Tuesday 28th January 1896

Walter Arnold of East Peckham, Kent became the first person in the world to be charged with a speeding offence. Arnold was travelling at the break-neck speed of 8 mph in a 2 mph zone, when a policeman gave chase on a bicycle. He was caught by a policeman who had given chase on a bicycle. Walter Arnold was defended by Mr. Cripps, who argued that the law shouldn’t apply to new horseless carriages. Eventually Arnold was ordered to pay one shilling plus costs