Got 3 points on my license - advice needed

[Vetty]

Negativity breeds negativity. Many people every day experience unpleasant and/or what may be unfair circumstances, but, it is about moving forward and on from this and turning something negative into something positive. It can be done!

Absolutely, the negative is having a fine and/or points - the positive is changing your driving style so it doesn't happen again. I was caught by a mobile camera doing 50mph in a 40mph limit after 20 years of driving with a clean license...... It shocked me hugely and made me realise how complacent I had become about speed limits and how my speed had crept up so instead of doing slightly over the limit I was over by a big margin.

I now drive within the speed limit most of the time. The point is that being caught was a massively positive thing for me, and I have changed my behaviour because of it.

For the record I also find the 'all police are bent' comment offensive.

As someone else said Violet, suck it up, learn from it and move on. There's a reason why new drivers pay so much in insurance premiums - they are a much bigger accident risk because they have an awful lot to learn......

 

[leonnib]

Thats great thanks hunni, will deffo do that. He was a right ass and whats even worse when i pulled away the girl who was parked up next to me he pulled her up to check her tyres.
xx

hard to comment as wasnt there. but unfortunetly policeman/female or figures of 'authority' are not always honest.

but unless you have real evidence i think its hard to dispute it as the court will most likely go with them tbh because they are 'supposed' to tell the truth. even if they are not.

 

[ValencianNails]

When AMBER is lit up alone it also means, “Stop” at the stop line. The AMBER light is next in the sequence and when it appears you should bring your vehicle to a complete halt at the stop line. However if you break the stop line or cannot get stopped in time and in a safe manner then it is best to continue with your journey.

Traffic Light Rules in the UK - Traffic Signs And Meanings (UK)

I can't see how you couldn't stop your car if you (truly) were driving at 25 mph, if the car behind couldn't do the same then he was obviously driving too fast and if he'd have rear-ended your car it would have been him at fault, not you!

If you think this treatment is bad then come and get pulled over by the Guardia Trafico police here in Spain

They need no reason to stop anyone, they can do spot checks on any road at any time of the day or night. If they fine you then they ask you to pay there and then, if you don't have the money on you then they drive you to the nearest cash-point to remove the money from your bank account AND if it's a speeding offence you get 4 points on your license as opposed to 3, so all in all I think you guys have it easy in the UK!

IMO, stop whinging about it, pay the fine and accept the 3 points in good grace, learn from it and don't re-offend.

Oh, and for the record (now that my soap box has been pulled out and dusted off LOL) I agree with Kim re endangering lives, speed limits are there for a reason, if you drive over the limit then you are endangering lives... everyone's seen the tv advert with the little girl haven't they?

 

[~Jenny~]

I've just been reading through this thread and my advice would be to pay the fine and learn from the experience.

I think the comments regarding the police are mostly un-called for...how would we, as nail/beauty/hair professionals, feel if we were all tarred with the same brush as bad nail techs (or beauty therapists/hairdressers) just because some people have had a bad experience with one???

I would expect any new driver, 1 week after passing their test, to be exercising a fair amount of caution due to being so new on the road...we all know that learning to pass a driving test is different experience to driving a car, passing your test does not give you the experience that many drivers have gained over their years of driving.

I'm the same as sandi, a little unsure as to how you couldn't have stopped?

 

[Zo Zo]

If that's the case, then how come you continued to offend and endanger lives?

Over 5 years elapsed and I was rushing to get to get home to pick my daughter up from school. This is exactly what you learn on the course - something that is happening to you, can make you speed. What I learnt on the course is that it would be better to be a few minutes late for my daughter than risk an accident.

Oh if only I were perfect...

 

[Bagpuss]

What I learnt on the course is that it would be better to be a few minutes late for my daughter than risk an accident.

I never needed a course to teach me that....its what i used to hear my mum shout at my brother just before he left for work every morning...

 

[number1kitty]

I never needed a course to teach me that....its what i used to hear my mum shout at my brother just before he left for work every morning...

