Driver beats 98 MPH speeding ticket

Rowley Birkin QC

Nice story, shows how inaccurate cameras can be if not calibrated properly.

Linky

jalopnik.com wrote:

An English driver has beaten a 98 MPH speed camera ticket by re-purchasing his Honda Civic and paying a firm to test the vehicle. The Civic's top speed as tested? 85 MPH.

21-year-old Dale Lyle was shocked to receive the ticket for going 98 MPH in the mail not only because he has a perfect driving record and no longer owned the car in question anymore, but because his 1.3-liter Honda Civic could barely get up to highway speed, much less do nearly 100 MPH.

The penalty for the ticket could have been a fine of as much as $1,400 and a six-month driving ban.

Dale told the Daily Mail, “'I've never driven my car over the speed limit, let alone at 98mph. It's such a small car I wouldn't feel safe.”

Determined to beat the charge, Dan took out a loan to buy the Civic back from his friend, then turned it over to an independent expert who verified the Civic’s 85 MPH top speed on Millbrook’s high-speed banked oval. The same one used in many Top Gear episodes.

Presented with the results, the Crown Prosecution Service had no choice but to drop the case. Dale will now seek compensation for the $1,700 and many hours of his own time that it took to prove his innocence.

Dale’s advice to other motorists? “The video evidence the CPS sent me was just appalling. They are just picking on innocent motorists. It makes you wonder how many people say, "Fine, give me the points", when they are not guilty.” Fight the power, Dale.

L-M

Faster in 4th than 5th? Must of been a right bucket.

F-Stop

Those boy racers in their civics, eh?

pred racer

Limerick man wrote: »

Faster in 4th than 5th? Must of been a right bucket.

L-M

Lol, must of lost the power in his right foot come 80mph.

If i ever do get done for speeding, i'm going to restrict my engine, and do likewise.

Mena

Am I missing something here? I don't see why he needed to re-purchase his car...

L-M

Mena wrote: »

Am I missing something here? I don't see why he needed to re-purchase his car...

I don't see why it went slower in fifth. Funny world we live in.

maidhc

Limerick man wrote: »

I don't see why it went slower in fifth. Funny world we live in.

Didn't have the power to overcome the resistance in a higher gear I assume. Not too unsurprising in a low powered car I suspect.

eringobragh

I'd imagine you'd get 100mph on a 1.3 although it may take a while. I managed to get that same out of a 1,2 corsa before (it took a while!)

L-M

eringobragh wrote: »

I'd imagine you'd get 100mph on a 1.3 although it may take a while. I managed to get that same out of a 1,2 corsa before (it took a while!)

Only got 85 of out my ex Polo... Poor thing.

eringobragh

Limerick man wrote: »

Only got 85 of out my ex Polo... Poor thing.

I shoudl have mentioned factor a bit of a hill into the equation and your sorted :pac:

L-M

eringobragh wrote: »

I shoudl have mentioned factor a bit of a hill into the equation and your sorted :pac:

I was slip streaming a Volvo at the time:pac:

seanybiker

i got 85 out of me mothers micra years ago. There was a little bit left and all just ran outta road. Nearly shat meself. Poor ickle micra.

B00MSTICK

98 1.4 Almera has a top speed of ~108MPH. 103 to 108 takes about 2 mins though...

chickenhawk

A 1.1 saxo can do 110 (indicated). It takes a while but it'll do it might need a bit of a slope downwards but not much.

seanybiker

chickenhawk wrote: »

A 1.1 saxo can do 110 (indicated). It takes a while but it'll do it might need a bit of a slope downwards but not much.

thats mighty for a little car like that.

eringobragh

chickenhawk wrote: »

A 1.1 saxo can do 110 (indicated). It takes a while but it'll do it might need a bit of a slope downwards but not much.

Could never get more than 95ish MPH on the gfs 97 1.1 Saxo VT. I didn't come accross any slopes that day, but it does take forever to get to even 95

Bandara

I bet his mate took off the wavin exhaust, blue headlights and mobile phone number sticker in the side window.

