Today, I was driving from direction Chur to direction Zurich on the A3 highway when I went through a series of tunnels that I had been through before. The weather was terrible today, heavy rain, storm, etc therefore I'm pretty sure the speed limits were restricted more than usually. Anyway, in the last tunnel, the speed limit was 80 km/h. When I speed on purpose, I ALWAYS speed "cleverly", NEVER going over 10km/h in 80 and 100 zones and NEVER going over 20 km/h in the 120 zone. This time, I was speeding accidentally, not paying enough attention to my speed. In the last tunnel, I was flashed and when I looked down at my speedometer (digital) the number I saw was 106 km/h.

1. This means that I was 26 km/h too fast in a 80 km/h zone. Because this was on the highway, does it mean that it will only be a warning and not my license taken away?

Excerpt from Kanton Glarus website on driving offenses:

Bei Geschwindigkeitsüberschreitungen werden folgende Massnahmen verfügt:

Innerorts

Überschreitung um 16 - 20 km/h: Verwarnung gemäss Art. 16a SVG
Überschreitung um 21 - 24 km/h: 1 Monat Entzug gemäss Art. 16b SVG
Überschreitung um 25 km/h und mehr: Mind. 3 Monate Entzug gemäss Art. 16c SVG
Ausserorts

Überschreitung um 21 - 25 km/h: Verwarnung gemäss Art. 16a SVG
Überschreitung um 26 - 29 km/h: 1 Monat Entzug gemäss Art. 16b SVG
Überschreitung um 30 km/h und mehr: Mind. 3 Monate Entzug gemäss Art. 16c SVG
Autobahn

Überschreitung um 26 - 30 km/h: Verwarnung gemäss Art. 16a SVG
Überschreitung um 31 - 34 km/h: 1 Monat Entzug gemäss Art. 16b SVG
Überschreitung um 35 km/h und mehr: Mind. 3 Monate Entzug gemäss Art. 16c SVG




2. Does anyone have ANY idea how much "deduction tolerance" I will get from this camera?


3. I am pretty sure that normally this tunnel is restricted to 100 km/h but because of the exceptionally terrible weather, the speed restriction was 80 km/h (yes, I know, what difference does the weather make on the tunnel). In this case, could it be possible that I got caught for speeding 6 km/h too fast (in the 100 zone)? Or is the speeding camera adjusted to the new speed limit every time?

The reason why I think it is usually a 100 km/h zone is because that's how I remember it from previous journeys and because I am certain that just before the tunnel (and on the roads before the tunnel) the 80 zone sign was not permanent. Instead, it was one of those signs that just flips over in different parts, so that it is displayed only when needed.

4. Will the fact that I only recently (2 months ago) got my license make them treat me any harsher than a person with say 2 year driving experience?

5. Is it of any use to write a letter of apology to the traffic center of Kanton Glarus (that's where it happened) and say for example that I thought it was an 100 km/h zone or something? I'm that desperate cause I really need the license.



By the way this is where the camera was (the green arrow)

The will probably reduce the speed by 5 KMH, your speedometer was probably reading at least 5 KMH too fast.

I don't think in CH weather has an effect on speed limit unless it's written up unlike France where 130 becomes 110 in heavy rain.

It's probably not that serious, wait & see, if the weather was really bad there is a chance that they will not be able to read your no.

The most clever way to speed is to stay within the speed limit.

Can't pay the fine then don't do the crime.

Most likely result is you will get a fine. Pay it and that should be the end of the problem.

Not sure what the charge will be and they don't really have a habit of removing your license unless you are badly over the limit like the guy who once was 170kms over the limit

Don`t listen to them, you are lucky you did not get shot

In this sleety and windy weather, going 26 over is just out of order. It's 41 years to the day since I nearly lost my leg (and life) due to the driver speeding on sleet. You just HAVE TO adjust to driving conditions and allow more space and take more care in weather like this- how can you brake if there is an obstruction on the road, an accident, a kid, whatever

Yes they do take local conditions into consideration. Conditions where treacherous today - and this will be noted as added danger to speeding.

buddy just got flashed on a city road (non highway) going 108 in an 80
850 chf and loss of license for 3 months. And He is Swiss....

