart motorways my buttocks.

A horrendous piece of motorway. It is little wonder the traffic is as bad as it's always been despite the investment in "smart" motorways.

cloughyclaret wrote:And he could have very fairly pointed back that he has seen both the penalty of and consequences of speeding.

Yes he could, but as far as witty retorts go though it would have been rather dull.

Saxoman wrote:

He is a burgler

We have a "30mph + camera" sign right outside the house.

No one takes a blind bit of notice including my wife, she's been done twice.

As for the Speed Awareness course, I've actually done 2. The first was about 3 months after passing my test around 12 years ago and the second one was about 4 years later - I knew that you could only take the course once every few years, so didn't expect to be allowed on it, but was surprised when I got the letter through allowing me to book it.

Isn't it just sitting in a class now? No actual driving involved? Not sure if they work or not, I guess I just got older and wiser and haven't had a speeding fine in around 8 years now.

I did a speed awareness course a month ago. Like another poster said, if you go into it with the right attitude you might actually learn a thing or two. The most surprising element of my course is that in a group of 24 'offenders' not one person knew the definition of a dual carriageway and, when tested on the speed limits for different classes of vehicles on various roads, no one got 100%.

You also learn a few things about smart motorways, including the fact that all the cameras are digital and are active all the time. The days of there being no film in the camera are now a thing of the past. Also, when a speed limit changes on a smart motorway, you have 60 seconds to adjust your speed. Hence, it should be the camera on the second gantry that snaps you, not the first. If you believe it was the first camera that snapped you then you have grounds to appeal.

With regard to the fellow who got done for doing 50mph on the M6 when the limit was 40, I sympathise as that was my offence on the M25 last November, albeit at five past midnight with little traffic on the road.

PaintYorkClaretnBlue wrote:Agreed, the problem is that motorists are an easy target. When you compare the punishment that motorists get compared with shoplifters and the like it's just plain wrong. 9 times out of 10 shoplifters get conditional discharges!

erm PYCB: Since when can a shoplifter kill someone? Driving a 1-ton piece of metal around needs to be governed, even at 30mph,
it tends to kill people.

I got done by a speed camera van in somerset.

I knew it was there and drove past at bang on 30mph.....seriously.

There were a handful of motors coming the other way and I flashed them all at the time.

3 days later I got the letter stating that I was being done for doing 35 in a 30 zone.

I assumed I was being punished for flashing other motorists...and coppers I worked alongside at the time said this was almost certainly the case.