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Original poster

Thinking I'm getting my first speeding ticket

23 replies

sillymd · 03/10/2023 10:23

Hi Have been driving ten years and I have never ever gotten a speeding ticket had an accident or scratched a car. I'm a bit of a smug safe driver. The whole you need to be doing your best at all moments so that if you make a mistake you know you couldn't have done something more (like drive more slowly)

Was driving home today and there is 30 camera on the road, a motor bike and traffic flow as normal infront of me.

Everyone knows the camera is there and everyone doesn't really get a chance to drive faster then that in that spot

Anyway I realised as I was going over the lines I was above 30 but below 35, I touched the brakes, not sure if I was below quick enough. I was on the lines when I came down under probably about 34 mph

Will I get a ticket if I touched the brakes on the lines and got down to 30

Feeling stupid , the cars in front of me will have gotten tickets too because we were all keeping a pace

Forgot to have the digital display centrally of speed

Urgh

How much is the fine? Can I do a course?
Will it impact my insurance premiums?

OP posts:
IamnotSethRogan · 03/10/2023 10:26

You might get a ticket depends on the camera. You'll be given the option of doing a course for the first offence which is about £80 and you won't get points so you won't need to update your insurance. I'm pretty sure.

Original poster
sillymd · 03/10/2023 10:27

Oh ok, I will definitely do a course,
Probably have to hear a lot of very grim tales

I'm so careful all the time. I can't believe I was stupid enough to keep up with everyone else there. I normally drive through at 28.

Wondering if I can find out any sooner then by post, probably not.

Ashamed of myself and annoyed at wasting £80. My husband works really hard.

OP posts:
newmum1976 · 03/10/2023 10:43

I very much doubt you’ll get a ticket. People speed all the time and rarely get caught.

I got caught last month doing 26 in 20 zone. (I genuinely didn’t realise the speed limit). My first time ever in 25 years of driving. The course was actually very useful.

PosterBoy · 03/10/2023 10:46

Highly doubt you were even speeding

Was this based on your speedo? Have you ever noticed using your sat nav speedo if it's accurate? They are usually a few miles lower eg when it says 30 you are actually going at 28.

Wait and see. I certainly wouldn't waste a minute of life worrying about it

wasaloner · 03/10/2023 10:49

Did you see a flash?
(I think all cameras still flash, apart from average speed cameras? I might be wrong)
Doesn't sound like you were going fast enough tbh.

Original poster
sillymd · 03/10/2023 14:57

Didn't see a flash at all, but it's a stationary camera

My car is new but I was just looking down at the dial instead of digital numbers

Fingers crossed I can continue to be a smug safe driver 😬🫣 I love bragging about how careful I am and how nervous I was and how much I overcame. A dirty record would be the end of that!!

Never mind lesson learned, don't always follow the traffic! I've earned this ticket after ten years I guess

OP posts:
LyingWitchInTheWardrobe · 03/10/2023 15:02

You might be lucky, hope so. It's so easy to edge over and there is a margin of acceptance but there are variables across the regions.

In Wales our speed limits in the 30 zones is now 20. I've seen some very funny memes with awareness courses for errant drivers being set up in the football stadium.

Try to think that it's not £80 wasted, it's for their Christmas parties... don't begrudge them. Grin

Fingers crossed for you.

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe · 03/10/2023 15:03

... but please stop bragging! If you get away with this then it's down to sheer luck.

Shade17 · 03/10/2023 15:06

I’d be very surprised if you hear anything and even if you do you’ll be well within the zone for a course. There’s also a lot more to being a safe driver than never exceeding the speed limit and never having damaged a car! There’s plenty of appalling driving happening out there below the speed limit 🤣

DelilahBucket · 03/10/2023 15:07

You were probably doing more like 32mph. Depending on the area, there may be a tolerance of 10% +2, so you could be doing 35mph before you're in ticket territory. Not all areas allow this though. Then it depends on camera type. Most of the old box cameras require film and to be emptied. They are so expensive to maintain, they aren't maintained. I guess you'll find out in a couple of weeks.

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe · 03/10/2023 15:11

Yes, you'll need to receive your NIP (notice of intended prosecution) within 14 days.

