Caught at 93mph on the motorway

[uhf]

Just got a letter today saying I was doing 93mph on the M4 in Wiltshire coming back from holiday.

Just had a read of another thread when the guy got £250 and 6 points for 109 on the motorway so I thought I'd ask what I might expect from this?

I've been driving 12 years and never had any points or fines at all, only problem is my licence has an address I left 4 years ago, will that count as another offence?

Is there any point getting a solicitor, I've not had to go to court before but I'd imagine they've heard all of the excuses so its a matter of just turning up, saying you wont do it again, not giving any silly reasons and taking your punishment.

Ironic, all the stupid things I did when I was in my early twenties and driving heavily tuned cars and I go and get caught doing 93mph coming back from holiday in my Octy Elegance!

[Royston]

Was it a camera that got you? I'd imagine you'll come away with an SP50 and 3 points / £60 fine.

AFAIK they only summons you to court if you've done 30MPH over the speed limit. Assuming the speed limit on that stretch of motorway was 70MPH (and not 50 during some roadworks) you should be in for a low level punnishment.

[Tom_vRS]

Assuming it was national speed limit, I'm sure it will just be a notice of intended prosecution, and not a court summons. Up to 96mph is dealt with by 3 points and a £60 fine under ACPO guidelines

[jonnycatbiscuit]

As the others have said, if it was a 70 limit; 3 points and £60 fine. It's called a conditional offer of fixed penalty.

enclose a covering letter when you send them your licence saying you've only recently moved and only just found your driving licence which is why it still has your old address on it.

Good Luck!

[uhf]

Was it a camera that got you? I'd imagine you'll come away with an SP50 and 3 points / £60 fine.

AFAIK they only summons you to court if you've done 30MPH over the speed limit. Assuming the speed limit on that stretch of motorway was 70MPH (and not 50 during some roadworks) you should be in for a low level punnishment.

It was a mobile one on a van in a bridge, got access to a lovely online picture, apparently I was 550 metres away from him when he got me, I'm pretty sure I'm lucky it wasnt 1000 metres!

Will the licence not being up to date be a problem, its my original paper one from 12 years ago, i moved 4 years ago, surely they can check when I moved and lying to say it was 2 months ago will only make things worse.

Was defo 70mph, said so on the letter, I always stick to the limit in roadworks so i'm 100% it wasnt in roadworks. Especially as most of them have average speed limit cameras now.

Edited 9 July, 2009 by uhf

[DaveHarries]

)..........) only problem is my licence has an address I left 4 years ago, will that count as another offence?

Erm.....unfortunately it does.

I think you can be fined for not notifying a change of address and getting a licence with that new address on it. I think the fine is around £1000 (don't quote me on that: I am not totally certain about the amount) but they may just find out the name and the address to which the car is registered and send correspondence there.

Good luck.

Dave

[gadgetman]

Will the licence not being up to date be a problem, its my original paper one from 12 years ago, i moved 4 years ago, surely they can check when I moved and lying to say it was 2 months ago will only make things worse.

Yes, if you go to court, it wont go well not having your current address. It's also a hefty fine from the DVLA.

They will find you, and there really is no excuse. You clearly knew you were hiding your address.

[Burnsey]

To be honest when I got done my address was wrong and neither the court nor the police could really care. Just told me to get it sorted. What does the letter say?

[uhf]

To be honest when I got done my address was wrong and neither the court nor the police could really care. Just told me to get it sorted. What does the letter say?

The letter I have at present says I must say who was driving, it also goes on to say if the address on my licence is incorrect that I mustn't apply for a new one now and instead write a covering letter and they'll pass the licence to the DVLA on its way back to me, but I doubt that counts for converting paper ones to photo ones.

[Royston]

Yes, if you go to court, it wont go well not having your current address. It's also a hefty fine from the DVLA.

They will find you, and there really is no excuse. You clearly knew you were hiding your address.

hahaha are you taking the P? If his car is registered to his current address, he's not trying to hide from the law. It's just an oversight.

I've never known anyone to be prosecuted for not updating the address on their driving license. Half the country would be in court if that was the case.

[uhf]

hahaha are you taking the P? If his car is registered to his current address, he's not trying to hide from the law. It's just an oversight.

I've never known anyone to be prosecuted for not updating the address on their driving license. Half the country would be in court if that was the case.

Precisely, not like I was deliberately hiding anything, the car is fully MOT'd, insured and registered to my address, of course, the MOT was due to run out the same week I was caught, damn lucky I got it renewed in time I suppose. All my paper work is perfectly up to date and legit except my licence is ancient and falling to peices.

