Speeding Ticket Advice

[Fladdem]

On Sunday, a "friend" of mine got a speeding ticket through. He got caught doing 37 in a 30 by some chaps with a gun.

He was driving a Suzuki Jimny, he's fitted larger wheels so the speedo under-reads, he also didn't notice the speed gun mans because they were hidden under the bridge to the left, and I was he was turning right at the junction with his back to them, they must have got him pulling away. What he reckons happened is that he accelerated hard in first and second, because he's just fitted a snorkel and loves the noise it makes, then must have peaked at thirty-seven before slowing down to thirty again.

Anyway, he's now faced with a £100 fine and 3 points on his licence. He has been told to consider contesting it, but because of the undeclared mods he's done to the car, he's worried they might try to do him for driving without insurance. He also is well aware he could probably have been speeding anyway so he might not have anything to back himself up with.

However, he has also been offered a driving awareness course. The thing is, he did a drivers awareness course back in July after he rolled his Micra in April, but surely it would be different courses, the first one was called a Drivers Alertness Course, and this one has a different name. If he applied for it regardless could he expect any repercussions if it turns out he's not allowed to do another one?

Another question, he passed his bike test in 2012, but only got his car licence in January 2015, would the 6 point new drivers thing still apply, or would that have been played out already with the bike test?

Thanks for any advice.
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Current:1991 Honda MT50 (Soon to be a H100/MTX/MT5 hybrid), 1976 Honda Cub C70, 2005 Honda Varadero 125, 1993 Yamaha TTR250 Open Enduro , 2010 Road Legal Stomp YX140, 1994 Honda CRM 250 MK III, 1999 Cagiva Mito 125, 1992 Honda CB400 Super Four, Stomp T4 230, 1984 Honda H100s, 2009 Sym XS125K
Past:2003 Aprilia RS125, 1982 Kawasaki GPZ550(FREE BIKE!)
I'm having more fun than a well-oiled midget.

[Ste]

Consider contesting it on what grounds?

You've got twelve points to play with cos the six point limit is from when you get your first full license category.

[Fladdem]

I don't know. Maybe they were being sneaky? The camera wasn't calibrated, there's no evidence. A mate of mine reckons he's gotten away with it like that, but it seems highly unlikely.
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Current:1991 Honda MT50 (Soon to be a H100/MTX/MT5 hybrid), 1976 Honda Cub C70, 2005 Honda Varadero 125, 1993 Yamaha TTR250 Open Enduro , 2010 Road Legal Stomp YX140, 1994 Honda CRM 250 MK III, 1999 Cagiva Mito 125, 1992 Honda CB400 Super Four, Stomp T4 230, 1984 Honda H100s, 2009 Sym XS125K
Past:2003 Aprilia RS125, 1982 Kawasaki GPZ550(FREE BIKE!)
I'm having more fun than a well-oiled midget.

[Raffles]

[dydey90]

As above, "he" should snap off the proverbial hand offering the course. "He" should know though, that contrary to legal evidence, a conversation that I recently had with a DVLSA bloke revealed that they've been told that you only have 6 points with your new category. I was advised that my new shiny category A is limited to six, although my A2 and B categories are over two years. I decided to tactfully ignore this statement.
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This post is probably not serious and shouldn't be taken literally.
Past: CBR125,ER6f NINJA 650, ZZR600 Current: VFR750

[Fladdem]

[MattEMulsion]

He sounds like he might want to steady on a bit, seeing as it only took him three months from passing his test to rolling his car. Now this too also within the first year. Why contest it? It sounds cut and dried, tell him to do the course and maybe learn something.
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Yamaha YZF-R6

[iooi]

[Pete.]

Take the course if you've been offered it as an alternative. Nothing wrong with that - they gave you the choice once you take it the matter's dealt with.

I'd forget about contesting it on any of the grounds you have mentioned.
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a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good

[MaybeGuy]

You could double the fine and give it to me along with the points... I don't use my UK licence...
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Blue_SV650S wrote: it was a sh1te wheelie, but it proves that he can get it up in 3rd and can do angles. In summery, mattsprattuk is a gobby little sh1tebag, dopehead tw4t, but sadly for all of us, he probably isn't THAT full of sh1te!!
Kickstart wrote: Hi I tend to agree with Matt. All the best Keith

[Andy_Pagin]

I think I'd take the 'awareness' course, if only to join the army of others who can testify to what a waste of time it is.
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They're coming to take me away, ho-ho, hee-hee, ha-haaa, hey-hey,
the men in white coats are coming to take me away.
Yamaha Vity -> YBR125 -> FZS600 Fazer -> FZ1-S Fazer

[Undinist]

Christ, you're a lucky bastard to be offered a second course so soon after the first one. Take the fucker! Send the letter NOW before the offer expires or they change their minds!
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Current bike: K1100RS. Previous: CD200, GSX250, GT550, VFR750, K100LT, K1100LT, R1100GS, R1150GS, ZZR1100, Hayabusa, RSV Mille, MV F4 750S, R1, ZX-10, KTM Adventure 950S

[JP7]

A few points raised...

The speed equipment has to be calibrated once a year... this is virtually always done, because many many many people have tried to use this one in the past. If you try to contest it on those grounds at court, and they wander in with the calibration certificate, then you'd get hammered.

If they didn't do anything with the mods at the time, then it's highly unlikely they'll come after him/you for that. Was it mentioned when he was stopped?

The first course would probably have been for a careless driving offence. The second one will be for speeding, so you're eligible for both. People may think they're a waste of time, but you/he might actually learn something. And it saves getting stuck with points for the next few years.

[MattEMulsion]

If they were in different counties then 'your mate' has fallen foul of two different constabularies. That'll be why they offered another course.
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Yamaha YZF-R6

[MCN]

If the car has been modifikated and the appropriate authorities haven't been informed then it is your civic duty to dob him in.

You know it's right.
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Disclaimer: The comments above may be predicted text and not necessarily the opinion of MCN.

[Nobby the Bastard]

[MCN]

[The Wobbly Orange]

https://www.gov.uk/penalty-points-endorsements/new-drivers

Check out the second last paragraph, there is no reset of the clock on passing a new category.


Tell him to take the offered course. Three hours of powerpoint is much better than 3 points.
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People tell me I am lovely. How wrong they are!

[iooi]

[Undinist]

Taking 3 avoidable points won't look too clever if you collect another 9 over the next 3 years. Two cameras plus a bald tyre/crossing a double white line and you're banned for 6 months and your insurance is screwed for a decade.
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Current bike: K1100RS. Previous: CD200, GSX250, GT550, VFR750, K100LT, K1100LT, R1100GS, R1150GS, ZZR1100, Hayabusa, RSV Mille, MV F4 750S, R1, ZX-10, KTM Adventure 950S

[BumpingUglys]

A girl that took me out on a roundabout was offered a 'Careless Driving' course instead of points. That sounds like the 'Driver Alertness' course you mention. Possibly a totally separate entity to the speed awareness and perfectly valid to do both?

In either case I'd take the course. I've considered just sucking up the points before, but it's a bit of a lazy option that may be regrettable later on.
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Ducati M695

[arry]

[Robby]

Take the course.

While you're at it, maybe try not driving like a tool. You managed to roll a micra, then bought a roll-happy Vitara and fitted bigger wheels to raise the centre of gravity even more.

Are you in denial over gravity?

[MCN]

[iooi]