Not what I wanted to see this afternoon....

[MACK]

I read the chart to be, a ticking off upto 79, and from 79 upto 86 an SAC course? 86 to 96 would be points.

Mike

Did he give you the verbal "i'm reporting you to be considered for the offence........"

Yup

Mike

Oh well at least it sounds like its just the course then and the £££ of course!
Reminds me of the time I did one about 5 years ago.
At one point during the intro the course leader asked us does anyone drive a sports car? I did at the time but didn't want to be "the sports car driving tw@t in the room" so didn't put my hand up. A middle aged lady at the front put her hand up and when the course tutor asked "what do you drive?" I was not expecting her to proclaim boastfully "Citreon DS3 Diesel!" It was all the rest of the room could manage not to burst into hysterics.
It was at that point i thought "the next four hours might not be that bad after all!"

 

[Marlon]

Very informative thread, thanks for kicking it off Mike - bet you got the 'stomach roll' when the Police sign lit up
I usually set the cruise to 80 mph on motorways.

 

[Steve84N]

I got caught doing 47mph in a 40mph zone on a dual carriageway in a rental van whilst moving house of all things and ended up on a SAC. It was so outdated it wasn't even funny. They showed the video from the 80s/90s of the car skidding then hitting a child saying you would have stopped at 30mph and asked what could they have done differently. I said drive a modern car with ABS and he said ABS doesn't make you stop quicker, I said yes but it does stop you from locking up which then does make you stop quicker. Then there's the usual how fast do you think you're still going if you were doing 35mph compared to 30mph when the 30mph car has stopped. They expect you to say 5mph but I got them all within close tolerances. They were surprised. They then tried to claim you should drive at 30mph in 3rd, 40mph in 4th etc to which I said it depends on the car. For the most economical return (which was their point) I said it's usually higher than that now.

Go along and do your penance but don't expect to learn anything if you're already well aware of what you're doing, which clearly you are.

 

[Paulwirral]

There's quite a few unmarked cars in Cheshire and Merseyside , a black 5 series tried to push my missus on once coming out of the Wallasey tunnel onto the 40mph then 50mph dual carriage way , it's the only time she's never nailed it , thank god !
There's a basic spec black x5 , a couple of 5 and 3 series , there was a c class merc estate and quite a while ago they had a rs4 avant in that bright blue !
I usually hover around 80mph but always knock it back slightly passing slip roads , I've a few mates in Durham police force and they always said it's easy pickings . They also used to push nice cars on a little to see if they took the bait in the unmarked cars .

 

[Ducklakeview]

I have no doubt that he would have been up my backside pushing me on..

Mike

 

[Zed Five]

Unless you got the 'anything you say can be used' etc, i doubt that you'll hear anything whatsoever. Sounds like sensible guys doing their job sensibly.

I stand by this. If this was not the case, no offence committed, no points. Lucky, but surprised you were stopped.

 

[Ducklakeview]

Well, it looks like Cheshire Police "may" have dropped a clanger..

Just got the post, and opened what I was expecting to be the SAC letter, only it wasn't - It was the bog std "conditional offer of a fixed penalty" :x So after getting over my annoyance, as I was specifically told that I "was in the range for an SAC" by the officer, I then read the rest of the letter..

I've posted the bit containing the glaring error below..



Anyone spot it?

Well, on my roadside ticket, the offence stated is "exceed 70 on motorway" with the offence code of 1565 (which I cannot for the life of me find a description of) the speed written on the TOR is 84 mph, and the location is given as "M53 54/4 A" (the 54/4 is the marker we stopped by, and A is the carriageway)

Now, on the conditional offer, it gives the same stop location/time etc, BUT, the offence is "EXCEED 60 MPH ON SINGLE CARRIAGEWAY" which is wholly incorrect, and physically impossible, as we were on a motorway. There were no temporary speed limits etc, so someone, somewhere has ballsed up.

Now, I presume, that the reason I've not been sent the forms for a SAC is that someone has looked at the 84 mph, against the 60 mph, which puts me straight into points territory, rather than compare it against 70 mph which lands me back in SAC land..

Now, I think I need to speak to my solicitor on Mon, as I'm sure I've read somewhere that if the paperwork is wrong, it's simply not enforceable, anyone?

At the very least, I think I should get the SAC course option that the offence meets the criteria for?

Interestingly, whilst trying to track down an explanation of the offence code "1535" I came across this on the Merseyside Police site;



It looks like our Police are "slightly" more lenient ie, upto 86 mph in a 70 limit.