I get that still and I am 30! I am now a very very careful driver - I could never forgive myself if I caused an accident! I have had my silly moments in my younger days and luckily I never hurt anyone or myself!

 

[min11]

There is a lot wrong here in the UK. We are moving to Norway in couple of years just for a better life. Just have to save the pennies.

And the points all come off before you know it anyway. Providing you don't get too many.

If you think our police can be strict that is nothing compared to the police there. Its a safe country for a very good reason and the no messing approach by the police and the system is why.

 

[number1kitty]

If you think our police can be strict that is nothing compared to the police there. Its a safe country for a very good reason and the no messing approach by the police and the system is why.

I don't mind police being strict. You only mind if your up to no good - I just got wrongly accused the one time which peeved me off. The one with the red light where I appealed I wasnt actually paying attention to the lights, realised it was red and stopped (i was only going slow anyway as I was coming to a roundabout and was lost), I stopped though half way over the line and I was in a safe place and wasnt going to cause a crash but I got clocked by the camera! Only appealed to see if they could take the fact that I did stop and not just jump the light as what the code on my licence entails. It stuck - and I accepted that and all was fair really - I wasnt paying attention - end of!

I have many a time passed police in Norway and they are far friendlier and more approachable than here. Perhaps thats because I am english. I want to live in a country where rules are followed and respect is earnt and that countries so civil! Although driving there is not easy!! Think even I would do a course as you have to learn to drive in every condition!

 

[Violet Star]

Ive seen a few people mention about me speeding and offending. I didnt actually do anything wrong it was an amber light its not illegal to go through an amber yes you should slow down and prepare to stop but nothing says you cant go through amber.

I mean common this police officer didnt see me go throuh a red light i asked him he said no he didnt see he counted 4 seconds! Seriously how can you even go by that? Its ridiculous.

Regarding insurance going up because new or young drivers are seen as a risk on the road im a better driver than my mum and shes been driving for 23 years! Ive never speed in my life

 

[kennedia]

I've come home from work tonight and am surprised to see this thread is still causing much debate. It also seems to be veering off track.

Violet you are a very new and inexperienced driver, having had your licence for only one week. You have been advised by many people now to accept the fine and points and move on from it. Comments like the ones below show your inexperience and naivety and are not really helping your cause.

"I didnt actually do anything wrong it was an amber light its not illegal to go through an amber yes you should slow down and prepare to stop but nothing says you cant go through amber".

"Regarding insurance going up because new or young drivers are seen as a risk on the road im a better driver than my mum and shes been driving for 23 years! Ive never speed in my life".

 

[Violet Star]

Surely its upto me if pay the fine and take the points or appeal?

This thread was purely for advice on whether its 'worth' appealing or not. And if im very honest with you im rather offended by you insinuating that im naive, when im not?!

 

[number1kitty]

Ive seen a few people mention about me speeding and offending. I didnt actually do anything wrong it was an amber light its not illegal to go through an amber yes you should slow down and prepare to stop but nothing says you cant go through amber.

I mean common this police officer didnt see me go throuh a red light i asked him he said no he didnt see he counted 4 seconds! Seriously how can you even go by that? Its ridiculous.

Regarding insurance going up because new or young drivers are seen as a risk on the road im a better driver than my mum and shes been driving for 23 years! Ive never speed in my life

Point is = we are all innocent . Ok maybe not all of us - but I had been driving years with a clean licence when I got my first few points for speeding. 5 years and no record of it and they still went with the fact I was wrong and upped my points/fine.

If your so adamant on appealing - go for it, but from experience and your not the first to get points so soon after passing just eat some humble pie and be careful for the next two years cause if you lose and your given 6 points won't you have to re-sit your test?

 

[Violet Star]

Point is = we are all innocent . Ok maybe not all of us - but I had been driving years with a clean licence when I got my first few points for speeding. 5 years and no record of it and they still went with the fact I was wrong and upped my points/fine.

If your so adamant on appealing - go for it, but from experience and your not the first to get points so soon after passing just eat some humble pie and be careful for the next two years cause if you lose and your given 6 points won't you have to re-sit your test?

