joho

Ok we have just received a notification that my hubby got caught speeding whilst we were in UK. We were a bit surprised as we had made great effort to make sure we kept to the speed limit but hey ho. Hire company sent us the notification from police and as we do not have UK license we wont get any points but it automatically goes to court. We are 'happy' to pay the fine but wonder if we can just pay it and not go to court. It will only bump up the cost as court costs will then be incurred. Anyone experienced this before. Ticked off cause hire company charged us about 42 quid for admin costs to send us the ticket which will cost us about 60 quid arrrrggghhh.

Jo

perksy

Write a letter to the police ticketing office explaining your circumstances i.e live in Oz, no UK licence etc. It will be up to them if they want to take you to court. My guess is they won't as should they lose the case they will be liable for your costs which would include your air fares and accomodation back to the UK in order to represent yourself.

If they win all they get is £60.

joho

You dont actually have to go to court, the case goes to court automatically because you are not UK residents (this is according to the website). Hoping if we just contact them we can negate the compulsory court thing.

Jo

perksy

Certainly thats the case of someone who resides in the UK and caught speeding on a Non UK licence.

As you dont reside there and dont have a UK licence I would bet the ticket would be quashed as its too much hassle for the ticketing office if you contend it.

You are entitled to contend it and attend court if you wish, and claim any expenses if you win in court.

I would be writing the ticket office a letter. Explain your details and offer them proof of your Australian residence. Also I would be asking for photos of the alleged offence and the calibration certificate of the speed camera (legally you are entitled to these)

I bet you a carton you hear nothing more from them

NedKelly

I hope this makes you feel better!

http://www.speedcam.co.uk/gatso2.htm

Centurion

Personally I just wouldn't bother much with it. But that's me. Just wait for the fine and pay it. It doesn't increase just because it's heard (aka bulk rubber stamped) in the Magistrates Court. You'll be sent the details in due course.

joho

Cool will do, if we did the crime we'll pay the fine. I agree with speed cameras but hey ho thats me and I am one of the very few I know.

Jo

DadAgain

Last time I got done for speeding in the UK (in Hampshire) I was driving my dads car.
He filled in a stat. dec saying I was driving and gave my address (Qld). Nothing more was ever heard again.

In contrast, when my sister got done speeding in Qld in my car I filled in a stat. dec saying she was driving and gave her address (wiltshire). The fine notice re-surfaced at her address and she decided to pay it rather than worry about having unpaid fines next time she visited Australia.

Trevski

Hi
On our last trip back to UK in feb this year we got pulled over in a Hire car because we didn't see a sign that said the road had been changed to a pedestrian zone,we had followed about four cars and we all got pulled over.
When the police officer came over to us we explained that we lived in QLD and showed him our licence and when we had done that he said be more care full and he did state that as we live in QLD it would not be followed up as it was 99% sure that the case would drop out of any court because we did not live in the UK, he said we could say that we were not familiar with the signs etc and would get away with it.
So if i was you i would not do anything about it,if you used your credit card for the hire company then i would say to your bank you have lost it and they will give you another one and the old one will be canceled,so there is no way they can hit your credit card.
Have fun and dont worry

Centurion

I didn't want to say it and be seen to be given advice just not to pay, but that was my experience as well. Speeding ticket in the UK whilst on a trip and nothing else further heard aside from the hire company billing me to pass on a notice. Never got a notice from the UK.

Just for the record though it's different with congestion charge and parking fines though, they are paid by the hire companies who can't pass on liability under the Road Traffic Act and your card would be charged.

However, my father in law smugly drove around on a UK licence in QLD and racked up a couple of tickets. Paid them of course, but when he finally applied for an Australian licence they kindly gave him the licence with the points on it all saved up waiting. Wasn't so smug then