1st Week After Arrest

Convicted Driver Insurance

Apricot_Voice

Member
Hi All,
So on Saturday night I got so drunk I decided to drive (too drunk to remember this) and the next thing I know I am in my car with all the airbags deployed after crashing into what I imagine was a stationary vehicle. I have never had so much as a speeding ticket nor ever been in trouble with police etc.
After a traumatic night in custody (quite tough to comprehend whilst drunk) and a charge of drunk in charge I was released with a court date of 19th May (so thankfully not too long to wait). I don't remember being interviewed so imagine there was no need if it the evidence was clear - I blew 96 at the station (!)
Although not considered myself an alcoholic, I tend to not know my limits when I do drink and if it has caused me to upend my life like this I am beginning a total sobriety journey now.
I think I just want someone to say it will be okay. It feels so hard to talk about how tough and depressing this situation is when you know you brought it on yourself and don't deserve sympathy from others but it is a lot to process. After retrieving my stuff from the car in recovery I feel so thankful that I am okay and that no one else was hurt.
Isn't it crazy how one moment changes your life like this?
 
Apricot_Voice said:
Hi All,
So on Saturday night I got so drunk I decided to drive (too drunk to remember this) and the next thing I know I am in my car with all the airbags deployed after crashing into what I imagine was a stationary vehicle. I have never had so much as a speeding ticket nor ever been in trouble with police etc.
After a traumatic night in custody (quite tough to comprehend whilst drunk) and a charge of drunk in charge I was released with a court date of 19th May (so thankfully not too long to wait). I don't remember being interviewed so imagine there was no need if it the evidence was clear - I blew 96 at the station (!)
Although not considered myself an alcoholic, I tend to not know my limits when I do drink and if it has caused me to upend my life like this I am beginning a total sobriety journey now.
I think I just want someone to say it will be okay. It feels so hard to talk about how tough and depressing this situation is when you know you brought it on yourself and don't deserve sympathy from others but it is a lot to process. After retrieving my stuff from the car in recovery I feel so thankful that I am okay and that no one else was hurt.
Isn't it crazy how one moment changes your life like this?
Click to expand...

You are definitely in the right place by visiting this forum. The amount of non-judgemental support you receive is unreal. I had my crash almost 2 weeks ago and felt the exact same as you, very similar situations, never been in trouble etc - I am planning on being fully sober with support. But the other members on here have been amazing and reassuring. You are not alone is the main thing. We have all made similar mistakes or needed help.

I felt like my life was over, I still do to be honest and like you am processing it all... but it's a chance for a new start. It will be hard, but you will get through this.
 
Apricot_Voice said:
Hi All,
So on Saturday night I got so drunk I decided to drive (too drunk to remember this) and the next thing I know I am in my car with all the airbags deployed after crashing into what I imagine was a stationary vehicle. I have never had so much as a speeding ticket nor ever been in trouble with police etc.
After a traumatic night in custody (quite tough to comprehend whilst drunk) and a charge of drunk in charge I was released with a court date of 19th May (so thankfully not too long to wait). I don't remember being interviewed so imagine there was no need if it the evidence was clear - I blew 96 at the station (!)
Although not considered myself an alcoholic, I tend to not know my limits when I do drink and if it has caused me to upend my life like this I am beginning a total sobriety journey now.
I think I just want someone to say it will be okay. It feels so hard to talk about how tough and depressing this situation is when you know you brought it on yourself and don't deserve sympathy from others but it is a lot to process. After retrieving my stuff from the car in recovery I feel so thankful that I am okay and that no one else was hurt.
Isn't it crazy how one moment changes your life like this?
Click to expand...
Hi and welcome.

First of all i just wanted to say everything will be ok, as time goes on and when the court day is over everything does get better. It takes time to adjust to not having a car but you do adapt to it. The first couple of weeks i didn't want to talk about it but after time you realise no one was hurt and you made a mistake.

Your story mirrors mine, blew the same and hit a parked car. I was interviewed the morning after spending a night in the cell and then had court 2 weeks later. This all happened in Feb 2020 and i've had my licence back 6 months now.

Theres loads of support on here and every question you have you will find an answer on here.
 
danty_20 said:
Hi and welcome.

First of all i just wanted to say everything will be ok, as time goes on and when the court day is over everything does get better. It takes time to adjust to not having a car but you do adapt to it. The first couple of weeks i didn't want to talk about it but after time you realise no one was hurt and you made a mistake.

Your story mirrors mine, blew the same and hit a parked car. I was interviewed the morning after spending a night in the cell and then had court 2 weeks later. This all happened in Feb 2020 and i've had my licence back 6 months now.

