Ive just received a court summons from when i was stopped in February in Hampshire.I was travelling at 100mph in a 70mph zone.According to the summons i have the oppurtunity to reply by post or to attend the court on the date given.If I was to accept the charge by post,does anyone know if this is looked down upon by the court,or is this just done for peoples convenience,due to work commitments etc.Has anyone been in a similar position,i presently have 3 points.Im not sure what to do as ive never been in this position before,so any advice would be appreciated.is it worth getting legal representation?

Doing triple figures or +30mph over the local speed limit often carries a ban! I'd take some legal advice if I were you

[quote name='Rsarin' post='359060' date='Jun 11 2006, 04:37 PM']Ive just received a court summons from when i was stopped in February in Hampshire.I was travelling at 100mph in a 70mph zone.According to the summons i have the oppurtunity to reply by post or to attend the court on the date given.If I was to accept the charge by post,does anyone know if this is looked down upon by the court,or is this just done for peoples convenience,due to work commitments etc.Has anyone been in a similar position,i presently have 3 points.Im not sure what to do as ive never been in this position before,so any advice would be appreciated.is it worth getting legal representation?[/quote]



I can only tell you of my previous experience involving one of the magistrates dealing with my case that was a family friend. I asked him the similar question regarding turning up at court or pleading by letter. His advice? If you attend then they also have to summon the police officers etc.dealing with the case, and so escalate what is normally a simple paperwork exercise and usually results in a somewhat heavier penalty.

Unless you've got reasonable mitagation for the speeding I'd plead by letter.

I would definitely attend court. Preferably with a solicitor 'cos as Mike says you will probably be looking at a ban.
If you attend at least you can plead for mercy and try and give good enough reason for them not to ban you,
i.e. Loss of job etc.

[quote name='Rsarin' post='359060' date='Jun 11 2006, 04:37 PM']Ive just received a court summons from when i was stopped in February in Hampshire.I was travelling at 100mph in a 70mph zone.According to the summons i have the oppurtunity to reply by post or to attend the court on the date given.If I was to accept the charge by post,does anyone know if this is looked down upon by the court,or is this just done for peoples convenience,due to work commitments etc.Has anyone been in a similar position,i presently have 3 points.Im not sure what to do as ive never been in this position before,so any advice would be appreciated.is it worth getting legal representation?[/quote]

If they are offering you the opportunity to plead guilty by letter without a court appearance I would take it. Normally with 100mph it's a mandatory court appearance and a ban - they may just let you off with a hefty fine and points if they don't insist you attend. It's worth taking legal advice though.

Attend court and if your lucky you'll get 11 points, i had the same choice to make when i was court doing 70 in a 50 on my bike, i went to court and said if i dont have a bike i cant get to college so i would have to drop out etc same for job. so they gave me 5 points (as i was 17 i only had 6 points till i loose the licence) so if i did anything agian i would loose it straight away

I would also attend as you can plea these in person, they dont always have to get the officer involed, they only need to get him/her if you denie the charges.

Even if you go to court and get a ban at least you tried whereas if u write a letter you know whats coming, also theres something about them having to get in contact with you within 14 days of the offence i think not 100% sure ask scar face.

Good luck

I went about it by letter and ended up getting a £165 fine and 4 points. I'd definitely go to court. My friend did and said that he wasnt working and they only fined him £40 and 3 points. We had both similar speeding offences which was 70mph in a 50mph zone.

You could try this site pepipoo.com

These guys are specialists in this field and know of many loopholes in the law some of which may come in useful to you. Read the "read this first" page before posting anything.

Better of asking them for advice rather than on the Lexus site.

No offence guys

Try this -

[url="http://www.speed-trap.co.uk/Accused_Home/Accused_Home.htm"]The Speed Trap Bible[/url]

I think before you even write you should take good legal advice, even if it costs you. You were clearly over the speed limit, and significantly, so the law will not look favourably at you unless you have a good reason for a legal rep to fight your case.

The time of day it happened, the traffic conditions are all take into account. Your legal rep should be experienced in this area and you need to "shop" around.

Im seeking legal help.Thanks for your thoughts and tips on dealing with this issue.It seems that a good letter of mitigation is needed,and its the content of the mitigation that can potentialy see your licence saved or lost,the mitigation required to prevent a ban is only really known by a good motor lawyer/solicitor.thanks once again.

Good luck mate

cheers Lee.From what ive been reading and the correspondence ive had with the pepipoo peeps and the law, are that travelling at 100 in a 70mph dual carriageway,carries a fine and points(£1000max and 3-6points) and on the motorway its(£2500max and 3-6points).If you are travelling above 30mph for example 101mph then a ban is imposed for approx 14-28 days aswell as the fine and points.I think that attending court is still something which is always advised for some reason.cheers for the info.Scarface can you advise if you know any different please.

Where were you caught?

My mate was caught (greater manchester)and given instant ban. No previous points. Tried to give mitigating circumstances involving job etc.
Magistrates werent interested. 103mph, clocked by officer. It was the officer'd account that screwed him too.
Unless you are a travelling salesman etc where your livlihood is entirely dependent and can prove it you will get shafted.

They are coming down hard on offences involving high speeds.
Good luck.

Is it the same as parking fines where they have to contact you within 3 months of the offence? Chap at work got a ticket through the door and as it was a company car it took a while to track him down. When he received the letter 15 weeks later he went to court and they through it out as they hadn't made enough effort to track him down. Might be worth asking about.

