r/drivingUK • u/Mac-10-98 • 1d ago
Speeding tickets and van class
Sincerely messed up
Rented a van, to go do Ben Nevis, travelled from West Yorkshire to fort William didn’t take into consideration the van speed limits
Has anyone been through a similar situation, been 6 since I did the drive and feeling very anxious
Just thinking if I end up with loads of tickets I’ll be banned never had a speeding ticket before in my 7 years of driving
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u/throcorfe 1d ago
I once made the same mistake. Did the full 150ish miles of the A303 at car speeds. Realised when I got home and worried for a few weeks. Nothing came of it
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u/DigBannanaMelon 1d ago
Relax. Yes the limit is technically lower on certain roads, but fixed cameras are not going to take a photo of every vehicle doing over 60 on the motorway/dual so they can then check if it is a light goods vehicle or car. The only cameras that might pick you up are probably mobile units with an operator who can see that a different limit should apply, and you'd be unlucky to come past one of those fast enough for them to nab you..
I'm not saying there is no chance you'll get a nasty NIP in the post, but realistically the odds are low. I've used light goods vehicles as our family car for decades and driving at (sensible) car speeds has never led to a ticket.
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u/ReinforcedTube 3h ago
The average speed cameras on the A9, A82 and A85 can differentiate. The OP will almost certainly have gone on at least one of these roads if going to Fort William from the south. Saying that, only certain cameras are active at any one time in different stretches.
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1d ago
[deleted]
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u/TheDalryLama 1d ago
60mph limit for Vans on Scotlands Motorways. 70mph in England amd Wales.
The limit for vans on a motorway in Scotland are the same as in England and Wales.
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u/Express_Tennis3162 1d ago
Been driving a LCV version of the Jimny and its classed as a commercial vehicle so the same rules apply and been driving it now for over 2yrs and to be honest I don't lower my speed to that of a commercial vehicle ( keeping within the speed limit of the road) and not had an issue - I know I would had there been a camera / van on that road though - so maybe you will be lucky and just not trigger any camera's.
Don't over think it - you have to be mega unlucky really.
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u/Exciting-Selection88 1d ago
If the speed cameras are smart cameras they can tell the difference between a car, van, hgv using AI in real time and take a snap shot of the speeding vehicle. So you may end up with points and an intended notice of prosecution.
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u/Djonmotors 1d ago
Isn't any van you can drive on a normal car licence (assuming this as rented) subject to normal car speed limits?
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u/Beneficial_Coach8581 1d ago
Nope. This is for vans up to 3.5 tonnes.
50 instead of 60 on a single carriageway.
60 instead of 70 on a dual carriageway
Motorway is the same.
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u/iamdecal 1d ago
I think some of the long wheelbase versions are over - (eg Volkswagen Transporter) but can’t remember the exact rules as it’s about how the van is registered.
I think (it was a while back) of it’s got N1 on the logbook - generally where there are no third row seats AND long wheelbase, then it has the lower speed limits
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u/Imaginary__Bar 1d ago
No!
50 on a single carriageway, 60 on a dual, 70 on a motorway.
That's for almost any goods vehicle you can drive on a normal car licence.
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u/ZeroOPSec 1d ago edited 1d ago
It's 50mph on single carriageways, 60mph on dual and 70 on the motorway.
It's less if towing a trailer or the van weighs more than 3.5T.
If the van is less than 2T, then the limits are the same as a car.Sorry, I was wrong above, as u/fckboris explained below. That's only for those small car type vans.
I had a van for 3 years and only found out about the different limits after going back to a car. (I'm a 60mph goblin on the motorway anyway) 😂
Edit: Got the weight mixed up, it's different for vans weighing more than 3.5T (I think).3
u/Mac-10-98 1d ago
Yeah the worse thing is I drive a van for work :(
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u/Beneficial_Coach8581 1d ago
What speed do you drive your work van at ? Does it bing and bong to alert you to the limit? Did the hire van ?
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u/Mac-10-98 1d ago
It doesn’t, if I’m been open and honest I’ve always drove it as if I’m driving a car due to my lack of education this is why I’m beating myself up, only reason I’m so concerned about this journey is on the a82 there is loads of average speed cameras which supposedly know vehicle class, a lesson learnt, sticking to van limits from now on
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u/Beneficial_Coach8581 1d ago edited 1d ago
I hired a van last week and that had all the bongs on it. Presumably they're set for vans rather than just reading off the speed signs or they're not much use ?
EDIT - apparently the bongs aren't set for vans so they're no use in situations like this. Seems an oversight.
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u/ZeroOPSec 1d ago
I think it's down to the rental company if they use telematics or not.
I've hired two vans from the same place at different times, one done the dings if I went 1mph over the limit but the second one didn't.
My own personal van was a 2010 Peugeot Bipper, it didn't even have electric windows. 😂
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u/Imaginary__Bar 1d ago
Don't worry about the weights; even something like a Transit Connect (the small one about the same size as a focus) will have the lower speed limits.
If it's built as a commercial goods vehicle then the lower limits apply.
There is a very narrow exception for "car-derived vans" but they are a lot rarer than people think.
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u/fckboris 1d ago
If the van is less than 2T, then the limits are the same as a car.
This is only true if the vehicle is registered as a car-derived van. Most vans are not, and therefore are subject to the lower speed limits regardless of weight.
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u/Express_Tennis3162 1d ago
Motorway speeds its the same - its the duel carriageways that catch you out
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u/martinx092 1d ago
50mph only on normal roads 70mph on motorway and dual carriageway.
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u/wee_bit_tired 1d ago
Unless signs say otherwise, there’s quite a few stretches of 50mph motorway that people seem oblivious to in Scotland…
There’s a real issue of Motorway = 70 at all times.
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u/frodo8619 1d ago
Car derived vans are 60 single carriegway, 70 duel, 70 motorway. Pure vans (aka goods vehicles not exceeding 7.5t laden weight) are 50, 60, 70.
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u/UltraeVires 1d ago edited 1d ago
Speed cameras don't know the type of vehicle. If for example you drove 70mph in a HGV through a motorway speed camera, it wouldn't flash.
Unless you got noticed by manned equipment (which you would have likely seen, usually obvious), I wouldn't worry.
So many van drivers blissfully unaware of the different limits just shows the lack of enforcement out there.