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Original poster

12pts in a week - driving ban

441 replies

Jarofgoodness · 15/02/2026 11:47

I can't believe that this is happening.

I am normally such a careful driver. I hate speeding, always use the speed limiter on my car and have never had even 3pts on my licence in almost 30 years of driving.

Last month I worked away from home for a week, and on the way to my temporary workplace there was a road which I thought was a 30mph road but which was actually a 20. I got caught speeding (high 20s) every single day, and yesterday received four speeding fines in the post at once. £400 in fines but also 12pts which means a mandatory six month driving ban!

I simply cannot believe that this is happening. I know that it is my responsibility to know the speed limit, and that I shouldn't break it. But this punishment seems wildly excessive and unfair to me. I have 30 years of spotless driving, and have not suddenly become dangerous in a week. Surely someone can see the pattern here and note that it was multiple times making the same simple mistake in exactly the same place? I didn't even have time to reflect on one speeding ticket and change my driving behaviour because they all arrived at once, after I had left the area!

What can i do? I am not expecting sympathy as I know I am only receiving the punishment due to me. But I may well lose my job. The form says that I can plead 'exceptional hardship' in court but that losing employment doesn't count.

I see boy racers all the time and yet I am getting banned! It just seems such an unfairness.

OP posts:
StripedMug · 15/02/2026 13:20

A friend of mine successfully claimed exceptional hardship because she was a volunteer driver for a foodbank and they wrote a letter to the court saying they would struggle to replace her.

You should also be aware that these cases take ages to come to court- can be over a year- and you are free to drive in the meantime.

WalkDontWalk · 15/02/2026 13:19

Jarofgoodness · 15/02/2026 11:55

I can't remember seeing any, to be honest. Had I have seen them I'd have driven at 20. But there obviously were some that I missed.

I get that it's on me. I just wish there was a more subjective approach to driving bans than just "12pts = ban" when all 12 of my points were for the same thing in the same week on the same unfamiliar road.

Show quote history

Had a similar thing, though not a ban.

Be very careful, if you go to court. The £100 fine is dependent on you not contesting the conviction. If you take it to court and lose, you will be fined a lot more than that.

This is from the government website...

You’ll have to go to court if you plead not guilty.

You can be fined more and get more penalty points if the court decides you’re guilty of speeding.

The amount you’re fined depends on what the speed limit was and how much over it you were driving. It’s usually a percentage of your weekly income, up to a maximum of £1,000 (£2,500 if you were driving on a motorway). You could also be disqualified from driving or have your licence suspended.

So you'd be looking at whatever that is, times four.

PrincessofWells · 15/02/2026 13:19

SilenceInside · 15/02/2026 13:00

@MissJoGrant because I meant exactly what I wrote. Previous driving history doesn’t mean that the OP or anyone else will continue to drive safely. Not being aware of the speed limit repeatedly is definitely a mistake and one that has had legal consequences. It is important that the OP does not try to mitigate the offences in court by making statements that aren’t helpful to her. It is not a mitigation to say that you were unfamiliar with the road.

But actually an apology to the court and an assurance that she will drive more carefully in future would go a long way. Op should elect to have all of them heard in the Mags court and plead guilty but ask that they treat it either as one offence or to not ban her. A good motoring lawyer would avoid a mandatory ban. If op can afford it she should engage a specialist motoring lawyer

Zov · 15/02/2026 13:19

ClassicalQueen · 15/02/2026 13:14

Speed awareness courses are at the discretion of the police force. They do not have to offer you one.

Show quote history

It was a first offence, and the OP was only doing around 10mph above the speed limit (and was only doing 30mph!) She absolutely SHOULD have been offered a speed awareness course! (After the first speeding offence!)

PonkyPonky · 15/02/2026 13:19

I got caught speeding in a 20 that I mistook for a 30 also. The signs were obscured by overgrown bushes. So I wrongly assumed I was in a 30 as it was residential with streetlights and no speed bumps. It wasn’t worth arguing for me as it was a first and only offence so I was offered the speed awareness course. But in your situation, it would be worth going to look to see if any 20mph signs were visible. If there is even one visible then the mistake is on you and I don’t think they’d accept any excuse.

saltandvinegarpringles · 15/02/2026 13:18

Blushingm · 15/02/2026 13:16

Why do they need cancelling?

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Because apparently you shouldn't be punished for speeding multiple times unless you've already received a warning for the first one Confused

RosesAndHellebores · 15/02/2026 13:17

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

If you think that about someone of 65, either you are disgracefully ageist or can't reasonably calculate on the basis that people can pass a driving test aged 17.

RubberyChicken · 15/02/2026 13:17

TalulahJP · 15/02/2026 12:47

i’d go back and check the signage. (asap before any wrongs are righted by the council)
there should be a large sign at the start of the area and smaller speed signs repeaters can be used after that.
if there is no big speed sign at the start it’s wrongly signed.

if the signage is correct you cannot challenge in those grounds. but i’d still try and go to court to see if i could do a course. it cannot get much worse than youve already got ie lost your license.

hiring a lawyer such as nick freeman to fight for you in court will cost multiple thousands.
he would check with the council to see what the speed limit is supposed to be and check the signage is correct. you can do those yourself.

if you represent yourself and lose your license it would probably be cheaper using taxis than paying for his fees until you can regain your license. but check out his costs by all means.

you can argue hardship in court ie carer for kids or parents, need car for work, live rurally etc.

If you go to court you forfit the option to do a speed awareness course. Arguing hardship is very difficult, needing a car for work for instance won't work even if it means you losing your job, otherwise everyone would say that.

jjourneys · 15/02/2026 13:16

Sh8t like this is why I’ve given up driving after 30 years and get the bus everywhere!

