Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

I just got pulled over for doing 32 in a 30

680 replies

dialdrunkforyou · 17/01/2026 13:02

I’m shaking as I write this. I just drove out to walk the dogs and on my way back a police car pulled me over. I was doing 32 in a 30 and he said I was “lucky” that he’s not choosing to prosecute me over this.

AIBU or is this total overkill? It’s a dry sunny day, the roads are relatively quiet and I wasn’t driving erratically.

OP posts:
YourLoyalPlumOP · 17/01/2026 15:36

dialdrunkforyou · 17/01/2026 13:08

oh give over. If I was doing 35 I’d understand but a couple of MPH on a clear road with a slight downhill isn’t speeding.

But it is?

That’s exactly what it is? You are speeding. Legally. Morally technically. All of it is speeding.

hufngids · 17/01/2026 15:35

dialdrunkforyou · 17/01/2026 14:30

I tend to pay attention to the road ahead of me, which is what you’re taught to do.

You are also taught to check your mirrors frequently, every 8-10 seconds, or did they forget to teach you that?

100jamjars · 17/01/2026 15:35

I once got points for doing 34 in a 30 zone. Had to go on a speeding course with folks who'd been doing 50 in a 30 etc.

My family were in hysterics when I told them. The idea of me speeding seemed to amuse them greatly.

jamandcustard · 17/01/2026 15:35

MartySupremeisascream · 17/01/2026 15:33

I went to court myself when I was caught doing 5.5 miles over the limit on a dual-carriageway that later becomes a motorway. It was pitch-black and I thought I was already on the motorway part which was very very close by.
The police who "caught" me were positioned in a car just before the point at which the speed limit goes up again.
I got off.

The two policemen were dicks shooting pigs in a barrel instead of doing something useful.

Edited

I'm not sure what that has to do with your point about people not being prosecuted for going 32 in a 30.

YourLoyalPlumOP · 17/01/2026 15:34

dialdrunkforyou · 17/01/2026 13:04

I’m aware. But it’s a human mistake to stray a couple of MPH over, surely? It’s not like I was doing 45!

Nah. I mean technically you were breaking the law.

rven if it’s only a little. There has to be a cut off point and it’s 30mph.

MartySupremeisascream · 17/01/2026 15:33

jamandcustard · 17/01/2026 15:24

You can keep repeating yourself all you like, it doesn't make it true.

You can be prosecuted for going 1mph over the limit (although admittedly that's incredibly unlikely). There are multiple posters on here who have been prosecuted for going at 32 in a 30 - and who have received points and fines because of it. It does happen.

I went to court myself when I was caught doing 5.5 miles over the limit on a dual-carriageway that later becomes a motorway. It was pitch-black and I thought I was already on the motorway part which was very very close by.
The police who "caught" me were positioned in a car just before the point at which the speed limit goes up again.
I got off.

The two policemen were dicks shooting pigs in a barrel instead of doing something useful.

UniquePinkSwan · 17/01/2026 15:33

Nincompoo · 17/01/2026 13:06

That’s not always true, my speedo always reads 2mph under, Dh’s is bang on.

This can’t be true as it’s illegal

Jenkibuble · 17/01/2026 15:32

Speeding is speeding regardless of the weather etc . 30 is a built up area (people, hazards etc) I was caught 33 in a 30 and got points once.
You are lucky they let you off with a warning
Just learn from it

FieldInWhichFucksAreGrownIsBarren · 17/01/2026 15:32

Only the fact it would have prompted him to actually give the fine would have stopped me from laughing in his face 🙄
Utterly pathetic that they have enough resources to pull you over for 2 mph over the speed limit but not to actually show up when a crime has been committed, ie burglary -here's a crime number because we can't be arsed to attend.

PerksOfNotBeingAWallflower · 17/01/2026 15:32

jamandcustard · 17/01/2026 15:28

So do you think a bunch of random strangers are lying to you?

Yes I do. I even offered to pay one person’s fine if they could show me something and nothing materialised.

SlightlyTerrifiedButPolite · 17/01/2026 15:31

OP I think you’ve picked up on something here.

The official policy (although application is discretionary) is that the police only charge you if you exceed the ‘10% + 2mph’ rule. So in your case, it was a 30mph zone so add 3mph (10%) and another 2mph and that means that it’s 35mph where enforcement action normally begins. Thats because speedometers aren’t always accurate, speed readings aren’t accurate always and for fairness in application.

I think you were left shaken because that officer was being very heavy handed in tone, even if he could in theory have prosecuted you (although it goes against the discretionary policy as mentioned).

He could argue he was doing it for deterrence - to ensure you don’t speed in future and therefore leaving you a bit shaken was the intention. But it personally doesn’t pass the vibe check for me… do we think he would have done this to a man? Or if he would, would he have spoken to him in this same patronising / naught schoolgirl way that was intended to leave you feeling ashamed/shaken? Call me crazy, but I get weirdo authoritarian and dominance vibes from this

jsecure · 17/01/2026 15:31

dialdrunkforyou · 17/01/2026 13:02

I’m shaking as I write this. I just drove out to walk the dogs and on my way back a police car pulled me over. I was doing 32 in a 30 and he said I was “lucky” that he’s not choosing to prosecute me over this.

