Another article about the stupid number of points people are allowed to accrue without losing their licence. 45 in one case.
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Debate!
The Sacred Driving Licence
(48 posts)-
Posted 10 years ago #
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I can't find it now, but yesterday I read on either the Beeb or EEN, a man who in 2007 had attempted to murder another man by mounting the kerb in his car and running him over had been released after 4 years of an 8 year sentence. His driving ban was overturned after he appealed against it, saying he had a job offer and a car would be useful in ferrying his aging mother round!
As I always say change the work car for gun and see how stupid these things are, when licences are given back.
Found it:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-25621299
Hmm when googling driving ban I get law firms who specialise in getting people off driving bans! :O(
Posted 10 years ago # -
I had mine taken away from me before I had even got it - don't ask, young and stupid.
I remember my solicitor in 'mitigating' saying that "He needs his licence to get to work" to which the Judge replied "Presumably he doesn't as he only has a provisional license?".... "Oh, yes"
Seems to be standard defence even when one doesn't actually even have a license to 'need'.
Incidentally, just after I got banned, I left the court, went home and changed, and then got the train to Edinburgh and bought my first adult bike. True y'know. Being bad in a car made me a cyclist.
Remember it was a lovely sunny afternoon, cycled that bike home to Livingston, took me ages but it was lovely.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Being bad in a car made me a cyclist.
Shhh! You are just reinforcing the stereotypes drivers believe about cyclists. ;-)
Posted 10 years ago # -
My brother was very silly a few years back, caught doing a little over a hundred in a 70. This was compounded by not appearing in court because his notice to attend was sent to the wrong address - the Sheriff made a point of saying she had to ban him to send the correct message (that he was young, and where he was caught was a bit of a black spot), and that she didn't believe his wrong address story (which, incidentally was absolutely true).
People acted as if his life was over with a 12 month ban, asking if he was going to have to move to Aberdeen, because at the time he lived 16 miles away and they couldn't possibly see how he could get to and from work.
Of course he cycled occasionally, and took the bus other days. There is this strange sense that you can't do anything unless you have a driving licence.
Posted 10 years ago # -
I overheard a colleague's conversation yesterday where he was discussing being sent on a speed awareness course. He'd been caught speeding again and was told it would be more points on the license or even a ban, but was given the option of paying around £100 to go on this course.
From his comments it sounds like his attitude to speeding hasn't changed and that he viewed it as a couple of hours just to avoid extra points and the resulting highe insurance.
It was a bit depressing.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Funny this has come up, because the other night I found myself drifting onto the speeding/law/legal section of a motoring forum (was just there for the cycle subsection, honest!) and it was rather morbidly amusing reading some of the stuff there.
On the one hand, you had people admitting a fair cop when they got caught doing 35 in a 30, and they took the points/fine on the chin, and posted as a warning to others to keep the speed in check.
On the other hand, there'd be at least one person who just 'drifted up' to 100mph+ on the motorway, for long enough to get caught, and then had the gall to drop the '(otherwise) law abiding tax paying motorist' line. They'd be wanting to know exactly how much they could wriggle out of any penalties as they already had enough points and fines racked up. While there would inevitably be at least one other member that would defend to the death their right to be free from nanny state draconian fascist police state speed limits etc the majority opinion was that said person should politely be made to leave and stop giving the rest of them a bad name.
Incidentally, I was doing a brief stint on the bypass a few days ago in a driving lesson, and I'm wondering exactly how one manages to go at 120mph without really noticing, as was described in one post.
Posted 10 years ago # -
I'm wondering exactly how one manages to go at 120mph without really noticing
Depends, to some extent, on the car you're driving. Cars which are incapable of exceeding 120mph make it quite obvious when you are going faster. Cars which can easily do 155mph+ don't really feel any different whether you're doing 70 or 100. So if you're not keeping an eye on your speed (which obv you should be), then it is possible to hit 100 since it doesn't seem any different to 70.
Posted 10 years ago # -
One of the things I like about cruise control is that it can stop you drifting up through the MPH. It's easy to do if traffic round you is doing it too.
Cruise control makes it one less thing to worry about and you can give more attention to other stuff which is going on. Remember not to jump into the back seat for a snooze though.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Well this seems like the optimum(ly titled) thread for this -
“
Latest figures show 24% of white people in England do not hold a driving licence, compared with 39% of people of Asian ethnicity and 47% of black people.
“
Posted 3 years ago # -
For some reason I can’t download the same data set (England) to look at age. I can see it on th3 gov.up site anD it lets me download it bu5 i5 is not then opening.
My pal trev’s neighbour is deaf, possibly blind (Trev was in his garden. Shoveling smashed greenhouse panes into a barrow and he didn’t see him despit3 looking out the window). Has ha$ motorbike nicked? So has bought a Mazda sports car age 75
Posted 3 years ago # -
Yes prof French that is where I went too and it said would I like to download it and I said yes and I can see it in my downloads but it winnae open (iPad)
Posted 3 years ago # -
Do iPads normally open spreadsheets?
Posted 3 years ago # -
@prof French
Define normal, define spreadsheets
I think they can but I expect I would need The App.
Posted 3 years ago # -
Can’t open that file with Numbers app.
Suggest you email web site. I’ve been sent other file formats in (distant) past.
iPads are so common these days, Gov info should be useable on them.
Posted 3 years ago # -
I say well done the government for using an open document format rather than choosing a propitiatory one.
Apple are such a large company that they really should be able to support open source file types (Google and Microsoft both manage it). If apple choose not to natively support open source documents then the fault lies with them not the government. I don't have an ipad but a quick search suggests that there are apps available which will allow ODS to be opened on IOS.
Posted 3 years ago #
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