120mph on the M6, I’m presuming a ban? (Not for me!)

I'd hazard a guess that most of us who were driving before there were cameras on the road have regularly driven significantly higher than the speed limit on motorways. It was a common thing back in the day when I was much younger. When I worked for a company where we all had fleet cars, when anyone got a new car, one of the first things to do after it was run in was to 'wottle it'. That is 'See what'll it do".

I got pulled on the M6, just north of Corley services late one Sunday evening. I'd joined the M1 at Staples Corner and was heading off for a training course in Warrington, a Rover joined the M1 at the same time and we'd been driving together all the way up, one of us leading for a bit then pulling over, letting the other one go past and then following. We weren't racing, it was just two random drivers who happened to join the same road at the same time giving it welly up the motorway.

We went past Corley services, he pulled over, I went past and the next thing I knew, there were blue flashing lights. A plod had pulled onto the M6 from the services and spotted us, I was the unlucky one he stopped. He told me he clocked me at 102 mph, my speedo was showing much higher.

I got a summons, the company solicitor got involved and after a couple of adjournments, it went to court. I didn't go, the solicitor did and apparently did a good job of arguing that my car was needed for my job. I got three points and a £200 fine. This was in the early 90s.

I'm only reporting this because it was also on the M6. Of course, things have changed hugely since then.

Nowadays, I very rarely speed anywhere. What slowed me down wasn't getting pulled, it was getting a car with cruise control. I'll drop onto a motorway or dual carriageway, set the cruise to 70 and then just go to sleep ;)

I've driven very quickly on the autobahn in Germany and it felt perfectly natural, I found general road manners and lane discipline there far better than it is in the UK, probably because they expect to have someone barrelling up behind them at omgwtfbbq mph and they're just more aware.
 
Feek said:
I'd hazard a guess that most of us who were driving before there were cameras on the road have regularly driven significantly higher than the speed limit on motorways. It was a common thing back in the day when I was much younger. When I worked for a company where we all had fleet cars, when anyone got a new car, one of the first things to do after it was run in was to 'wottle it'. That is 'See what'll it do".

I got pulled on the M6, just north of Corley services late one Sunday evening. I'd joined the M1 at Staples Corner and was heading off for a training course in Warrington, a Rover joined the M1 at the same time and we'd been driving together all the way up, one of us leading for a bit then pulling over, letting the other one go past and then following. We weren't racing, it was just two random drivers who happened to join the same road at the same time giving it welly up the motorway.

We went past Corley services, he pulled over, I went past and the next thing I knew, there were blue flashing lights. A plod had pulled onto the M6 from the services and spotted us, I was the unlucky one he stopped. He told me he clocked me at 102 mph, my speedo was showing much higher.

I got a summons, the company solicitor got involved and after a couple of adjournments, it went to court. I didn't go, the solicitor did and apparently did a good job of arguing that my car was needed for my job. I got three points and a £200 fine. This was in the early 90s.

I'm only reporting this because it was also on the M6. Of course, things have changed hugely since then.

Nowadays, I very rarely speed anywhere. What slowed me down wasn't getting pulled, it was getting a car with cruise control. I'll drop onto a motorway or dual carriageway, set the cruise to 70 and then just go to sleep ;)

I've driven very quickly on the autobahn in Germany and it felt perfectly natural, I found general road manners and lane discipline there far better than it is in the UK, probably because they expect to have someone barrelling up behind them at omgwtfbbq mph and they're just more aware.
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From what I remember when I was a kid before there were cameras you didn't speed on motorways because traffic cops or pursuit cops were a thing almost every layby it felt like would have cops waiting to catch speeding drivers there used to be short laybys especially for them. Having said that though no-one I knew had anything capable of exceeding the speed limit unless you got a fleet car you drove around in old bangers or least my family did. My current daily commuter iisn't even capable of much over 80 anyway lol. But its cheap to run.

Not everywhere has cameras though the bypass is only a dual carriageway and they regularly do over the ton because they know there isn't anyone to stop them pursuit cops simply don't exist anymore and no-one thinks its worth putting up a camera apparently. When you're about to overtake some holidaymaker pootling along enjoying the scenary and some bmw or audi or SUV appears out of nowhere and blasts past at 120+ its a "holy crap!" moment. Sooner or later theres going to be a pileup and have to hope to god it won't be me.
 
