Banned this year

Convicted Driver Insurance
Hi everyone,

no doubt just like me there are thousands of us out there that have just been banned in the last few months having been caught around christmas time. I've been on this website quite a lot and find lots of the threads useful and thought a current one for us all would help us all get through this together. I am a student in my final year and have been banned for 13 months, I'm really struggling without being able to drive, it's so inconvenient having to get the early bus home or not being able to visit family and friends in the next town over when I want. I'm also worried about insurance next year, it was £2000 before and I'm not sure how I'm going to be able to afford it next year having graduated :confused: I guess that's a year away however. Such a silly thing to do, I can't believe I did it now! I feel guilty and thank god nobody was hurt. I doubt I will ever drink again, I haven't been able to since I was caught.

How are you all finding it? Is there anyone still waiting to go to court? I'm sure we will all be fine and back on the roads again in the next year or two. We're in for a tough time no doubt however it could be a lot worse than just getting caught being over the limit.

All the best
 
Hey,

Like you say, you're definitely not alone. I'm also a student, in my second year. I got a 13 month ban too in June last year and it's been a difficult 9 months so far, but the end is almost in sight and it does come around faster than you think.

The way i look at it is, in my circumstances, I will admit I was regularly risking it and it was highly likely that I was going to get caught at some point. I'm just glad it's now while I don't really need a car, rather than a few years down the line when I'm in a good job with a company car etc... At least we've both learned our lessons now so we know never to do it again.

The first 3 months were by far the hardest for me, especially being quite a petrolhead and living in a very rural area with next to no public transport. But you do adapt and I'm used to it now. I'd definitely recommend cycling more. You could even consider investing in an e-bike - I converted mine to run a motor and battery and now i get around on that, cruising along at 30mph. (it's not technically legal but don't attract police attention and it's fine, many don't know the laws behind them).

It might seem like forever until you get your license back but it's really not. It definitely makes you realise how much you took it for-granted though.

If you were paying £2000 for insurance are you quite a new driver? If so do you have to retake your test?

Cheers
 
Yes I would definitely agree, it is better for this to happen to us now when we're students and it isn't as important we need to drive than in a few years with a family etc. it's just annoying that it has happened to us at all unfortunately however it was our fault. Lesson learnt. Yes it definitely has been difficult also living in a rural area where there's a bus every 2 hours so not ideal, you really don't realize how much you appreciate driving and how inconvenient life is because of it. Time passes quickly but theres still a long time for me yet, I'm glad you're getting your license back in a few months, it'll be worth the wait, then you can put it behind you and move on. Yes I was a new driver and the judge said I would redo my test, but to be honest it's insignificant, after being off the road for 13 months I can wait a week or two to pass to be able to drive again.

You just think back and think why did I ever do it? It seems so silly now.
 
Did the district judge actually order you to resist your test? This is seldom ordered unless there has been a serious accident or there are concerns about a persons ability to drive because of their (senior) age.
you get a ban for Drink driving and NO points, so the 'new driver in first 2 years, 6 points, resit your test' rule does not automatically apply.
Look at the confirmation letter that the court sends you to see if a reset is ordered, if not, you will not have to resist your test.
 
No it was during the weekend in the town centre where I got caught and the judge said i showed contempt towards others as it was busy and that i would benefit from resisting the test
 
Oh dear, that is rare, but within the courts remit to impose a resist if felt appropriate. Was your reading high?
 
I blew 53 and 51 at the station, I haven't seen that being imposed on many other people here when I've looked through the forum however as I said it's a tiny price and inconvenience to pay in comparison with overall ban etc.
 
Were you offered the rehab course to bring your ban down?

no unfortunately I wasn't, I asked my solicitor about it after and said as the judge hadn't offered it it wouldn't be possible to do it, I had quite a high reading and was thankful of receiving the minimum ban so think it's fair enough
 
I have to say that a half decent solicitor would have asked to court to offer you the course if it wasn't offered as the sentence was being delivered. It is correct that the course cannot be offered afterwards.
 
I had asked him but he said he would deal with it and see if it was possible but he never asked, I feel the sentence was fair but would have preferred the judge didn't order me to resit test
 
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