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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Been caught speeding

315 replies

speedy49 · 31/01/2023 01:00

Help sorry I know this isn't AIBU but traffic

Tonight literally 15 mins ago so 00:40 ish I was driving home about a 10 minute journey on a road with a 60mph limit.
I was doing about 80. Yes I know I was in the wrong please dont bash me.
Then I got to my turning, turned in, and realise there was a police car behind me pretty much the whole time.
Now I'm freaking out because I know I was speeding and I know they were behind me. But they could have pulled me over and didn't, didn't even flash me?
I don't have any points, never paid any fine, never taken a speed awareness course.
Has anyone ever had a similar experience, if so did it end in a ticket or not?
Very worried, please be kind I know I was in the wrong

OP posts:
beachcitygirl · 31/01/2023 08:36

I fervently hope you get a fine & points on your license - you're a Danger to yourself and others & your attitude stinks.

Butchyrestingface · 31/01/2023 08:38

Why should anyone be kind to a dangerous driver who may end up killing someone?

I hope points galore are coming your way.

Kanaloa · 31/01/2023 08:39

But anyway op still hasn’t answered what she is so worried about. She was driving well over the speed limit and was either happy to do so, knowing it was illegal, or struggled to comprehend and stay to the correct speed. So if it’s the first she was aware this was a possibility when she chose to do it, and if it’s the second then the speed awareness course will likely help her to manage her speed better. Either way nothing to worry about. No point worrying when you’re caught if you didn’t worry when you sped up to 80 mph happily.

3kidswouldfinishanyoneoff · 31/01/2023 08:40

@PattyBladell I'm not picking anything apart. Just saying that you would need to know the starting point of the other driver.

Icedlatteplease · 31/01/2023 08:41

Squamata · 31/01/2023 08:23

I've gone maybe 65 in a 60, not 80! That's not error, that's deliberate.

I think you need to sit and think about what impact it would have had on your life to hit someone at that speed.

Waiting by the side of the road calling nmbulance for someone who may or may not be dying, who's groaning and covered in blood. Being in the papers. A year or two waiting for trial. Flashbacks and PTSD. Time off work. Being sacked. Stress. Relationships under strain or breaking up. A driving ban, fine or community service or even prison. Being scared to drive again. Not being able to get car insurance unless you pay £££. Everyone you know treating you differently, even people in shops, neighbours etc.

Your post is asking 'will I get away with it' and the answer is: you already have, really. You didn't have an accident despite doing something very unsafe. Maybe you'll get a fine and points, I hope you do.

I'm sorry for what you have been through. But I have to take issue with something you said.

I had a car accident with personal injury and car write offs. My car insurance was minimally affected because it wasn't my fault....

It's the proximate cause of the accident that determines whose at fault. I don't know a single accident where speed itself was the actual cause.

The usual cause is that I'm human and made a mistake.

Newlifestartingatlast · 31/01/2023 08:43

speedy49 · 31/01/2023 01:24

Of course I knew there was a car behind me, but when it's dark you can't tell what colour it is because of the headlights facing you. It was only when we got to nearish home with lots of streetlights I saw it was yellow and blue.

And I do not believe that any of you have never ever broken the speed limit

Show quote history

Yep, I broke speed limit and got a speed awareness course . Doing 34 in 30 mile limit . I thought it was 40 limit as wide road. Wasn’t a road I knew

doing 80 mph is against the law on any road, and is way above the 60 mph limit and you sort of imply that you know this road.

If you don’t get ticket, then learn from this. You are nota better driver than anyone else that can make you immune from errors. If you collided at that speed you would have serious injuries or die - never mind anyone else. If you are posting here you have children I assume- do you drive at that speed with them in car? Would you be happy with your dc as a new young driver driving at that speed or breaking speed limits generally so excessively ? If not stop teaching them it’s ok.

RedHelenB · 31/01/2023 08:43

FanGurrl · 31/01/2023 02:01

I'm sorry but I truly can't believe all the holier than thou attitudes on here. The majority of drivers don't stick to the speed limit all the time. You only have to travel on any motorway to see that. Driving slowly does not necessarily make you a better or safer driver!
OP I hope you don't get a fine this time. This experience has probably made you more vigilant of your speed anyway!

20 moh above the speed limit, it's not being holier than thou to admonish the OP, even if she doesn't get a ticket hopefully this will stop her driving so recklessly again.

Useit · 31/01/2023 08:43

You probably weren't doing 80 as speedos usually read over, you were probably doing about 75 so will probably get a speed awareness course if anything, police generally pull you over if they are in a normal police car.

BenCoopersSupportWren · 31/01/2023 08:45

OP was speeding. Not doing 24 in a 20mph but 80 in a 60 - in the dark. God help anyone who got in her way - they wouldn't have had a chance.

To be scrupulously fair they wouldn’t have stood much of a chance at 60 either.

Sweetpeasaremadeforbees · 31/01/2023 08:46

And I do not believe that any of you have never ever broken the speed limit

Oh I'm sure I will have done just over 30 in a 30 zone or 75 on a motorway but 80 in a 60 zone, definitely not. If it was on a single carriageway you're an idiot.

