Faulty Speedo causes speeding tickets

[Pug957]

I recently received 2 parking tickets through the post for speeding.

One was 57 in a 50 and the other 62 in a 50.

 

When the first one came through I was convinced I wasn't speeding but like many shrug my shoulders and accept it as I must have drifted with the traffic or something like that.

 

The second ticket I know for a fact I wasn't speeding, or if I was would only have been an indicated 2mph on my speedo

as I remember the incident and remember looking at the speedo before I got to the speed trap and as I was going through it.

It's a common location for the trap so I'm always extra careful around there.

 

This set alarms off with me as I know even I'm not that unlucky.

Checked over the car and nothing obvious was amiss.

 

A friend suggested to check to see if the speedo on my car was reading correctly as I've had a few electrical issues with my car lately

so went out for a drive armed with a couple of GPS units.

 

When I was driving at an indicated 51mph or so using cruise control the 2 gps units I had with me both registered 59 to 62mph.

I managed to trace this fault to a faulty brake control unit (my car uses the braking system to work out speed)

and replaced it and all is fine with the world again.

Unfortunately being my own worst enemy I can't prove it wasn't working before hand now.

 

Was wondering if any guru's out there had any suggestions if it's worth trying to defend the case or not? I think I know the answer but worth an ask isn't it.

[DanscoCAB]

I'm sorry but if you were 2 mph over the speed limit then you were still speeding... As for appealing due to the faulty speedo or part of your car, I don't think you have much chance as the upkeep of the car is your responsibility, well according to the people who issue the speeding tickets. This happened to someone I knew. Maybe someone else knows different.

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

Why would you get a parking ticket for speeding.??????????

 

Any way there is no defence here as it is down to the driver of

the vehicle to ensure the road worthiness and funtions of his

vehicle.

[Pug957]

Why would you get a parking ticket for speeding.??????????

 

Any way there is no defence here as it is down to the driver of

the vehicle to ensure the road worthiness and funtions of his

vehicle.

 

Was just reading about the parking company scams and got confused ;-)

 

Pretty much what I was thinking up to now. Just a little annoying when I see all the dangerous driving out there and when I'm generally so careful something like this happens.

 

Thanks for the feedback up to now though guys.

[crem]

Faulty speedo or not, I'm amazed you couldn't "feel" the difference between driving at 62mph rather than the legal 50mph on the road in question.

[Pug957]

Faulty speedo or not, I'm amazed you couldn't "feel" the difference between driving at 62mph rather than the legal 50mph on the road in question.

 

To be honest I was wondering why everyone had started slowing down a lot lately but lets be honest, you assume your speedo is working all the time don't you. Whan was the last time you thought "Is my speedo reading right?"

 

I have been switching between several cars lately as the missus keeps stealing mine so I ended up driving hers a lot, as well as friends cars etc. Small cars feel faster than big cars and so on. Her car is small, mine's a lot bigger in every way.

 

Sounds like excuses, which to an extent I guess they are, but you expect brakes and tyres to wear out but like I said you just assume speedos are right as there's no checks for them etc except when you get your speeding ticket....

[Andy77799]

What car is it? I will remember not to buy one! I bet someone somewhere has worked out the speedo reading between new and nearly bald tyres!

[CHRIS44G]

Has the car the original wheels and tyres? If they are not, a different diameter wheel and or tyre size will affect the "rolling radius"of the car, and therefore the speedo reading. Just a thought.

[Pug957]

It was a faulty ECU in the end, was corrupting data between all the different car modules and some of that information was speed data. Replaced ABS sensors, ABS unit and the ECU trying to figure out what it was. Sent a letter to the police explaining the situation with copies of the receipts etc and asking nicely if courts could be avoided and they are going to have a look into it. This was a month ago now so hopefully that's a good sign.

[Hammy1962]

Maybe your wife was driving on one of the speeding occasions...............

 

H

[heliosuk]

LOL.........or is it ex wife. Hope the OP is not an MP!!

[themagician]

a friend of mine was road testing a vehicle that had been diagnosed as a possible faulty cruise controller ,he was stopped for speeding ,explained to the officer the poss fault with the vehicle,also got the garage to back up his story from the initial service record fault and they cancelled the ticket.

maybe you should have took your car to a main agent dealer to check your speedo rather than d.i.y.

that way you would have corroberated evidence that the fault existed.

[Vieil Homme]

Are you not allowed to be 10% over the speed limit + 2mph before any prosecution. This allows any discrepancy in your speedo however it is calculated but that is the limit. Years ago when we had miners (remember those days) the leader of the miners union was done for speeding. His defence was the cruise control in his jag was faulty, his speeding fine was quashed.