Hi
I received a SJP this weekend for an offence I committed in June, and I'm worried sick to the point I've barely slept.
It's a BandC offence, so I know that it will be a fine of around 150% my weekly salary, plus 40% surcharge and costs. That's hard but I can stomach it, just about.
What I'm really concerned about is that I could potentially get a disqualification of 7 to 56 days, rather than 6 points.
I'm in the very very fortunate/lucky position of having a fully costed company car as part of my remuneration, including a fuel card. If I get a disqualification, even a short one, I will lose my car; those are the rules.
This would be devastating for me, as I have a daily commute of 110 miles round trip, and the cost of fuel, maintenance, insurance etc would be prohibitive. I wouldn't be able to keep my job.
Also, I'm autistic. It doesn't affect my ability to drive, should anyone be wondering.
I really struggle with public transport though, being around people, and as only 3 in 10 autistic people are employed in the UK, combined with my age, I don't think I would find another job easily. I live by myself, I'd lose my house, and I've no family so I would be homeless.
I'm also able to get to the coast at weekends, to walk, which is good for my mindfulness.
Hence being worried sick.
I know that no one can tell me what the outcome will be, but I guess I'm asking about the probability of getting a disqualification.
I was towards the end of a 300 mile journey, which had seen 3 1/2 hours of delays. It was just past midnight, and I came across the third set of overhead signs indicating a speed limit of 50. As the other two stretches had had no roadworks, no accidents, I foolishly ignored them and set the cruise to 60.
I came up behind some other vehicles and moved from lane 1 to lane 4 to pass, but as I got to lane 4, the car in lane 3 pulled into lane 4. Lane 3 was clear, so I accelerated, undertook, and a short while later returned to lane 3 and dropped back to 60.
That's when an unmarked police car pulled infront of me, with the instruction to follow.
Turns out the signs were at 50 nationally for a software update, meaning they couldn't be set in the advent of an emergency.
The officer told me that he'd not been able to do a paced measurement, but that I had hit 82 before slowing.
The offence on the SJP is for Exceeding Temp 50mph limit, but I'm really concerned that the undertake will have a bearing on this. It was stupid of me, I know that, but the car that moved from lane 3 to 4 did so to slow me I feel, and I reacted.
Do any of you with experience in this field know if this would be considered, as it's not an offence of dangerous driving or driving without due care and attention?
Should I get professional advice on preparing a mitigation to plead for 6 points, or is that pointless, is it a done deal?
