Done for drink driving - the verdict.
Discussion
I am selling my current car as doesn't seem worth it hanging around whilst I am on my bicycle! when i do next need insurance, apparently the fact that I have completed their 'course' will make the hike not as bad as it could be, but I am a bit scared to find out really. Especially as I have a need to get a really nice car next to congratulate myself when my ban ends. When I say congratulate, I don't mean with a few gin and tonics 
I have vowed not to even go over the speed limit at all ever again, let alone drink. And the only positive thing I am hanging onto out of all this is how pert my bottom will be after all the cycling I'm going to be doing!
I have vowed not to even go over the speed limit at all ever again, let alone drink. And the only positive thing I am hanging onto out of all this is how pert my bottom will be after all the cycling I'm going to be doing!
guttedandcycling said:
when i do next need insurance, apparently the fact that I have completed their 'course' will make the hike not as bad as it could be, but I am a bit scared to find out really.
Due to being young, my friends insurance was actually lower after his 2 year ban for drink driving(18 months due to the course, approx £130).
A friend of mine was banned for DD a while back. When he came to renew his insurance afterwards, he was charged £1400 TPO for a 125cc motorcycle. It wasn't a CBT learner thing either as he had a full bike license - but the 125cc was all he could get insurance for!! The bloody idiot was pulled over at random (for random, read "plate held on record" I would imagine) and lo and behold was just over the limit. He said something about the tolerance limit being stricter for people with previous but I suspect this to be more a face saving exercise than fact. Anyway, his second ban was significantly longer than his first.
guttedandcycling said:
Hi all, said I would let you know the outcome. I have been banned for 16 months, reduced to 12 months if I take a course, and was fined £350.
Thanks for sharing. Not as bad as it might have been. I'll bet you will be very glad to get behind the wheel again a year from now but I'll bet you'll develop a full understanding of public transport in the mean time.
That's no bad thing in some ways - when you have a car there's often no incentive to work out how to use anything else. What with the cycling you may even save money.
All the best. As you would agree - I'm afraid you deserve it - but I wish you as painless a car free year as you can have.
To the OP, I was banned for DD a couple of years ago. Mine was 12 months, reduced to 9 months because I attended a 'drink drive rehabilation course'. The course is very good, much better than I expected and also non-judgemental.
My insurance did go up, but not too bad. It was in the region of £400 before the ban, the first year I got my licence back it was £650, this year I have been quoted £540. This is using specialist brokers since the 'normal' insurers do hike the premiums. The course you attend will give you details of various brokers to try once you get your wheels back.
One thing to bear in mind is that even though the premiums don't seem to increase astronomically, the excess does. My excess used to be £100, the first year I got back on the road it was £350, this year it is £250.
With regards to second offences; the limit is still the same so there is no stricter tolerance, however if you are caught over the limit for a second time, within 10 years of the first offence, the minimum mandatory ban is 3 years as opposed to a minimum of 1 year for a first offence.
My insurance did go up, but not too bad. It was in the region of £400 before the ban, the first year I got my licence back it was £650, this year I have been quoted £540. This is using specialist brokers since the 'normal' insurers do hike the premiums. The course you attend will give you details of various brokers to try once you get your wheels back.
One thing to bear in mind is that even though the premiums don't seem to increase astronomically, the excess does. My excess used to be £100, the first year I got back on the road it was £350, this year it is £250.
With regards to second offences; the limit is still the same so there is no stricter tolerance, however if you are caught over the limit for a second time, within 10 years of the first offence, the minimum mandatory ban is 3 years as opposed to a minimum of 1 year for a first offence.
guttedandcycling said:
I do have to pay for the course, It costs £130, can pay in 3 bits. It lasts a total of 18 hours in 3 sessions.
Bizarre that the insurance went down - knowing my luck that won't be the case
Sorry, I must be missing something here.
What exactly is the course about?
I make this point because there are many, highly experienced drivers who are banned for DD; they are banned because they either thought they were OK to drive or they deliberately took a chance, but a driving course would be a total waste of time, there is nothing wrong with their driving. They were simply over the limit.
Is the course about driving techniques, or is it about how to resist alcohol?
Perhaps guttedandcycling will report back on the course contents. A TV documentary I saw described it as being a course about:
The legal limits of alcohol in blood/breath
Identifying the number of units this is likely to be for you
Identifying the number of units in drinks
Describing the increase in the risk of accidents as alcohol consumed goes up - even below the limit.
Learning how much time it takes for alcohol to leave the body - how soon one can drive again after, say, a bottle of wine with dinner.
Describing the penalities for DD.
Some stories to persuade the attendees that DD is bad.
So a lot of practical information with some "propaganda" to try and
1) Help you not to offend again
2) Persuade you not to consider offending again
Fair enough from what I saw on the TV programme.
Never been on one so don't know for sure.
The legal limits of alcohol in blood/breath
Identifying the number of units this is likely to be for you
Identifying the number of units in drinks
Describing the increase in the risk of accidents as alcohol consumed goes up - even below the limit.
Learning how much time it takes for alcohol to leave the body - how soon one can drive again after, say, a bottle of wine with dinner.
Describing the penalities for DD.
Some stories to persuade the attendees that DD is bad.
So a lot of practical information with some "propaganda" to try and
1) Help you not to offend again
2) Persuade you not to consider offending again
Fair enough from what I saw on the TV programme.
Never been on one so don't know for sure.
johnnywb said:
Wouldn't it be advisable to make something like this part of the process of getting a licence in the first place? Might increase people's awareness, espcially with our (dare i say it) binge drinking culture...
I think you're right, and the speed awareness course too, could easily be required pre-test.
Hi - the course pamphlet tells you nothing at all about what is covered in the course -it only tells you of the benefits of doing it e.g. lower insurance for attending, shortening of ban etc. This made me think it is just scam to get a little extra money! I don't imagine there will be various cars lined up, along with various cocktails,and we have to try not to guzzle all and jump in behind the wheel!
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