It was the last thing 27-year-old Matthew Musgrove was expecting when he appeared in court on charges of careless driving.
The judge took his side over motorists who stick to speed limits.
"People who stick rigidly to the speed limit are a bit of a nuisance," said Judge David Cooper at Lowestoft Magistrates' Court in Suffolk. "We all do behave badly on the road - I do, you do."
Musgrove, who admitted ramming into the back of another car at 50mph, got off with a 30 day driving ban and £700 in fines and court costs. It's a safe bet that whoever supplies his car insurance for young drivers won't be so kind - motor insurance quotes have been known to double for less.
Judge Cooper's comments have been described as "utterly stupid" by crash victim charity RoadPeace. "This was an extremely unwise comment to make," said RoadPeace spokesman Ian Tidy.
Hoot spokesman Mike Page, who knows all about car insurance for young drivers, said: "I thought judges were meant to uphold the law, not undermine it.
"Musgrove isn't getting away scot free though," he added. "£700 is a bit more than pocket money, and the impact of his conviction of future car insurance quotes will be massive."