111 mph on M4

[Martin]

Hello all

I was recorded on an unmarked police car's VASCAR system with the above, about an hour ago. :?

The police officer said he could not fault my driving in any way, ie he felt I was not being dangerous in any way whatsoever, but he said he pulled me over purely due to the reading that came up on his VASCAR system.

I will probably have to attend court. Not known yet.

I will probably get 6 or 9 points, and £120 fine, apparently, according to the police officer.

Does anyone, from their own experience or otherwise, know how I should best go about defending myself for a court case? :?

Please pm if you prefer to.

Cheers,
Martin

[ctrlaltdelboy]

bad luck mate

you will have to attend court - that's the way it works over 100mph

you will most probably get banned and be stung with a hefty fine.

my last 3 similar transgressions got me the following punishments (this is provided as a possible indication of what to expect)

107MPH - motorway = banned 42 days & £500 fine
105MPH - motorway = 6 points & £500 fine
90MPH - A road = banned 14 days & fine (can't remember how much)

for further advice & confession/discussion with some friendly police officers & magistrates (honestly - they are an ok bunch) go to http://www.5ive-o.org/forum/portal.php and sign up and discuss it in the 'motoring law' section.

[Martin]

Darren,

What dates were these incidents?

Cheers
Martin

[Martin]

The only reason I ask Darren is that the police officer said that judges are a bit more lenient these days with regards to going over 100, apparently they were much harsher in the past in the UK?

Cheers
Martin

[ctrlaltdelboy]

roughly from memory...

#1 was 2004
#2 was 1999
#3 was 1989

[AR]

Sorry to hear that mate, do you need your car to get to work, I know of a couple of cases where the people got away with the take away my livelihood defense.

Cheers

AR

[Martin]

Hello AR,

Thanks. Do you have any more details about those cases?

Cheers
Martin

[ctrlaltdelboy]

as AR says - you have to throw that in, I always do

basically, you demonstrate how you need the ability to drive in order to earn your living and that alternatives such as public transport or getting a lift are not viable due to whatever circumstances.

then once you have demonstrated that to lose your license is to lose your livelihood, you then demonstrate that innocent (of the speeding offence) others e.g. wife & kids, will suffer hardship as a result of 'your stupidity'.

the courts are only interested in punishing you for your crime and will avoid 'overspill punishment' to others if possible.

as I said earlier, go and post on 5-o - they are an ok bunch

[mutley]

HI,
Yeah what can I say we have all been there.

I was caught doing 102.7 in a 60 at Newcastle Airport in 2000.
I was told I would yave to appear in court but I managed to get out of that as a week later I was posted to Cyprus, but I had to pay for a lawyer to appear for me, that cost £150, and my fine was £200 and 6 points on my license......................what makes this story almost funny, I am a policeman, (all be it an RAF Poiceman).
I agreed with hit them with the lose of livelyhood to try and not get banned, but this will probably result in a slightly higher fine.

I was told I was lucky because in Scotland ANYTHING over 100 is an instant ban.
Hope this is a little help to you.
Jim

[Nick Graves]

Some of the lawyers on S2Ki recommend defending yourself. Well, extremely contritioning yourself. On no account attempt to justify your actions.

Good luck in any case. It could be any of us.

[Papalazarou]

I feel for you, it's horrible getting stopped at a speed the car can do in its sleep.
I got stopped in 98' at 160 average on my bike.
The Policemen told me if I guessed my speed correctly they'd let me off. I guessed wrong, they denied the conversation, then admitted to it.
It went to court and I pleaded not guilty but also got Performance Bikes to state that the bike wasn't capable of the indicated speed (for a story in the mag).
CPS took a look at it and threw it out. It was a very nervous couple of months though and as you can imagine it made the newspapers.

James.

[trackdemon]

FWIW:

2002 + 104.9mph + M11
=
£600 + 6 points

[Senninha]

Martin,

Dont know if you're saw 5th Gear tonight? This chap may be able to help or refer you to one of his trained colleagues??

http://fifthgear.five.tv/jsp/5gmain.jsp?lnk=401&section=Consumer&show=s9e8&featureid=359&description=You're%20free%20to%20go.

A few yrs back, @ 1995, I was recorded at 96 on a single carraigeway A road, a 60 limit. I chose not to hire legal support, put on my best suit, admitted the offence and offered the judge a signed letter from my employer stating I would loose my employment if unable to drive.

Result was £500 and 6 points, which I would probably have got with support, but I did save the costs of that support.

Good luck mate!

[ADL]

martin

2 chaps at heathrow have both been done doing 105-110 mph on the M4 both had either 0 or 3 points. They both got letters from employers stating that they were buisness critical and both pleaded guilty also stating that there was no other way to get work etc.

Both got 6 pts and fines of between 200-300 quid. Not bad considering.

Might be worth a post over on Pistonheads Speed, Plod and the Law

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/forum.asp?f=10&h=0

also see

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?t=274494&f=10&h=0

..

Good Luck.