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Original poster

Court summons for mobile phone driving

247 replies

Onlyme234 · 18/01/2025 11:16

Hi all
I was caught sending a text on my phone in standstill traffic in March last year. Silly of me but a police officer was walking past and caught me. I got issued an FPN and received a letter in the post with a £200 fine and then details of how to surrender my license details online. I didn't realise that I also had to send off my license, fill out a form and send that off too. I honestly just didn't read the form properly.
I paid the fine and did it online but didn't send the form off. In September, I received a refund of the £200 and a court summons.
I'm due to go to court on the 23rd and was wondering if anybody had any advice?
I want to just go in and be super honest and say it was human error and I didn't read the form properly. Has anyone ever had this before and received more points or a larger fine?
Do they just reissue the same as on the FPN or am I at risk for more?
Any advice valued please

OP posts:
thescandalwascontained · 18/01/2025 13:32

Personally, I think you should just explain what happened. We have all been stuck in standstill traffic going nowhere, often for lengthy periods of time. I'd be amazed if anyone hadn't had to let someone else know you were stuck and wouldn't be meeting/collecting children/making an appointment/etc on time because of it.

Hardlyworking · 18/01/2025 13:32

Crazycatlady79 · 18/01/2025 13:10

Boo fucking Hoo.

Dipshits texting whilst behind the wheel are why people like my child get hit by cars.

I hope you get fined to the max.

Does your child regularly get hit by cars? How many times exactly? The same car or a different one each time?

Think you need to show them a green cross code video!

fairycakes1234 · 18/01/2025 13:31

Jabbabong · 18/01/2025 12:06

It was not human error. You decided to break the law.

I am honestly sick to the back teeth of seeing people at the wheel tapping away on the phone. In your profession you should know better.

I'm sure she finds that response very helpful, well done you🫴

Foggyflumpet · 18/01/2025 13:27

So, just so I'm clear (sorry it's a bit of a derail):
If my phone is in a holder, like attached to the dashboard, I can touch it to get my maps up (don't have car sat nav)? Or I can restart it when the Internet drops off.

Locutus2000 · 18/01/2025 13:23

This reply has been deleted

Deleted at OP's request

Ohthedaffodils · 18/01/2025 13:22

6 points on license and band C fine - based on salary/benefits. Make sure you plead guilty.

LadyLapsang · 18/01/2025 13:21

Did you inform your insurer? If you receive a caution or conviction you will need to inform the relevant person at your university and follow the RCN guidance. I would seek legal advice.

ilovesooty · 18/01/2025 13:19

Waggytail · 18/01/2025 13:06

Just wonderful that so many people came rushing in to get the boot into OP when she already admits she's at fault

Par for the course isn't it?

montelbano · 18/01/2025 13:18

Justgorgeous · 18/01/2025 13:13

I hope someone buys you a wooden spoon.

Show quote history

She admitted that she did not read the form properly. It is perfectly reasonable to hope that she reads patients notes,etc., properly. Not bothering or being in a hurry can lead to disaster

ilovesooty · 18/01/2025 13:17

Thegoatliesdownonbroadway · 18/01/2025 12:59

I think being a student nurse is an aggravating circumstance, not a mitigating circumstance. Despite being in regular contact with RTA victims, she used a mobile whilst in control of a vehicle.

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Which is not the point that poster was responding to.

LemonPeonies · 18/01/2025 13:14

Gall10 · 18/01/2025 11:42

being a student nurse doesn’t mean you can send txts while in control of a car.
make sure you read patients notes, reports, results and details properly when you qualify!

Show quote history

This.

Justgorgeous · 18/01/2025 13:13

montelbano · 18/01/2025 13:07

I hope that, as a student nurse, you read patients notes more carefully

I hope someone buys you a wooden spoon.

AnnaL94 · 18/01/2025 13:10

Thegoatliesdownonbroadway · 18/01/2025 12:59

I think being a student nurse is an aggravating circumstance, not a mitigating circumstance. Despite being in regular contact with RTA victims, she used a mobile whilst in control of a vehicle.

Show quote history

No one here is defending her actions. I certainly am not. She absolutely deserves a fine and points, hopefully got a stern telling off from the police officer in question who caught her. And even more hoping she’s realised the magnitude of her actions and is very remorseful and has learnt from this going forwards.

However my point was - there was absolutely no need for Gall10’s incredibly unhelpful and patronising, nasty comment.

Crazycatlady79 · 18/01/2025 13:10

Boo fucking Hoo.

Dipshits texting whilst behind the wheel are why people like my child get hit by cars.

I hope you get fined to the max.

