I got caught by cameras once on the M1 in Derbyshire. I was driving home late at night, the motorway was almost empty. Speed taken down to 40 mph for "reports of object in the road". I saw the offending item clearly, an electrician's yellow stepladder safely on the hard shoulder (yes, they had such things in those days) as I passed it with the cruise control willfully set at 50. For this I did an on-line (in Covid) motorway awareness course - so I am now aware that the speed cameras do work all the time !
I was driving home after going to break the news to my old dad that his wife of 50 years, my mother, had died. I just wanted to be home. I had plenty of time to spot the offending item, that could easily have been handled by a short lane closure rather than a 40 limit going on for miles, and a lane closure would have made clearing the obstruction safer. But they would rather make money. None of that is of course an acceptable excuse.
Sorry to hear about your mum.
@Lons well done for coming to the rescue without delay. Its always nice to know that you have that one mate that you can shout 'HELP' and they'll be there!
I once went to look after a client who was on some sort of a breathing tube (won't wat which) and managed his own health management plan. I'd driven about 200 miles as he was somewhat 'in the **it' and needed a carer/PA urgently.
After work that day I was booked into a local hotel as I had to come back for another shift in the morning. Drove to the hotel in mid December, very poor visibility, smog, rain and just generally poor conditions.
Came to a green light and a red light, but my mind didn't spot the red that was before the green (which was after a massive A road junction). Ended up going over the line at the red light then hit the brakes before passing the junction.
The law required me to attend a hearing (local tot he incident, so another 200 mile drive down) for my punishment. I explained that I had triggered the camera, hadn't seen the red light due to really poor visibility but had stopped just over the white line.
Because the red light had been lit for 7 seconds though, I had no hope of a (more) positive outcome. The barrister/team told me after I'd accepted responsibility that had I tried to argue it or pleaded not guilty I'd have recieved a much bigger fine that the £300 odd and that she'd have given me alot more points.
None of this might be relevant to the original post but I guess sometimes we just go over the mark.
@Lons to do that much damage, that Merc must be one powerful and heavily built car
... WTH.
) I tried doing a deal with first Currys who were hopeless the Halfords who gave me a heafty discount and more than match the on line prices at the time.
Only issue is that it's black same as mine and I really didn't want another black car.