Theres loads of support on here and every question you have you will find an answer on here.
Click to expand...
thank you :). May I ask if you represented yourself at court? I think you're right in that it will be better after that date as everything seems such an unknown right now. I tried reaching out to get solicitors quotes but they only appear on the day which feel like doesn't help in preparing mitigation like references etc...
 
Apricot_Voice said:
thank you :). May I ask if you represented yourself at court? I think you're right in that it will be better after that date as everything seems such an unknown right now. I tried reaching out to get solicitors quotes but they only appear on the day which feel like doesn't help in preparing mitigation like references etc...
Click to expand...
No i hired a solicitor - think i paid £400. Though you don't need one i felt a lot better with one because i'd never been to court before and didn't know what to expect. I had a lengthy chat on the phone with the solicitors receptionist a week before, she told me what to expect etc, dress smart and what migration letters to bring with me on the day and what to expect in court. I met my solicitor about half an hour before i went into court where we chatted and he got the back story from me. I'm glad i hired one because i don't think i'd be confident enough addressing the magistrates.
 
Hi, just wanted to let you know we’ve all been there. As someone who blew 102 after a collision I know exactly how this feels.

It certainly does change everything for sure. But as the DS said to me when I was in bits being processed “don’t worry too much, it’s hardly the crime of the century”. And as you say, at least no one got hurt.

Solicitors - hmmm. Some say it doesn’t make a lot of difference. I hired an inexpensive one local to the court, who did a good job getting me out of a community order and seemed to know the court well enough to keep me out of the local rags. So for me it wasn’t money badly spent. For others perhaps less so. So a bit of a gamble this one, but if they are decent and persuasive enough then it’s not a bad investment given the broader costs such an experience. It was also comforting to have someone there who knew the system and stopped me from panicking too much.

Take care meanwhile though, and remember we’ve all been there and are happy to listen whenever. :)
 
Sundog said:
Hi, just wanted to let you know we’ve all been there. As someone who blew 102 after a collision I know exactly how this feels.

It certainly does change everything for sure. But as the DS said to me when I was in bits being processed “don’t worry too much, it’s hardly the crime of the century”. And as you say, at least no one got hurt.

Solicitors - hmmm. Some say it doesn’t make a lot of difference. I hired an inexpensive one local to the court, who did a good job getting me out of a community order and seemed to know the court well enough to keep me out of the local rags. So for me it wasn’t money badly spent. For others perhaps less so. So a bit of a gamble this one, but if they are decent and persuasive enough then it’s not a bad investment given the broader costs such an experience. It was also comforting to have someone there who knew the system and stopped me from panicking too much.

Take care meanwhile though, and remember we’ve all been there and are happy to listen whenever. :)
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Thank you for the kindnes :). I didn't think about the newspaper piece to be fair - yes to not have my name and address appear in the local paper would be preferable! What were you sentenced with?
 
Apricot_Voice said:
Hi All,
So on Saturday night I got so drunk I decided to drive (too drunk to remember this) and the next thing I know I am in my car with all the airbags deployed after crashing into what I imagine was a stationary vehicle. I have never had so much as a speeding ticket nor ever been in trouble with police etc.
After a traumatic night in custody (quite tough to comprehend whilst drunk) and a charge of drunk in charge I was released with a court date of 19th May (so thankfully not too long to wait). I don't remember being interviewed so imagine there was no need if it the evidence was clear - I blew 96 at the station (!)
Although not considered myself an alcoholic, I tend to not know my limits when I do drink and if it has caused me to upend my life like this I am beginning a total sobriety journey now.
I think I just want someone to say it will be okay. It feels so hard to talk about how tough and depressing this situation is when you know you brought it on yourself and don't deserve sympathy from others but it is a lot to process. After retrieving my stuff from the car in recovery I feel so thankful that I am okay and that no one else was hurt.
Isn't it crazy how one moment changes your life like this?
Click to expand...
Was it drunk in charge? This implies they can't prove you were driving so you stand a small chance of avoiding a ban.
 
jamesbrown1 said:
Was it drunk in charge? This implies they can't prove you were driving so you stand a small chance of avoiding a ban.
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Unfortunately, the vehicle I crashed into is probably good enough proof for them :)! I think I just got drunk in charge as it was a wide enough one but pretty sure the prosecution will bring it forward properly as driving.
 
Apricot_Voice said:
Unfortunately, the vehicle I crashed into is probably good enough proof for them :)! I think I just got drunk in charge as it was a wide enough one but pretty sure the prosecution will bring it forward properly as driving.
Click to expand...
I don't know enough about how the law works but people here will. Very best of luck, like many have said we've all been where you are. 👍
 
Apricot_Voice said:
Thank you for the kindnes :). I didn't think about the newspaper piece to be fair - yes to not have my name and address appear in the local paper would be preferable! What were you sentenced with?
Click to expand...
24 months (reduced to 18 on completing course, although fat lot that did in the midst of a pandemic :( )

£1,450 fine :eek:

But no community order, which given my reading and the fact it was a collision with another car was no bad result.