WetBandits · 18/01/2025 13:10

Thegoatliesdownonbroadway · 18/01/2025 12:59

I think being a student nurse is an aggravating circumstance, not a mitigating circumstance. Despite being in regular contact with RTA victims, she used a mobile whilst in control of a vehicle.

Show quote history

Really? I’m an experienced RN and the only RTA victims I’ve encountered have been whilst out and about as a member of the public and stopped to help. I’ve never looked after RTA victims ‘on the clock’.

Not excusing what OP did at all, just wanted to point out that that’s a very strange thing to say.

Cattery · 18/01/2025 13:08

Just paying the fine and not submitting your licence for the points is seen as failing to comply. If your case has been booked into court it can’t be unbooked. You won’t have to attend. It can be deal with by post when you will have the opportunity to explain not submitting your licence was an oversight. It will then be up to the magistrate to make a decision.

montelbano · 18/01/2025 13:07

I hope that, as a student nurse, you read patients notes more carefully

Waggytail · 18/01/2025 13:06

Just wonderful that so many people came rushing in to get the boot into OP when she already admits she's at fault

Startinganew32 · 18/01/2025 13:05

Thegoatliesdownonbroadway · 18/01/2025 12:59

I think being a student nurse is an aggravating circumstance, not a mitigating circumstance. Despite being in regular contact with RTA victims, she used a mobile whilst in control of a vehicle.

Show quote history

Okay Judge Judy. Luckily that’s not how it works. Also unless she is a trauma nurse she won’t necessarily be in contact with RTA victims.

Thegoatliesdownonbroadway · 18/01/2025 13:04

DaDaDoDaiDa · 18/01/2025 13:01

That is one of the most bizarre arguments I have ever heard!

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OK. The prosecution rests its case.

OhshitSharon · 18/01/2025 13:02

I would definitely give ringing them a try, as a PP said they might just let you respond to the original FPN. If not though I would just explain in court that you didn't read the form properly and apologise profusely, make the point that you've never been in any sort of trouble before so you probably panicked a bit and thought you'd done everything required of you by paying the fine. They will take your income into account when calculating your fine so try not to worry, going to court is never pleasant but it's a few minutes and then it's over, it will be ok. You made a mistake and sound like you're unlikely to do it again so don't be too hard on yourself OP.

DaDaDoDaiDa · 18/01/2025 13:01

Thegoatliesdownonbroadway · 18/01/2025 12:59

I think being a student nurse is an aggravating circumstance, not a mitigating circumstance. Despite being in regular contact with RTA victims, she used a mobile whilst in control of a vehicle.

Show quote history

That is one of the most bizarre arguments I have ever heard!

BeeDavis · 18/01/2025 13:01

Onlyme234 · 18/01/2025 11:20

Just to add, I'm a student nurse. I've got very low income and live in dorms.

If anything, this makes it even more stupid what you did. It is literally EVERYWHERE about using your phone whilst driving. Dont know why people still do it!

PointySnoot · 18/01/2025 13:00

DalzielOrNoDalzielAndDontPascoe · 18/01/2025 12:52

Maybe, but that's just an opinion.

Personally, whilst I agree that there are some people who wouldn't care and would do that, I think many people who wouldn't dream of touching it whilst in an 'active' car (moving or soon to be moving) would justifiably feel very frustrated sitting in a two-hour standstill motorway jam or accident scene and not using their phone to let others know they won't be there until hours after expected.

I suppose you could turn the engine off and remove the keys - would that be legal whilst technically still 'in traffic'? - but any police or occupant of another nearby car might not know/believe that and still prosecute or photograph and report you, so I doubt most would risk it, even when there's absolutely no danger whatsoever.

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Exceptions for use are here - the exception for being parked links to separate rules which are specific. If you were in a traffic jam, even when it hadn't moved for a while, I think you would still be in breach of the rules - whether the police would issue a NIP or not I suppose could depend on how bad the jam was and how long the traffic had been at a standstill.

https://www.gov.uk/using-mobile-phones-when-driving-the-law

Using a phone, sat nav or other device when driving

It’s illegal to hold a phone or a sat nav while driving - you'll get penalty points, a fine and can be banned from driving.

https://www.gov.uk/using-mobile-phones-when-driving-the-law

Thegoatliesdownonbroadway · 18/01/2025 12:59

AnnaL94 · 18/01/2025 12:54

How fucking patronising.

Show quote history

I think being a student nurse is an aggravating circumstance, not a mitigating circumstance. Despite being in regular contact with RTA victims, she used a mobile whilst in control of a vehicle.