Whoops

[Eeef]

Got pulled by the plod tonight for 'dangerous driving'. Joined the motorway at warp factor 6 and shot straight out through a gap into lane 3...in front of an unmarked Skoda. Pish.

They 'estimated' my speed at 90 but didn't have any proof.

What can I expect? If anything?

 

[Randomjim]

So did they let you off with a warning or are they doing you for it?
Was sitting behind a marked fiesta all the way down the m27 tonight itching to get my foor down to get home.

 

[dmaudi]

ouch,

if they are reporting you for dangerous driving, the speed is irrelevant, think its about 6-10 points and in extreme instances a ban.

I think in these sort of situations the options are careless which is less serious than the dangerous driving they've gone for, must have been a small gap or was it a straight line move from slip raod to lane 3?

Either way either is usually taken pretty seriously, either way it is the act rather than the speed which is the issue so no need to have a proven speed figure, the estimate is included as part of the evidence against you.

were you cautioned that they were intending to report you for dangerous driving? I think they have to caution you for it to go to court, but please don't accept my word on that,

good luck with it.

 

[Spook]

You need to tell us what, if anything, you have been reported for.

If they want to charge/summons you for dangerous driving, and the CPS agree, it's potentially very serious for you. The maximum penalty upon conviction for dangerous driving is a fine up to £5,000 and/or imprisonment, plus a mandatory 12 month minimum ban and re-test.

On the other hand, if they charge/summons you for careless driving, it's usually a fine and points.

 

[d3fy]

I got done for careless driving many years ago and I got 6 points and a couple of hundred quid fine. I was in a works van, the traffic infront stopped. I did not...

 

[Eeef]

oh $hit.

The piece of paper says dangerous driving and there is a tick in the box that says Rpt Summons. They did the usual caution when I was in the back of the car but said they were unable to show me the video of the incident. There was no 'contact' involved.

I think my pooper just started twitching.

 

[d3fy]

Here you go fella, start your research now

http://www.pepipoo.com/

 

[Spook]

oh $hit.

The piece of paper says dangerous driving and there is a tick in the box that says Rpt Summons. They did the usual caution when I was in the back of the car but said they were unable to show me the video of the incident. There was no 'contact' involved.

I think my pooper just started twitching.

What was the bit of paper they gave you? Was it just the HORT/1 to produce your documents?

The police are required to get CPS authority to charge dangerous driving, so you might not hear anything further for a while. However, the police are required to tell you verbally at the time of the incident, or alternatively within 14 days in writing, that they are considering proceedings for dangerous driving. This is called a "Notice of Intended Prosecution" (NIP) and is a legal requirement on the part of the police.

If they do proceed to summons you for dangerous driving, you will need to get the advice of a solicitor, urgent.

 

[Eeef]

No they don't do producers antmore as it's all on line.

The form was a C12, Person or Vehicle Stop Record.

Think I'll be making use of my free legal cover on my house insurance tomorrow

 

[stratos]

Dangerous Driving - "manner of driving falls far below that of a careful and competant driver". I would suggest that pulling from the slip into lane 3 without inconveniencing any other road users is a perfectly legal manouevre, and in fact shows a skill above that of normal "sunday" motorists. Just watch Police Action Camera Speeding Pursuit or whatever on TV. All Police cars do it both coming on and off so without video or speed reading I would suggest its a my word against yours scenario

 

[madvw]

tbh, i wouldn't worry about it eeef. If they couldn't show you the evidence, then it probably means that they dont have any.

As said, its down to the CPS to assess the evidence, and see if its sufficient to prosecute. Sufficient now basically means watertight. The 'estimation' of 90mph means absolutely nothing. The joining of the motorway, then moving to lane 3, also, means nothing.

You're going to have to be unfortunate to get done for this one. As i have said on another post though, whether it goes to court or not depends on the mood of the CPS officer on that day. The CPS officer will have seen another 10 of these that day too, and they get to see the outcome of the ones that they do send to court. They'll know exactly how likely it is to get charged. Plus, you have in your favour the fact that paperwork goes missing all the time from the CPS.... trust me! From speaking to CPS officers, the actual percentage that get successfully charged is very low. Agreed though, it is enough to make it twitch

 

[Amchlolor]

Ooyah,sore one.
I don't do a lot of motorway driving (nearest one is 140 miles away),but I must admit I'm often shocked by this type of manouvre when I do drive on them.
Shooting across all three lanes in one fell swoop might be fine on a quiet road,but I've seen people do it when the road is busy,when joining or leaving the motorway.
It's like they're part of some stunt routine or something.
What's wrong with just going from one lane,to the next,to the next ?
You lot are obviously far more used to motorway driving than I,but maybe familiarity breeds contempt ?

It's a shame there's no video.
Nothing bugs me more than people being done on the 'say so' of some officer/s.
They might just be utter clunts.
They might just not like the look of you.
Hell,they could even be outright liars looking for a tug (so to speak...).

 

[marriedblonde]

Tut Tut... Naughty boy but we all do it!

