In 2005, almost two million speeding tickets were issued by police in England and Wales. Motorists were pulled over by bobbies in "panda" cars or on BMW motorcycles and given a 60 pound penalty. The British government collected 115.2 million pounds that year thanks to these offences.
Photo of London bobby courtesy www.met.police.uk.
When was the first speeding ticket issued in Britain? On this day in 1896, a constable was patrolling on his bicycle when a Benz automobile whizzed by at 8 miles per hour, four times the legal limit. A chase ensued along London's cobblestone streets. In the neighbourhood of Paddock Wood, the constable stopped the speeder. His name was Mr. Walter Arnold from East Peckham. He was fined one shilling by the Tonbridge magistrates.
Karl Benz in his auto circa 1894 courtesy upload.wikimedia.org.
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