Lawyer reckons we could have probably argued for less, but I had the misfortune of appearing before a district judge rather than a magistrate due to shortages on the day.

But given the fact I need access to my kids and the fact I was going through a messy divorce anyway, not getting a CO was the best thing about it all. Many others in my circumstances commonly do.

Give me a shout if you need any advice/support, it’s definitely a tough thing to shoulder but you certainly aren’t alone :)
 
Sundog said:
24 months (reduced to 18 on completing course, although fat lot that did in the midst of a pandemic :( )

£1,450 fine :eek:

But no community order, which given my reading and the fact it was a collision with another car was no bad result.

Lawyer reckons we could have probably argued for less, but I had the misfortune of appearing before a district judge rather than a magistrate due to shortages on the day.

But given the fact I need access to my kids and the fact I was going through a messy divorce anyway, not getting a CO was the best thing about it all. Many others in my circumstances commonly do.

Give me a shout if you need any advice/support, it’s definitely a tough thing to shoulder but you certainly aren’t alone :)
Click to expand...
ooft ....£1450 fine...i blew 111, two year ban and £210 fine.....just shows me how lucky i was (no accident though)
 
AndyJG said:
ooft ....£1450 fine...i blew 111, two year ban and £210 fine.....just shows me how lucky i was (no accident though)
Click to expand...

Yeah mega ooft… I had a very well-paid job at the time and my job title couldn’t really disguise this. Just one of those things. Was a fair trade given no CO.
 
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Sundog said:
Yeah I had a very well-paid job at the time and my job title couldn’t really disguise this. Just one of those things. Was a fair trade given no CO.
Click to expand...
I got away very lightly...swings and roundabouts considering covid,the loss of my mother and sister...and my other sister selling the family house on the day i was due to start the the driving course...which was the last date i could start.so no reduction in ban...
 
Sundog said:
24 months (reduced to 18 on completing course, although fat lot that did in the midst of a pandemic :( )

£1,450 fine :eek:

But no community order, which given my reading and the fact it was a collision with another car was no bad result.

Lawyer reckons we could have probably argued for less, but I had the misfortune of appearing before a district judge rather than a magistrate due to shortages on the day.

But given the fact I need access to my kids and the fact I was going through a messy divorce anyway, not getting a CO was the best thing about it all. Many others in my circumstances commonly do.

Give me a shout if you need any advice/support, it’s definitely a tough thing to shoulder but you certainly aren’t alone :)
Click to expand...
Trying to get solicitor quotes but seem to be all around the £1k mark which seems a lot, but in the grand scheme of things, it is my future I am gambling with so maybe it would be worth it to get the best possible shot for myself and maybe I would regret it afterwards, not having one. I also have a good salary at the moment (currently employers being super supportive but who knows what happens later) which means I will be stung on the fine also.
 
might be worth at least asking a solicitor about the 'drunk in charge' - this can be punished with 10 points and no ban. I know the circumstances make this unlikely but can't hurt to enquire.
 
Like most of us here we have all been in the same position as you - albeit different levels. At first it is hard and you feel like the world is crashing (no pun intended) around you but eventually you will come to terms with it, and learn to adapt, because in essence you don't have much choice.

You made an error, but thankfully nobody got hurt, so consider that a blessing and realise that it could of been a lot worse. The ban will be pain in the bum to begin with, but you will learn to deal with it, and it will only be temporary so try not to let it consume you mentally.

A lot of people on here will tell you that once court is out of the way the weight seems to be lifted somewhat, it certainly was for me anyway, and you may find the same.

You WILL get through it !

This forum is here if you need advice, need a rant, or just need a friendly ear.

My case wasn't quite as severe as yours but when it came down to it I used a solicitor as I had never been to court before, and for me personally I found it reassuring having someone there...my bank balance though would argue different ! The fine will be a based on your salary and the ban will happen, not much you can do about that except prepare for court as best you can so you can work towards the lowest end of the scale in your bracket.

Let us know how you get on, and keep your chin up ! Your world hasn't ended, its just going to change for a bit.
 
Apricot_Voice said:
thank you :). May I ask if you represented yourself at court? I think you're right in that it will be better after that date as everything seems such an unknown right now. I tried reaching out to get solicitors quotes but they only appear on the day which feel like doesn't help in preparing mitigation like references etc...
Click to expand...
did you get a duty solicitor
 
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