Just to let you guys know the outcome of this.5 points and £500 fine.disqualification is considered at 31mph over the roads limit not 30mph,although a magistrate can pretty much do anything.Im never speeding again,sitting in that court made me feel orrible(lots of nasty peeps,in there),dont want to go through that again.Also magistrate gave me a proper telling off and scared the ***** out of me.

Sounds like you got lucky there chap, as I've always been told, learn from your mistakes

At least you still have your licence

Yes Norkep you are absolutely right,LEARN FROM THIS.sorry guys ive now joined the happy driving 10mph under the speed limit crew.

Congrats mate I think

I guess that £500 fine will seem like penuts next time your insurance premium hits the door mat



[quote name='Rsarin' post='363244' date='Jul 1 2006, 08:49 PM']Just to let you guys know the outcome of this.5 points and £500 fine.disqualification is considered at 31mph over the roads limit not 30mph,although a magistrate can pretty much do anything.Im never speeding again,sitting in that court made me feel orrible(lots of nasty peeps,in there),dont want to go through that again.Also magistrate gave me a proper telling off and scared the ***** out of me.[/quote]

[quote name='Rsarin' post='363244' date='Jul 1 2006, 08:49 PM']sitting in that court made me feel orrible(lots of nasty peeps,in there),dont want to go through that again.Also magistrate gave me a proper telling off and scared the ***** out of me.[/quote]

Dont do anything serious and end up in Crown then. You will probably have a heart attack in there
As chap above says how much will it affect your insurance?

yeah ive got 8 points now Pip,im dreading the insurance situation,not spoken to them yet,ill do it as soon as they return my license with the points.Yeah I dont want to ever be in trouble with the law again fullstop magistrate or crown.

Dude, if you felt like a criminal in magistrates...lol!! It was only a motoring offence..
Try being up for section 18 and 20's in crown LMFAO!!

Im not a violent person so doubt ill be up infront of a crown court to answer for battery/bodily harm.But like I said I really dont think its a good thing to be in trouble with the Law whether its for a motoring offence or for a more serious offence,either way I actually feel bad about what I did,it really wasnt smart and the whole thing has made me feel quite ashamed as Ive always felt that I'm a Law abiding citizen,standing infront of coppers made me feel bad as it dawned on me then that I was not as holy as I first thought.But i get your point Pip,im sure its not as bad as a crown court.There were peeps in their for driving drunk and uninsured,at the reception desk the cases are spoken about through the window so you can hear what peeps are in for sometimes.The guy who was driving drunk and uninsured was told he didnt have the right documents,so he kicked a chair over,cracked the glass window and screamed f u ***** and walked out.security chased him and he legged it,what the ****** is going on these days.People are nuts

Agreed, its not good to be in trouble with the law.
At least you have learnt with just a motoring offence.

[quote name='Rsarin' post='363244' date='Jul 1 2006, 08:49 PM']Im never speeding again[/quote]
hehe
You just wait till Germany mate, then you can do it legally. Mind you you might have to do it just to keep up with Jason.

no way mate ill be getting there a day after everyone else,driving at 60mph in the slow lane all the way.

Interested read fella - glad you got off with it.

My past experience was being caught for doing 95 on the M5. The police pulled me over gave me a telling off and was given the option to take 3 points and £60 fine or go to court. They did say anything over 96 was mandatory court case, but I guess that changes within each county.

What made me laugh was the police were more interested in the MPG on the A4 1.9TDI I had at the time ! HAHA!

No you are correct,it is 96mph that automatically issues a summons.The officer that pulled me over told me that I was 4mph out on that one.its magistrate policy that changes on individual areas,not Police i think.Ive heard that peeps have had a disqualifaction from 99mph in a 70mph.Some magistrates may take into account that the road on which you were speeding is known for accidents and the Police deam it a dangerous area or perhaps there was a severe accident there recently and this is known to the local area.It also depends on the police as Ive heard from peeps that officers have stopped them on 97mph in a 70 and then in court have attempted to bull**** the magistrates with mitigation or justification for their speeding and they almost always get the book thrown in their direction.Best policy Ive heard from start to finish,dont argue with Police if you are clearly in the wrong and always plea guilty and get a 2/3 discount of the sentence.

It all depends on the police at the end of the day.

Back in 2000 I got stopped doing 98.5 mph on a dual-carriage way.

Policeman let me go with a £40 fine and 3 points.

I was lucky

I dont think the Police can do that now.96 is court summons.Scarface can you clarify.

ouch, i got caught in hampshire on the M3 2 years ago - average of 103mph apparently! had a court summons pleaded by letter cos of the fact i just didnt want to go to court, i just wrote in the letter how my village doesnt have any means of public transport in or out of it and keeping my job relyed on me having a car!

3 stressful months of waiting and i recieved 6 points and £350 fine so was lucky i didnt get a ban! and just to add it hardly effected my insurance policy at all even tho i had 9 points in total - you will find insurance clobbers you when you have been done for drunk driving/without insurance/without undue care and attention!

Jan 05
M1
93MPH
3 pts + £60

Was also told that 96 Summons
101 instant Ban

Now don't go above 75

There are ways and means of getting out of this.

I was caught doing 90mph on the A13 which is a 40mph, it was about 4am goin to work late, saw this car behind me with only sidelights on coming at an alarming rate so i pulled over got the blue lights and two yong officers got out gave me some verbal and put me on my way!

It really does depend on the coppers that pull you and your attitude towards the offence and them.