BECKY SHEAVES

I wondered why everyone else was slowing down. Then I saw the police van in the layby. Oh dear, too late. As this was my first speeding offence ever, I was offered the chance to attend a speed awareness course

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As regular readers may recall, back in the early summer I was the unfortunate recipient of an Intention to Prosecute notice from Devon and Cornwall Police.

This was due to an incident on the road that is known to us locals as “The Old A30”.

It most definitely does not share the same generous speed limit as the new A30. Whereas you can bowl along the dual carriageway near us at 70 miles per hour, this old road calls for far more restraint. I was caught doing 47 in a 40 zone.

In my defence, 40 is a hard limit to stick to on this particular stretch of highway. It’s the old Roman Fosse Way, heading from Isca (Exeter) all the way to Lincoln. So we motorists are now constrained to a fairly modest speed on a road that runs as straight as an arrow.

I’d wondered why everyone else was slowing down. Then I saw the police van in the layby. Oh dear, too late. As this was my first speeding offence ever, I was offered the chance to attend a speed awareness course. I won't lie, part of me was tempted to pay the £100 fine and take the points. After all, why bother giving up three hours to learn that speeding is bad? I knew that already, really. I'd just temporarily forgotten about it on the morning in question.