The moment you get to the post box and see that familiar letter, your heart sinks as realise it can only be one thing….a speeding fine. Although I am not sure how many of you still have post boxes, but nonetheless. A speeding fine really sucks because you know you could have avoided it. It can make you angry, but you can’t blame the law…or can you?

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in the Free State is withdrawing all criminal cases against those who were caught by the ProLaser 4 speed gun. This according to Mybroadband, which also went on to report that this has major ramifications for the entire country as all cases involving this specific speed gun are now in jeopardy.

WHAT’S THE DEALIO?

There was a ruling made in May where the state failed to prove that the ProLaser 4 speed gun underwent all the necessary tests and received approval from an independent lab to be legally used in the country.

BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE

Mybroadband also spoke to a reader in Port Elizabeth who received a speeding fine on the Hex River Road between Graaff Reinet Road and Kanfer Street in Uitenhage.

The PayMyFines website stated that the offence had occurred at 14:38 on 11 June 2019, and the total amount due for the fine was R260.

A photo of the speeding vehicle was also included with the fine, which immediately tipped off the driver that something was amiss.

The photo included with the fine was of the driver’s vehicle, but it was the same image used in a previous fine incurred by the driver.

The background of the image showed the vehicle travelling in a built-up area, while the location specified by the fine was only near a single building.

The driver then examined his activity around the date and time of the alleged offence and found that he was nowhere near the location specified in the speeding fine.

INTERESTING…

This reader of Mybroadband provided the publication with all kinds of evidence proving that they were in fact broken down in Summerstrand, Port Elizabeth, at the time of the alleged offence.

SO NOW WHAT?

Well, this is where you have to be extra cautious. PayMyFines did not respond to Mybroadband in time about this specific case, so until we have a clear explanation as to what is going on, best you be on the lookout for fake speeding fines.

If you have location history enabled on Google Maps or another digital record of your movements, it can often be easy to check if you really were travelling through the area in question when a fine was incurred by your vehicle.

If the speeding fine listed for your vehicle is not legitimate, you can send a letter to your local traffic department to contest the veracity of the offence.

BUT DON’T TAKE THE P*SS

This is just my two cents here. I hear people complaining about speeding fines and parking fines all the time. There is a really simple thing that you can do to avoid such fines: DON’T BREAK THE LAW! If you are in the wrong, pay your fine. If more people obeyed the rules of the road we would have far fewer accidents and the death toll wouldn’t be as devastating as it is.