DICK TURPIN! (Still hating the Met.)

[nickb]

Well, it's Saturday morning which these days means time for my regular correspondance with the Met. Police.

So it was no surprise when THIS:


Plopped onto the doormat this morning.
...

Now do I
(a) cough for the fine and take the points. I KNOW is was doing the speed that they clocked me at and don't really dispute that part of it...

(b) fight the bastards on it, hoping (A) that I might get off on a technicality and (B) gat to make lots of loud noises about how this camera, like most, has diddly squit to do with road safety....

You can guarantee that if I fight it they'll wallop me with more points and a whopper fine if I lose. And since I've got serious hassles with that other bastion of governmental obtrusiveness and idiocy, the Inland Revenue, I could really do without lining the Met's pockets with any more cash!

[skoda_norman]

what about saying your not sure you were driving your car at the time....

[nickb]

That wouldn't work I'm afraid.
You have to give them the details of someone who was driving if you weren't. If you say you "can't remember" as the owner of the vehicle you still get slapped with the points.

[Rob]

tell am it was someone else...

"well, thats terrible... ill gladly pay the fine lucifer but what are we going to do with thise points ?"

?

[v8ade]

I asked them to send photo evidence off the driver after my wife was caught at 45 in 30 limit, said there could be a possible 4 different drivers off the car. they sent photos off the car and you could see it was my misses whith blond hair (natural orben) so i told them i couldnt tell who was at the wheel from the photo and they couldnt prove who it was and i havent heard nothing since.That was 18 months ago, try it you have nothing to lose.

[skoda_norman]

NickB said:

That wouldn't work I'm afraid.
You have to give them the details of someone who was driving if you weren't. If you say you "can't remember" as the owner of the vehicle you still get slapped with the points.

that is true, but it wastes their time and costs them more money in the long run! ;D

[BigWig]

Do you have a friend abroad? E.g. France, send them the penalty money and get them to own up to driving. the points don't go on their licence, this is what the car mags do anyway

[Revolution 9]

Clever that!

[rmad]

Pay it. It's not worth the hassle.

[reallyloud]

Pay it....I've got to go to court next month due to non payment of the initial fine (I geniunely lost it).....got done in Dunstable and I don't even remember it.

...and typically got done in warwick too......


grrrrrrrr

[wagoneer]

Cough up. It's the best option.

[Panda Matt]

Take it to court!

If everyone did, they'd stop prosecuting the drivers.

Coughing up and shelling out just means they've won.

Also, is this the first letter you've had about this? Date of offence =18/01/05, date of letter= much more than the 2 weeks they have to get in touch with you about it.

Go to court, present yourself well (suit, well-kempt etc...) and hope something good happens...

www.ukspeedtraps.co.uk/how.htm

[BenzBoy]

I had a similar letter a few weeks ago. I really really want to take it to court, but the problem is that I really can't afford to pay double the fine (I think they double it when you take it to court), and the court costs should I lose.
I agree that if everyone took it to court, regardless of winning or losing, it would clog the system up and they'd be b0lloxed!! If I could afford it I would do it in a second. I really regret doing it but I think I'm gonna have to cough up on this one!

[Revolution 9]

Bloody coppers. Normally I'm very fond of giving the law a piece of your mind, and I've shouted at a few coppers for wasting my time and spot checking me and giving me a roadside interrogation as to whether I'm licensed and insured and the car's taxed and MOT'd for no reason other than I committed the heinous crime of owning an old car, but as you say they'll double the fine on you, plus I reckon the court'll be on the laws side (being the law and all) so they'll make things work in the met's favour if you're not careful, if the whole system of law and order in this country gets any less fair and impartial they'll have the thought police round for replying to this thread! ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[ImpJimbo]

I would pay the fine. Anything for an easy life.

[rmad]

There's a way to simplify this...were you driving too fast? Are you sure you were driving?
Sorry to say it mate, but you're going to find those facts will work quite strongly against you in court...even if you're wearing a nice suit.

Blimey, what a boringly sensible old man I've become! ;D