A similar situation happened to a friend (about 20km over in an 80) and he only got a "warning" and is on a probation period, so you might be okay if you don't have any prior offenses. I'd rather have my license taken away than have them take a % of my yearly salary, that's for sure!

Ooops. I got a similar fine but no licence loss a few months back for 111 in an 80, albeit on a motorway sliproad. More than 25kph over is normally outside of the simple fixed penalty fine, and goes before a court who can decide to ban as they see fit. Repeat offences within a couple of years will always be dealt with more harshly - thankfully the previous time I had a biggie was about four years before, so had presumably lapsed by the time the later one was dealt with.

I wouldn't worry. Most speedometers read too much, so it's very unlikely that you were actually going at 106 kph and most certainly you were doing a few kph less. Since you were on the freeway (Autobahn) and the limit was 80 kph you should get away with a simple CHF 260 fine, maybe even CHF 180 if you're lucky. Just make sure you pay the fine within 30 days once the bill arrives.

BTW 80 kph is the regular limit on that stretch if you're driving towards Zurich (it's 100 towards Chur) and since it was inside the tunnel the weather shouldn't matter anyway.

In a tunnel...?!?

This has to be the quote if the week from someone with 2 months' experience. There isn't a clever way to speed - only a stupid way.

For your information the speed limit is always 80kph on that curvy section (which I know sitting at my pc in my pyjamas and you didn't even know having driven past the signs). It is the original two-way road built before the long tunnel was built in the other direction.

Switzerland is not an easy country to drive in. Learn to slow down and concentrate...

A couple of years ago I was driving at 106 on a stretch of road that had temporarily become 80. They took 6 off the reading and I had to pay a fine of around CHF 430. No impact on the license other than a note in my file.

If you want my opinion... Switzerland is nothing but one big speedtrap.

But maybe I just feel this way because I'm not Swiss and know how to drive.

We're all a little self-righteous today aren't we? Drive at the speed limit on the freeway and you will constantly be overtaken. That's life. It's up to you to ensure that you are driving within the limits dictated to by the law, the weather, your own skills.

I was hit on the freeway into Zürich in a multiple shunt this week because a certain driver obviously had no clue of braking distances in the wet or aqua planing. You learn from this stuff and move on.

To the OP, if you were indicating 106, your true speed was just around 100, less 5 for measurement error and you'll get a fine (not on your chart as you're not more than 26 km/h over). You've learnt from this and watch your speed, driving in sleet and snow is a whole new dimension, there's no better safety margin than slowing down though bud.

It's astounding to read the amount of threads started by drivers caught for speeding who openly admit that, due to awful weather conditions, they weren't paying due care and attention to their speed and are thinking of using that as some kind of justification for their speeding offence.

Surely, keeping your speed in check is a priority which then helps to keep everything else manageable in such awful conditions.

Also, I'm with Abfab - "Speeding 'cleverly'" Jeezus, I've heard it all now.

My wife just got flashed doing 60 in a 50 (she missed the transition sign where it dropped to 50); she was in no way driving dangerously though!

Anyone want to take guess on her likely punishment?

Same thing happened to me .. it is my only speeding offence to date (honest!).

80 Chf fine, after deduction of 3 km safety margin, meaning I was exceeding the limit by 7 km.

OP - to answer your question, rather than to treat you like a naughty child - No, you won't lose your license. The deductions will mean that it will just be a fine.



Maybe another lesson to learn here though is that there are some people who have lost loved ones or limbs through people doing exactly what you did - so suggest you say "I screwed up, what will happen", rather than the justification. The vast majority understand what you were trying to say, but there are those for whom this is understandably a difficult topic

She'll probably get away with crucifixion.

Best thing the Swiss lawmakers ever introduced.