Topic: Caught speeding, need advice.

[magill05]

Basically i was caught speeding last november or something. Was doing 71mph in a temp 40 zone (Motorway). Anyway, the problem is at the time i was still within the 2 years of the new driver act. I have currently 0 points on my licence, however im aware that i may get 6 points for this one ticket. Im now past the 2 year but im not sure if the points i get will = my licence being revoked or if i'll still have 6 points left.

Anyone know what my situation is like ?

[Ralph]

The 2 year probationary period relates to the dates of the offences committed theirin, not the dates of conviction for those offences - so if you get 6 points for this you will indeed get busted down to learner status.

[Saratoga]

Basically i was caught speeding last november or something. Was doing 71mph in a temp 40 zone (Motorway).

I think it would be a good idea for some new drivers to be able to stand in roadworks on the motorway when it is coned off. Perhaps even to see such things as a wagon jack-knifing on ice with the tractor in the outside lane and the trailer going sideways at 40mph on ice taking up lanes 1 & 2.....

Roadworks have limits for a reason and even if it looks like no one is working there is a reason for the cones, the limits etc. Then again, if you're in a hurry and you're new and inexperienced, you could try and blame that.... Hmm

[swyddog ambiwlans]

It always amuses me when people say it is ridiculous that the speed limits are in place when there are no workmen actually working at any given time.

I attended an RTC on the M4 in the early hours of one Sunday morning in the section where there is road widening.

A stretched limousine driver had lost concentration whilst attempting to "put music on a particular radio station for the passengers" and suddenly realized that he was about to hit the rear of a car in front doing the legal 50 mph, he was doing around 80.

He slammed on his brakes, but unfortunately for him, his brakes were faulty and it pulled him across the line of cones into the contraflow where he hit a car coming in the opposite direction, also speeding. The result was two seriously injured in the other car, a limousine full of drunken girls with cuts and bruises (probably being saved from serious injury by being pizzed) and him getting banned for Dangerous driving and unroadworthy car.

(guess which patients I ended up treating?


So do the "temporary speed limits" matter when the roadworks is not manned?

I think so!

[swyddog ambiwlans]

BTW,

I think that it is not just "new" drivers at fault here, there are an awful lot of "experienced" drivers who do not see this aspect in sensible terms too!!

[Nigel]

BTW,

I think that it is not just "new" drivers at fault here, there are an awful lot of "experienced" drivers who do not see this aspect in sensible terms too!!

Oh look, here comes another one  !11!

Due to the amount of roadworks, the stupid legislation that allows contractors to just leave roadworks unmanned for weeks, if not months at a time, etc etc.

I'd like to see all roadworks speed limits abolished, it may concentrate their minds on actually finishing the job !

[John.]

Oh look, here comes another one 

Due to the amount of roadworks, the stupid legislation that allows contractors to just leave roadworks unmanned for weeks, if not months at a time, etc etc.

Before I got to Nigels comment I was thinking exactly the same, it is a case of crying Wolf for so long that no one/well not everyone takes as much notice as they should. It is the same with the "speed cam" signs that do not exist, so when you think about it whose fault is it! the authorities for constantly lying about the supposed situation i.e road works/cams not actually being there, or ours for putting up with so much B*llS**T. The downside is that their legislation has failed due to as mentioned them constantly calling Wolf.

[swyddog ambiwlans]

One thing I think people are overlooking here is that most motorway contractors are under tight time restrictions to have such work completed within a contracted time frame or they face huge penalty clauses.

The M4 widening scheme between Cardiff-Newport for example is actually ahead of schedule, despite there being delays caused by the weather conditions of recent. The planners were "crafty" in building in such "considerations," but even they couldn't foresee the extremes that we have recently faced. And cold weather DOES cause massive problems in that surfaces layed in colder weather will suffer quicker remedial work if not done properly, again bringing in penalties on behalf of the contractor's.

Whatever the rights or wrongs of the delays in road maintenance, the incident that I attended, and many like them prove to me that these temporary restrictions are NOT merely to protect road workers when they are actually working!

[swyddog ambiwlans]

Having said all that of course, it really would depend on the type of roadworks.

The M4 widening scheme involves a contraflow with two way traffic separated by only a thin line of plastic stanchions. It would only take an offside blowout to send a vehicle careering into the path of an oncoming vehicle with a closing speed of 100 mph if traveling at the legal restricted speed!

The contraflow is OBVIOUSLY the prime factor for the restrictions there, regardless of whether the workmen are present or not, and usually, in this instance, even if they are, they are in HUGE machines on the old hard shoulder areas, well away from the flow of traffic!

It is appreciated that not all coned sections on motorways have the same safety considerations in the early hours for example, which is where your Traffic Officers outscore the Scameras every time in being able to use common sense and discretion in any given set of circumstances!

[John.]

One thing I think people are overlooking here is that most motorway contractors are under tight time restrictions to have such work completed within a contracted time frame or they face huge penalty clauses.

