Speeding ticket advice

Crusty54 said:

Braziliance said:

The other day I saw a sign pop up saying "Reduced speed, pedestrians reported" some person missed it and got flashed (it dropped down to 40), no joke, it lasted about 500 metres and went back to normal. They just make it up as they go along. 

It's an absolute con

Digital speed cameras do not flash.

If you see a speed sign pop up with a red circle it is like a fixed sign. Advisory signs like you mention are just that.

I definitely saw a flash. There was a warning of speed traps nearby, and I saw a flash while the signs popped up. 

I've also seen a car be flashed by a speed camera when it dropped to 40 on the m25. Unless at the exact moment the car went past the camera a flashing light appeared multiple times, which seems unlikely. 

Gribbo said:

Re: reduced speed limits when there's nothing happening — I've often thought the same. But after doing a Motorway Awareness course, I now understand that these limits are often put in place to ease the flow of traffic due to something that could be happening 3, 5, or even 10 miles down the road. They're intended to slow everyone down gradually to reduce heavy braking, which can cause serious tailbacks for miles behind.

Problem is though people suddenly forget that the overtaking and driving lane still applies though and you'll have some turnip deciding how fast people should be driving by sitting in the overtaking lane at 30mph. 

Fackin hell I hate driving on motorways.

Braziliance said:

Gribbo said:

Re: reduced speed limits when there's nothing happening — I've often thought the same. But after doing a Motorway Awareness course, I now understand that these limits are often put in place to ease the flow of traffic due to something that could be happening 3, 5, or even 10 miles down the road. They're intended to slow everyone down gradually to reduce heavy braking, which can cause serious tailbacks for miles behind.

Problem is though people suddenly forget that the overtaking and driving lane still applies though and you'll have some turnip deciding how fast people should be driving by sitting in the overtaking lane at 30mph. 

Fackin hell I hate driving on motorways.

That general knowledge (or lack of) of some motorway users is utterly mind boggling tbh

sunbury-addick said:

SporadicAddick said:

Braziliance said:

It's genuinely such a scam and just a money earner.

Makes me laugh when there's roadworks at night, no workers and we are restricted to 50, got sod all to do with safety, just hoping someone cocks up to get some easy money.

Been to The Valley last two Saturdays. On both occasions (so 4 journeys in total ) a long section of the M25 after it splits off near Sevenoaks has had 50 MPH limits in place "Speed limit for system test"...

So no reason for the speed limits other than a system test that to the best of my knowledge has been in place for over a week (unless it was only weekends / Saturdays).

Same limit, same reason yesterday morning - pathetic

Latest updates

• 18 March 2025

  New emergency areas in south east almost complete

  We’ve been working since April 2024 to have all the new bays built by the end of March 2025 as planned.

  Removing traffic management

  We're now going to remove temporary traffic management and return all five motorways back to four running lanes.

  All the new emergency areas will be open and available to use in the event of the emergency.

  We'll do this overnight on different dates throughout March. Please check our daily closures page for details.

  M25 between junctions 5 and 7 and junctions 23 and 27 speed restrictions remain

  Although we'll remove much of the traffic management from these motorways, we'll maintain a 50mph speed restriction.

  This is a safety measure while we test new technology and upgraded Stopped Vehicle Detection (SVD) system.

  Testing ensures newly installed technology is working correctly. We can only do this when there are no roadworks and when all lanes of the motorway are open.

  Upgrading SVD is separate to building the new emergency areas. We've delivered the projects side-by-side to minimise disruption.

  You won’t see us doing this work. Once tests are complete, we'll increase speed to the national limit.

SporadicAddick said:

sunbury-addick said:

SporadicAddick said:

Braziliance said:

It's genuinely such a scam and just a money earner.

Makes me laugh when there's roadworks at night, no workers and we are restricted to 50, got sod all to do with safety, just hoping someone cocks up to get some easy money.

Been to The Valley last two Saturdays. On both occasions (so 4 journeys in total ) a long section of the M25 after it splits off near Sevenoaks has had 50 MPH limits in place "Speed limit for system test"...

So no reason for the speed limits other than a system test that to the best of my knowledge has been in place for over a week (unless it was only weekends / Saturdays).

Same limit, same reason yesterday morning - pathetic

Latest updates

• 18 March 2025

  New emergency areas in south east almost complete

  We’ve been working since April 2024 to have all the new bays built by the end of March 2025 as planned.

  Removing traffic management

  We're now going to remove temporary traffic management and return all five motorways back to four running lanes.

  All the new emergency areas will be open and available to use in the event of the emergency.

  We'll do this overnight on different dates throughout March. Please check our daily closures page for details.

  M25 between junctions 5 and 7 and junctions 23 and 27 speed restrictions remain

  Although we'll remove much of the traffic management from these motorways, we'll maintain a 50mph speed restriction.

  This is a safety measure while we test new technology and upgraded Stopped Vehicle Detection (SVD) system.

  Testing ensures newly installed technology is working correctly. We can only do this when there are no roadworks and when all lanes of the motorway are open.

