Speeding on Motorway

[Somersetmum100]

Anyone able to help. Think I might have been caught speeding. On the motorway this morning, think I got clocked by a police van on the bridge above. I was definitely not doing 80 but was constantly fluctuating 77/78/79. There is often 3mph between my Speedo and Google maps on my phone. No other speeding fines ever but really worried what might happen. Struggle with anxiety and worry about absolutely everything but I can't think straight and can't eat - please help, how much trouble am I likely to be in

The 10% plus 2mph thing isn’t a hard and fast rule. However it is a guideline followed by many police forces.

They have to say that tho, don’t they? Otherwise everyone will be using the unofficial speed limit. However, I’ve driven past two speed vans with a speedo of 78 and been fine. When driving on smart motorways, I set my speedo to 53, 63 and 74 for 50/60/70 and have never had a ticket. There is a leeway.

My son sped up on the motorway to overtake something by 2mph. He got caught.

Zilch will happen. You’ll either get points and a fine or offered a speed awareness course. You don’t even speak to anyone.

You may not even get done.

I got done on the same road twice in a week. Got a speed awareness course and a fine and points for the other. Bit of a bastard, but there you go.

Erm doesn't seem over the top you admit to breaking speed limit and it ain't a one off so I hope they did get you maybe you will learn a lesson. That's coming from someone who's cousin now lives with brain injuries by a speeder who's reaction in court was I was only doing 5 miles an hour extra when I hit her!

Probably nothing at all. If action is taken you’re likely to be offered a course and worst case scenario it’s 3 points/£100 fine. I really wouldn’t give it a second thought, at worst it’s a very minor offence.

That’s not how it works. You can have 9 points and still be offered a course if you haven’t done it in the last 3 years and meet the eligibility criteria for speed.

Lots of scare mongering on here. In reality, 79mph on the speedo is a true speed of 75mph ish. 75mph in a 70 limit is probably within the tolerance where they’ll let you off.

Did he, aye!

There is a leeway in your speedo They always over read. So when your speedo says 74 you are really doing more like 70.

I believe it’s because car manufacturers don’t want legal action from drivers who have been caught speeding as a result of an incorrect speedo. So they allow a margin for error.

That’s why if you look at your speed on a sat nav app , it will always show a few mph higher than the car speedo shows. The sat nav is the correct speed.

Yes, this is well known but the police also have a leeway. They do not ticket you on the nose either. Some police forces used to even put this data on their NIP.

They also don’t allow a margin for error. It’s highly calibrated to be x amount out. The figure is dependant by manufacturer. This has also been published in fleet news. For example, when the Speedo of a BMW states 30, it will always be doing 28. The only reason this would change is if you changed the size of the wheels.

I was recently caught on camera doing 68 in a 60 (variable speed limit area) on a motorway. I did a Motorway Awareness Course. It cost £100 (same as the fine would have been if I’d opted to take the points instead). The course was online and only three hours- and it was interesting and has made me drive more carefully.

@IsFearrCuplaFocalNaCuplaFuckAll yep. Caught by a mobile van on a bridge.

Most likely is a speed awareness course, DH done one for doing 70 in 60, his letter took about a week to come.

Why do you speed when you’re so anxious about the consequences? You’ll just have to accept the outcome and never do it again.

This only happened if the speed limit was reduced and he didn’t realise (letter would say) or he was speeding for the vehicle he was driving on that road. I don’t think even wales is this tough.

I got caught doing 78. Did speed awareness course. Was a couple of hours long and that was it, done.

Incorrect. I got caught for doing 78 in March this year (on the m1). Did the speed awareness course.

To add to this. The guy that did my speed awareness course told me that they can prosecute at any speed. And that if its a speed hot spot they are likely to have a lower tolerance and lower the threshold

Well it did happen. He wasn’t much over the speed limit at all but still had to do a speed awareness course.

78 is the speed that the speed camera registered, but your speedo would have been showing more like 84.

If the OPs speedo was showing under 80, she will more than likely be ok.

Which is exactly what I mean by a margin for error.. In your example the BMW is calibrated to read 30mph at 28mph, thereby allowing a 2mph margin for error against the calibration of the speed camera.

Agree. I was 46 on a temporary 40 stretch of the A66 twelve months ago. I also found - to my great surprise - that the Speed Awareness Course was useful and has made a difference to my driving. Don't worry OP, nothing big is going to happen and no-one was hurt.

So @Somersetmum100owt or nowt?