REARVIEW:SO I GOT caught speeding again – the second time in a year. A fair cop, I suppose, but it's actually difficult to drive at the limit when coming off a motorway and when everybody around you is ignoring the limit as well.
The garda waded across two lanes of previously speeding traffic to pull me out of line and order me to the side of the road. No point in arguing. €80, two points, like night follows day.
But is it that inevitable? I have heard several anecdotes lately of people who “got off” a speeding fine and penalty points by employing a combination of sheer brass neck, blatant lying to a court of law, and a flawed system.
The scenario in all of these cases is that the offender is caught speeding and receives a fixed penalty notice in the post. They ignore the notice and are then summoned to court. When their case comes before the judge the motorists simply say they did not receive the original notice in the post. The judge will then ask the defendant if they are prepared to swear an oath to that effect, the person swears to the court and the case is struck out. No €80, no points. I have no way of proving, no more than the judge, that people are abusing the system and lying to courts but the scenario has been outlined to me a number of times by different people.
While I would argue I was not driving in a dangerous manner on either occasion I was caught speeding, I have since amended my behaviour and stick rigidly to the limit. The system has worked and has made this driver slow down. However, the system will only work properly if loopholes are shut down and the law is applied equally in all cases.