9 Points on license & now caught by speed camera, what ban?

[gadgetmac]

LoonR1 said:

gadgetmac said:

Strangely there are no T&C's that mention anything relating to you becomming eligable for a ban should the 3 points bring you up to 12 points. I find that odd but have read all of the small print on the 2 sheets of paper that I received and that is indeed the case.

Read what agtlaw said, he's the guy you should be paying for advice on this, not pissing about on t'interweb. They'll just send your cheque back.

Thats a fair point but I think I'll try the dual track approach by also hanging onto this post (out of sheer desperation) as well

A205GTI said:

I had this issue, 2 weeks away from 3 points coming off got caught worried about the potential totting up as I was on 9.

sent license of, came back with 3 points on, so you may get away with it.

[gadgetmac]

Thanks agtlaw but this is getting a little weird, I'll explain.

3 points drop off my licence on 11th July.

I have until 24th July to accept the offer and submit my licence by recorded post and pay the fine (online).

The notice clearly states:

If you choose to accept this fixed penalty all other options are automatically withdrawn and CANNOT be reinstated.

(The 'cannot' in uppercase is their typing not me emphasising it)

[gadgetmac]

yeah, I'm grasping

[gadgetmac]

Stunning News

I got my licence back today and no ban! I'm astonished.

I've just been onto the DVLA's Licence Check website and it's confirmed.

Below is the screen display when I input my details and as you can see I'm on 9 points BUT if you look at the dates of the offences they are all (just) within 3 years and so the 12 points means I surely should have suffered some kind of ban?

Picture removed - see page 8 for details

Note: The bottom entry of the 3 is only showing 'Expired' as it has indeed expired as at today (27/07/15).

Well I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth and whilst I undoubtedly deserved some kind of ban I'm happy to avoid it. Thanks for all of your input on this. It looks like I've joined A205GTI in not receiving a ban and perhaps it's due to the wording on their conditional offer that they find that they can't ban me as I've accepted the offer. I dunno.

Edited by gadgetmac on Wednesday 5th August 10:05

[gadgetmac]

Pdelamare said:

You lucky bd.

Are you going to be more observant for speed cameras now?

I always try to be.

[gadgetmac]

agtlaw said:

This is the response letter, copied verbatim from two on my desk:

"Re: ... Cheque - Ref 0000XX

I acknowledge receipt of the above item(s) for your fixed penalty which I return herewith.

A further endorsement of 03 penalty points makes you liable for disqualification through the 'totting up' process. This can no longer be dealt with at fixed penalty stage and [Force Area] Police will contact you in due course.

...

Yours faithfully,

Regional Fixed Penalty Office"

Edited by agtlaw on Wednesday 1st July 21:35

Strange that I didn't get one of these.

[gadgetmac]

battered said:

Lucky you. If I were in your position I'd be investing the difference between points and a ban in some advanced driver training. Every one of yours is SP30, so it's not as if there's any variation. One way or another you're going to have to change your behaviour in 30 limits or it's only going one way.

I know, I don't like driving at 29.5 mph either. But if it took me a couple of hundred quid at Cadence or wherever to teach me to behave myself then that's money well spent.

Alternatively, buy yourself a 2CV and a 1950's BSA. Each will take all day to get to ticketable speeds and the Beezer will spend most of its time in bits in a layby, so your licence is safe while you have a spanner in your hand at least.

SP30 doesn't mean the limit was 30 mph. None of my transgressions were in a 30 zone. However I take your point.

[gadgetmac]

Sheepshanks said:

gadgetmac said:

Strange that I didn't get one of these.

I know you can't help yourself - not having a go, I'm sure I'd be the same - but I think this is one of those things that you ought to keep quiet about.

That's not boasting. I'm genuinely bemused as to why I didn't get one. I find it hard to imagine that computer system that's been running the show for umpteen years has a glitch that doesn't take into account 'date of conviction' when adding new points to a licence and flag up that a ban is due. That would surely mean thousands of people a year getting away with it.

I think it's more to do with the offer I was made being one that couldn't be rescinded by either party.

[gadgetmac]

I'm pretty certain that their multi million £££ computer system would send up a flare if you input 3 offence dates against someone's name that all fall within a given time frame. Even a spreadsheet can do that. The operator incompetence argument when weighed against (what would be) pretty basic software safeguards just doesn't gel for me.

Anyway - who cares?

[gadgetmac]

Breadvan72 said:

The DVLA is notoriously fallible (in my experience it works just fine, but many people seem to be unlucky with it). Any large bureaucracy will make some errors, and sometimes the error will favour the hapless punter. The idea that the DVLA considers itself bound by its letter to cut you a break is, I suggest, a daft idea.

Anyway, who cares?

The letter/offer wasn't actually made by the DVLA but by 'The Safety Camera Partnership in conjunction with Surrey Police'

That may be the gap through which I've squeezed but then I don't know how the system works.

[gadgetmac]

This is really irking now! I think I'll ring them to see if I can find out why I've been treated with such leniency.

[gadgetmac]

BlackLabel said:

TVR1 said:

It's been a swine of a day trying to log on to PH. Because of this, I've only been able to dip in and out and understand the gist of things. Everyone moans about DVLA mucking up but they are pretty good, generally.

So, in order to help the OP, I've forwarded the screen shot and link to this thread to the chap who looks after our Dealer Group queries at DVLA. I'm sure they will fix the problem quickly and reflect your accurate details presently.

What a kind and helpful chap you are.

That's sad isn't it?

I'm now going to take the screenshot down which will slightly reduce this threads authenticity and interest for people who might be in a similar situation themselves at some point in the future.

While you may have been joking I have to be prudent.

It's a shame.