Speeding Question

[S129]

I have only been driving since Sept 2008 and yesterday may have been caught doing between 54 and 60 in a 50 zone, is it true 1st year drivers get double points, and if so what deos it take to loose your license within the 1st year. i dont understand how its done,.

some of my mates tell me if you get 6points in 1st year you loose your license straight away, and the police say you get 3 points and a fine>?

can anybody share thier experiences?

[mjb]

You get 30 points and a £60 fine for an SP30 (exceeding the speed limit)

In your first 2 years, if you get 6 points you are disqualified from driving and need to re-take your test.

[S129]

So in your experience a 1st year driver would not automaticaly get 60pts and an automatic fine unless doing excessive speeding. Whats the myth around double points then?

[DaiRees]

When you say "caught", was it a fixed camera, mobile camera or person? Also between 54 and 60 is a bit of a range, how'd you arrive at that?

30 points

A bit harsh me thinks Matt

[mjb]

Oops I mean 3 points, not 30

I've never heard of this 'double points' thing before...

[S129]

Its all ablur, when i looked at speedo i think i was doing between 55 and 60 after i passed the camers, it was a fixed camera.

[teamster1975]

Funnily enough my Dad sent me the following last night, not sure whether it's another urban myth but surely worth a go!

I am not one to encourage criminal activity but then again........

Pay your fine, but, NO POINTS DEDUCTED, !!

Read on :-

This is how the points get added to your licence:

If you get a fixed penalty notice through the post which also carries
penalty points the computer system first sends you a demand for the cash.

When you have paid, it then sends a demand to return your licence for
endorsement.

It cannot handle the licence endorsement and the payment at the same time,
and it cannot process the points part of the system until the financial
section is complete.

If you overpay the fixed penalty, it must issue and send a refund cheque
for the overpayment.

Therefore, overpay the fixed penalty by sending a cheque for the full amount
plus £1.

The computer will then automatically generate a refund cheque for the
over-payment and send it to you.

**** Do not cash this refund cheque - DUMP IT.

The system then remains 'open' and cannot generate the 'send your licence
for endorsement' demand part of the program.

It does, however, record your payment of the fixed penalty, so it does not
trigger the 'follow-up unpaid fine' stage.

As there is no human intervention, the system will leave you alone, since
it has got your money, which is the primary objective!


CIRCULATE THIS WIDELY !!!!!!!!!

[mjb]

Funnily enough my Dad sent me the following last night, not sure whether it's another urban myth but surely worth a go!

Very much a myth, I've seen it rebuked many times

http://www.snopes.com/autos/law/ticket.asp

[HimBigChief]

If it was a fixed camera (GATSO) taking pictures from behind you, then you should have noticed 2 flashes. if you didn't then I wouldn't worry. If it was a TRUVELO camera (front facing) then you wouldn't know whether you were got or not.

You would get 3pts and £60 fine for each offence (if you were caught) so in theory you could end up banned as you would have clocked up 6pts on 2 seperate offences, however 54mph will probably be too low a speed for the camera to be operated, and the camera probably won't start taking pictures until speeds above 60ish.

Usually the cameras are set with a slight leeway (usually 10% of the speed limit + 2 or 3 mph - e.g. 70mph + 10% + 2mph = 79mph).

[bigdaves406]

i got caught speeding a few years ago doing 140 on a 60 road
got caught by a camvan that taken 3 pictures
i went to my law man and he said off the record
dont perjuice my documents
then they can do me for the speeding
so went to court then got they had me for not perjuiceing
instead of a 12 month ban
i got 3 points and a 50 pound fine
now thats the loop hole in the law
i have now learn my lesson about speeding

[S129]

Thanks for your replies, i am just bricking it as i drove past a front facing camera when it was to late i noticed my speed, i am either going to be really really lucky, or get 3 pts and fine or loose license as i have only been on road since sept and i hear new drivers get double points which is abit discriminating , that would devestate me.

[HimBigChief]

It's not double points, you only get a 6 points licence for the first 2 years of driving, then move onto the full fat 12 point version. Whereabouts was this camera you went past then as you have on your profile that you're in Newcastle? The only ones I can think of are on the Coast Road (A1068) by the Jesmond flyover. I've been past them quicker than that before without realising and never got a NIP through so you may well be lucky. Must admit that I'm up in Northumberland more now so don't travel round Newcastle half as much as I used to. Oh yeah, they only have 2 weeks to send you a NIP (Notice of Intended Prosecution) through so if you've not received anything 2 weeks after the offence, then you're not likely to have anything to worry about.

[jasper5]

Have a look here http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/Le ... /index.htm
Or here http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/Dr ... DG_4022550
Doesn't say anything about double points for new drivers.

[swiss]

Not double points, rather it's the half-points limit as discussed above - new drivers are only allowed 6 before pwnage, increasing to 12 after two years. At least it was when I qualified in 2006

A mini cab driver once told me to recon the stretch of road approaching the camera which caught you - they need to be displaying the speed limit every so many yards for a certain distance before the camera. There's one here Famton that doesn't, and people are able to dispute the penalties - if they know about the issue. Unfortunately I can't recall the specifics.

'Course this information came to late to save me from being penalised by it.

And this was a guy driving 406, so he must have been honest ^_^

[trem1]

You get 30 points and a £60 fine for an SP30 (exceeding the speed limit)

In your first 2 years, if you get 6 points you are disqualified from driving and need to re-take your test.

30 points thats a bit much matt i think you'll find its 3 points but you're right about the rest