Speed ticket

[MyLoyalAmberHelper]

Absolutely fuming to have a speeding ticket. 3mph over the 30. It was 7 in the morning half term so very quiet on the road. Speed trap with speed gun. I never go that way normally but was giving someone a lift to work as a favour.

Its my first spending ticket in 40 years of driving, also never had an accident, i feel I am a good driver . Im fuming because over the past few weeks i have witnessed some awful driving, that's really dangerous with no consequences. Am i being unreasonable to be so annoyed.

I think being annoyed is a very normal reaction to a speeding ticket.

Yes it's annoying when you see other people driving badly but they're probably going to get a ticket too one day. Just do the course- it's actually quite interesting and useful.

Yeah, I'd be exasperated too but its a Fair Cop

Do you get an option of a speed awareness course rather than points on your licence and a fine? If so take it.

I thought they usually allow 10% plus 2mph over, which would be 35 mph, to allow for calibration and other variables like line of sight and weather conditions, you could try to dispute how fast you were going if you are going to get a fine and points.

Not at all unreasonable, but it's done now.

Try to get on a speed awareness course if they're offered in your area. Usually slightly cheaper and avoids the points. Can often be done online these days.

The Realities of Enforcement
The "10% + 2" rule: Most UK police forces follow National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) guidelines. This suggests enforcement shouldn't typically begin until you exceed the limit by 10% plus 2 mph. For a 30 mph zone, this equates to 35 mph. 1, 2, 3]
Discretionary action: While cameras are often set to the 10% + 2 threshold, traffic police officers can technically penalize you for driving at any speed over the limit. 1, 2, 3, 4]
Speedometer buffer: Vehicle speedometers are legally required to over-report your actual speed. If your dashboard displays 33 mph, you are likely only traveling at 30 or 31 mph in reality. 1, 2]

That does seem tight if you were really only doing 33mph. I am normally rigid about these things.

I got my first speeding ticket in around 35 years a few months ago. I was going from a 40 to a 30 zone and slowed down but not by enough as I passed the camera doing 33, even the person on the phone I spoke to at the Police (had to phone up due to some issues with who was driving etc) said she was surprised. I was very cross
I opted for the course and I spent the whole time livid as it was all so bloody patronising and obviously aimed at people who REALLY speed
However, I WAS speeding and so I just had to suck it up and be more careful in future

Whats really annoying is that the road goes from 30 to 40 a few metres from where they took the reading

Yep some exceptionally bad driving on the road, far worse than 3mph over the limit.

Some absolute tool (OAP) just pulled out in front of me and I nearly went into the side of her. Gave her a proper honk of my horn and she was totally oblivious. Those people should get tickets!

As the first poster said, its completely reasonable to be annoyed about it, but you just have to suck it up and minimise the disruption by doing the course online so you can do it from home/not have to take a full day off work.

FYI often you have the choice of choosing from several different police forces, not just the one you live/were caught in and there's a surprising difference between how much they charge. So its worth having a check before booking the first one available.

You are not unreasonable to be very annoyed. I was fuming as I recently got done by the London ULEZ to and from Heathrow airport. I had no idea Heathrow was included (it only was incorporated in 2023) and it is not somewhere I have driven before. £180 in total (even when paid straight away) no speeding or dangerous behaviour, just a genuine mistake. Felt scammed as a law abiding citizen.

Yeah I had a ticket for similar. On a country road at 11pm . Did a speed awareness course

My DH was caught at 33mph in a 30, and my friend at 54 in a 50mph. Annoying, of course, but they were all still speeding. Of course we all, or most of us, do sometimes speed. I know I sometimes do.

Just do the speed awareness course, 3 hours of your time, then nothing more said

The speed awareness course is actually really good!

Just do the course, you might even learn something.

Definitely don't go to court about it- you would probably be convicted and then it could well be 6 points. Much better just to do the course.

Why is that annoying? You're not meant to start to speed up until you get to the sign.

Look, I'm not going to be all holier than thou and claim I never ever speed, but you broke the law and got caught for it, there's no point getting annoyed by it. If you don't want to get caught, then don't speed.

You got a speeding ticket for speeding. Hold the front page.

Don’t speed and enjoy paying your fine 😂

It happens to everyone, they need to raise revenue so will set up as many traps as they can.

I would be angry too. So many drivers using their mobile phone or smoking weed and they do somebody for a few mph over.

It's a complete piss take!

I did a speed awareness course a few years ago and the instructor told us the 10% thing is a myth.

My husband and I have both had minor speed tickets (similar to yours op - one was speeding in a goods vehicle, husband genuinely didn't know that a transit with no passenger seats is limited to 60mph on a dual carriageway and one was 55 on a 50 on a motorway where the limit literally just changed above us as we were slowing down).
Both times we were not even offered a spped awareness course just 3 points and a fine.

I agree. For the price it's a damn good advanced driving course.