Also saw this on the Which? site, which points to my new "sticking to an accurate 79 mph" policy as being pretty "safe"



Mike

 

[ben g]

I was behind a police van yesterday on my commute to work (2pm, roads were empty). I had my cruise set at 75mph and the van was pulling away from me quite quickly, aswell as sitting in the 3Rd lane while the other 2 were empty.

One rule for them...

 

[maxman]

I thought you were stopped on the M56 not the M53 .Letter seems it was meant for some one else .

 

[Smartbear]

I think if the paperwork is goofed up you can walk, I'd employ a solicitor who knows the score though.
Looks like it's your lucky day Mike
Rob

 

[Ducklakeview]

I thought you were stopped on the M56 not the M53 .Letter seems it was meant for some one else .

Well spotted! Another discrepancy.. Roadside ticket sites M56, photo location data shows correct location..



Looks like I could be on for a result!

About time my luck changed!

Mike

 

[brightonbimmer]

In Ontario, Canada, on the 400 series highways (= Motorways in UK), 50 KMh over posted limit (usually 100 KMh) results in immediate seizure of your vehicle, plus a fine of $10,000. I guess I will never know how my car performs at 100 MPH unless I ship it to Germany to drive again on the Autobahns and the Nurburgring as I last did in 1964 in my 1963 Morgan 4/4.

 

[AndyBeech]

Sorry to pee on your cornflakes but an admin error if that's what it is won't get you out of it. Plus you were served the NIP verbally by the roadside in person, with VASCAR evidence so not sure what you're defence would be in court if you decide to contest it? The letter isn't a NiP like it is if you caught by a speed camera for example. You have the original correct offence written down as well on the ticket you were given at the time? This is the evidence the police would use in court if you decide to challenge it, not the letter.
I would just call them and ask what the deal is first off, easiest and quickest way. They'll probably just correct it with the proper info.

 

[Ducklakeview]

Sorry to pee on your cornflakes but an admin error if that's what it is won't get you out of it. Plus you were served the NIP verbally by the roadside in person, with VASCAR evidence so not sure what you're defence would be in court if you decide to contest it? The letter isn't a NiP like it is if you caught by a speed camera for example. You have the original correct offence written down as well on the ticket you were given at the time? This is the evidence the police would use in court if you decide to challenge it, not the letter.
I would just call them and ask what the deal is first off, easiest and quickest way. They'll probably just correct it with the proper info.

I gathered that from what my solicitor said, decided to ring him at home. BUT I should still be offered the SAC as I was within the guidelines as I was caught on a motorway in a 70 limit.

Mike

 

[AndyBeech]

Yup deffo, I imagine that would be the case.

 

[Nictrix]

Have they possibly bypassed the SAC because you blatantly told them you were deliberately doing 84mph?
Oh and Nickis dig a few years ago had a different colour of car on the letter but the solicitor said it wouldnt matter it was just a clerical error.

 

[Ducklakeview]

Yup deffo, I imagine that would be the case.

But, if the roadside ticket was also wrong??



I would think that changes things.

Mike

 

[Ducklakeview]

Have they possibly bypassed the SAC because you blatantly told them you were deliberately doing 84mph?
Oh and Nickis dig a few years ago had a different colour of car on the letter but the solicitor said it wouldnt matter it was just a clerical error.

No, think whoever sent the conditional offer was obviously looking at the wrong offence code, ie exceeding 60 and thought I wouldn't be eligible at 84. The ACPO guidelines clearly state otherwise.

Mike

 

[Nictrix]

Have they possibly bypassed the SAC because you blatantly told them you were deliberately doing 84mph?
Oh and Nickis dig a few years ago had a different colour of car on the letter but the solicitor said it wouldnt matter it was just a clerical error.

No, think whoever sent the conditional offer was obviously mig at the wrong offence code, ie exceeding 60 and thought I wouldn't be eligible at 84. The ACPO guidelines clearly state otherwise.

Mike

They are only guidelines though.
Do the police have any input other than sending in the paperwork?
Can they recommend a certain punishment based on their own view of the crime?
I just think from reading what you posted that it may have came over very cocky that you had set your cruise deliberately 14 mph over the speed limit and telling them that was what you had done. Its not like you were speeding by accident. Is it 20% over the limit?
At least you sometimes have the option of the SAC. North of the border its points every time.

 

[AndyBeech]

Yup deffo, I imagine that would be the case.

But, if the roadside ticket was also wrong??

20170129_154654.jpg

I would think that changes things.

Mike

Maybe. Still, you've already admitted at the time to the officer you were speeding, on a motorway. So a very small location error I doubt would change much. I don't know all the details though so wouldn't like to say for sure.