That took 40 miles of the top speed of the car right there....

bottletops

faster in 4th than fifth because there is more torque in 4th from what I know???

unkel

chickenhawk wrote: »

A 1.1 saxo can do 110 (indicated).

It has 60BHP and it can do 101 officially, so that might well be 110 indicated. You don't even need to drive downhill for that!

Anan1

It's not that uncommon for cars to be fastest one gear down from top. For maximum speed, you need the engine to be putting out maximum power just as the car reaches its top speed. Some highest gears are made for economy, and don't ever allow the engine to rev high enough to reach maximum power output.

concussion

What I find interesting about this is there is no mention of the camera being checked to see if it was accurate. (It may have been but there's no mention of it in the article). Fair enough, on a track it topped out 12 mph under what was recorded but on the day there may have been a tailwind and a downslope helping him. The CPS have also now set a precedent, it will be interesting to see if more people challenge it.

I would say fair dues to him for getting off - he spent £600 on the test alone, however the fine would have been almost twice that with a possible ban on top. While it seems he went out of his way to prove his innocence, he may have been gambling that he'd get off with it.

Does anyone know why he bought the car back in order to have it tested?

Anan1

I'm surprised the CPS dropped the case, as concussion says, the test proves nothing.

who007

115mph out of a 1.3 Toyota Starlet over 10 years ago. (With witnesses!)

*Tripper*

I've touched on 120mph on an Ibiza I had. 1.2L about 64 break. I wouldn't go further but certainly wasn't difficult to get it just under 120.

Anan1

*Tripper* wrote: »

I've touched on 120mph on an Ibiza I had. 1.2L about 64 break. I wouldn't go further but certainly wasn't difficult to get it just under 120.

I think you mean you've touched an indicated 120mph?

Bluefoam

*Tripper* wrote: »

I've touched on 120mph on an Ibiza I had. 1.2L about 64 break. I wouldn't go further but certainly wasn't difficult to get it just under 120.

You sure that wasn't 120kph

B11gt00e

eringobragh wrote: »

I'd imagine you'd get 100mph on a 1.3 although it may take a while. I managed to get that same out of a 1,2 corsa before (it took a while!)

I hear ya... I drove a 1.2 corsa at 170km/h +-10km/h for 340km on a motorway(on the continent)... neay problem at all.. the only think is when some jockey comes out and blocks the fast lane with a motorboat or whatnot and you have to brake.. it takes feckin' ages to get her up to top speed again...

Wee cars are cool sometimes... but they got wee petrol tanks too.. so if you're flyin', you have to stop and fill up quite regular (not a pun!)...

I think I managed to get over the 185Km/h on one section of motorway that was down a mountainside where the high sides on the motorway also blocked any cross winds... My woman didn't enjoy it so much as it was 40degrees outside, and I wouldn't allow her to open a window (loss of speed via aerodynamic) nor use the A/c (loss of power via a/c consumption)... the a/c messes with my mpg also.. so it was a sweaty suana ride but highly enjoyable crusing(well the engine was working hard in fairness!!) by 7series and the likes...

A work colleague of mine once got pulled in for speeding... and when the cited the speed she was doing in an old jalopy Fiat.. she told the garda in question to take it for a drive himself and try to get said speed out of it... The garda agreed that the gun must have been wrong, and let her off no worries... Sound!!

the drifter

95...out of a toyota dyna (unloaded )....on a private road..

104 out of a fairly new hiace...on the same private road..

109 out of a 1.9 dozzil golf on a very very very very long private road...

L-M

the drifter wrote: »

95...out of a toyota dyna (unloaded )....on a private road..

104 out of a fairly new hiace...on the same private road..

109 out of a 1.9 dozzil golf on a very very very very long private road...

108 out of a 1.4 petrol Golf on a very very very very long private road...:pac:

Yakult

B00MSTICK wrote: »

98 1.4 Almera has a top speed of ~108MPH. 103 to 108 takes about 2 mins though...