If im given 6 then ill have to resit my test. But i did speak to the met today the ones who deal with this kind of thing and they said they wont give me 6 points worst that could happen is if i lose then ill have to pay court costs.

 

[number1kitty]

If im given 6 then ill have to resit my test. But i did speak to the met today the ones who deal with this kind of thing and they said they wont give me 6 points worst that could happen is if i lose then ill have to pay court costs.

Hmmm thats not right. Everytime I appealed I got more and I know lots of lots of others too as I researched about hand held lasers at the time as they are full of flaws.

Well whatever you decide Good Luck, if anything it delays the time the points go on by about a year so you don't technically have to declare them I don't think - Well I never :green:!

 

[Violet Star]

They said its one more point they add on but to be honest that dont make no difference as even if i did get anymore points i lose my license anyway!

What do you mean not declare the points? xx

 

[kennedia]

Surely its upto me if pay the fine and take the points or appeal?

This thread was purely for advice on whether its 'worth' appealing or not. And if im very honest with you im rather offended by you insinuating that im naive, when im not?!

Of course it's up to you - you have asked for advice and you have been given advice by many people.

It is naive to say that you are a better driver than anyone else really when you have been driving for only a week. Yes you have your licence and that is fantastic but you still have lots to learn and experience.

 

[number1kitty]

They said its one more point they add on but to be honest that dont make no difference as even if i did get anymore points i lose my license anyway!

What do you mean not declare the points? xx

Well as you appeal the points don't get put on your license until Judges hammer goes down.

1 more point is more insurance though - remember that. If you go to the insurance company and say I have 3 points for jumping a red light (they dont care if you did or didnt) thats not as bad as saying 4 points. Thats just my viewpoint. Then if you get caught again and you got another 3 and appealed that adds up to 8 etc. You only get 12 points and then your banned. Points stay on your license for five years and have to be declared to insurance companies for this length too.

 

[gillian w]

I personally never bribed the judge...... The judge accidently realised after discovering money that the copper was wrong - thing is he was and we should have been believed - but no it was my word against a bent cop. But then most of them are bent. Its common where I am for cops to trade to information to turn a blind eye (not with me) but it happens.

There is no justice in this country. If your guilty - you get the life of riley and if your genuine and honest you get disbelieved and thats wrong!

My cop on this occasion clocked me when I was around a corner - I could prove this and the judge at the time wasn't interested until actually paid to take a closer look at the information. It was never a case of I did wrong and that daddy bought me out. Basically I was on the brink of losing my license.

I asked to do driver awareness courses - but there only in some parts of the country.

I have been driving 8 years and never crashed apart from reversing accidently into a ditch lol! The cops the good guy - we are his paycheck and the judge sees that many people in a day he can't be bothered either!

You should legally be allowed to appeal without having to find the judge and make him look at the evidence more clearly, without needing a solicitor and if you lose not giving more points and higher fines - its an incredibly unfair system.

I have even asked for a black box to be added in my car to measure speed etc as thats the only way to disparage these bored traffic cops playing snooker for a laugh and pulling people for wrong reasons.

At least speed cameras are a fair game. Unless someone cloned your car - your pooped!

Blimey where do you actually live Colombia.
Most of my husbands time on traffic was dealing with accidents.They are nearly always first to a scene before ambulance or fire brigade,Trying to cone off the fast lane of a motorway dodging the traffic is quite exciting so they arn't always bored and imagine the adrenaline when its your job to go and tell the relatives their son,daughter,mum,dad has been killed.Or you are holding someone who has been severely burnt before they die telling them they are not going to be too scarred.

 

[Violet Star]

Of course it's up to you - you have asked for advice and you have been given advice by many people.

It is naive to say that you are a better driver than anyone else really when you have been driving for only a week. Yes you have your licence and that is fantastic but you still have lots to learn and experience.

Its not naive to say that i am truly a better driver than my mum, she's been given a ban, had speeding tickets, jumped lights more times than i can remeber has terrible road rage.

I agree i have allot to learn on the road dont doubt that i still cant park straight :lol: