Lovely Start To The New Year

[islasmum]

On Jan 2nd I had a lovely surprise in the post - a speeding fine for doing 36mph in a 30mph limit. So after 30 odd years of driving with a clean licence I get 3 points and a £60 fine, I presume. Will this affect my insurance?

[Bazile]

Whenever i'm going speed lines , I always do about 10 miles less than my speedo tells me i'm going .
So if the speed limit is 40 , i do 30

[Baldric]

http://speedcameraradardetectors.co.uk/

[anagram]

I was stopped doing 42 in a 30 limit a few years ago...I actually thought I was still in a 40 area but ignorance is no defence I know that. I wasn't offered any awareness course. My insurance was not adversely affected.

[BRIGHT SPARK]

Ana...you wont be offered the SAC for 42 in a 30

[TWR]

Have any of you out there even thought about getting your Speedo checked?

[New Judge]

A few comments on the comments:

"That seems really petty given your clean track record, 1mph over the "10% and 2" "

The speed limit is 30mph and you can be prosecuted for any speed in excess of that . The "10%+2mph" allowance which Answerprancer mentioned is provided to avoid frivolous challenges to speeding charges by suggesting the equipment and/or method of measurement is inaccurate.

Which leads me on to:

“Ask them when the machine was last calibrated. “

If you are offered a fixed penalty (or a speed awareness course) you may get an answer to this question but, as you have seen, there is no provision within the paperwork for acceptance of a fixed penalty to do so. You may lose the right to a fixed penalty and instead have to make a court appearance where the penalties available to Magistrates are considerably higher. You will be wasting your time and jeopardising your chance to a reduced penalty.

As far as your insurance goes you should inform them whether you are offered a fixed penalty or a course. Most insurers ask, on their proposals, whether you have any convictions or have been offered a speed awareness course and expect them to tell you after cover commences if you attract either convictions or the offer of a course. One instance of speeding does not usually lead to an increased premium with most insurers, but if you fail to inform them and have an accident you may find yourselves without cover.

[BRIGHT SPARK]

Why is the speedo not checked during an MOT inspection....what do you recon TWR :-D

[nescio]

Car speedometers (almost) always show a greater than actual speed. I believe they absolutely must not display a lower than actual speed, by law. Therefore, if you were measured at say, 35mph, your speedometer would be showing an even higher reading, which means you really have no valid excuse.

[TWR]

The Equipment need to calibrate is immense Bright, it would also include extra of training in the calibration area, this extra cost would be added to the MOT, I don't think the motorist would be happy with the cost, Nescio, every electrical component can can pick up on a fault, you can see that by some Questions on here regards the ECU.

[Baldric]

just for info,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speedometer#United_Kingdom

[islasmum]

Your answers have all been interesting and helpful, thank you all very much.

[TWR]

A thought! If memory servs me, ( & more that likely I'll be corrected) when a HGV has a blow out, a replacement Tyre /wheel is replaced, this can knock out the Calibration of the Taco! Silsden, "Tipper Driver", are you there?

[denis567]

A few years ago my wife turned down the offer of a course (it was not for speeding). She elected to go to court and was very leniently treated, £60 fine and no points on her licence.

[flip_flop]

"...but you did break the law after all"

There is always one that crops up on speeding questions!

[Quizmonster]

I assume you are referring to my comment, Flip_flop, but I don't really see what point you are trying to make, unless you feel it is perfectly acceptable to exceed speed-limits by 20%. Should drivers, therefore, get away with doing 24 mph in 20-mph restricted areas and 84 mph on motorways?
Motorists keep saying, "Why don't the police concentrate on catching REAL criminals?" utterly oblivious to the clear fact that speeders ARE real criminals!