I've seen an 97 1.4 almera do 120 before pure bog standard.

the drifter

Limerick man wrote: »

108 out of a 1.4 petrol Golf on a very very very very long private road...:pac:

same road ??:D:D

L-M

the drifter wrote: »

same road ??:D:D

Must of been:pac:

*Tripper*

Bluefoam wrote: »

You sure that wasn't 120kph

Nope miles.

Anan1 wrote: »

I think you mean you've touched an indicated 120mph?

Nope, came in just under 120Mph on my sat nav!

It was really pushing it but did not feel like it at all. I'll try rack up some proof in the next day or two!

L-M

*Tripper* wrote: »

Nope miles.



Nope, came in just under 120Mph on my sat nav!

It was really pushing it but did not feel like it at all. I'll try rack up some proof in the next day or two!

I know someone who got 120 in a 1.0 Polo as well:rolleyes::p

itarumaa

I drove 80 mph with my Matiz, I have no interest to find out if I would get 85 out of that, I was scared enough:)

Drummerboy08

Tell you what was scary??

165kmph in a Citroen C1!!:eek: Indicated speed BTW.

That was almost off the clock too IIRC.....

*Tripper*

Limerick man wrote: »

I know someone who got 120 in a 1.0 Polo as well:rolleyes::p

leon8v

You should all be ashamed of yourselves talking about those sort of speeds. Dont you all know that anything above 80kph can cause the end of the world? or at least thats what uncle Gaybo told me.:P

Armin_Tamzarian

I agree with some precvious posters.
The whole things sounds slightly dubious.

That car should be capable of achieving 98MPH no problem.
The fact that 5th gear was slower than 4th indicated that the car was a right heap but the thing about cars in that condition is that the
top speed can vary based on factors such as engine temperature,
ambient temperature, etc.

Also, the difference in speed was only 13MPH, I reckon that
a slope, a tailwind or having a vehicle in front to tailgate would more than likely give you that extra 13MPH to get up to 98MPH.

It's not exactly a watertight defence, the driver most likely got off because the CPS looked at all the effort he'd put into his defence and just decided to believe him.

galwaytt

I did 140mph on an Autobahn, once. On a bike. With a passenger. With a v.large stuffed toy on the top box.

Shows I care (sniff) for the c h i l d r e n ......:rolleyes:

Armin_Tamzarian

galwaytt wrote: »

I did 140mph on an Autobahn, once. On a bike. With a passenger. With a v.large stuffed toy on the top box.

Shows I care (sniff) for the c h i l d r e n ......:rolleyes:

Reminds me of a guy I recently saw in Africa.
He was flying down the road on a 50cc scooter.
His missus and new born baby were on the back and he had
a new microwave, in the box, balanced on the handlebars...

L-M

Armin_Tamzarian wrote: »

Reminds me of a guy I recently saw in Africa.
He was flying down the road on a 50cc scooter.
His missus and new born baby were on the back and he had
a new microwave, in the box, balanced on the handlebars...

I laughed out loud... I got weird looks from family members... Fair play hah:D

SouperComputer

They should have thrown that test back in his face. Top speed on banking is different than on flat ground. If the speed in that test is raw (From a trap or speedo) then it needs to be adjusted. Not sure what the % is but you can be sure that the car would have a higher top speed on the motorway.

Civic's have pretty short gears, so the banking probably had something to do with 4th being quicker than 5th.

Fair play for chancing his arm tho.

Also...mmmmmmmmmmmm: http://tinyurl.com/b7abhx

Armin_Tamzarian

Limerick man wrote: »

I laughed out loud... I got weird looks from family members... Fair play hah:D

I wouldn't have believed it but it's commonplace there.
It's quite shocking but you see loads of fellas going by with
the wife on the back clutching a newborn, probably on the way home from the hospital...

A picture would have been good but the locals don't appreciate being photographed.