A good Solicitor ?
- Thread starter mikefoster
- Start date
mikefoster
New member
Chaps,
Many thanks for all your thoughts and views. Yes the A9 is a classic for bad accidents and its most unfortunate that due to the long downward hill my speed crept up the last 8 -10 mph. It was the only place in the whole trip that I was briefly doing that speed, tell that to the beak I hear the obvious response from some of you.
The road was deserted at the time, the kind officer stated that I had been reported about 60 miles south of where the trap was giving them time to set up.
I will contact those suggested, I expect to be made an example of, as is the current fashion. At least it was on a dual carriageway section so 31mph over the limit only just over the mandatory ban rule coming in at anything over 30 mph of the prevailing limit.
The laser technology these days is so good that I wouldnt bother questioning it as it will only antagonise, especially when no other vehicles were around to confuse the reading at all.
It really wasnt worth getting to the meeting on time even tho it was an important one. It will be long forgotten but the fine and increased insurance premiums for the next five years wont be.
Any other sources of good solicitors still welcome.
Like the Hyabusa rider I have previously ridden big sports bikes for years the last a Ducati and this incident ranks as pretty tame alongside some.
The increasing technology of the mobile phone provides opportunities to the square on the roads to phone and report allegged issues all to often, the police who have visited me at home confirmed that they get many examples of this very few with any substance to them.
Cheers for now, we will see how the rest of this saga unfolds !
Regards
Mike
Many thanks for all your thoughts and views. Yes the A9 is a classic for bad accidents and its most unfortunate that due to the long downward hill my speed crept up the last 8 -10 mph. It was the only place in the whole trip that I was briefly doing that speed, tell that to the beak I hear the obvious response from some of you.
The road was deserted at the time, the kind officer stated that I had been reported about 60 miles south of where the trap was giving them time to set up.
I will contact those suggested, I expect to be made an example of, as is the current fashion. At least it was on a dual carriageway section so 31mph over the limit only just over the mandatory ban rule coming in at anything over 30 mph of the prevailing limit.
The laser technology these days is so good that I wouldnt bother questioning it as it will only antagonise, especially when no other vehicles were around to confuse the reading at all.
It really wasnt worth getting to the meeting on time even tho it was an important one. It will be long forgotten but the fine and increased insurance premiums for the next five years wont be.
Any other sources of good solicitors still welcome.
Like the Hyabusa rider I have previously ridden big sports bikes for years the last a Ducati and this incident ranks as pretty tame alongside some.
The increasing technology of the mobile phone provides opportunities to the square on the roads to phone and report allegged issues all to often, the police who have visited me at home confirmed that they get many examples of this very few with any substance to them.
Cheers for now, we will see how the rest of this saga unfolds !
Regards
Mike
pauljmcnulty
Active member
The fact that you were reported by someone so concerned that they picked up the phone, and the police took it seriously enough to set up a camera in response, and 60 miles later you were doing over 100 ( and in your own words " its most unfortunate that due to the long downward hill my speed crept up the last 8 -10 mph"), it does read as if you're admitting doing around 90 MPH for 60 miles. I'd suggest that a public forum isn't necessarily a good place to put that in writing, it's not unknown for people like the police and insurers to trawl forums for this sort of evidence!
I know from personal experience that someone close to me has got away with points totting-up to more than twelve without a ban, and being caught over 100 only resulting in only a 6-week ban. The defense was loss of work for a large number of employees, with his reliance on the car for his work being taken in to consideration. It did require a damned good, and expensive, barrister though. [&o]
I know from personal experience that someone close to me has got away with points totting-up to more than twelve without a ban, and being caught over 100 only resulting in only a 6-week ban. The defense was loss of work for a large number of employees, with his reliance on the car for his work being taken in to consideration. It did require a damned good, and expensive, barrister though. [&o]
It didn't! The defence isn't a defence at all, it is an invitation to the court to exercise its discretion in your favour and not ban you despite your guilt - mitigitating circumstances often known as exceptional hardship.
For summary only offences in the Magistrates Court (such as speeding) I would steer well clear of expensive barristers - a local solicitor with the home court advantage is all you need and should save ££££. I make applications of this nature most weeks for my day job.
Sadly, the advice applies South of the Scottish border only. Good luck OP, I'm sure you'll find someone to make appropriate representations on your behalf.
pauljmcnulty
Active member
It did!
If you knew my Dad you'd understand how he needed ever bit of help from an expensive barrister! [
][]Imagine my Dad as a slighlt less-rich Bernie Ecclestone. An elderly (70-ish), greying businessman with a fair degree of arrogance. I'm glad he's never represented himself, although he should really stop driving so fast at his age.....
