The realization that you have been caught exceeding the speed limit is universally accompanied by a sharp pang of anxiety. For many minor infractions, the state offers a swift, albeit frustrating, resolution in the form of a fixed penalty notice, allowing the driver to pay a fine, accept a small number of penalty points, and quickly move on

  The United Kingdom—a realm where the rush of its A-roads from Cornwall to the motorways of Yorkshire meets the steady hum of city traffic in Glasgow and London—gives drivers a taste of liberty, but a momentary lapse over the limit can slam on the brakes with a speeding offence. For those facing the flash of a camera or a roadsid