That may be a fact on big contracts but the small ones.........nah! cast your mind back and you will remember that cones up and down the country got so out of hand re no/little work being done that a "hot line" was actually set up. Admittedly it did not work or last long but it does hi-lite the extent of the problems when a Gov department actually tries to do something about it, as ever it failed.


In an ideal world you would be right, but people are looking around and seeing nothing happening re works, and get to thinking that mile upon mile whereby they can put their foot down..........and they do.

So a bit more honesty from the people who cone off these vast sections and you will find that most will adhere to the situation, until then of which will be never, just pick up the pieces and look for someone to blame.

[Nigel]

One thing I think people are overlooking here is that most motorway contractors are under tight time restrictions to have such work completed within a contracted time frame or they face huge penalty clauses.

Absolute and utter tosh, that system was abandoned in favour of "encouraging better working reationships with contractors"

Take a drive from Worcester to Manchester, during your very slow progress through miles and miles and miles and miles of roadworks (some finish a hundred yards before the next begin !), and play spot the worker.

There may be a difference between England and Wales on this issue.

I also remember driving along 3 and four lane sections of the roadworks you mention, where for no reason what so ever, you were restricted to 50 mph enforced by gatso scameras

[Mud Fairy]

It always amuses me when people say it is ridiculous that the speed limits are in place when there are no workmen actually working at any given time.

I attended an RTC on the M4 in the early hours of one Sunday morning in the section where there is road widening.

A stretched limousine driver had lost concentration whilst attempting to "put music on a particular radio station for the passengers" and suddenly realized that he was about to hit the rear of a car in front doing the legal 50 mph, he was doing around 80.

He slammed on his brakes, but unfortunately for him, his brakes were faulty and it pulled him across the line of cones into the contraflow where he hit a car coming in the opposite direction, also speeding. The result was two seriously injured in the other car, a limousine full of drunken girls with cuts and bruises (probably being saved from serious injury by being pizzed) and him getting banned for Dangerous driving and unroadworthy car.

(guess which patients I ended up treating?


So do the "temporary speed limits" matter when the roadworks is not manned?

I think so!

You score points with the point regarding a contra flow but loose them and more by the fact that many many miles of 50mph motorway are not contra-flow and no work is happening - have a drive on the M42 (if you are bored enough). 

[swyddog ambiwlans]

One thing I think people are overlooking here is that most motorway contractors are under tight time restrictions to have such work completed within a contracted time frame or they face huge penalty clauses.

Absolute and utter tosh, that system was abandoned in favour of "encouraging better working reationships with contractors"

Take a drive from Worcester to Manchester, during your very slow progress through miles and miles and miles and miles of roadworks (some finish a hundred yards before the next begin !), and play spot the worker.

There may be a difference between England and Wales on this issue.

I also remember driving along 3 and four lane sections of the roadworks you mention, where for no reason what so ever, you were restricted to 50 mph enforced by gatso scameras

There is your confusion then.

The section of roadworks that I mention is a TWO LANE motorway whch is being widened into a three lane one!

[Nigel]

One thing I think people are overlooking here is that most motorway contractors are under tight time restrictions to have such work completed within a contracted time frame or they face huge penalty clauses.

Absolute and utter tosh, that system was abandoned in favour of "encouraging better working reationships with contractors"

Take a drive from Worcester to Manchester, during your very slow progress through miles and miles and miles and miles of roadworks (some finish a hundred yards before the next begin !), and play spot the worker.

There may be a difference between England and Wales on this issue.

I also remember driving along 3 and four lane sections of the roadworks you mention, where for no reason what so ever, you were restricted to 50 mph enforced by gatso scameras

There is your confusion then.

The section of roadworks that I mention is a TWO LANE motorway whch is being widened into a three lane one!

The roadworks I mention ran from where the Monmouth road (can't think of its number), where it joins the M4, out towards Swansea, and they ran for miles and miles, in some places you could just about bear the restrition due to the obsession with health and safety these days, through to sections I'd have been happy with a 150 mph speed limit.

[swyddog ambiwlans]

The WHOLE of the M4 west of the Severn bridge was originally built as a two lane motorway, complete with the Bryn Glas tunnels near Newport which are still two lane and Will always remain so.

There are absolutely no four lane sections but over the years sections have been made into three lanes by reducing or getting rid of the hard shoulders completely.

The section between Cardiff and Bridgend was tripled some years ago.

The section through Swansea remains two lane, and the section between Newport and Cardiff (junction 24 to 32) which is the busiest Welsh section, are in the process of being made into three lane at this moment.

It is this section that is controlled by Gatso AND Specs cameras whilst the work goes on and contraflows remain.

The only other Gatsos on the Welsh sections of the M4 are on the two lane sections going through the Aberafon area near sSwansea, which is a PERMANENTLY reduced speed limit of 50 mph due to all the junctions in close proximity and the Fact that once again, it is a two lane section.

The bits I am referring to however are the sections between junctions 29 and 32 which are where the two lanes are being made into three!