The wait to…points? A slap on the wrist?

thezappa · 25 Nov 2019 at 19:11

So the other day I was driving through a 30 and I was doing more than 30.
I came round a bend and there was a mobile camera in the lay-by facing me on my side of the road.
I braked and by the time I was level with it was doing 33 max (I have my dashcam video with the speed).
Apart from the extreme annoyance at my stupidity and careless driving is there any way I can gauge whether I’ll get an option for an awareness course or will it be 3 points?
I’m quite sure I will get something but it will be my first offence in 20years of driving and I would prefer to keep a clean license.

fastwunz · 25 Nov 2019 at 19:28

course probably provided under 35 or so and first offence. Its their discretion though

ShiWarrior · 25 Nov 2019 at 19:33

you braked, and you got down to 33 when your level with the van ?
what speed was you doing when you came around the bend ? 40+ ?

Rroff · 25 Nov 2019 at 19:39

Judging by the electronic speed signs on approach to a village near me they can measure your speed very quickly from distance so probably will have you nailed for whatever speed you were first doing more or less.

No way of knowing what you will get offered but seems more usual to get offered the course than not from what people have said at work, etc.

thezappa · 25 Nov 2019 at 19:42

Maximum I was going was 38 but I didn’t brake very hard (or hard enough).
If they clocked me at 38 is it likely there be a different penalty than if they clocked me at say 35 or 34?
Will they see that I was slowing down and might that sway their decision.

paradigm · 25 Nov 2019 at 20:15

thezappa said:
Maximum I was going was 38 but I didn’t brake very hard (or hard enough).
If they clocked me at 38 is it likely there be a different penalty than if they clocked me at say 35 or 34?
Will they see that I was slowing down and might that sway their decision.

If they clocked you at 38 (which is likely 40~ on the clocks), then it’ll be an almost guaranteed SP30, I can’t see it being anything other than an FPN, certainly not a court appearance. Under 35 it might be an awareness course for a first offence, but not all forces offer one.

Rotty · 25 Nov 2019 at 20:47

Speed awareness course if under 42 is the standard

thezappa · 25 Nov 2019 at 21:00

Rotty said:
Speed awareness course if under 42 is the standard

Really? 12mph over and you get the course? I'm not complaining, just surprised.

Rotty · 25 Nov 2019 at 21:13

10% plus 9

Kenai · 25 Nov 2019 at 21:15

thezappa said:
Really? 12mph over and you get the course? I'm not complaining, just surprised.

10%+2mph is where they (generally) start prosecuting, awareness courses can be offered up to 10%+9mph.

thezappa · 25 Nov 2019 at 21:22

Well fingers crossed then.
I've heard of 10% + 2 but didn't know there was another level.
Am I right in thinking the 10% is to allow for the calibration of the odometer?

Burnsy2023 · 25 Nov 2019 at 22:00

It's worth noting that speed awareness courses aren't available in Scotland.

Rotty · 26 Nov 2019 at 09:08

thezappa said:
Well fingers crossed then.
I've heard of 10% + 2 but didn't know there was another level.
Am I right in thinking the 10% is to allow for the calibration of the odometer?

10% plus 2 is the tolerance for any action at all (guideline) it's 10% plus 9 for speed awareness and 10% plus 15 for court appearance

The 10% is just a tolerance for minor driver error, there is nothing for speedo error as a speedo reading under is illegal, they can read up to 10% over

fadetoblack · 26 Nov 2019 at 09:33

I thought 10% was a recommendation but they could use anything under that?

stoofa · 26 Nov 2019 at 09:43

They can prosecute at 31 if they like - but we still await the fabled NIP for something under 35 in a 30 (the exception being the 33 one from about a decade ago that occasionally pops up).

Quartz · 26 Nov 2019 at 09:54

thezappa said:
I braked and by the time I was level with it was doing 33 max

Far too late. THey have you as soon as they see you.

Rotty · 26 Nov 2019 at 12:00

fadetoblack said:
I thought 10% was a recommendation but they could use anything under that?

they can but rarely do

Rotty · 26 Nov 2019 at 12:01

stoofa said:
They can prosecute at 31 if they like - but we still await the fabled NIP for something under 35 in a 30 (the exception being the 33 one from about a decade ago that occasionally pops up).

exactly. it's possible but, as much as stories go round, it doesn't happen in reality on anything like a noticeable scale

thezappa · 26 Nov 2019 at 19:42

So how long do I wait before I'm in the clear (not anticipating this actually being the case) but is there any sort of 'cut-off' (for what exactly I don't know)?
Everyday I'm driving home waiting to see a letter on the side.

NB: Not in Scotland (for the benefit of Burnsy2023), actually not far from Southampton

Havana_UK · 26 Nov 2019 at 19:54

They have to send you an NIP with a reasonable chance that it will reach the registered keeper (presumably you, in this case) within 14 days of the alleged offence. In practice this means that the NIP can be sent on day 13. If you are not the RK (e.g. it's a company car) then the 14 day rule still applies, but then the RK (the company) will have 28 days to respond naming the driver, and then I believe the police have a further 28 days following the receipt of the response to notify the driver.