On this day

Caught for speeding in 1896

The second half of the 1890s was a significant period for motorised transport in this country: in 1895 the first motoring offence was registered; the following year the first pedestrian was killed by a horseless carriage; and in 1898 the first driver – at the controls of a vehicle doing the crazy speed of 17mph – was killed. It was to stop such mad behaviour that speed restrictions had been brought into force.

Their first victim was a Mr Arnold from East Peckham, spotted travelling at four times the legal limit – in his Benz automobile by a vigilant constable in Paddock Wood. The constable chased down the lunatic speedster on his bicycle, a five mile pursuit sadly never to be seen on TV.

Arnold was fined one shilling by Tonbridge magistrates. One wonders what fine or jail sentence a speed of four times the limit – say 280mph on a motorway – would lead to now?

The question is – what speed was Mr Arnold doing when apprehended?

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