Speeding Ticket

mk1_salami · 7 May 2020 at 17:54

Hi all. I was pulled over yesterday by a traffic police car after driving past their stationary car on the dual carriageway. The officer said he got me on his hand held gun doing 87mph in a 70mph area.

I always thought that the officer had to be outside the car with high vis on when operating a handheld gun. Does anyone know if its enforceable if the policeman operated it while sat in the car?

They produced a fixed penalty on the spot but they forgot to put the speed on the ticket. It simply says "driving at ... mph in a 70 mph speed limit".

Based on those two bits of information, does anyone know if they can legally enforce this?

I'm not after moral advice before anyone chirps in their two cents. I want to know if I legally need to pay this.

Nasher · 7 May 2020 at 18:35

I think they can. But if they didn't write the ticket out properly and missed the most important part off, it's probably not valid lol

Rich1988 · 7 May 2020 at 18:37

can be inside the car, outside the car, underneath the car. doesn't matter. however if there isn't a speed on there you could well contest it in court. However it does not stop them correcting their mistake and issuing you a postal req providing you were issued with a verbal NIP by the road side.

Burnsy2023 · 7 May 2020 at 18:48

The only defence you might be able to work with is if the officer hasn't got another written record of the detected speed. If they wrote it in their pocket notebook, it could be corrected on the ticket and there's nothing else that suggests any issues.

Also, slow down.

geekman · 7 May 2020 at 18:55

Burnsy2023 said:
Also, slow down.

Didn't read the last line of the OP, I take it?

You'll have to pay it sadly, nothing mentioned constitutes a defence.

Jumper118 · 7 May 2020 at 19:17

I think he wants you to fill in the blank on your own ticket. 69 would probably be the best number to put.

BUDFORCE · 7 May 2020 at 19:41

Yeah 100% go back to them and say that it doesnt specify the speed and leave it with them.

Chances are it'll come back, but worth a try.

Also no moral advice from me, I do far worse.

Nasher · 7 May 2020 at 20:55

They may just bin it with the current situation to save on work. Worth a punt tbh.

Gibbo · 7 May 2020 at 21:04

Well worth trying to get out of it, not like 87 is bad in a 70 on a no doubt empty dual carriage way.

BigglesPiP · 7 May 2020 at 23:35

As you already have the fixed penalty notice, you'll have to contest this in court. If you contest the speed what are you going to say, you weren't speeding?

If you lie and they amend the notice with the actual speed in court, which they can do, the magistrate may well decide to give you the maximum penalty which I believe is 75% of your weekly income and 3 points.

Pick your poison, and slow down.

stoofa · 8 May 2020 at 09:06

You haven't been disadvantaged by the speed not being noted - you wouldn't have been pulled and then handed a ticket for under the speed limit.
Just outside a speed awareness course - should be £100 & 3pts
If you decide not to pay this and take it to court, the note will just be amended. Your points penalty will remain the same, but your fine will increase.

MouthBoy · 8 May 2020 at 12:12

No idea about the answer to your question but at least you didn't admit it on the internet... At least you can delete the internet.

Finglonga · 8 May 2020 at 12:46

It only needs the SP30 code to say you have exceeded the limit on a public road. You were served the NIP by the police there and then. As for how they catch you, it doesn't matter, they can be anywhere anytime just like the speed limits are in force all the time.

booyaka · 8 May 2020 at 13:12

As above - So long as the ticket says SP30 - that's all that matters. The speed "number" is not part of the ticket issue. Pay it, move on.

skookum · 9 May 2020 at 00:27

Is there an SP20 now?

I got flashed a week ago in London. Totally missed when the road changed speed limits.

Think I was about 25 mph at most. Have the speed limiter set to 30 round London.

Be my first ever ticket after 30 years of driving lol

mattyg · 9 May 2020 at 01:54

skookum said:
Is there an SP20 now?

I got flashed a week ago in London. Totally missed when the road changed speed limits.

Think I was about 25 mph at most. Have the speed limiter set to 30 round London.

Be my first ever ticket after 30 years of driving lol

Ah driving with undue care and attention hey

I'm a courier those signs are for everybody else.lol

Surveyor · 9 May 2020 at 02:04

skookum said:
Is there an SP20 now?

I got flashed a week ago in London. Totally missed when the road changed speed limits.

Think I was about 25 mph at most. Have the speed limiter set to 30 round London.

Be my first ever ticket after 30 years of driving lol

SP30 is exceeding the the stautory speed limit on a public road. The 30 has nothing to do with the speed limit.

SP20 is exceeding the speed limit for type of vehicle (excluding goods or passenger vehicles).

Nasher · 9 May 2020 at 10:17

skookum said:
Is there an SP20 now?

I got flashed a week ago in London. Totally missed when the road changed speed limits.

Think I was about 25 mph at most. Have the speed limiter set to 30 round London.

Be my first ever ticket after 30 years of driving lol

Never seen anyone get a ticket for breaking a 20 limit. They are effectively minimum speed limits in most places O_o

TheVoice · 9 May 2020 at 11:02

stoofa said:
You haven't been disadvantaged by the speed not being noted - you wouldn't have been pulled and then handed a ticket for under the speed limit.
Just outside a speed awareness course - should be £100 & 3pts
If you decide not to pay this and take it to court, the note will just be amended. Your points penalty will remain the same, but your fine will increase.

You don't get offered speed awareness/driver improvement courses in Scotland.

Edinho · 9 May 2020 at 20:57

mk1_salami said:
Hi all. I was pulled over yesterday by a traffic police car after driving past their stationary car on the dual carriageway. The officer said he got me on his hand held gun doing 87mph in a 70mph area.

I always thought that the officer had to be outside the car with high vis on when operating a handheld gun. Does anyone know if its enforceable if the policeman operated it while sat in the car?

They produced a fixed penalty on the spot but they forgot to put the speed on the ticket. It simply says "driving at ... mph in a 70 mph speed limit".

Based on those two bits of information, does anyone know if they can legally enforce this?

I'm not after moral advice before anyone chirps in their two cents. I want to know if I legally need to pay this.

If you were going 87 then your speedo much have been nudging 100. You were caught - man up and take it. Sounds like you got away lightly.

There is no way I would do that speed on an unfamiliar DC.