Even once you can drive again it will be difficult and very expensive to get insured. I’m actually really fed up with this country and the wrong people being reprimanded heavily for relatively minor things.

saltandvinegarpringles · 15/02/2026 13:16

Zov · 15/02/2026 13:11

Yes, that is exactly what I am saying, and ALSO, a speed awareness course should have been offered after the first speeding ofence and it wasn't.

The other 3 fines need cancelling, and the OP needs to be offered a speed awareness course.

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What an utterly bizarre argument.

Davros · 15/02/2026 13:16

I thought this was going to be about 12 pints in a week 🍻 and I was going to say it’s fine. I sympathise OP

Blushingm · 15/02/2026 13:16

Zov · 15/02/2026 13:11

Yes, that is exactly what I am saying, and ALSO, a speed awareness course should have been offered after the first speeding ofence and it wasn't.

The other 3 fines need cancelling, and the OP needs to be offered a speed awareness course.

Show quote history

Why do they need cancelling?

BellaBlueee · 15/02/2026 13:15

Can you street view the road and the route you took? You’ll be able to see if there were any signs you missed.

PrizedPickledPopcorn · 15/02/2026 13:15

Jarofgoodness · 15/02/2026 12:09

Yeah I get that, I was just illustrating the unsuitability and inflexibility of the system.

I am due my punishment. I just wish that punishments could take into account the offending pattern rather than just the number of offenses. Am I a persistent speeder deserving a ban? No. I haven't driven at excessive speed before or since. I just made an error on one road multiple times in quick succession.

Show quote history

Has anyone suggested checking the road on Google? That sometimes shows you whether the signage is adequate- obviously it may not be current, but it’s a start.

JudgeJ · 15/02/2026 13:14

DisappearingGirl · 15/02/2026 12:02

That's really shit OP.

You'll get a whole thread of holier-than-thou posters though.

I also don't agree with speeding and my one ticket in 30 years was also where I just got it wrong and thought it was 40 when it was 30 (it's a road that keeps changing between 30 and 40 and I must have just missed a sign). I'm lucky I just drove along it once though so just got one ticket.

I hope they show you some leniency.

My only one was because I didn't realise it was Tuesday! Living in Germany everyone knew that the Polizei had a camera in the same place in a village every Tuesday. One day I got stopped further on where they pulled people over who'd triggered the camera, I was furious with myself. I explained to the policeman that yesterday, Monday, had been a public holiday for us living with the military, it had been a Bank Holiday, and he told me that they'd caught so many. probably for that reason!

BiscoffCheesecakes · 15/02/2026 13:14

Jarofgoodness · 15/02/2026 12:09

Yeah I get that, I was just illustrating the unsuitability and inflexibility of the system.

I am due my punishment. I just wish that punishments could take into account the offending pattern rather than just the number of offenses. Am I a persistent speeder deserving a ban? No. I haven't driven at excessive speed before or since. I just made an error on one road multiple times in quick succession.

Show quote history

You don't know that you haven't driven at excessive speed before. You didn't know you had this time until you got the fines through the post

ClassicalQueen · 15/02/2026 13:14

Zov · 15/02/2026 13:11

Yes, that is exactly what I am saying, and ALSO, a speed awareness course should have been offered after the first speeding ofence and it wasn't.

The other 3 fines need cancelling, and the OP needs to be offered a speed awareness course.

Show quote history

Speed awareness courses are at the discretion of the police force. They do not have to offer you one.

LakieLady · 15/02/2026 13:12

patooties · 15/02/2026 13:03

Why are you trying to get her off? At best she’s driving without due care and attention- unfamiliar road or not - I always drive more carefully when I don’t know where I am or what lies ahead.

Me too. Lots of town centres in my county have a 20mph limit. They're always clearly signposted, with "repeater" signs every few hundred yards and the limit painted in a roundel at intervals on the carriageway as well, but I know that other areas don't have anything like such good signage.

I'm grateful for the tip about the 20mph limit in Wales though, I had no idea.

ClassicalQueen · 15/02/2026 13:11

Driving on an unfamiliar road is not a defence. It would argue that you are not aware when driving, therefore a dangerous driver.

Zov · 15/02/2026 13:11

saltandvinegarpringles · 15/02/2026 13:05

I don't understand this at all.

You're basically arguing "she wasn't told off the first time so the other three offences are unfair" Confused

Show quote history

Yes, that is exactly what I am saying, and ALSO, a speed awareness course should have been offered after the first speeding ofence and it wasn't.

The other 3 fines need cancelling, and the OP needs to be offered a speed awareness course.

Zov · 15/02/2026 13:11

saltandvinegarpringles · 15/02/2026 13:05

I don't understand this at all.

You're basically arguing "she wasn't told off the first time so the other three offences are unfair" Confused

Show quote history

Yes, that is exactly what I am saying, and ALSO, a speed awareness course should have been offered after the first speeding ofence and it wasn't.

The other 3 fines need cancelling, and the OP needs to be offered a speed awareness course.

Blushingm · 15/02/2026 13:10

MissJoGrant · 15/02/2026 12:55

OP drove for 30 years without a problem. This is obviously just a mistake and you sound like a nasty person putting the boot in.

Why do that?

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But it’s not just 1 mistake. She make the same mistake every day for a week

RubberyChicken · 15/02/2026 13:09

Anndalouzier · 15/02/2026 13:03

What are you suggesting they don't take into account previous road traffic offences?
surely not. They do.

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Speeding is absolute. They definitely do not take into account 30 years of perfect fine free driving

Anndalouzier · 15/02/2026 13:09

Although could be say six points and no separate penalty for the other two. Depends on who's there on the day.

bigboykitty · 15/02/2026 13:08

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