Tuesday, January 08, 2008

A Costly Journey.

Joules: 'Were you driving on the M1 though Santry on the 3rd December'?

Me: (Thinking the date rings a bell as the day I took my friend back to the airport and then I could have been in Santry) 'I could have been, is that on the way to the airport'?

Joules: 'Yes'.

Me: 'Why'?

Joules: 'You got a speeding ticket'.

Me: 'What me, never'.

Joules: '€80 fine and two penalty points'.

Me: 'What speed was I going'?

Joules: '92kph in an 80kph '.

Me: 'What's that in miles'?

Joules: 'About 55mph instead of 48mph'.

Me: 'But I'm really careful on the M50, remember when I thought I got caught last time I went to the airport and was late. I've been so careful to keep within the speed limit. Anyway why was the limit so low on the motorway'?

Joules: 'You weren't on the M50 you were on the M1, Santry is coming out of the port tunnel and you have to go slow for another mile or two and you didn't'.

Here I have to concede my guilt. We were in danger of being late and as I'd never used the new port tunnel I wasn't sure how close I was to the airport. Not only did using the new tunnel cost €6 in a toll fee but it earned me an €80 fine and my first (and hopefully last) penalty points on my driving licence.

Joules: 'I'll be getting one soon, do you remember how fast I was going on the way to the airport last week, I floored it'. (To know why read here).

Now I don't feel so bad!

25 comments:

laurie said...

how did they find you? do they have cameras? we had cameras at red lights for a while that would photograph you if you went through the red light. they'd send you a ticket in the mail.

but they were declared unconstitutional because, while the cameras could determine the car, they couldn't determine the driver. there was no way of knowing for sure who had gone through the red light.

Anonymous said...

What a sickener, and not too far over the limit either. I was banned 12 years ago for speeding. I was doing 83mph in a temporary 40mph zone. They took my licence for two weeks, fined me 225 pounds and gave me two points.

You were very unlucky, I was mad!!!!

Beccy said...

Laurie it must have been a camera and as the car is Joules company car (hence the fine went to his work) we could have said we didn't know who was driving it but in reality we all knew it was me as Joules uses his motorbike and I drive the car.

The introduction of speed cameras is very new here, they use them loads in the UK and make a lot of money. Of course if I wasn't speeding I wouldn't have got the ticket.

Beccy said...

Speedy, was that in the UK? It was annoying because I was barely over the limit and what a stupid limit for a motorway when we're meant to be allowed to go faster.

Alix said...

That is very annoying Beccy I thought they only bothered if you were at least 10mph over the limit! I hate it when they put low limits on roads that feel like they should have higher ones.

FH said...

LOL! Now you don't have to feel guilty! He has got one too!

Anonymous said...

Yes, a road from Clitheroe to Whalley. Twas a lovely Sunday Summers eve. Lots of little 'bunnies' around!

frannie said...

that's not fun mail at all!

I wonder how much Joules' will be? does the fine increase as the speed does? that's the way it works here.

thefoodsnob said...

Oh, I'm so glad they don't have that here!
I have to use my cruise control through school zones because I could NEVER do 25 MPH by myself (I do use it a lot on the highway, too, to save gas!)


Lisa

Anonymous said...

gerlp, poor you becky.

Anonymous said...

How unpleasant! Here we don't have hidden cameras yet. The police does manual control, and often reverse traffic signals you with flashing headlights. And when you are used to the road you can easily locate the check points and slow down. That's what I do. Always. I am rarely comfortable running less than 80 kph, except in busy areas. The max speed here is 90 kph on the highway. Penalty points are yet to be introduced.

ChrisB said...

Rebecca I'm surprised at you!! To be fair you were unlucky but they will be making a mint of money like they do here in the UK and that's what it's all about and nothing to do with road safety like they pretend!

Anonymous said...

Oh yuck! I'm so sorry, but really, that's not even really speeding! Talk about setting the threshhold low on what speeding is! Yuck!

Anonymous said...

Oh wow! If I lived somewhere that had cameras to catch you when speeding I would have lost my drivers license by now!

Rachel (Crazy-Is) said...

They must have those cameras. We only have a few and they are only for catching red light runners.

Sam said...

I have been attempting to get a speeding ticket for almost 25 years now and, pah, my little sis goes and beats me to it.

Emma in Canada said...

The police make a mint here with this. William got a ticket a few weeks ago, it was for $89. They can't take points off though, as they can't determine who the driver is. And the fine goes to whoever the car is registered too.

Anonymous said...

Do what?

Unknown said...

Oops! My husband just had to pay a ticket for $165 for doing 70 in a 55. :( He was talking and not paying attention. First ticket since he was a teen and it's costing him 4 points.

Beccy said...

Thank you for all your sympathy, although I don't want Joules to get a fine I'll still be pretty annoyed if he gets away without a ticket as he was going really fast on the same stretch of motorway.

Steffi said...

Yes,a ticket is unpleasant,poor Beccy!

Pamela said...

We have camera tickets for toll bridges and red lights. I'm not sure if speeding tickets are given by photo op.

What would happen if your ticket got lost in the mail and you didn't know? Would you get jailed?

Yvonne said...

Oh no! Damn those tickets.

Julie said...

We only have big brother cameras around here to catch red light runners - at least I think that is the case. Bummer!

my4kids said...

When we lived in Portland I got a ticket from one of the cameras but the car was only registered in Kelly's name and had my picture. They can only give him the ticket but he sent in a copy of his license showing it wasn't him and they removed it. They couldn't go after me. Weird but kind of funny.
Here in Ketchikan they aren't that high tech no cameras just if the police catch you.