If you were a first time drink drive offender who could prove in court it was out of character why should you be given the same penalty?
How the hell could you prove it? Do you have video footage following your every move during the 24 hours preceeding every time you have previously driven a car?
a suspended sentence would deter any normally law abiding driver from even thinking of breaking the drink/drive law again.
I have no doubt that it would, but obviously a suspended prison sentence is a much more severe criminal punishment than the small/medium fine, which you were given. In terms of criminal justice, what you are asking for here is a harsher sentence (I'm sure had you plead your case hard enough in court they would have obliged - shame they didn't given your clear inability to accept responsibility for your own wrongdoing). For many offenders, the long term effects of a suspended prison sentence would be more determintal, not just to their career, but also to many other aspects of their life, than a fine.
Notwithstanding, and as has previously been explained to you, a driving ban is a civil punishment imposed on you by the DVLA for failing to adhere to the terms which you agreed to when they awarded you with a license to drive a motor vehicle. This is entirely divorced to the criminal punishment which you were given. If you want to suggest that being caght speeding should be 'rewarded' with a greater punishment to make it in lin with drink driving, then fill your boots, but your comparisons with other criminal offences are absurd - as your criminal punishment was much lighter than, for example the suspended sentence given to the girl in the scissors attack.
In some respects I do have sympathy, as it is a shame that someone should lose their livelihood because of one mistake, and it is frustrating to those who do require a vehicle for work that the punishment has a greater impact on them than people who have done the same crime but don't require a vehicle for their work. At the same time, the proposals / alternatives which you suggest are proposterous - and would be more harmful to the majority of offenders than the current ones. What you want is a punishment that would have 'suited you better' and that is just not how the law works. Is it fair that some are affected more than others? Probably not, but we all knew the consequences before we offended - you need your car for work so don't drink and drive. Its a bit like the other poster on here who wrote:
I would've been happy with a 3 month ban or a 12 month curfew
The punishment is not there for your conveniance, or to make you happy, it is a punishment! There are other users on here who have lost their livelihood and have been shown sympathy - but the way you have come on here blaming everyone but yourself and making, frankly astonishing recommendations, has made you come across as ignorant, without remorse and obnoxious.
