53mph in a 30 zone.....

[vestax32]

So, got caught doing 53 in a 30 yesterday by a copper with a gun. As it is over 49mph this most probably means no offer of driver awareness course of fixed penalty. Although, the circumstances should go some way to explaining my way to a lenient sentence, as I was on my way to the hospital as my wife (who is a police officer) was a few hours into what has already been a rather troublesome and problematic birth. Also, the road where it happened is usually a dual carriageway that has a 60 limit, and is only 30 due to coning off for recent road works. There are no pedestrian crossings, no pavements & no reason why any pedestrians should be anywhere near the road at all, road was also basically deserted.

I explained all of that to the copper (who works in the same station as my wife, so he could easily have corroborated my situation), who decided to just issue the ticket anyway. If I had been him, I would have used discretion and just issued the fixed penalty. No wonder most people think the Police are a bunch of d*ck heads.

Given my situation, what do you think I can expect?

[edge]

Wife and Child all ok?

[doodlebug]

Wife and Child all ok?

This. Don't worry about plod, can't do anything about it now.

[RS04YOB]

http://governmentauctionsuk.com/auction ... e=motoring

[RossDagley]

Hope you guys are all ok.

The magistrates are required to start with a band B fine and either 6 points or a period of disqualification for that amount of speed unfortunately. There is a reduction (fine only) for a "plead guilty at first opportunity" and there being a genuine emergency however.

I would expect 6 points and a fine - probably 75% of your weekly income as a fine (maximum £500). The fine starting point for that speed should be 100% your weekly income but can swing 75%-125% depending on circumstances. But really, I'm guessing from the guidelines - you'll need to see how lucky you are on the day.

You will get the 6 points - they can't reduce that below the statutory minimum.

[drbru]

The copper in reality should have offered you a police escort in my opinion in order for you to get there safely and as quickly as possible...

I would not worry about this at all....

I had a similar situation///

Wife went into premature labour (3 months early) and we rushed across central London...Whilst we did not get any speeding tickets we got numerous things thorugh the post that related to driving through red lights numerous times and driving in bus lanes pretty much all the way to the hospital to avoid traffic...

We fought it and managed to get off all of the tickets....Just present your case based on the facts to hand...In my case, I new if I had called an ambulance they would have taken us to a different hospitals but due to some previous complications I knew exactly where I needed to be at a different hospital and in my mind the quickest thing was for me to drive....

[mongo]

First of all check that they have passed the speed limit change with the council. Just because signs are up doesn't mean that is the speed limit, they need to ensure it's registered appropriately through the authorities even more so with the road works!

[R1RS4]

If you have a clean licence I would plead not guilty and go to court and explain your mitigating circumstances, back it up with as much evidence you can, you will get off with it

If you have speeding points your stuffed

Cheer up your driving the best model car ever made, a true cult car, if it was a loon he probably would never had seen you!

[jaysrs4]

I recently got 3 points and £100 fine for doing 54 in a 40 - if you go to court and plead mitigating circumstances and don't get off, it could be far harsher. I'd say you'll get 6 points at that speed I'm afraid.

[PetrolDave]

So, got caught doing 53 in a 30 yesterday by a copper with a gun. As it is over 49mph this most probably means no offer of driver awareness course of fixed penalty.

Given my situation, what do you think I can expect?

In 2003 Thames Valley Police caught me doing 77 in a 50, they offered me an advanced Driver Awareness Course at TRL in Crowthorne for £80 PLUS 3 points and a £60 fine as an option to a visit to "chat" with a Magistrate.

So you might be offered the same or similar option.

BTW the course was a complete farce - the usual videos and waffle followed by "instruction" in a Suzuki Wagon R. The idiot instructor told us that we should drive in 3rd gear in a 30 limit at which point we all told him he was a complete tw*t as if we did that and sneezed we would be doing 60+ before our eyes opened again in the sort of cars we all drove (the car park was full of some interesting metal).

[TonyHayers]

I got gunned doing 47 in a 30 recently (bit of a farce as it's a dual carriageway with a huge central reservation, in a non-residential area, but anyway..).

They showed me the 47 mph reading on the gun, and I tried to be as pleasant as possible. You might as well, since you have nothing to lose.

When I got the letter through, they had put it down as 40mph

[jaysrs4]

That's probably because they felt sorry for you having cutting paste splatter all over your car!

Where was this by the way?

[vestax32]

The magic number is 49mph, anything over is more than 40% over the speed limit so you most likely will have to go to court. Haven't had the letter yet, so will have to wait and see......

[vestax32]

Baby girl born at 11.02pm on the 25th, and wife and daughter both doing well!

[The_Coat]

Baby girl born at 11.02pm on the 25th, and wife and daughter both doing well!

Congratulations to you and the wife