0 points for a loss, 1 point for a draw, and 3 points for...

Hertscruiser · Post by **Hertscruiser** » Sat Apr 12, 2003 3:53 pm

driving like a t**t on the A1M

I managed to dismiss two boyhood theories of mine though:

1) There doesn't need to be two traffic cops in a car to convict you.

2) Just because a traffic cop is doing 90mph along the motorway without 'blues & two's' doesn't give you the go ahead to follow behind at a safe distance at the same speed and not get punished.

But I did also manage to prove two theories:

1) Traffic cops don't take too kindly to people racing them.

2) It is one rule for them and one for the rest of us.

No excuses. I wasn't in a hurry, just a rush of blood to the head.

3 points and a Â£60 fine brought me back down to earth.

I'm still a bit miffed as to why he was allowed to do 20mph over the speed limit and I wasn't. He certainly wasn't rushing to the scene of an accident or involved in a high speed pursuit of a stolen vehicle.

But that's life. To be fair to the cop he did give me the option of an appearance in court or a fixed penalty. Needless to say I didn't think my argument of 'but he was doing the same speed, your honour' would have stood up in court so I humbly opted for the fixed penalty.

I always thought my first points would come from an unmarked car or a sneaky mobile trap. But instead it was me being foolish.

Time for me to grow up and ease off the gas a bit more from now on. :rolleyes:

paul_y3k · Post by **paul_y3k** » Sat Apr 12, 2003 4:02 pm

welcome to the club. got mine in 96 doing 38 in a 30. the nasty part is that although the points are only active for 3 yrs you have to tell your insurance for 5 yrs.
although a lot of places dont worry about your first 3. ahh welll just think of it as helping fund a few immigrants or tony's new bathroom.

Amanda · Post by **Amanda** » Sat Apr 12, 2003 4:17 pm

It must be one of those days I got a dreaded Hampshire Constabulary 'Pink Letter' this morning to fill in, send back and await my punishment

Wrists are duly slapped

RTF · Post by **RTF** » Sat Apr 12, 2003 9:01 pm

I know how it feels. Got about 1750EUR of tickets the last 3,5 years. almost all of them speeding.

Lucky for me we don't have points here...

At how many points do you loose your license in the UK?

Post by **Lyndon** » Sat Apr 12, 2003 9:13 pm

only 12

i DID have six on mine plus a Â£175 fine (i think) for doing a steady 99.52mph on a dual carriageway

100mph and it would have been a instant ban :x

:rolleyes:

Duncan · Post by **Duncan** » Sat Apr 12, 2003 11:51 pm

The two cop rule is not a staturory regulation. You see cops don't lie so if one cop says you where speeding your done unless he didn't have the means to measure your speed. ie radar gun, speedo on his vehicle. He has to use his judgement. This is when one cop on his own has a problem. Courts need two cops not a statutory rule but generally accepted. You need two cop to agree you where speeding and just not ordinary cops the probably need to be experianced traffic cops.

Erm · Post by **Erm** » Sun Apr 13, 2003 10:32 am

only 6 points for the first 2 years of passing your driving test.........

luckily thats over in september for me

Hertscruiser · Post by **Hertscruiser** » Sun Apr 13, 2003 10:41 am

The two cop rule is not a staturory regulation. You see cops don't lie so if one cop says you where speeding your done unless he didn't have the means to measure your speed. ie radar gun, speedo on his vehicle. He has to use his judgement. This is when one cop on his own has a problem. Courts need two cops not a statutory rule but generally accepted. You need two cop to agree you where speeding and just not ordinary cops the probably need to be experianced traffic cops.

That's a fair point. My only argument with this situation was that I was caught using VASCAR which, as the officer explained to me, meant that when he saw me in his mirror at a certain point he pushed a button on the unit located on the middle of the dash to log his speed. He then pushed it again when I passed the same point. Then at a another random point point he pushed it again for his speed and again for mine when I passed the same point thus getting an average speed for my vehicle.

But if he was driving at 90 mph surely him having to reach across to push a button on the centre of his dashboard 4 times would count as a distraction and ultimately that he had less control of his vehicle at that time than I did.

Small point I know but if it's also taken into account the fact that this action was 'manual', undertaken at speed in a location where there were no standard marker points (i'e. the white boxes painted on the road) and that unlike electronic recording equipment there was no other witness in his vehicle this also adds an area of uncertainty.

At the end of the day as I said before I have no real complaints with my being 'pulled' or how it was handled by the particular officer but I do question the overall 'methods' of Forces up and down the country in enforcing the driving laws and the apparent 'randomness' in which they are/are not enforced.

Mr_AWOL · Post by **Mr_AWOL** » Sun Apr 13, 2003 10:41 am

Surely if the plod had no spees measuring equipment in his car then it is your word against his?

Otherwise would you be entitled to report him?

Isnt this close to entrapment?

Aimee · Post by **Aimee** » Sun Apr 13, 2003 10:44 am

I was extremely, extremely lucky last week, I got stopped on the M4 going only ever so slightly over 100mph

and somehow I managed to get let off, not even a fixed penalty notice

Scared me into slowing down now though as loosing my driving license would not be good!

Post by **Lyndon** » Sun Apr 13, 2003 10:48 am

perhaps your sexy smile and fluttering eyelashes had something to do with it

CB · Post by CB » Sun Apr 13, 2003 4:19 pm

Didn't work for me a few years ago Lyndon....

Post by **Lyndon** » Sun Apr 13, 2003 4:37 pm

must have forgot your makeup

Mr_AWOL · Post by **Mr_AWOL** » Sun Apr 13, 2003 10:25 pm

Didn't work for me a few years ago

Maybe you're losing your touch mate?!?

CB · Post by CB » Sun Apr 13, 2003 10:28 pm

Maybe you're losing your touch mate?!?

I dunno...might have to do a poll, ask around a bit, y'know!!?!?!!