It's incredibly quick and easy to do well over 100 on a bike without realising. Just over taking a few cars you can look down and be like "Whoops!".
 
Yaayuh! said:
It's incredibly quick and easy to do well over 100 on a bike without realising. Just over taking a few cars you can look down and be like "Whoops!".

Not sure about a 340d though.
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Yep but to get past fast is the safest for all involved, if I am over taking cars on an NSL road I will do so as quickly/safely as I can and as a result break any speed limits in place, if I get caught, then oh well but if I am making an overtake I do so swiftly, whether I am passing a tractor doing 20mph or another car doing 50mph, I just want to be around them as quick as possible so I can continue to enjoy my drive and the road, even if its a long stretch of clear road I've never taken my time as to speak when over taking as I don't like been on the incorrect side of the road.
 
dave28 said:
You never know, the UK legal system is soft.

I used to work with a guy who had 17 points on his licence ( all for speeding ) so the law says you get banned for that right ?

Wrong, his employer went to court with him claiming he would lose his job if he gets banned so he is still on the road.

I was in the works van with him driving sadly and the guy was still speeding and wheel spinning out of every junction.

He was clearly a danger to himself and others but is still driving around today like a nutter with 17 points.
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that would be an exception circumstances plea.

You only get one use of each possible reason as it's recorded, and IIRC the points and the fine levels go up...
So you might avoid a ban, but get a much bigger fine and the next time that argument won't work for you, and the previous use may go against you "Mr Fox, in your previous court appearance you claimed it would cause exceptional hardship for you to lose your licence, but once again you appear before us facing a ban having not learned any lessons".

It's meant to be there for people who might have managed to get say 4 SP30's in a short space of time, but losing their licence would mean losing their job and especially putting another in hardship (IE you screwing up your life doesn't count much, but leaving your disabled partner without transport, or meaning your kids go hungry because you've lost your job). From what I remember of a magistrate whose blog I used to follow the plea is a gamble and they don't appreciate it when you appear before them again with a different exceptional hardship plea.
 
woppy101 said:
I once went from the start of the M58 onto the M6 to the end of the A69 at Newcastle in 1hr 45m in my Astra GTE. Young and stupid days
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When I was 19 I borrowed my parents car and went from Nottingham to Pocklington in the middle of the night returning form a party in one hour 4 mins. It was 87 miles so doesnt seem that impressive except when you realise a lot of the journey was single lane A roads so hard to keep up a good average speed. I had only told my parents I was going to the local pub. The things you did when you were on a promise for a **** from a hot girl :)
 
200sols said:
If you're hitting 115 without noticing perhaps its time to stop driving. Clearly not paying attention to the road or your speed.
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My significant other called me from Germany while driving the Q7 and during the conversation said, “Oops, I’m doing 200mkm/h. This car is stupidly fast“

Honestly, in fast, refined cars it is possible to be doing silly speeds without noticing. The only way you can tell is that the scenery is moving past a bit quicker.
 
mjt said:
My significant other called me from Germany while driving the Q7 and during the conversation said, “Oops, I’m doing 200mkm/h. This car is stupidly fast“

Honestly, in fast, refined cars it is possible to be doing silly speeds without noticing. The only way you can tell is that the scenery is moving past a bit quicker.
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Most of us can read our speedometer :confused:
 
200sols said:
If you're hitting 115 without noticing perhaps its time to stop driving. Clearly not paying attention to the road or your speed.
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Not that I do those kind of speeds on UK roads and pay far too much attention to my speeds - but to be fair on an empty multi-lane highway in bigger more powerful vehicles it can be quite deceptive.
 
Rroff said:
Not that I do those kind of speeds on UK roads and pay far too much attention to my speeds - but to be fair on an empty multiline highway in bigger more powerful vehicles it can be quite deceptive.
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I think you’ll find that according the experts in here, it’s impossible. :rolleyes:
 
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