[insignificant]

Hi everyone,

My mum just got a letter through for speeding. Thing is, my mum was speeding because my dad was having an epileptic fit, and i was treating him whilst she was trying to get home ASAP so we could treat him properly. My dads currently waiting to have brain surgery to have part of his brain out and has had it all for years so we would have no problem proving all of this, do you all think she has good grounds to dispute getting the points?

Thankyou.

[StarsAndBoulevard]

Could be tough to fight. The courts could argue that you were putting other people in danger by going over the speed limit.
As much as what you guys done was probably the right thing to do, I'm not sure how well it could stand as an argument.

[gdunne42]

(Original post by insignificant)
Hi everyone,

My mum just got a letter through for speeding. Thing is, my mum was speeding because my dad was having an epileptic fit, and i was treating him whilst she was trying to get home ASAP so we could treat him properly. My dads currently waiting to have brain surgery to have part of his brain out and has had it all for years so we would have no problem proving all of this, do you all think she has good grounds to dispute getting the points?

Thankyou.

I may be wrong but I don't think you do.

when I was on my speed awareness course (34 in a 30 mph zone)..... someone brought up the 'what if I was only speeding to get someone to hospital in an emergency'

We were told that speed limits are set for safety reasons and by exceeding the designated speed limit we were putting ourselves and other road users at risk. The fact that we might feel we had an emergency was no excuse in law for speeding. Only Emergency vehicles have exemptions to exceed speed limits and then only when driven by trained drivers and while sirens and lights are signalling other road users of the danger.

She could appeal against the ticket but this can be risky (leading to increased points and increased fine if the appeal fails) and costly (because it's likely to end up in court). She could plead guilty to speeding and explain the mitigating circumstances to reduce the sentence level. Mitigating circumstances can include specific reasons for speeding including medical emergencies. They may decide to let her off, you never know....

[james1211]

Hmm, tough one but i think that by speeding it could be seen that you put yourselves, your dad and other road users at even more risk, for possibly very little gain. 5mph over the limit can make handling the car, other drivers reaction times to you and your reaction times significantly more dangerous, and over a short distance won't benefit you time wise near as much as you think.

[rhysowen]

im pretty sure that if you get stopped by the police for speeding or using a phone, one of the first things they ask is "was it an emergeny phoncall"/etc.
Its definitely worth writing a few letters. They cant give you more points for trying.

[insignificant]

Just to clarify, we didn't get pulled over, it was done on speed camera.

[insignificant]

(Original post by james1211)
Hmm, tough one but i think that by speeding it could be seen that you put yourselves, your dad and other road users at even more risk, for possibly very little gain. 5mph over the limit can make handling the car, other drivers reaction times to you and your reaction times significantly more dangerous, and over a short distance won't benefit you time wise near as much as you think.

Every second counts. 10 seconds can make the difference whether it carries on being a partial seizure or if it turns into a tonic clonic seizure if we can't treat him asap.

[AnythingButChardonnay]

(Original post by insignificant)
Just to clarify, we didn't get pulled over, it was done on speed camera.

How much over and in what speed limit?

I'd probably post on pepipoo for better advice than from a bunch of students. But my inclination would be to write back explaining the circumstances and just see what happens.

Assuming your mum wasn't massively exceeding the limit, the worst than happens is they say 'no' and she get 3 points an £60. Maybe even a speed awareness if lucky.

[insignificant]

(Original post by AnythingButChardonnay)
How much over and in what speed limit?

I'd probably post on pepipoo for better advice than from a bunch of students. But my inclination would be to write back explaining the circumstances and just see what happens.

Assuming your mum wasn't massively exceeding the limit, the worst than happens is they say 'no' and she get 3 points an £60. Maybe even a speed awareness if lucky.

Thats what they have given her the choice of, 3 points and £60 or speed awareness course, but as we feel it was extraordinary circumstances she should just plead guilty to the fact that she was speeding but just pay the fine and no points. 53 in a 40.

[cha4zz]

(Original post by insignificant)
Thats what they have given her the choice of, 3 points and £60 or speed awareness course, but as we feel it was extraordinary circumstances she should just plead guilty to the fact that she was speeding but just pay the fine and no points. 53 in a 40.

Correct me if i'm wrong, but isn't a speed awareness course effectively paying for a fine, attending a day and then getting 0 points from it?

[mphysical]

You could try to claim you were using vehicle "for ambulance purposes"
as defined in Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984

No statutory provision imposing a speed limit on motor vehicles shall
apply to any vehicle on an occasion when ... it is being used ... for ambulance purposes ... if the observance of that provision would be likely to hinder the use of
the vehicle for the purpose for which it is being used on that occasion

However this was amended about 5 years ago to
Section 19: Exemptions from speed limits

66. ....the exemption from speed limits does not apply unless the vehicle is being driven by a person who has satisfactorily completed a course of training in the driving of vehicles at high speed provided in accordance with regulations under the new section, or is driving the vehicle as part of such a course

In other words, you are allowed to claim the vehicle was being used "for ambulance purposes"
but this DOES NOT permit an exemption from speeding anymore.

Emergency Sevices drivers WITH the qualification can be prosecuted

[markrush]

Very difficult and complex point of law.

If you oculd win the case it would cost thousands in legal expenses, at best. This would not be possible to claim back.

Write to the court with evidence of a hospital emergency at the same time. Only the hospital records will have much impact here.

If they do not accept it; pay the fine. Even a "victory" in such a case is financially not worth it.

[Iqbal007]

(Original post by insignificant)
Hi everyone,

My mum just got a letter through for speeding. Thing is, my mum was speeding because my dad was having an epileptic fit, and i was treating him whilst she was trying to get home ASAP so we could treat him properly. My dads currently waiting to have brain surgery to have part of his brain out and has had it all for years so we would have no problem proving all of this, do you all think she has good grounds to dispute getting the points?

Thankyou.

Eventhough it's against the law, you can dispute it on the basis of your fathers fit and they are likely to let you off if you can prove it...but it depends on how the judge, etc see it.

[JohnC2211]

If you got offered the speed awareness course just take that. It's no points on your license. It's really not worth disputing.

[insignificant]

Also to point out why my mum isn't keen on taking the speed awareness course is it means taking holiday from work and my mum needs all her holiday for when my dad has his brain surgery .

[HumorousGent.]

You're better off asking a solicitor or on a proper motoring law forum (eg pepipoo)

[DeeWave]

I'm sorry to hear about the situation.

But a speeding ticket isn't a big deal, especially if your mum has a clean licence at the moment. I doubt it will even change her insurance much, if at all. It's understandable to feel hard done by as there was clearly a serious issue, but in reality you won't be able to claim a legal exemption for it. In the eyes of the law, an offence, albeit a minor one, was committed - even though the driving may well have been safe, and even though there was an urgent medical matter to attend to.

If you think a speeding ticket is a serious enough matter to challenge, you should seek proper legal advice.

In future though, she should just be careful of the cameras to save all this hassle!

[insignificant]

(Original post by HumorousGent.)
You're better off asking a solicitor or on a proper motoring law forum (eg pepipoo)

Thankyou, I will do.

[JC.]

Dad got to hospital and is now OK?
£60 quid and 3 points sounds like a bargain compared to the alternative to me?

An SP30 won't affect insurance at all on it's own anyway.

[zerm]

grrrr I hate it when that happens! But you're best off just calling up a solicitors or someone more legal based...