Average Speed camera

[Mummy289]

So I have had my licence 10 years never speed, tbh see it as dangerous and don’t want to risk other people’s lives. Never been pulled over nothing ever.
Yesterday driving along a motor way, go around a roundabout the motor way has no speed signs, stupidly go by the sat nav (it’s a motor way so just assumed 70mph).
See i have passed an average speed camera as I turn in which is fine as doing 70 or under, halfway down the road there is a bloody 40mph sign, so I have slowed down to 40mph (this is half way up the road). Anyway turns out the whole road is 40mph just no sign 🙄, I’m not going to fight it as I don’t want to make it worse, and it’s miles from where I live to get a picture would be a pain. I did check it as I left so I know there was no sign. The cameras are working at the temples speed limit of 40mph. So I was doing 70mph (prob just under half the way) then 40mph just under half way the rest. So assuming averagely doing 56mph-58mph.
Seems I’m looking at 4-6points or even disqualification 🤷🏼‍♀️. First offence is there any chance of a course? I’m gutted as I never speed and it was a new area and if there had been a sign I would have stuck to it. I’m assuming it fell over although even on google maps there is no signs 🤦🏼‍♀️. Which was 2 months ago although was road work signs. Too busy talking to the kids. I’m clearly not going to try and get out of it, just really worried about the consequence tbh.

Often people think this is a dual carriageway.

Anyone who thinks this and has a licence should surrender it immediately.

@CharlotteBog so I didn’t notice the barrier but looking on google there was a barrier but they have took it down for the road works. Of course stupidly I have gone by the Tom Tom (which clearly still thought it was a dual carriage way) but I didn’t put 2 and 2 together with the roads works. So yes it’s my fault but I’m left a little frustrated with the lack of speed limit come off the round about as I don’t speed and now will get a lot of points and be way over the limit. Even with the barriers down I wouldn’t of known it was 40mph, even from the sign from before the round about I just assumed there would be a speed sign after the roundabout

@CharlotteBog thank you, I actually feel I would rather a speed awarness course so I didn’t do this again. I’m just so anxious that I’m so far over it’s going to be lots of points or worse. Although I have never had any driving convictions.
my hubby did 4 years ago (his will be going and mine added on typical he was 40 doing 55 and got 3 points and no course although it was his first.

If the divider is only a strip of grass the speed limit isn't 70

Hopefully you won't get a ticket @Mummy289 - but you really do need to make sure you're paying proper attention when you're driving.

This jumped out at me from your OP:

Too busy talking to the kids

So 'driving without due care and attention' as well as speeding!

@BIWI well I always take care and I knew I hadn’t seen a speed sign. But yes I didn’t put 2 and 2 together than there was road works and I was doing 40mph previously. However I’m always making sure I’m safe in the road. Like I knew there wasn’t a sign to say speed and also noticed the road work signs. I just hadn’t sat there and thought about it. But i would have noticed a child trying to cross as they would have been right there for example.

Like I was also using the sat nav and had no idea what the roads were called, if I had know it was the same road but there had been a roundabout inbetween I would of thought about it a bit more. For me that went wrong and I clearly need to plan my route and go through it first and not stick it on the sat nav.

Average speed cameras don't flash.

First offence, I say it's highly likely you'll be offered a course. If so take it. Apart from the obvious reasons, I learnt a lot from mine. It was basically a short advanced driving course and well worth the time I spent on it.

I was also using the sat nav

Which is no excuse. Quite a few roads around here have lower speed limits than the sat nav (google maps) thinks.

Well to be fair, anyone could have entered the road with the restriction on from any of the roundabout exits so there should have been a new 40 sign as you enter that stretch of road from the rounabout. I drive on the A1(m) frequently (yes this road would blow the minds of many on here as it an A road with bits of motorway thrown in for good measure!) and it's terrible for poorly signed average speed check areas while there are non-existent roadworks going on. The cynic in me thinks they're there to deliberately catch people out and generate income. I hope you don't receive a ticket.

If the divider is only a strip of grass the speed limit isn't 70

Yes it’s is. This is a 70mph dual carriageway.

