Motor insurance: Cabbie clocked 'doing 420mph'

Friday, 05 January 2007

A Welsh taxi driver got the shock of his life recently when he received a speeding fine for driving at 420mph in a 30mph zone.

Tom Matthews from Newport had been driving his 12-year-old Vauxhall Cavalier down a residential road when, unknown to him at the time, he was flashed by a speed camera.

Later he received a penalty notice informing him that he had exceeded the speed limit by some 390mph and would be issued with a £60 fine.

Immediately suspicious, Mr Matthews complained to the Mid and South Wales Safety Camera Partnership, insisting that there had been a mistake.

"I drive an old Cavalier - not a jumbo jet," he told the Sun newspaper, adding that according to the fine, he should be the holder of the land speed record.

Mr Matthews added: "There has been a printing error. If they insist I was going that fast I should be a Grand Prix driver - I'm wasted in taxis."

The Mid and South Wales Safety Camera Partnership has admitted that an error has been made and blames employee negligence.

Mr Matthews plans to fight the speeding charge, which has also seen him issued with three penalty points.

The consequences of speeding convictions could hit drivers' pockets harder than just the fine that they'll need to pay, as they are likely to face a hike in their motor insurance premiums.

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