What is it with all these 'please be kind' posts these days. This is AIBU, if you've acted like an arse, people will call you out on it.

NerdyBird1 · 31/01/2023 08:46

TheObstinateHeadstrongGirl · 31/01/2023 01:03

And I was going 90 in a 60 that night I was followed 😬

This is really something else. Even 90 on a motorway is too much. Really bad

Jimboscott0115 · 31/01/2023 08:49

honeyytoast · 31/01/2023 02:36

When you say most people have sped at some point I’d be inclined to agree, but I’m talking a few mph over in exceptional circumstances... not a good 20 over, that’s crazy

I think it's this really, we've all crept over or done it accidentally before (missed a sign and then noticed the repeater for example) but this looks pretty wilful on behalf of the OP.

In terms of the initial post, I'd be anticipating a fine OO, there's a good chance they've noted your details and called it in. Not much you can do and I think you'll be over the threshold for a course so will have to take the points.

Useit · 31/01/2023 08:50

I broke the speed limit past a speed van, about 43 or 44 in a 40, I just drifted over without realising and didn't get anything, I was probably only going about 41 or 42 though as speedos are rarely correct

BenCoopersSupportWren · 31/01/2023 08:53

Posted too soon.

The tolerance for speed awareness courses - among those forces who offer them, not all do - is usually about 10% or thereabouts over the posted speed limit. So in this case the OP would be unlikely to be offered one.

I’m not going to pretend I never speed; on motorways with good visibility and only light traffic I will put my foot down occasionally. But I accept that’s my choice and if I ever get fined/points, so be it. I stick to 30/40/whatever the limit may be in built up areas where there’s more chance of pedestrians, junctions, cars turning etc.

thailandorbust · 31/01/2023 08:55

I think that the police would have stopped you if they were going to fine you for speeding. Unless there was a speed camera that would have clocked you.

Don't worry but do slow down!

clairelouwho · 31/01/2023 08:56

It is easy to speed. However, there’s a difference between being one or two miles over and twenty miles over the limit.

be grateful you didn’t cause an accident and hurt or kill someone. If you get a fine and points you earned it and deserve it.

maybe have more consideration and thought for other road users and less on “oh my god will I get punished for doing this dangerous thing that I already knew was dangerous and wrong and illegal but did it anyway because hey ho my time is more valuable than someone else’s life!”

you don’t care about the potential dangers you put upon other people. You only care about not getting caught.

Icedlatteplease · 31/01/2023 08:56

PattyBladell · 31/01/2023 08:35

@3kidswouldfinishanyoneoff of course he wouldn't have hit me because he wouldn't have been going through the junction at the same time as me, he would have been a few seconds later meaning I would have made it through safely. And yes, He had a dashcam which showed his speed. Anything else you would like to pick apart?

I hate to pull apart what you went though but I'm guessing the actual cause of the accident wasn't the speed. It was the fact someone made a mistake at the junction.

NerdyBird1 · 31/01/2023 08:57

BenCoopersSupportWren · 31/01/2023 08:45

OP was speeding. Not doing 24 in a 20mph but 80 in a 60 - in the dark. God help anyone who got in her way - they wouldn't have had a chance.

To be scrupulously fair they wouldn’t have stood much of a chance at 60 either.

It could've been the rear end of a car rather than a pedestrian. It would make a difference.

PattyBladell · 31/01/2023 08:58

@Icedlatteplease I never said his speed was the only cause. But if he hadn't been doing that speed then he wouldn't have been there at that exact moment in time.

TinyTornado · 31/01/2023 09:00

Oh dear OP - you were always going to get your head bitten off here for this one. Maybe a post on piston heads would give you better results:)
But for what it’s worth, I think you’ll be ok, they have to follow you for a certain distance, because they are moving too, so it’s difficult to get an accurate read. They would also have to have a calibrated speedometer to prove this.
I’m pretty sure that if they were going to give you a ticket, they would have done.

Useit · 31/01/2023 09:00

Limit for speed awareness at 60 is 75, OP may have been only doing that though as speedos can measure a lot over at higher speeds, DH's does in his car about 5mph

WrendaleCountryDogs · 31/01/2023 09:01

Hopefully you have been caught and will get a hefty fine 😡

TheObstinateHeadstrongGirl · 31/01/2023 09:03

otherwayup · 31/01/2023 06:56

How hideous.
And the fact you use a ridiculous emoji says it all.

Show quote history

Oh do bore off - should I got and self flaggelate and cry about it? It was 20 years ago, no one was hurt, get over it (I have)

TheObstinateHeadstrongGirl · 31/01/2023 09:04

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NerdyBird1 · 31/01/2023 09:05

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Pathetic childish attitude. Accept criticism if it was '20 years ago' and stop being so stroppy and defensive.

90 in a 60 is selfish. Not killing someone's is the bare minimum you can do. Round of applause for you