this post was submitted on 17 Jul 2025
131 points (95.8% liked)

United Kingdom

5137 readers
278 users here now

General community for news/discussion in the UK.

Less serious posts should go in !casualuk@feddit.uk or !andfinally@feddit.uk
More serious politics should go in !uk_politics@feddit.uk.

Try not to spam the same link to multiple feddit.uk communities.
Pick the most appropriate, and put it there.

Posts should be related to UK-centric news, and should be either a link to a reputable source, or a text post on this community.

Opinion pieces are also allowed, provided they are not misleading/misrepresented/drivel, and have proper sources.

If you think "reputable news source" needs some definition, by all means start a meta thread.

Posts should be manually submitted, not by bot. Link titles should not be editorialised.

Disappointing comments will generally be left to fester in ratio, outright horrible comments will be removed.
Message the mods if you feel something really should be removed, or if a user seems to have a pattern of awful comments.

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
top 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] JimVanDeventer@lemmy.world 41 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (3 children)

61km/h instead of 48km/h. You’re welcome.

[–] NickwithaC@lemmy.world 9 points 4 days ago (1 children)

38 in a 30.

You're welcome.

[–] Pulptastic@midwest.social 5 points 4 days ago

There’s a road near my house that has sections at 30mph, 40, and 50. Most folks drive 45 on all three.

[–] Kekzkrieger@feddit.org 9 points 4 days ago (2 children)

I dont find this too wild honestly.

[–] Lauchmelder@feddit.org 12 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (2 children)

I do. Driving 61 instead of 48 km/h increases your distance to stop at an emergency by almost 8m. This is assuming 300ms reaction time. By the time you would have stopped at 48km/h you would still be ramming whatever it is you're emergency braking for with ~~40km/h~~ 15km/h if you go 61km/h.

Speeding is no joke, please read about how braking distance scales with speed. Especially if you go 50km/h in a 30 you're spelling a death sentence for anyone and anything running into the streets. And no, "they shouldn't run on the street" is not an argument, children and animals will always do unpredictable things, and being inattentive isn't a reason to execute someone

Edit: used km/h instead of m/s in my calculations

[–] Kekzkrieger@feddit.org 6 points 4 days ago

Good point, you are absolutely right, also since she was caught multiple times maybe its time for her to rethink her actions

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] blackn1ght@feddit.uk 3 points 4 days ago (1 children)

If she was caught doing 38mph in a 30, then her car was probably displaying 40 or 41mph as the speedo's always report you going a higher speed than you're going. So I'd say that's pretty bad, especially when you've been caught several times before in such a short space of time.

[–] IdontplaytheTrombone@lemmy.world 6 points 4 days ago (2 children)

Depends on where you are. 10 over on some roads is crazy, but there are many roads where 20 over is still fine.

[–] blackn1ght@feddit.uk 5 points 4 days ago (1 children)

I'd say 10 over on any 30mph zone is crazy. These are usually in built up areas so there's no excuse for it.

but there are many roads where 20 over is still fine.

Can't say I agree. National speed limit is either 60 or 70mph depending on the road and I wouldn't want to do 20mph over on either.

load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments (1 replies)
[–] robocall@lemmy.world 72 points 5 days ago (24 children)

38mph in a 30mph zone

Seems strict to me. but I'm not British.

[–] ohulancutash@feddit.uk 97 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (5 children)

30 is for built up areas. Also key is that jaywalking isn’t a thing in Britain. Pedestrians always have right of way and can cross the street at any point so in urban areas motorists must be prepared to stop at any time.

There’s also a 10% grace where prosecutions under that are unusal. But the chances of survival being hit at 38mph are significantly lower than at 30, or even 33.

The ban is for exceeding the penalty points on her licence. She had 9pts before this conviction, and speeding carries 6-8pts which has put her over the 12pt limit, which she accumulated over 3yrs so that’s a 6-month ban.

After 6 months she will need to take her driving test again and reapply for her licence.

[–] Cherry@piefed.social 62 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (2 children)

Just as this this guy says

you dont get a ban for the first instance. This shows repeated offences. Lucky she has the money for a driver.

I have little patience for serial speeders. Gripe all you like, but speed limits save lives.

[–] RisingSwell@lemmy.dbzer0.com 16 points 5 days ago

Particularly in populated areas, slow the fuck down. Too many people could get hurt, go speed somewhere the people aren't.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] catty@lemmy.world 17 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago)

But the chances of survival being hit at 38mph are significantly lower than at 30, or even 33.

I've been knocked down by a car doing 5mph. My head was embedded in the bonnet, bounced off it, and then I was on the road staring at the underside and tyre of a fortunately stopped car before my puny human brain could figure out what happened.