AIBU or is this total overkill? It’s a dry sunny day, the roads are relatively quiet and I wasn’t driving erratically.

You can take it as a percentage violation. If you're really doing 32 in a 30, 10% of 30 is 3, so you're almost 10% over. That would mean clearly over the limit. If it's a 30 limit, they're clearly not going to be saying, turn a blind eye unless they're going 70mph. I drive in London and the limit is 20. So I drive anywhere between 18 and 20. But never over 20. I don't even need to worry about cops; they have that many speed cameras. But yeah, stick to the limit.

On a better note, the cop can't "prosecute" you for speeding that tiny amount. They can just process you as a speeder, which means you'd either get points on your license, or you'd have a chance to get no points, and go on that speed awareness course. But nobody is going to prison. And you won't ever see the inside of a police station.

FrodisCapering · 17/01/2026 15:31

This reply has been withdrawn

Post withdrawn at author's request

PhilOPastry62 · 17/01/2026 15:31

Haven't the police got anything better to do? I'm not a fan of speeding - speed limits are there for a reason. But 32 in a 30mph is barely noticeable and a waste of police time and money.

Delphiniumandlupins · 17/01/2026 15:31

You are supposed to be aware of what's happening behind you as well as the road in front and you never spotted the police car (on a quiet empty road)? You were given a warning so you'll be more careful in future and less likely to get points on your licence/fined/injured in an accident. Lots of drunks and drug dealers are cavalier about road safety so traffic police duties are not less important.

k2showerscene · 17/01/2026 15:29

I’ve been on a couple of speed awareness courses and when they tell you the stats of how even a few mile an hour can be the difference between killing and hurting a child, you’ll realise that you need to be really on top of your speed in residential areas. Ironic that I’ve been done twice for speeding, but it wasn’t at the lower end of the speed scale in my instance! Also they tend not to prosecute at 32 only at 33 from a 30 mile an hour zone, that said, they can prosecute at anything over 30 in a 30 zone. You were lucky.

beeautifullif3 · 17/01/2026 15:29

Shaking 🤦‍♀️🤣

Mischance · 17/01/2026 15:29

A speed limit is a speed limit. We cannot choose to say that - well - 30 really means 32. That's crazy.
If it says 30, it means 30.

wombat1a · 17/01/2026 15:29

Since many speedo's read over it would be reasonable for the copper to assume that OPs speedo was reading 35-36 which implies she didn't care about the 30 limit. So she got a little 'free' reminder that 30 means 30.

Some police cars have calibrated speedo's so if he paced her he might have gotten a reading from that.

ClairDeLaLune · 17/01/2026 15:28

dialdrunkforyou · 17/01/2026 13:05

Because it’s a slight downhill?

Does your car not have brakes?

If the speed limit was 32 that’s what the sign would say.

jamandcustard · 17/01/2026 15:28

PerksOfNotBeingAWallflower · 17/01/2026 15:24

I’d like to see official correspondence relating to these posters claiming that they were offered courses or prosecuted for 32 in a 30. I’ve asked many times and strangely no one has ever presented anything.

So do you think a bunch of random strangers are lying to you?

TheatreTheatre · 17/01/2026 15:26

dialdrunkforyou · 17/01/2026 14:30

I tend to pay attention to the road ahead of me, which is what you’re taught to do.

And to stick to the speed limit.
Is what you are taught to do.

Look, I don’t think it is the crime of the century, but you are either over the limit or you are not.

Stop the defensive whataboutery, Admit that you were over the speed limit, (which is the same when going downhill FFS) and shrug. You didn’t get a find, or a caution, or anything on your record.

So, so what?

LlynTegid · 17/01/2026 15:26

MartySupremeisascream · 17/01/2026 15:22

There will only be repercussions if you are going significantly faster than the speed limit not 2 mph above it.

These two officers were out of line and it makes me wonder what age they were and if OP is young and good looking...

Edited

I don't think they were out of line, but can well believe they are selective, and the make of car could be a factor.

TulipCat · 17/01/2026 15:26

Meh, what does it matter, since nothing came of it? The police once pulled me over because I had forgotten to put my lights on as it was turning dusk. They said I should put them on, I did. Thought no more about it, can't say it was "shaking" territory!

shoopdoop · 17/01/2026 15:25

Clearly it depends on the area you live/speed in and possibly the mood of the police officer that day! Last time I was caught speeding I was sent on a speed awareness course and practically everyone attending had been doing 35mph or so in a 30 zone. The LA allowed 10% tolerance on speedometers plus a little more at discretion so seemed to us anything 35mph and under in a 30mph zone would go unpunished! Not saying speeding is acceptable just it varies as to what police will act on and seems the OP was a bit unlucky.