‘I flipped off speed camera while driving – but later got a nasty surprise’

A man was driving through a seatbelt camera zone - which aims to catch those travelling without a seatbelt on or using a mobile phone behind the wheel - when he was caught on camera

15:22, 16 Apr 2025

A man has been left dumbfounded after being hit with a hefty fine after flipping off a speeding camera[1] - but it's not for the obvious reason.

While driving through an area monitored by a seatbelt and mobile phone detection camera, the mischief-maker thought it would be funny to give the camera the middle finger while still holding the steering wheel.

Convinced it was just harmless fun, he got the shock of his life when he later received a GBP300 fine[2] in the mail, complete with photographic evidence of the incident.

Taking to Reddit[3], he shared his costly blunder: "Flipped off the seatbelt camera for laughs. Joke's on me - girlfriend wasn't strapped in right. £400 (GBP300) fine."

The penalty snap revealed that his girlfriend's seatbelt was incorrectly worn[4] under the arm, rather than properly across the chest, leading to their unfortunate financial surprise.

After he posted about the incident online, reactions were split; some expressed empathy, but many said he got what he deserved, pointing out the incident as a vital reminder to always follow road safety rules.

Echoing the sentiment of road safety's importance, one user recounted their own harrowing experience: "I was driving home from staff duty (24-hour shift) when another driver crossed into my lane, hitting me head on. I got sandwiched between his van and a school bus.

I don't remember any of it. They told me my seatbelt saved my life.

"I told them I felt like I got hit by a bus and that's when they told me I did. My knees blew through the dashboard (area directly in front of where your knees would be while driving).

My doors were welded shut. If anyone else had been with me they would've died. Even the shifter broke."

The individual continued: "I remember standing in front of my car days later and the insurance guy (or maybe he was a mechanic) was amazed I lived.

"It's like I wasn't involved.

All I remember is feeling absolutely beaten. I was driving home and then I woke up two days later. A seatbelt and a crap load of luck saved my life."

Another person chimed in with their own tale: "My brother was driving home one dark and stormy night...

For real, though, it was an ice storm and between the weather[5] and the late hour he was (thankfully) almost alone on the road.

"He applied his breaks for a red light, hit a patch of ice, and spun around backwards through the intersection.

"They even sent him the pic. It came with a note that read, 'No ticket, glad you're ok, thought you'd want this' - it was a cracking picture of my brother looking scared witless as he's spinning out."

A third contributor also shared: "When I was a kid, I thought it was annoying to have the belt over my shoulder, so I would usually put it behind my back.

"Then my mum hit a telephone pole going 30mph while my brother and I were in the backseat. Our heads slammed into the seats in front of us.

We both broke our noses and required stitches.

"My brother's nose was broken badly enough to require surgery.

Looking over to my brother, seeing blood run down his face, and then realising that blood was running down my face will forever be seared into my memory.

Never again."

References

1. ^ speeding camera (www.mirror.co.uk)
2. ^ fine (www.mirror.co.uk)
3. ^ Reddit (www.mirror.co.uk)
4. ^ seatbelt was incorrectly worn (www.mirror.co.uk)
5. ^ weather (www.mirror.co.uk)