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[zirk]

Obviously were talking Motorways here, received this via email recently, I read it as, Fixed Penalty rather than a Court Hearing, any thoughts or real life experiences of it?
 :-/

“Hi Chris,

Did you know that that ACPO (the Association of Cheif Police Officers) advise Police who stop speeding Motorists on motorways only to prosecute if they are exceeding 96mph?

It's not a well known fact, and we know that on some occasions Police don't follow this guideline.

However, on many occasions they do follow it...

If you are polite and courteous to the Officer and mention something in friendly banter along the lines of:

"Is it true that the ACPO (pron. "ack-poe") guideline is to only summons drivers to court if they are driving at 96mph or more?"

...then you'll be significantly more likely to get a 'slap on the wrist' and simply get a ticket.

...which is surely better than facing a ban and a big fine.

All the best,

Adam
Adam Blair
Managing Director, DriveProtect “

[jonnycool]

Go on, try it, I dare you 

[zirk]

Go on, try it, I dare you 

Nah, cant afford the petrol let alone the Fine!

[Lizzie_Zoom]

Certainly I KNOW that in the 1990s, around Hampshire, motorway police only stopped motorists doing more than 90 mph.  Below that you would only be stopped if you were driving at that speed in dangerous driving conditions, driving dangerously or recklessly, driving a vehicle that appeared unroadworthy, or the car and the driver were wanted.

[Lazydocker]

I wouldn't bother trying to be clever... I am always courteous to the Police, especially if stopped, and can assure you that it's worthwhile

[zirk]

I wouldn't bother trying to be clever... I am always courteous to the Police, especially if stopped, and can assure you that it's worthwhile

Tend to agree with you on that one LD, last thing you need is to put them into ‘Obnoxious Driver Mode’

[aaronjb]

Yeah I can just imagine their reaction if, having stopped you for doing 85mph, you quote that to them..

I suspect you'd be fishing rubber gloves from your backside for weeks!

[Entwood]

Going by the number of cases that pass through my courts, either for sentence or appeal, as they are mostly dealt with at the Magistrates Courts initially, that information is dramatically incorrect !!

I seen appeals against sentence (after someone has lost their licence)  usually for the 3rd or 4th offence of around 80mph and had cases referred up for sentence for similar speeds where the driver has a worse record.

For these cases to get to court they must have been reported by the police initially. I know a lot of the cases stem from camera vans initialy ... but I have watched enough video evidence from following cars to know that not all is from them ..

I would not like to take the risk ..

[hotel21]

There has always been the option to ignore/warn/ticket/report for prosecution and dependant on speed detected.  Nothing new there.

What may be different is the actual speed in use at any given time.  It was always what was termed a Fiscal Guideline up here but in England/Wales, probably some sort of CPS guideline to mirror that.

In my experience, those errant motorists that go off on one, howsoever polite or apparently informed, end up getting the most precise of attentions...... 

[tonyyeb]

My late brother-in-law was a traffic officer here in Wiltshire, and my wife's ex-hubby was also a copper.
Although both were careful not to endorse routine motorway speeding, they both said independently of each other that traffic officers are not especially interested in speed per se, but take a dim view of speed combined with any of the following:-
Poor road conditions / traffic conditions / visibility;
Apparent inattention to surrounding traffic conditions, highlighted by lack of lane discipline, lack of indication, lack of awareness of following traffic;
Any distraction consuming the drivers attention, like mobile phones, putting on make-up, turning to scream at kids in the back, etc;
tail-gating;
Under-taking;
any attempts to intimidate other drivers to move over.

None of the above means that a motorist behaving sensibly at 85 mph on the motorway won't get pulled, but most traffic officers are motoring / car enthusiasts (thats why the majority of them do the job), and only want to catch and deter the idiots.
The above absolutely chimes with my own personal experience - I frequently travel at 90 mph and occasionally (and for short distances) more on motorways, but I drive in accordance with the list of 'dont's' above. I have NEVER been stopped for speed on a motorway.

[albitz]

Probably pretty close to the truth in my experience.

[Martin_1962]

I find the same - I don't take the pee but will exceed by a little.

But drive carefully

[Amigo]

I set cruise to 75mph if on a run, probably really doing 72/73.

  If stopped NEVER be rude. Traffic officers have leeway to exercise a little discretion depending on the circumstances.

[Dishevelled Den]

My late brother-in-law was a traffic officer here in Wiltshire, and my wife's ex-hubby was also a copper.
Although both were careful not to endorse routine motorway speeding, they both said independently of each other that traffic officers are not especially interested in speed per se, but take a dim view of speed combined with any of the following:-
Poor road conditions / traffic conditions / visibility;
Apparent inattention to surrounding traffic conditions, highlighted by lack of lane discipline, lack of indication, lack of awareness of following traffic;
Any distraction consuming the drivers attention, like mobile phones, putting on make-up, turning to scream at kids in the back, etc;
tail-gating;
Under-taking;
any attempts to intimidate other drivers to move over.

None of the above means that a motorist behaving sensibly at 85 mph on the motorway won't get pulled, but most traffic officers are motoring / car enthusiasts (thats why the majority of them do the job), and only want to catch and deter the idiots.
The above absolutely chimes with my own personal experience - I frequently travel at 90 mph and occasionally (and for short distances) more on motorways, but I drive in accordance with the list of 'dont's' above. I have NEVER been stopped for speed on a motorway.

Why not just drive at the posted limit T?

[albitz]

In 36 years on the roads Z, its only in the last year that I have for some reason (middle age ?) reached the point where I can bring myself to do that - in a car at least, the bike is still a bit different. I think that most people are the same - like to feel the enjoyment of using the performance of their engine etc.
I dont have a problem with that as long as its done without reckless disregard for safety, which imo isnt the same thing as speeding.