Conditional offer of fixed penalty

[sebrussellsmith]

Interestingly I did go back to the police and ask for the technical and photographic evidence and also asked why a speed awareness course was not offered. They provided a print out with images and some figures to include where it happened and what speed I was doing. Hardly technical evidence in that how do they arrive at this figure etc. how do I know the cameras are correctly calibrated. They didnt answer my question about the speed awareness course but they do say that they are 'satisfied that the available evidence supports the offence as alleged'. Interesting they still talk about alleged! I am in two minds whether to go back and contest it further and ask about the speed awareness course and the technical evidence or pay the fine and get 3 points. Any thoughts welcome. Thanks

 

[sailor]

Settle and be done with it, dear boy. Any other action will only end in madness.YOU CANNOT WIN. JohnC 993turbo

 

[rob.kellock]

Maybe the speed awareness course isn't offered by that council? I would check that first. If not available, settle up quick before you get a summons. Prosecution costs, mandatory victim surcharge and a fine based upon your income add up to much more than £60. I will give you the £60 if the camera isn't calibrated.

 

[D Ward]

ORIGINAL: sailor Settle and be done with it, dear boy. Any other action will only end in madness.YOU CANNOT WIN. JohnC 993turbo

I don't completely agree with that, the police do make mistakes, I would take up the kind offer of a chat offered by the poster who gave his phone number, chat to him and discuss your options before you decide As a side, i once had a parking ticket issued by a policemen. I refused to pay it for a couple of reasons,thI'd ey issued me with court summons,I was told I'd never win. I won't bore you with a long story, but the police officer gave evidence, and i quote " I was proceeding along x road following a person in a car, registration number xxxxx xxx, who i now know to be mr x, i then proceeded to pull mr x over and issue him with a FPN (parking ticket) for parking illegally" You can probably guess how many seconds it took for the court to chuck the case out

 

[danofesher]

A couple of thoughts. If it's an average speed camera then the two cameras be time aligned otherwise everyone will get done. Secondly, even if you do a course rather than points, you still need to tell your insurer that you took the course, so, you're not saving much (unless you're worried that you'll build up too many points over a three year period).

 

[D Ward]

ORIGINAL: danofesher Secondly, even if you do a course rather than points, you still need to tell your insurer that you took the course, so, you're not saving much (unless you're worried that you'll build up too many points over a three year period).

no insurance company have ever asked me that, they have asked about points or convictions,but never once asked have i been on a speed awareness course. Is it something you have first hand experience of, from say an insurance company or underwriter ? Or is it just an internet truth I don't mean any offence, but its important for people to know if its hard fact or just internet fiction if people are deciding if to take the points or do a speed awareness course

 

[rob.kellock]

You certainly don't need to tell your insurer that you have attended a speed awareness course - unless they have specifically asked you at the time of providing a quote or unless (and I am yet to see one) you have entered into a contract of insurance that requires disclosure of attendance on a course during the life of the policy. It has been suggested that in future insurance companies may ask about course attendance as part of their premium calculations but I am yet to see the happen. If danofesher has some more up to date information on this I too would be interested to learn more.

 

[pauljmcnulty]

You certainly don't need to tell your insurer that you have attended a speed awareness course - unless they have specifically asked you at the time of providing a quote

Wouldn't it come under your obligation to disclose ANYTHING that you think might affect your insurance? You've commited the same offence as someone who takes the points, just accepted a different punishment. Surely it would come under the category "have you been convicted of any motoring offence in the last five years", or whatever they ask?

 

[pse_SC]

Wouldn't it come under your obligation to disclose ANYTHING that you think might affect your insurance?

I reckon, playing safe, it should. On a similar insurance note though, it amazes me the number of adverts you see where a seller might say, for example: “a 1300cc engined car which now has a 1650cc rebored plant in it - but still says 1300cc on the V5” I would assume the insurance company and the DVLA might have something to say about that.[8|]

 

[Peter_Bull]

ORIGINAL: pauljmcnulty ........Surely it would come under the category "have you been convicted of any motoring offence in the last five years", or whatever they ask?

Thats just the point Paul - by accepting the course you have NOT been convicted of anything.

 

[D Ward]

ORIGINAL: pauljmcnulty

You certainly don't need to tell your insurer that you have attended a speed awareness course - unless they have specifically asked you at the time of providing a quote

Wouldn't it come under your obligation to disclose ANYTHING that you think might affect your insurance? You've commited the same offence as someone who takes the points, just accepted a different punishment. Surely it would come under the category "have you been convicted of any motoring offence in the last five years", or whatever they ask?

If you take the speed awareness course surely that is not a conviction, even if you were speeding, they have dropped the case against you and given you a speed awareness course instead. pretty sure a speed awareness course is not a conviction?

 

[pauljmcnulty]

Thats just the point Paul - by accepting the course you have NOT been convicted of anything.

Maybe, it sounds a lot like the sort of pedantic thing an insurer would pick up on if you failed to disclose it. Personally, I'd tell them everything if in doubt; no insurer penalises you for a single minor speeding offence now anyway, and I'd rather know I'd been completely open with them.

 

[D Ward]

Don't forget, if your Porsche is not fitted with Porsche approved N rated tyres, your insurance is void []

 

[rob.kellock]

ORIGINAL: pauljmcnulty

Thats just the point Paul - by accepting the course you have NOT been convicted of anything.

Maybe, it sounds a lot like the sort of pedantic thing an insurer would pick up on if you failed to disclose it. Personally, I'd tell them everything if in doubt; no insurer penalises you for a single minor speeding offence now anyway, and I'd rather know I'd been completely open with them.

Peter is right. That kindly offer of a fixed "penalty" avoids a criminal conviction if accepted. Understand your suspicions with insurers though - if it makes you feel better, no harm in telling them but I wouldn't bother personally!

 

[Melv]

You can't ask for a SAC, it has to be offered to you as an alternative to a fine and points......

 

[tscaptain]

Well one insurance company is treating a SAC as a conviction! http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20328860 And, btw, I don't think having non-N rated tyres voids the insurance. That subject has been raised before and calls to insurance companies on the subject gave answers that the tyres just need to be legal, as far as I recall. Otherwise there are quite a few "uninsured" folk out there on the new Michelin Pilot Supersports!

 

[Melv]

ORIGINAL: Peter Bull

ORIGINAL: pauljmcnulty ........Surely it would come under the category "have you been convicted of any motoring offence in the last five years", or whatever they ask?

Thats just the point Paul - by accepting the course you have NOT been convicted of anything.

Correct!! I asked at my last renewal

 

[D Ward]

ORIGINAL: tscaptain Well one insurance company is treating a SAC as a conviction! http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20328860 And, btw, I don't think having non-N rated tyres voids the insurance. That subject has been raised before and calls to insurance companies on the subject gave answers that the tyres just need to be legal, as far as I recall. Otherwise there are quite a few "uninsured" folk out there on the new Michelin Pilot Supersports!

Your quite correct, complete rubbish, my comment about N rated tyres was tongue in cheek. My point was a lot of these insurance myths get posted on the internet and suddenly certain people are quoting them as fact Unless you know something has come from a 100% accurate source, treat it as no more than a disney tale and check it out yourself

 

[geoff Ives]

The answer is simple... Don't insure through Admiral.

 

[pse_SC]

The answer is simple... Don't insure through Admiral.

Ooh, Geoff, you’re so cutting (hee, hee)[]