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Legal matters

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Can I ask if I'm getting a speeding ticket?

28 replies

Elementarymydear21 · 13/06/2025 15:44

Completely my own fault today, I hadn't noticed I had entered an average speed check zone of 50 from 70. I was just keeping up with the flow of traffic and then realised the speed limit had changed. I was doing about 60 when I looked, but had already passed the last of the average speed camera. Currently feeling very annoyed and upset with myself. Im pretty certain I'm going to get a NIP.

My main anxiety is we are moving house on the 27th June. We have set up the royal mail redirection service and will obviously change our drivers licence, VC5 etc when we move, but I'm worried that if I get sent a NIP it might come to this address after we have moved. Our post is always very slow.

Can I contact the met police maybe next week to ask if there is an intention to send one to me and explain that I'm moving? Will they tell me? My husband seems to think I'll just be incriminating myself if I ask and I wasn't going to get one. But I am pretty certain I will.

OP posts:
Acc0untant · 13/06/2025 15:47

I don't see the problem... You've set up the royal mail redirection so even if it's addressed to your current address it will get forwarded to your new address?

Bromptotoo · 13/06/2025 15:50

Elementarymydear21 · 13/06/2025 15:44

Completely my own fault today, I hadn't noticed I had entered an average speed check zone of 50 from 70. I was just keeping up with the flow of traffic and then realised the speed limit had changed. I was doing about 60 when I looked, but had already passed the last of the average speed camera. Currently feeling very annoyed and upset with myself. Im pretty certain I'm going to get a NIP.

My main anxiety is we are moving house on the 27th June. We have set up the royal mail redirection service and will obviously change our drivers licence, VC5 etc when we move, but I'm worried that if I get sent a NIP it might come to this address after we have moved. Our post is always very slow.

Can I contact the met police maybe next week to ask if there is an intention to send one to me and explain that I'm moving? Will they tell me? My husband seems to think I'll just be incriminating myself if I ask and I wasn't going to get one. But I am pretty certain I will.

How far did you drive at 70 after the limit dropped to 50?

ClearHoldBuild · 13/06/2025 16:01

Usually the average speed cameras in the uk are switched on in a section at a time so it depends if you went through the chosen section. Also did you change lanes between sections as this can go in your favour. If you have a redirection on your mail then you will get anything sent to your previous address so I wouldn’t worry about that. Worst case scenario and you somehow don’t get anything and you are prosecuted in your absence for failing to name a driver you can go to court and swear a statutory declaration, the case will be re listed and as you can prove you moved and didn’t receive anything (if the evidence shows everything being posted to your old address) you will probably have it withdrawn or dismissed. This is why people should return to sender mail they get that isn’t addressed to anyone in the household. It lets the company or whoever know that they don’t live there.

ClearHoldBuild · 13/06/2025 16:05

Also, I’m not one for a loophole but if the NIP arrives after 14 days I’d seek legal advice.

FirstNationsEnglish · 13/06/2025 16:06

Within 14 days of your car being caught speeding you’ll be sent a:

  • Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP)
  • Section 172 notice
You must return the Section 172 notice within 28 days, telling the police who was driving the car.

Within 14 days from today. Therefore you should get any documentation before you move on the 27th, if you were caught.

FirstNationsEnglish · 13/06/2025 16:09

It's not when it's delivered (because delivery can be delayed for such things as, for example, being redirected due to moving home), but when it is posted.

Elementarymydear21 · 13/06/2025 16:40

Acc0untant · 13/06/2025 15:47

I don't see the problem... You've set up the royal mail redirection so even if it's addressed to your current address it will get forwarded to your new address?

The redirection is due to start on the 27th. I know I am massively over-thinking it but our post always arrives in the afternoon, so I am worried it will exactly on the 27th and after we have already exchanged keys and before the redirection has kicked in. As I say, know I am completed overthinking and stressing about it, but its just how my brain works 😅

OP posts:
Elementarymydear21 · 13/06/2025 16:42

TBH I am really not sure. It's a short stretch of road where the cameras are, before it turns to the normal yellow standalone speed cameras. I was on the inside lane and a few cars overtook me. I imagine I would have slowed down with the rest of the traffic at that point or I would have been crashing into people, but when I looked at the speedo when I realised it was at around 60.

OP posts:
Elementarymydear21 · 13/06/2025 16:45

My worry is its a very short section of road, so I would imagine its on the whole time. I was continuously in the inside lane. When I looked down it was on about 60mph, but I don't know if I had been more towards 70 before I noticed. I'm just hoping if I do get anything, it arrives sooner rather than later. I just wasn't sure if it was worth emailing them to ask if they could let me know if I had one coming or not.

OP posts:
ClearHoldBuild · 13/06/2025 17:29

FirstNationsEnglish · 13/06/2025 16:09

It's not when it's delivered (because delivery can be delayed for such things as, for example, being redirected due to moving home), but when it is posted.