I'd want to be advised as to how the whole " mitigitating circumstances often known as exceptional hardship" thing could be used best, and that where a decent professional earns their fee.
chfs911
New member
Richard the Ballinluig junction was dualled 4 years ago! The accident was at Jubilee bridge just North of Dunkeld. I drive the road every day and it is like Russian Roulette. Within a few miles of work the fatalities are in the teens since I started work 5 years ago.
Getting home afterwards is not much fun either!
Decent professional yes - but horses for courses - Magistrates can be very suspicious of expensive out of town lawyers (depending on how provincial the venue).
Glad your Dad got the result he needed anyway
Glad your Dad got the result he needed anyway
hi mike,
thats not so good, A9 is a killer with the police and yes there are trumpets that phone the police, I had one here in wales, said I was doing over 100mph in a 30mph zone, the police stoped me and accused me but i wasnt speeding when they stopped me so could do nothing, i certainly hadnt been doing anything naughty that day, but had overtaken in the 60 limits but got no where near 100mph,
i will check with my mate, he had a solicitor that got him off with points and a fine for doing 141 in a 70mph, took nearly two years to go to court as they were kept asking for delays until they got a particular judge, the solicitors bill was about £6k if i remember correctly though,
if u were in a 70mph, you may get away with 4 points and a few hundred pounds fine, if they have charged you with dangerous, then that would be another matter, if you were in a 60mph could be a bit more of an issue,
wait and see if they offer for you to simply plead guilty by letter as they (i believe) dont tend to ban you by post, which would mean points and fine, (unless the totting up will take you over the limit),
catch you sometime soon,
ps did no one warn you that the A9 is famous for catching speeders, its one of my least favourite roads in scotland,
cheers
scottie
thats not so good, A9 is a killer with the police and yes there are trumpets that phone the police, I had one here in wales, said I was doing over 100mph in a 30mph zone, the police stoped me and accused me but i wasnt speeding when they stopped me so could do nothing, i certainly hadnt been doing anything naughty that day, but had overtaken in the 60 limits but got no where near 100mph,
i will check with my mate, he had a solicitor that got him off with points and a fine for doing 141 in a 70mph, took nearly two years to go to court as they were kept asking for delays until they got a particular judge, the solicitors bill was about £6k if i remember correctly though,
if u were in a 70mph, you may get away with 4 points and a few hundred pounds fine, if they have charged you with dangerous, then that would be another matter, if you were in a 60mph could be a bit more of an issue,
wait and see if they offer for you to simply plead guilty by letter as they (i believe) dont tend to ban you by post, which would mean points and fine, (unless the totting up will take you over the limit),
catch you sometime soon,
ps did no one warn you that the A9 is famous for catching speeders, its one of my least favourite roads in scotland,
cheers
scottie
OP, admire the positive sentiment on here but please get your legal advice from a suitably qualified advocate - guideline sentence in England for 101 in a 70mph limit is a short ban (7-56 days) or 6 points, am afraid it is off the scale in a 60mph limit. Different rules north of the border though.
John H
New member
Rob makes a good point about using a local solicitor. 20 years ago I found myself in the same position, having been apprehended for some "brisk" driving, and facing the possibility of a ban as a result. The case came to Stonehaven Sheriff Court, and I hired a local Stonehaven solicitor to represent me. On the day I was not impressed with his performance, he was a scruffy inarticulate wee bloke, but his presence was enough to do the business, and I got away with points and a fine. Money well spent and lesson learned.
Best of luck.
Best of luck.
So it was, Charles, but from memory you still have to cross both carriageways to head south and the line of sight isn't that long. Not surprised it happened at the bridge - lethal in either direction! Luckily our masters and tribunes of the people in Holyrood are finally going to dual it all (if I understood correctly) so only another 10 years of mayhem. Take it easy yourself.
chfs911
New member
Proper flyover now Richard and has been for a while. No cameras either. Speed Vans parked up now and again.
Liable to be a summons at that speed. Local Solicitor may be able to negotiate points and fine for a guilty plea at 99mph.
Colleague was summonsed for 51 in 30(temporary ) on A9 while they built the Ballinluig flyover!
Fiscal accepted 49mph guilty plea for 3 points and small fine. Legal fee was £1500!!
Liable to be a summons at that speed. Local Solicitor may be able to negotiate points and fine for a guilty plea at 99mph.
Colleague was summonsed for 51 in 30(temporary ) on A9 while they built the Ballinluig flyover!
Fiscal accepted 49mph guilty plea for 3 points and small fine. Legal fee was £1500!!
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