I would say if they don;t have any video evidence you may be ok.

I was charged with careless and inconsiderate driving a few years ago - bogus charge after an accident.

It took 5 court appearences but they dropped the charge in the end. If it's not an easy confiction for them they won't bother.

Plead not guilty. You don't need to prove your innocent they need to prove you are guilty. Their word against yours won't cut it!

J.

 

[Covenant]

Had my fair share of these incidents in my youth - my take:

Dangerous Driving is far harder to prove than Careless Driving (Driving without due care). Without video evidence I expect the CPS would reduce the charge to the lesser offence as it is effectively your word against theirs as to how much traffic was on the road, who you cut in front of, how close you were, how fast etc etc. Get a good solicitor and you can more or less guarantee it.

Police can prosecute for "Driving at Excessive Speed" even if they cant prove your speed at the time.

Bear in mind that if they prosecute for Careless and Excessive Speed you may be given additive points - that is they will give you a lump of points taking into consideration both offences, though it will only come under one offence code on your licence.

Don't plead guilty unless they send u a fixed fine/penalty points. If you are faced with a massive fine and loads of points you may as well fight it.

 

[benw123]

I was charged with careless and inconsiderate driving a few years ago - bogus charge after an accident.

What happened MB?

 

[Tim Stuart]

Unlucky Eeef and comiserations. I travel on the M27 (J1 to J4) and M3 (J13 to J2) virtually every day. What kind of Skoda should I be looking for? Octavia I guess, but what colour and plate? Help appreciated as I go a little quickly at times

 

[Booster]

Heard anything more Eeef?

 

[Bascule]

Unlucky Eeef and comiserations. I travel on the M27 (J1 to J4) and M3 (J13 to J2) virtually every day. What kind of Skoda should I be looking for? Octavia I guess, but what colour and plate? Help appreciated as I go a little quickly at times

Can't comment on the one that got Eeef - but Ive been pulled on the A31 (just before J1 of the M27) by a shiny black 05 Skoda Octavia VrS saloon.. unmarked in every way other than when the lights behind the grille start flashing.. and have seen at least one other (identical but a '55 I think) having pulled a beemer over at J3

hopefully you'll be ok eef! keep us informed..

 

[god_thats_quick]

Just wrote a long reply to this then thought better of it, I think if it is actually dangerous driving you've been charged with that would set my **** twitching BIG time however you may be ok as others have said, good luck and let us know how you get on.

 

[Steve-L]

Have to say I am divided on this one.

If the road was clear then I see no problem with the manouvre and feel you would be very unlucky top get done for either dangerous or careless driving.

If on the other hand the road was busy then.....

Years ago I was on the M4 London bound and as I approached the M25 junction 2 cars came flying accross from the M25 slip road right into the outside lane of the M4, result 4 car pile up, 1 dead, 2 seriously injured and all because 2 t#'ts who thought they could drive obviously could not.

 

[marriedblonde]

Can't comment on the one that got Eeef - but Ive been pulled on the A31 (just before J1 of the M27) by a shiny black 05 Skoda Octavia VrS saloon.. unmarked in every way other than when the lights behind the grille start flashing.. and have seen at least one other (identical but a '55 I think) having pulled a beemer over at J3

hopefully you'll be ok eef! keep us informed..

There's a silver Vrs as well 05 plate, I think, the patrols the M3 and M27.

J.

 

[marriedblonde]

What happened MB?

God bit slow in replying... I was waiting to turn right at a set of traffic lights, had to cross a dual carriage way. It was peeing it down with rain, 40 limit. I was sat waiting to turn as it was really busy, a low flying citroen Ax rounded a bend, realised there was stationary traffic, panic'd and slammed on the brakes. He lost control of his car and piled into the drivers side of mine. The police estimated he was travelling at over twice the speed limit judging the the damage caused etc. But it was wet so there wasn't any skid marks.

He ended up parked against a lamppost down the road after ripping the wheels off his car as he mounted a kerb. Took the fire brigade 45 minutes to cut him out of his car.

The most gutting thing for me was my car was less than 3 weeks old, I hadn't even made the first payment on it and I had waited 4.5 months to actually get the thing. It took VW 9 weeks to repair it as well...

Then to top it all off I get a careless and inconsiderate driving charge slapped on me! Oh well at least they dropped the charges. Like I said it was a bogus charge, I had 3 witnesses statements all saying I was sat stationary, the other car was travelling sideways when it hit me etc. Plus I had pictures of all the damage to my car, his and the lamppost he folded his car round!

J.

 

[PAT19799]

If you didnt actually cause anyone to take evasive action due to the manoeuvre you pulled then it wont be classed as dangerous driving. You may well just get done for careless driving and given 3pts and a fine.

I got done for careless driving when i undertook a middle lane numpty and recieved 3 pts and £50 fine. I tried the old ' your word against mine' trick but cos there was to ociffers in the marked car then the prosecuting occifer had a witness

Hope this helps

 

[Boyakasha]

Eeef you have PM