Safe Speed Forums

In the 20 years that I've been driving, last night I was caught by a Pro Laser hand held speed gun clocked at 55mph in a 40mph zone. Having never been through the experience of being stopped by Police etc I just held my hands up really & took it all on the chin, thinking well my time is up. I was issued with a fixed penalty notice & 3 points on my licence. However the more I think about it & have looked at articles on the internet, I'm now wondering if I can dispute the prosecution.

1. OK so I was in the outside lane (& I probably was doing 55mph (???) as someone had pulled out of a slip lane on me at a slow speed & late on, so fair call) BUT there were about 4 other cars in the inside lane. When they showed me "my" speed & distance I think it was on the screen, that was all that was showing ie. there was no photographic evidence that it was my car that had comitted the offence.

2. I admitted it all to my Husband when I got home (!!) & so he said let's go in the car & have a look at the scenario, as it was only about 20 minutes later. Sure enough they were back in the same place waiting for more bait. My Husband looked in the car as he drove past & said that the gun was being hand-held on the steering wheel I think he said (ie. not on any fixed support) - hence any movement could affect the speed that I was clocked at.

Is it best just to acceopt the fine or do I write in and contest the validity of the fine bearing in mind the low quality equipment used by a Mickey Mouse local Police car (a Vauxhall Corsa)??

Question asked, question answered.

Remember this site is about road safety, not about trying to "get off" valid speeding convictions.

But in the spirit of co-operation and fraternity, you appear to have been stopped by Police, rather than a civilian operator. The way it works is that the Police officer recognises that you are speeding, and corroborates it with the speed measuring device. If there were 2 police officers present, they do not even need the device as they can corroborate each other's assessment of the speed you were travelling.

There is a website called Pepipoo who can offer more advice on the likelihood of an appeal, but I suspect you will find that you don't have much chance. You won't be able to use the "PACE" defence as you were served by a police officer in person, and you won't be able to question the opinion of the officers.

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COAST Not just somewhere to keep a beach.

A young loner on a crusade to champion the cause of the innocent, the helpless, the powerless, in a world of criminals who operate above the law.

My mistake about this website Handy. The forum said ‹ Help! I'm being prosecuted! > hence being a 'Safe Speed Forums' Virgin, I took this to mean that the website would be of use to me - obviously not. Thanks for your insult - appreciated, NOT !!

I dont think Handy was being insulting - he was merely being honest.

The reason this thread is here is because some people have valid reasons for believing they may not have committed an offence, and it gives them a chance to ask others if they have any knowledge which may help.

You could choose to go to court, and explain the circumstances of the offence - but I fear it would not do you much good.
The £60 penalty is less than the cost of an initial consultation with a solicitor.

If you fear your insurance might become more expensive, then you could try Swinton when you come to renew, as they do not treat speeding offences like a heinous crime.

Stay and read through the forums for driving tips, and look up the main site if you feel you want to support a sensible road safety policy instead of abdicating it to speed cameras used indiscriminately.

At the location in your case, I suspect that they had a good reason to visit this site because of previous incidences of high speeds.

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Time to take responsibility for our actions.. and don't be afraid of speaking out!