Suppose I could always leave it until the end of the required 30 days to send the letter back and get a new photo licence in the mean time if it was really an issue.

[gadgetman]

hahaha are you taking the P? If his car is registered to his current address, he's not trying to hide from the law. It's just an oversight.

I've never known anyone to be prosecuted for not updating the address on their driving license. Half the country would be in court if that was the case.

Then pray you dont end up in court round here for speeding and have the wrong address on your licence. The Police baraster is a meany I hear.

4 years is more than enough time to realise an oversight. Depending on the court/DVLA they have the power to impose a fine upto £5000 IIRC

[sms]

it will be the usual 3 points and fine, unless they are still offering road awareness courses where they make more money.

[Burnsey]

The letter I have at present says I must say who was driving, it also goes on to say if the address on my licence is incorrect that I mustn't apply for a new one now and instead write a covering letter and they'll pass the licence to the DVLA on its way back to me, but I doubt that counts for converting paper ones to photo ones.

Fair enough, and include a photo as well so they can give you a new photocard licence. I doubt they'll do that.

My advice would be nice and polite in your covering letter, in which in my case the court just sent my licence back to me after they filled in the counterpart section rather than onto the dvla. I was stopped though and told to send my licence and cheque off to local court. As yet they haven't identified the driver so they can issue you with an offer of penalty points. If you have concerns just phone up the contact number on the letter and ask for advice. As far as I'm aware they tend to be quite friendly.

[David 8]

4 years is more than enough time to realise an oversight. Depending on the court/DVLA they have the power to impose a fine upto £5000 IIRC

Nah it's not, swmbo and me moved three times in about 4 years and she hasn't long changed it too where we are now, and we have been here five years, mind you she is a bit thick at times :rofl::rofl:

[jonnycatbiscuit]

Suppose I could always leave it until the end of the required 30 days to send the letter back and get a new photo licence in the mean time if it was really an issue.

Don't do that...chances are you won't get it back in time.

Send off your old paper one, with a covering note saying you haven't got round to changing your address yet (they hardly EVER bother with this offence, even in court!) and the chances are tha DVLA will send you your old paper one back with th epoints on it, asking you to update the address and upgrade to a photocard one.

[johnmb]

On your first message you mentioned the Licence is 12 years old , does it have an expiry or valid to date , as the new Photo ones do and i think that is only 10 years .

[Brimma]

If it's a NIP, make sure you send everything in, and don't push it right to the limit of the time allowed.

If it's not complete it won't be accepted, likely resulting in a summons being issued.

[uhf]

Don't do that...chances are you won't get it back in time.

Send off your old paper one, with a covering note saying you haven't got round to changing your address yet (they hardly EVER bother with this offence, even in court!) and the chances are tha DVLA will send you your old paper one back with th epoints on it, asking you to update the address and upgrade to a photocard one.

I was also thinking of doing this as the paper one is very tatty and may be considered defaced.

[kynastonp]

On your first message you mentioned the Licence is 12 years old , does it have an expiry or valid to date , as the new Photo ones do and i think that is only 10 years .

paper licences have an expiry date of the holders 70th birthday

[RobClubley]

hahaha are you taking the P? If his car is registered to his current address, he's not trying to hide from the law. It's just an oversight.

I've never known anyone to be prosecuted for not updating the address on their driving license. Half the country would be in court if that was the case.

The address on my licence isn't even in the right country

[KenONeill]

hahaha are you taking the P? If his car is registered to his current address, he's not trying to hide from the law. It's just an oversight.

I've never known anyone to be prosecuted for not updating the address on their driving license. Half the country would be in court if that was the case.

Including a significant proportion of the police force, according to the ones I know.

[jonnycatbiscuit]

Including a significant proportion of the police force, according to the ones I know.

:rofl:Mine's okay...:rofl:

[gadgetman]

On your first message you mentioned the Licence is 12 years old , does it have an expiry or valid to date , as the new Photo ones do and i think that is only 10 years .

Including a significant proportion of the police force, according to the ones I know.

El Gordo needs cash to avoid mega cuts in services. They wont be ignoring such things for much longer

And as I said, if you had been caught in these parts, then you would be shafted for an incorrect address

[uhf]

Quick update:

I sent my paper licence off to be replaced, got a nice new shiny photocard licence back 3 days later, then sent off the information about the driver, in this case me, got a conditional offer of 3 points and £60 as many people said.

Couldn't have turned out better really.

Thanks for everyones input.