  Upgrading SVD is separate to building the new emergency areas. We've delivered the projects side-by-side to minimise disruption.

  You won’t see us doing this work. Once tests are complete, we'll increase speed to the national limit.

Thanks - really pathetic.

sunbury-addick said:

SporadicAddick said:

sunbury-addick said:

SporadicAddick said:

Braziliance said:

It's genuinely such a scam and just a money earner.

Makes me laugh when there's roadworks at night, no workers and we are restricted to 50, got sod all to do with safety, just hoping someone cocks up to get some easy money.

Been to The Valley last two Saturdays. On both occasions (so 4 journeys in total ) a long section of the M25 after it splits off near Sevenoaks has had 50 MPH limits in place "Speed limit for system test"...

So no reason for the speed limits other than a system test that to the best of my knowledge has been in place for over a week (unless it was only weekends / Saturdays).

Same limit, same reason yesterday morning - pathetic

Latest updates

• 18 March 2025

  New emergency areas in south east almost complete

  We’ve been working since April 2024 to have all the new bays built by the end of March 2025 as planned.

  Removing traffic management

  We're now going to remove temporary traffic management and return all five motorways back to four running lanes.

  All the new emergency areas will be open and available to use in the event of the emergency.

  We'll do this overnight on different dates throughout March. Please check our daily closures page for details.

  M25 between junctions 5 and 7 and junctions 23 and 27 speed restrictions remain

  Although we'll remove much of the traffic management from these motorways, we'll maintain a 50mph speed restriction.

  This is a safety measure while we test new technology and upgraded Stopped Vehicle Detection (SVD) system.

  Testing ensures newly installed technology is working correctly. We can only do this when there are no roadworks and when all lanes of the motorway are open.

  Upgrading SVD is separate to building the new emergency areas. We've delivered the projects side-by-side to minimise disruption.

  You won’t see us doing this work. Once tests are complete, we'll increase speed to the national limit.

Thanks - really pathetic.

Hardly pathetic on sections of motorway where the hard shoulder is being used as an extra lane. New emergency areas are necessary.

Variable speed limits are used the keep traffic moving at busy times. The new equipment needs testing to make sure it is working. Accurate detection of a stopped vehicle is crucial to driver safety.

Hal1x said:

Gribbo said:

Re: reduced speed limits when there's nothing happening — I've often thought the same. But after doing a Motorway Awareness course, I now understand that these limits are often put in place to ease the flow of traffic due to something that could be happening 3, 5, or even 10 miles down the road. They're intended to slow everyone down gradually to reduce heavy braking, which can cause serious tailbacks for miles behind.

I also heard this on the MotorwayAwareness course I was on, sort of makes sense.

Maybe it was the very same course (Its good to learn the error of our ways) if so you may have been the person I raced back down the motorway afterwards at breakneck speed!

I watched a program on this which was about maths. Basically you should drive to avoid heavy breaking as one brake movement has a knock on effect and down the line causes a jam. I always have this in mind now on the motorway.

Of course if there are no cars on the road, you wont be heavy braking whatever which was the situation the OP explained. 

paulsturgess said:

HardyAddick said:

Have they just asked who the driver was or has it gone beyond this?

Just this at this stage.

One further thought I've had on this is that sometimes you do get an "average speed check" which is based on two cameras far apart - this existed for a while last year on the A20 near Sidcup.

These essentially measure your average speed across a stretch of a few miles. If you get caught speeding under these (as one of my friends did on the A20), you got a single ticket for a single offence averaging over the speed limit for an extended period.

This sort of underlines the point that speeding for a period across a couple of miles distance / a few minutes comprises a single offence, so it seems harsh that an essentially identical scenario is being spun as 2 offences rather than 1 simply because it's two fixed speed cameras rather than a combined average speed camera.. 

Pretty sure it is average speed check on the A14  between M11 and A1 if that was the stretch you were on.

charltonkeston said:

PrincessFiona said:

charltonkeston said:

Its not the fine that would annoy me its the two lots of 3 points that are coming and will be on the licence for a few years that may become a problem. Use your phone and theres another 6 points and possibly a ban. Also car insurance might increase as the points tally increases. 

don't use your phone then

Obviously. I was just thinking of what could get you to 12 points quickly but you do see people doing regularly. I should have written snort lines of coke off the steering wheel while doing 103 in a 30. 

Very difficult to do due to the curve in the steering wheel, allegedly. Easier off the dashboard so I am told. 

I once got a speeding fine for doing 85mph in a 65mph in Minnesota. Fine was $480 USD.

Speed limit was 85mph in South Dakota, drove over the state border into Minnesota where the limit was 65mph. Same road, same conditions. Who was waiting there behind a bush with a big cowboy hat on? The local sheriff.

PrincessFiona said:

Kap10 said:

guinnessaddick said:

If there were two of you in the car, you could say you stopped and swapped the driving.

Didn't a ToryMP get prison time for getting his wife to take his speeding offence?

