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Today I received an "NIP" - A "Notice of Intended Prosecution" from North Wales Police (or Heddlu Gogledd Cymru).
You know the dual carriageway section (crawler lane) on the A5, after the bridge as you travel uphill towards McDonalds? Just after that on Sunday, I saw a van with a speed camera sign up and it's back hatch open, and noted that I was going a bit quickly, but nothing excessive. Didn't even attempt to brake - my opinion on that is "what's the point?" - if you've seen them, they've already seen you.
Apparently, I was doing 68 mph. In a 60. According to the ACPO guidelines this is the very lowest speed mentioned, for which action should be taken (not taking into account officer discretion). I wasn't doing anything stupid, I wasn't endangering anyone's life. I fully accept that I was speeding but damnit, what's the point in this, other than a money making endeavour?
The guidance to police officers is that it is anticipated that, other than in the most exceptional circumstances, the issue of fixed penalty notices and summonses is likely to be the minimum appropriate enforcement action as soon as the following speeds have been reached:
Fixed penalty of
1. £60 (pending)
2. Licence endorsed with 3 penalty points
Magisterial discretion (level 2) maximum of:
1. £1000 fine
2. Licence endorsed - range of penalty points available
3. Disqualification
4. Compulsory re-testing
This guidance does not and cannot replace the police officer's discretion and they may decide to issue a summons or a fixed penalty notice in respect of offences committed at speeds lower than those set out in the table. Moreover, in particular circumstances, driving at speeds lower than the legal limit may result in prosecution for other offences, for example dangerous driving or driving without due care and attention when the speed is inappropriate and inherently unsafe.
Yes I'm purposely reading this in a way that suits me :)
I'm probably not going to bother going through the process of a court appearance, if as expected I'm offered a fixed penalty. As much as I'd love to clog up the court system with irrelevant crap, the risk of being given a higher fine is just not worth it, IMO. The problem is, all the "techniques" for getting out of tickets rely on you going through the courts. Apparently the cops don't like giving away the photographic evidence without this course of action being taken...
You know the dual carriageway section (crawler lane) on the A5, after the bridge as you travel uphill towards McDonalds? Just after that on Sunday, I saw a van with a speed camera sign up and it's back hatch open, and noted that I was going a bit quickly, but nothing excessive. Didn't even attempt to brake - my opinion on that is "what's the point?" - if you've seen them, they've already seen you.
Apparently, I was doing 68 mph. In a 60. According to the ACPO guidelines this is the very lowest speed mentioned, for which action should be taken (not taking into account officer discretion). I wasn't doing anything stupid, I wasn't endangering anyone's life. I fully accept that I was speeding but damnit, what's the point in this, other than a money making endeavour?
The guidance to police officers is that it is anticipated that, other than in the most exceptional circumstances, the issue of fixed penalty notices and summonses is likely to be the minimum appropriate enforcement action as soon as the following speeds have been reached:
Limit Penalty Summons 20 mph 25 mph 35 mph 30 mph 35 mph 50 mph 40 mph 46 mph 66 mph 50 mph 57 mph 76 mph 60 mph 68 mph 86 mph 70 mph 79 mph 96 mph
Fixed penalty of
1. £60 (pending)
2. Licence endorsed with 3 penalty points
Magisterial discretion (level 2) maximum of:
1. £1000 fine
2. Licence endorsed - range of penalty points available
3. Disqualification
4. Compulsory re-testing
This guidance does not and cannot replace the police officer's discretion and they may decide to issue a summons or a fixed penalty notice in respect of offences committed at speeds lower than those set out in the table. Moreover, in particular circumstances, driving at speeds lower than the legal limit may result in prosecution for other offences, for example dangerous driving or driving without due care and attention when the speed is inappropriate and inherently unsafe.
Yes I'm purposely reading this in a way that suits me :)
I'm probably not going to bother going through the process of a court appearance, if as expected I'm offered a fixed penalty. As much as I'd love to clog up the court system with irrelevant crap, the risk of being given a higher fine is just not worth it, IMO. The problem is, all the "techniques" for getting out of tickets rely on you going through the courts. Apparently the cops don't like giving away the photographic evidence without this course of action being taken...
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