I am a service engineer for a national company. I clock up somewhere in the region of 30,000 to 40,000 miles a year.

I have been driving for 24 years, in which time I have only been fined for speeding once.

Recently, I was caught by a mobile camera on the A12 doing 74mph. I know the speed limit is 70mph and I am not disputing this.

As a van driver I have no rear view mirror, just two door mirrors.

Car drivers cannot see around you so they try to pass you any way they can.

You have to be constantly aware of what is going on in front and all around you. At 70mph, on a road like the A12, this takes most of your concentration.

Most cars are not fitted with speed limiters, cruise control or a heads-up display so you can see your speed on the windshield.

A downward glance at the speedo can only tell you your speed for that fraction of a second, so it will give you a rough idea.

The police are now operating a zero tolerance policy speed.

There is no 10 per cent leeway as widely believed.

I would say much over 77mph can be dangerous and drivers should be prosecuted for this. The main danger is not excess speed, but poor lane discipline: Weaving in and out of traffic, undertaking, not leaving a safe distance through impatience, or just not taking notice of surroundings.

I believe these are the things police should operate a zero tolerance on.

R Edgeler
Mellow Purgess
Laindon