12pts in a week - driving ban

[Jarofgoodness]

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.

Agreed! @Jarofgoodness Whatever you do, do NOT lie about being the one driving. That is utterly batshit advice. People have gone to PRISON for this. Forget any fine or points on your licence or 6 month ban, you will lose your licence for probably 5 years, and could very well go to prison, possibly for 6-12 months!

I dont tihnk it was quite all in one week but at least two were in fact on the same day and they did get a ban.

this happened to that politician and Vicky Price

Oh no! Hopefully the OP doesn't get a ban!

I know it does seem very unfair indeed

You can do the course online now.

OP I sympathise and think not all speeding is equal. I've had one ticket in a lifetime of safe driving (if anything I"m overly cautious) but it was 35 on a 30 - the road runs parallel to the usual road I drive on and is a 30 whereas my usual road is a 40. They're literally the other side of a big field and the only difference at all is that the one I was on that's a 30 has fields on both sides and the one that's a 40 has houses and a school! Makes no sense. Anyway I did my course etc but I do feel for you.

I think you will be fine as there is some discretion allowed with many police forces especially in this circumstance. If you only found out about the offences all at once there is always the argument you didn’t know about the problem and didn’t have chance to correct your driving.

You could consult a solicitor and they will likely tell you this. It would need to be a specialist solicitor specialises in motoring offences.

also check the area in question for accurate signage and repeating signs and if they haven’t been signage properly none of the offences will count. Good luck!

So maybe even the Archbishop of Canterbury was being a dangerous driver? I don't think anything about being an archbishop means you are a necessarily a good driver.

Well, yes, OP has apparently received NIPs but has the opportunity to go to Court before any consideration of EH needs to be made.

Your experiences of loss of employment being persuasive evidence of EH are different to mine. 😉

Yes, saying you weren't aware could mean you are done for driving without due care and attention.

As a JP we’re don’t see driving records like yours. Totting usually spans 3-4 seperate by weeks, months or even years between. Each bench make their own decisions but in my court I would expect you to make an exceptional circumstances claim.
losing your job is not a certain win but it will be listened to. It could go from keeping your licence but with very strict conditions, a big fine in lieu, or a ban, likely shorter that the standard.Apologies if this has already been explained

agree, I would hugely prefer a "being pulled over" approach to dealing with speeding than ANPR everywhere. I also think that forces anally issuing fines to people going at 25 in a 20 are being officious and using drivers as cash cows, and their energies would be much better spent, as others have said, punishing drag racing twats who actually drive carelessly and dangerously.

I was going to suggest this. Plead guilty and apologise properly and fully, with assurances (and if possible evidence) of how you will drive more carefully in future as well as doing the speed awareness course. Basically, throw yourself on the mercy of the court. A specialist lawyer can advise as to the best course of action and what to say.

The circumstances may be taken into account as long as you say the right things. Don't say things like it is unfair and you have driven for 30 years with no problem.
It was a mistake, own it fully and completely and apologise but ask for the appropriate circumstances to be taken into account, and a lawyer is best placed to advise as to what circumstances should be presented for consideration.

And just to say, I am grateful to MN for the warning about Wales. I would have definitely assumed no speed signs on a road with lights on would default to 30mph. I know ignorance of the law is no excuse but nonetheless I was ignorant of that so am grateful to have been corrected

Good luck op, i hope you get a reasonable outcome. Ignore all the ' holier than thou' replies.

'I don't think the signs are as clear as they should be'. Perhaps there should be dispensations for people with visual problems.

🙄

I do have some sympathy. I had done a speed awareness course, was something like 2 months from when the next offence would lead to a fine not another course. Then I drove somewhere to drop my sick cat off for an operation and drove back (so not unbroken journey as per previous poster). Got ticket for each wash past same spot

totallt my my fault. But I do get your point about not having the chance to reflect. So I went to pay for them both expecting 2 sets of fines and points. Sent back in same envelope with a pleading post it. They took the £ for both but I only got one set of points

phew

In future if in doubt have a phone holder and Google maps, it's usually up to date and tells you the speed limit and waht your doing, considering it was a 20 zone, it means it was a high population area and likely school, so think of your 4 tickets and 4 times you could have seriously injured or killed someone

I recently learned that any road with speed bumps is 20mph is without signs. I missed that memo but dd has just passed her test.

Check the signage. I got a parking ticket refunded this way. Big pub chain where you had to give reg at bar.

But sounds like you made the mistake of assuming it was 30 because it was a built up area.

Apologies if this has already been said - I’ve read all of OP’s posts but not others - But could you join a local Facebook group for the area and see if this piece of road has been mentioned, signage wise?

Other than that I absolute recommend a specialist solicitor.

And awards for the especially patronising. 🥇

I'm a bit confused how you missed the speed signs several days in a row... ?
Are they not visible? Were they obstructed? Can you go back and check the visibility? Take some photos, check with a lawyer, fight the fine and points.
If the signs are perfectly visible and you missed them several days in a row, should you even drive?

I came to say this but also google maps the whole stretch of road and see the signage but if court is what happens definitely go and plead your case

Lampposts are 20 not 30 in Wales? I had no idea 😮

Exactly. In fact, if it's an unfamiliar road, you could argue that you should be even more vigilant in looking out for street signs etc .