IT was a fair cop and a very embarrassing one at that.

Barely 12 hours after chairing a meeting about the Daily Echo supporting a road safety campaign aiming to cut the number of young drivers speeding recklessly on the roads of Dorset, I proceeded to set a very poor example by exceeding the speed limit myself.

Even more embarrassingly, it came a few days after writing a hard-hitting version of this column about the subject of speeding.

In my letter to the police pleading for the chance to take the speed awareness course instead of a three-point hit on my licence, I was, of course, going to detail all the excuses for travelling over the proscribed speed limit.

I then spotted on the Your Questions Answered sheet that they were the same lame ones used by most drivers.

Unfortunately, my speed exceeded that deemed suitable for inclusion.

Yes, it is a hefty price rise for those selected to be offered to course instead of the points.

But would I pay £100 instead of the £70 to keep my licence clean? Yes, even if it was purely to keep my insurance premiums down over the next few years.

But since my mistake this time of year three years ago, I’ve discovered a better way of avoiding extra cost. It’s called common sense... along with a lighter foot.