Being hit, even at 5mph, is not something you'd want, let alone 38.

[–] MrsDoyle@sh.itjust.works 11 points 5 days ago (3 children)

My idiot sister racked up nine points in six months after moving to the UK. She claimed not to have seen the 40mph sign she blew past at 50. "They're so small!" She only started paying attention when she realised she was one ticket away from a ban.

[–] HereIAm@lemmy.world 4 points 4 days ago

To be fair, I struggled with the UK signs when I moved here from Sweden. Big yellow quite distinct, to smaller ones that pop less from the surroundings. Not an excuse as such, but I find it understandable.

load more comments (2 replies)
[–] r00ty@kbin.life 10 points 5 days ago

Pretty sure speeding in that range would net a fixed penalty of 3 points. Also, she would have had the first 3 points discounted via an awareness course. So, in effect this is likely the 5th offense, or less if one or more of the others was serious enough to get 6 points.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] crapwittyname@feddit.uk 18 points 4 days ago

She already had nine points on her licence, so she's a repeat offender, hence the book getting thrown at her.
Conversely, this happened in Oxford, which is well known for being strict on drivers. She might have got away with it elsewhere.

[–] r00ty@kbin.life 15 points 5 days ago

I initially thought that. But the article makes it clear. But you need to know how our licenses work.

Normally for speeding (up to 42mph in a 30) you would get as a first offense the choice of paying for a speed awareness course OR 3 points + fine, and 43-49mph you would get a fixed penalty of 3 points and a fine. Subsequent offenses would go straight to points + fine.

However the points are important. Your points expire after 3 years. But if you have 12 active points at any time, you will then get a compulsory ban (unless you can prove to a court you need to drive, which is abused of course). Which is what likely happened here.

So, she's been quite the habitual offender.

[–] Pumafred9@lemmy.world 8 points 5 days ago (5 children)

You can go from a 40mph zone to a 30mph on the same stretch of road. But there are signs well in advance to indicate the speed change. It's quite common for the rozzers to be 'sat' waiting in these spots to catch those that don't slow down in time.

[–] hitmyspot@aussie.zone 10 points 5 days ago

It's common to get caught. It's less common to get gmcaight lots of times. Particularly for someone who doesn't drive a lot. Like wealthy people with drivers. She should sloelw down. Matthew Broderick too

load more comments (4 replies)
load more comments (20 replies)
[–] RememberTheApollo_@lemmy.world 35 points 5 days ago (2 children)

Interesting the cultural difference here. People arguing in favor of, or at least the reasonableness of, the law and its application. Americans regularly speed, 20+ mph over the limit is not uncommon. People would lose their shit over a driving ban in the US, and probably keep driving anyway. DUI repeat offenders and suspended license drivers are pretty common.

[–] Revan343@lemmy.ca 46 points 4 days ago (3 children)

and probably keep driving anyway

In much of the US, the alternative is lose your job and become homeless, so.

I had my license suspended for 90 days - due to a paperwork error when I was in college. I just had hope I didnt get pulled over at that time because I had no choice but to drive for school and work.

load more comments (2 replies)
[–] HumanPenguin@feddit.uk 11 points 5 days ago (6 children)

Repeat offenders and unlicensed drivers happen here as well. But the use of cameras makes it much harder then the past.

But having lived in the US. Most of it has so little public transport not driving is impossible. Here it is doable in all but the most remote areas. Just crap compared to the 80s and before. It is still way better the most cities in the US.

load more comments (6 replies)

"She is in a position to pay the fine."

No shit!

[–] Noerknhar@feddit.org 17 points 5 days ago (1 children)
load more comments (1 replies)
[–] CatpainTypo@lemmy.world 9 points 5 days ago (12 children)

Thames valley police hate the car. I’ve been done a couple of times that way. 33 in a 30 for me last time, Really strict.

load more comments (12 replies)
[–] j4k3@lemmy.world 10 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Millionaire ($85m) problems. Girl can pay for uber

[–] mannycalavera@feddit.uk 19 points 5 days ago (1 children)

I think the point is that she can but she's still arrogant and entitled enough to speed and get caught... and then speed and get caught again.

[–] Denjin@lemmings.world 13 points 5 days ago (2 children)

And again, and again. 1st time is 3 points or speed awareness course (why would anyone not do it), then assuming she didn't accrue points in a different way (bald tyres etc) it's 3 points for each subsequent speeding offense and you need 12 points for a 6 month ban. That's 5 times caught speeding in 3 years.

load more comments (2 replies)
load more comments
view more: next ›