Since doing quite a bit of research into the topic, the problem seems to be that the system is really loaded in favour of you paying up - which means it's really more of a tax than anything else. (Allegedly, by the way, all surplus revenue from speeding fines - after the running costs of speed cameras have been deducted - goes to the Treasury, not to the Police or the Council; I'd be interested in people's thoughts on this...) Our only real recourse is to allow the thing to go to a court hearing which then means we risk a higher, income-related fine and possibly more points. Not something most people want to - or can - go through with. At best, it's a scary process if you're not used to it, and at worst it'll take over your life. The powers-that-be, of course, don't want you to go to court really (millions of court hearings for slight speed infringements would mean the courts system rapidly grinding to a halt), so they make it deliberately difficult for you to want to take that risk by making it scary and then attractive to pay the fine and take the points (or what used to be the 'relief' of a speed awareness course if that's 'offered'). So, perhaps the only way to get something done about this not-even-stealth-tax assault on our civic sensibilities is to allow every single case to go to Court Summons stage so that the system can't cope and they have to change it. It's all, quite frankly, a bit ridiculous. As if we haven't got enough to do!My alleged offence was 36mph and I'm now reasonably sure I was only doing 30mph, and that it was the car next to me that fired the camera. Will I ever find out the truth? I doubt it...which just leaves me feeling frustrated, annoyed and institutionally brutalised. Not a feeling that helps build a sense of civic pride and responsibility - something we're in need of more than ever before in these challenging times of ours, I'd suggest. Goodwill, I believe, makes the world go round.
Glynne Steele ● 3575d