It sounds to me that if you couldn't see the sign because the fog was so thick, you are risking, by your own admission, a charge of Dangerous Driving, or, at the least, Driving Without Due Care and Attention. Sorry, my advice would be to take your medicine on the current charge.

Indeed - it''s rather like saying I crashed M'lud because my windscreen was mainly iced up and I didn't see the other car coming from my left through the pothole I had cleared.

I'll never understand that people think that speed limits are what you should always drive at under all conditions. Several years ago, I was heading home in my old Micra south, down the A41 from work in Berkhamsted in unbelievably heavy rain, so much that it was like fog, as you couldn't see more than about 50m ahead.

I was doing at most 30-40mph, but will STILL passed by wallies doing 70+. How they could stop in time had someone ahead come into view, I don't know.

Sorry OP - no excuses here. It'll only make matters worse, especially if you go to court. Chalk it up to experience, learn from the error and take it on the chin. Just be thankful no-one came to harm from the incident.

If I understand correctly limit dropped from 50 to 30 but limit sign was missed in thick fog. Son in effect 40 in a 30?

I've been driving since 1977 and have never been in fog so thick I couldn't see an ordinary roadside speed limit sign.

In OP's shoes I'd be nominating myself as the driver and hoping for a Speed Awareness course to be offered.

Edited by Bromptonaut on 05/02/2025 at 11:13

Many thanks to the Vogons (sincerely) who replied to say that the sign was there if only I had developed the technology to see it.

I don't think anybody was being particularly critical. They were just pointing out the obvious flaw in your argument. How do you think a court would take it when you pitch up and say "I was exceeding the speed limit because the fog was so thick I couldn't see the (very bright and prominent) speed limit signs."

There is no likelihood of you facing further charges if you say this in court, but there is equally no likelihood of it providing you with a defence or even mitigation. But it will certainly aggravate the offence considerably and may see you facing a heavier fine than usual.

If you plead not guilty and (almost inevitably) fail with your plea, it is likely to cost you around £1,000 (prosecution costs alone will be £650).

Many thanks to the Vogons

May I read you some poetry of mine?