It has to be posted by day 12 at the latest, however I know of people that have successfully had speeding tickets withdrawn. David Beckham avoided prosecution due to the NIP arriving on day 15.

FirstNationsEnglish · 13/06/2025 17:48

ClearHoldBuild · 13/06/2025 17:29

It has to be posted by day 12 at the latest, however I know of people that have successfully had speeding tickets withdrawn. David Beckham avoided prosecution due to the NIP arriving on day 15.

😱 You are right! A very clever lawyer (at no doubt, great financial cost) did indeed get David Beckham off his speeding charge. Although I think it was more that "If the Crown can’t prove that the letter was sent by first class post then the concept that it arrives in two working days goes out of the window,..." I can only think that the CPS could not have had proof of posting. 🤔. Interesting! Thank you 🌻

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/sep/27/david-beckham-avoids-speeding-prosecution-on-technicality

David Beckham avoids speeding prosecution on technicality

The footballer’s speeding notice arrived a day later than the statutory 14-day window

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/sep/27/david-beckham-avoids-speeding-prosecution-on-technicality

ClearHoldBuild · 13/06/2025 17:56

FirstNationsEnglish · 13/06/2025 17:48

😱 You are right! A very clever lawyer (at no doubt, great financial cost) did indeed get David Beckham off his speeding charge. Although I think it was more that "If the Crown can’t prove that the letter was sent by first class post then the concept that it arrives in two working days goes out of the window,..." I can only think that the CPS could not have had proof of posting. 🤔. Interesting! Thank you 🌻

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/sep/27/david-beckham-avoids-speeding-prosecution-on-technicality

The instances where I have known Joe Public get the matter withdrawn have got delivery stats regarding what percentage of letters are delivered within the expected timescales. It will depend on which part of the uk and I would always recommend legal advice as I only worked in traffic prosecutions processing files for court, I wasn’t a prosecutor.

godmum56 · 13/06/2025 18:55

when we have moved, we leave a couple of large envelopes with lots of stamp value on and ask whoever moves in to forward any stuff that slips through the net. Would that ease your anxiety?

Elementarymydear21 · 13/06/2025 18:58

Do you know if its working days or just the number of days total from today at all?

Just trying to work out where it falls in terms of the house move, as 14 working days would be 3rd July, but just 14 straight days (if including today as day 1) would be the 25th June.

OP posts:
Elementarymydear21 · 13/06/2025 18:59

This is a really good idea, although our buyers have been absolutely awful to us this past week so I am not sure if they would be that accommodating!

OP posts:
ClearHoldBuild · 13/06/2025 19:18

Elementarymydear21 · 13/06/2025 18:58

Do you know if its working days or just the number of days total from today at all?

Just trying to work out where it falls in terms of the house move, as 14 working days would be 3rd July, but just 14 straight days (if including today as day 1) would be the 25th June.

It regular days, including weekends from the date of offence, so today is day 1, 26th is day 14.

ClearHoldBuild · 13/06/2025 19:20

Stick with a redirection, new owners aren’t invested in your post.

Redkatagain · 13/06/2025 20:04

The roads policing unit of the relevant police force will be able to tell you over the phone at the end of next week. You just need the vehicle registration number

pinkcow123 · 13/06/2025 20:56

If it helps, I got one recently 8days after incident, over a bank holiday weekend.
Although I know it is police force dependent!

Shade17 · 17/06/2025 20:31

You’ll have it by the 27th if it’s coming. I have called the local ticket office in the past to ask on a newly purchased car, they confirmed that no offences had been recorded for that reg.

insomniac1 · 18/07/2025 22:36

Hi @Elementarymydear21what happened with this? Thanks!

teaandtoastwithmarmite · 18/07/2025 23:01

ClearHoldBuild · 13/06/2025 17:29

It has to be posted by day 12 at the latest, however I know of people that have successfully had speeding tickets withdrawn. David Beckham avoided prosecution due to the NIP arriving on day 15.

We had a huge fine and 3 points as we never received the first two letters. We weren’t sure who was driving it was that late!

Bromptotoo · 19/07/2025 07:01

teaandtoastwithmarmite · 18/07/2025 23:01

We had a huge fine and 3 points as we never received the first two letters. We weren’t sure who was driving it was that late!

It your car is a company vehicle or perhaps leased and the initial notice goes to the company then as long as the initial notice is in time anything else can take weeks.

GPTec1 · 19/07/2025 07:12

Most car speedo's over read, mine at an indicated 40mph is actually doing 36mph.
Speed cameras are often set to trigger at 10% plus 2mph.

So in a 50 zone, you "may" have had to be doing 57+ to be prosecuted, add in your cars speedo error, your indicated 60 would not have been that.

If you're just over, you could be given a speed awareness course, thats force dependent, but possibly no points.

HelloHattie · 19/07/2025 07:14

Out of interest did you get a ticket? I hope the move went well