VeridicalVagabond · 03/10/2023 15:11

You were probably doing more like 31-32, speedos are always a bit off. I imagine you'll be fine.

Even if you do get a ticket, you'll be able to do a speed awareness course to avoid a fine (and points I think for a first offence but I may be wrong there, I'm casting my mind back to my one and only speeding ticket 8 years ago!)

Deathbyfluffy · 03/10/2023 15:11

You'll probably be fine - usually speedos over-read by a few MPH.
Might be a good time to cut out the bragging though - there's nothing more annoying than someone banging on about how God sent them down from Heaven to educate the plebs on safe driving 😆

OldTinHat · 03/10/2023 15:17

Don't panic! I'm 52, passed my test at 17 and got my first speeding ticket in June this year -34 in a 30.

I accepted the notice that came in the post, asked for a speed awareness course (tick boxes on the notice), paid the fine, did the online course. No further action.

But, I do drive more carefully now!

olderbutwiser · 03/10/2023 15:23

I found the course pretty OK (first time about 12 years ago face to face, second time last year online). They are quite strict about attendance but the view they take is that if you wanted to speed you'd have been doing 40+; a smidge over just means you need a bit of a reminder/refresh of what's what and how to drive at 30 in a modern car.

PinkRoses1245 · 03/10/2023 15:31

I highly doubt anything will happen. What shows as the car speed is more than you were actually doing. I do what you did most days and never had a ticket

amylou8 · 03/10/2023 15:37

If you were going by your cars speedometer, rather than a GPS speed or something plugged into your OBD port, you likely weren't even speeding. They always read a few mph under.
Most forces use the 10%+2 rule. So in a 30 you're fine up to 35.
If you were slowing down from 34 using the cars speedo, and keeping pace with the traffic you're very likely fine.

FUPAgirl · 03/10/2023 15:41

I also think you will 'probably' be ok (obviously no guarantees!). Your speedo should read over by 2-3 so you probably weren't even speeding. Its rotten when this happens, fingers crossed for you.

Saracen · 03/10/2023 15:57

I went on a speed awareness course and it was actually quite good! It wasn't all gore and terror. There were useful tips on how to prevent yourself from speeding, and other safety information.

I'm not saying I would have chosen to go on one, and pay for it, but it was by no means a waste of time. Could be an opportunity to become an even better driver!

billyt · 03/10/2023 16:52

The cameras record you crossing the lines and time how long it takes. if it is a Truvelo-type it won't flash. Also, speedos have to over-read even if only by a small amount.

And, it depends where you are, as a lot of cameras are inoperative now as the Police don't have the funds to keep them going. Around here they tend to use mobile units. Everyone is aware they are not working.

@sillymd if you can say where the camera is someone may put your mind at ease.

Steev · 03/10/2023 17:43

amylou8 · 03/10/2023 15:37

If you were going by your cars speedometer, rather than a GPS speed or something plugged into your OBD port, you likely weren't even speeding. They always read a few mph under.
Most forces use the 10%+2 rule. So in a 30 you're fine up to 35.
If you were slowing down from 34 using the cars speedo, and keeping pace with the traffic you're very likely fine.

That's old info most don't do that rule anymore

Original poster
sillymd · 04/10/2023 21:05

@billyt

Ok yes it was on the canterbury rd (a28) travelling towards Birchington from Margate if anyone can shed any light I would be really grateful
It's been playing on my mind a lot the last day I feel bad about it and annoyed I wasn't paying close attention. I know it's a pathetic excuse but it's because I was driving using my husbands interface on the car (he uses it on weekend only basically) and I have it set up to have big numbers in the top screen of the car I don't know what that part is called and he has it set to do the fuel consumption. I don't always look down at it but it's easier to have a little look see at. I also have the car vibrate if I go over the limit but he doesn't. I do a lot of driving in the area every day and I wasn't paying close enough attention. It was a lesson to me not to be so over sure of myself.
Also wondering if the bike infront of me didn't have legit plates on, or that I have just over estimated my speed

Thank you everyone for the reassurance and the reassurance on the gore. I am always thinking about the damage a car can do to a pedestrian and it worries me

OP posts:
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