This stretch of road is confusing. I use Waze as a sat nav and came off of the A120, coming from Stansted direction, a couple of weeks ago. As I came off of the roundabout Waze said ‘exiting average speed check zone’ so I sped up to 50. Fortunately I caught up with a crawler and slowed down. The only sign I saw for 40mph was not long before the end of the road so, if you were on that side of the road, I can understand where you are coming from. This was just over 2 weeks ago and I’ve heard nothing so far. If I do then it’s lesson not to rely on technology. Whilst I sympathise I would say, very kindly, that 70 is a bit fast for that stretch of road but people do do it. It’s a busy road and I’m surprised that there were no other cars to slow you down.

If you were coming from the Colchester direction then that side of the road is very clearly marked from one roundabout to the other with several reminders in between.

I wish you well. It’s a horrible feeling but there is nothing you can do about it other than just wait and see. Please try not to fret - it might not happen, and if it does 70mph does not constitute a ban. You will be more likely to be offered a speed awareness course.

@mewkins I have to say if safety was most important to them there would be another sign after the round about (instead of before the whole road before was 40mph anyway), to make sure people were totally aware. Strange really as the other side has about 5 signs past the round about you really can’t miss it.

'Too busy talking to the kids'

Again, suggests that you weren't really taking care.

@Devpatelslaughingeyes thanks, I think I was a bit thick not knowing Braintree at all, the road before the roundabout I was doing 40mph but didn’t know it was the same road 🤦🏼‍♀️. But before the round about it has a sign but in my mind I was like surely that’s before as I could be coming of any 4 points of the roundabout. If that makes sense. So I only saw the one at the end of the road nearly.
i was there 8 am in the morning, literally was cars on the road coming up but once I went round the round about it was dead. 🤦🏼‍♀️

@SerendipityJane yes totally no excuse and if there had been a sign of a speed limit onto the road I certainly wouldn’t of used the day nav. It was actually my first time on a A road with no speed limits so I was stupid. Built up areas i always just do 30mph but it didn’t look like a 30mph road. Not at one point did I say it wasn’t my fault I’m just explaining how I made this mistake. However it was not deliberate, and I’m clearly going to pay, but hopefully not to harshly. 🤦🏼‍♀️.

I'd wait for the fine to arrive before fretting about it, chances are you probably won't see one.

Built up areas i always just do 30mph

That'd get you another ticket for your collection in Brums 20mph zones then ....

Can't believe the amount of discussion about something that hasn't happened yet. No point worrying and there's nothing you can do now. Just wait and see and try to put your energy into something else in the meantime.

Hi op, I had a similar situation recently. I was on a dual carriageway (50 limit) and missed a sign that had gone down to 30. I was clocked doing 49 in a 30. I was so cross with myself for being so stupid 😬. The reason it had gone to 30 was temporary traffic lights which were green so I didn’t slow down and there were hardly any cars on the road - obviously completely my fault for missing the 30 sign.

I got the letter and was horrified on researching this as I was over 50% of the speed I should have been going I was looking at possible prosecution and a ban.

I sent the form off straight away confirming I was the driver and my license details. A couple of days later I received another letter stating I had been fined £100 and had 3 points on my license. I was so relieved.

It may be the cameras weren’t switched on. If you get a letter, it might not be as bad, remember what you read on the DVLA or RAC websites are worst case scenarios- possibilities or what could happen.

Fingers crossed the camera wasn’t active, but try and be positive. I know how worrying this is. 🤞

ps ignore all the holier than thou posters, I sometimes think they live in a parallel universe.

Well most 20mph have signs 🤦🏼‍♀️

Most 30mph don’t..

As you say you could be coming from any direction, but each direction has a 40 sign on the ENTRY to the roundabout as I have said before. So no matter what direction you come from, there is a 40 sign on the roundabout entrance, some exits have different speeds off I.e. 30 down Cressing Road but unless you saw another sign saying otherwise (which you wouldn't have) you should have still been doing 40 as instructed when entering the roundabout.

Round here, once you are in a zone, there are few signs - and none on a few stretches of road. And returning to my sat nav point, Google maps will tell you they are 30. Good luck in court with that one.