Lib Dem former minister Chris Huhne

Chris Huhne and Vicky Pryce jailed for eight months - BBC News
Hell hath no wrath greater than a scorned ex wife ..  Pryce was until recently a 'go to' economics 'expert' called on by the BBC to comment on economic/monetary news topics 
Pryce has also been in a relationship with this ex jailbird M P  Denis MacShane - Wikipedia   

Chizz said:

One person is killed by a speeding motorist every 9 hours and 44 minutes.  This is the main reason I don't sympathise with people who whinge about being caught speeding.  

Your figure is broadly accurate I think - around 1800 deaths per annum on roads in the UK.  And taking into account the volume of traffic on the roads that is a remarkably low figure. (Yes, I know just one is one too many but I'm trying to be realistic.)   It's not speed itself that is the problem but excessive speed for the conditions. It is quite likely that the posted speed limit is too high to be travelling at in very poor weather conditions.

But statistics are useful aren't they?  So here's a few more.   Motorways have around 20% of total traffic volumes but only 5% of road fatalities. But that's where most speeding is done. Now, while speeding is often a contributory factor to road casualties particularly KSIs, is is not the biggest factor. Not paying attention is probably a bigger factor. And of course, that applies equally to pedestrians as well as motorists.  Meanwhile, over 6000 people die at home from just falls alone. Perhaps the "safety cameras" would be better placed in housing where at least one child per month dies from drowning, usually in the bath?

cafcfan said:

Chizz said:

One person is killed by a speeding motorist every 9 hours and 44 minutes.  This is the main reason I don't sympathise with people who whinge about being caught speeding.  

Your figure is broadly accurate I think - around 1800 deaths per annum on roads in the UK.  And taking into account the volume of traffic on the roads that is a remarkably low figure. (Yes, I know just one is one too many but I'm trying to be realistic.)   It's not speed itself that is the problem but excessive speed for the conditions. It is quite likely that the posted speed limit is too high to be travelling at in very poor weather conditions.

But statistics are useful aren't they?  So here's a few more.   Motorways have around 20% of total traffic volumes but only 5% of road fatalities. But that's where most speeding is done. Now, while speeding is often a contributory factor to road casualties particularly KSIs, is is not the biggest factor. Not paying attention is probably a bigger factor. And of course, that applies equally to pedestrians as well as motorists.  Meanwhile, over 6000 people die at home from just falls alone. Perhaps the "safety cameras" would be better placed in housing where at least one child per month dies from drowning, usually in the bath?

I don't think speeding cameras installed in bathrooms will have very much effect at all on reducing those twelve drowning incidents.  Maybe you're right though: it may be worth exploring. 

But, people not exceeding the speed limit over the last year would mean that around 900 families wouldn't now be mourning avoidable deaths. 

And it would have the added benefit of preventing people from complaining when they're caught breaking the law. 

guinnessaddick said:

Chizz said:

cafcfan said:

Chizz said:

One person is killed by a speeding motorist every 9 hours and 44 minutes.  This is the main reason I don't sympathise with people who whinge about being caught speeding.  

Your figure is broadly accurate I think - around 1800 deaths per annum on roads in the UK.  And taking into account the volume of traffic on the roads that is a remarkably low figure. (Yes, I know just one is one too many but I'm trying to be realistic.)   It's not speed itself that is the problem but excessive speed for the conditions. It is quite likely that the posted speed limit is too high to be travelling at in very poor weather conditions.

But statistics are useful aren't they?  So here's a few more.   Motorways have around 20% of total traffic volumes but only 5% of road fatalities. But that's where most speeding is done. Now, while speeding is often a contributory factor to road casualties particularly KSIs, is is not the biggest factor. Not paying attention is probably a bigger factor. And of course, that applies equally to pedestrians as well as motorists.  Meanwhile, over 6000 people die at home from just falls alone. Perhaps the "safety cameras" would be better placed in housing where at least one child per month dies from drowning, usually in the bath?

I don't think speeding cameras installed in bathrooms will have very much effect at all on reducing those twelve drowning incidents.  Maybe you're right though: it may be worth exploring. 

But, people not exceeding the speed limit over the last year would mean that around 900 families wouldn't now be mourning avoidable deaths. 

And it would have the added benefit of preventing people from complaining when they're caught breaking the law. 

Might reduce the amount of skid marks.

I suppose the cameras would support a time and motion study. 😆

cafcnick1992 said:

cafcfan said:

cafcnick1992 said:

I once got a speeding fine for doing 85mph in a 65mph in Minnesota. Fine was $480 USD.

Speed limit was 85mph in South Dakota, drove over the state border into Minnesota where the limit was 65mph. Same road, same conditions. Who was waiting there behind a bush with a big cowboy hat on? The local sheriff.

I know that neck of the woods. I guess you were on I-90. It has an 80 mph limit in South Dakota but that reduces to 65 as you approach Sioux City but reverts to 70 as you cross the state line into Minnesota. You sure your friendly neighbourhood Sheriff wasn't in SD?

I'm pretty sure I was stopped by a Minnesotan cop. She was absolutely gorgeous and had a lovely hat on.

Yes it was the I-90.

I won't make any comments about the bush she was hiding behind.....