A fair fine for drink driving?

[smillion]

A very old friend of mine was foolish to drink and drive. He was supposed to be staying with a mate but at 4 o'clcock in the morning he couldn't get into the flat and so drove home.

Double the legal limit.

No excuses. He's 45 year old professional - just recently "retired" as he's financially independent - and he knows better.

The fine?

£200.

He a good mate and whilst I don't wish motoring fines on anyone this simply isn't enough of a deterrent?

£200. Its nothing to him.

The 12 month ban will hurt, and rightly so. But £200.

Pathetic.

Any views?

 

[Rose Chap]

In my opinion, the 12 month ban is the deterrent, not necessarily the fine.

It could be your friend has an otherwise spotless driving record and this is merely a very uncharacteristic blip. Also, the circumstances (4am) could have been factored in to setting the fine.

Let's hope your friend mends his ways and I wish him every success in doing so.

 

[crockers]

Plus massive insurance hike when he gets his licence back ...if he can get insurance

 

[verytalldave]

Double the limit is quite a bit over.
Trouble is there are so many "what ifs" in a situation like this its difficult to be catagoric.
The fact that he is a "45 year old professional" has got NOTHING to do with it.
If someone is killed or injured by a someone over the limit it doesnt make one jots difference of their age or anything else.
Fines should be a percentage of your yearly income or a minimum of £500. Whichever is the greater. Bans should be related to the amount over the limit. More over equals a longer ban.
Amongst the younger drivers (below 25) drug-driving is now a greater hazard than drink. Police now test for both if they suspect this might be the case.

 

[BTB 500]

I agree the fine is surprisingly low. Was he involved in an accident or did he just get pulled over?

 

[SilverSaloon]

ban should be longer - maybe 2 or 3 years - so its REALLY HURTS.

if you dont like the ban term, then answer is simple - dont D&D.

Most people would just pay up with a fine, even if its under £1000 most people could still afford it, ok it may annoy them, but it wouldnt be life changing - the ban would, so would be a better deterent.

all imho!

 

[verytalldave]

ban should be longer - maybe 2 or 3 years - so its REALLY HURTS.

if you dont like the ban term, then answer is simple - dont D&D.

Most people would just pay up with a fine, even if its under £1000 most people could still afford it, ok it may annoy them, but it wouldnt be life changing - the ban would, so would be a better deterent.

all imho!

Surprisingly enough, the worst time after losing the use of a car is the first two-three weeks. After about a month you are used to using public transport/taxis and have re-programmed your body clock to take into account the (much) longer journey times. Almost to the point of considering getting rid of the car altogether.
However when the use has returned its a WONDERFUL feeling and that thought completely vanishes rather quickly. Being able to go somewhere and return quicker than it takes going just one way.

 

[smillion]

"45 year old professional"

Ther point I was trying to makee is that the guy is very affluent, and not on £6 per hour. I imagine that to some £200 is a great deal of money, but to him it would be a night out.

 

[ibrar]

The police probably looked in his favour, as he is a professional, probably a clean license and a clean stake against his name.

 

[Sp!ke]

double the limit, 12 month ban and £200 fine

Is your friend a Mason?

 

[verytalldave]

Dont joke about things like that. You might be closer than you think.

 

[ShinyF1]

He will have been means tested in court, and fined according to his income, which if you friend is retired, probably means low fine.

In my youf [15+ years ago], did a similar thing - marginally over the limit, year ban and because my employer gave me a letter stating I was going to be made redundant, they assessed me at zero and levied a £48 fine. The girl in front of me in court was a secretary and got a £1200 fine...

Ban was certainly the deterrent - no chances taken since.

 

[jaymanek]

the 12M ban should be more than enough... if that were me, it could well put me out of business...

 

[verytalldave]

the 12M ban should be more than enough... if that were me, it could well put me out of business...

.................therefore I bet you dont D&D......

 

[kwakdonut]

Moral of the story - DON'T DRINK & DRIVE FULL STOP - JUST NOT WORTH IT

 

[Colin_b]

double the limit, 12 month ban and £200 fine

Is your friend a Mason?

Forget the fine, only a 12 month ban seems very light. I know someone who was barely over the limit (38, 3 over) got a 15 month ban, reduced to 12 if course was attended.

 

[Sp!ke]

Dont joke about things like that. You might be closer than you think.

Tell me about it.

 

[carnut]

This seems to be a Morality question on the fine, not the ban.

I agree with most of the previous remarks about the ban being the deterrent to anyone who needs a car, but lets not forget:

1. those who live in the country v those in town with good transport; in town no real hard deal to be banned In London almost a blessing!!

2 Unemployed lazy slob on govt handouts v those who have worked hard for their money; slob = no income= no fine, employed "professional" = high income = high fine and probable loss of job. Very hard deal indeed

Dont confuse the Law with Justice!

The Magistrates have to apply the Law as given by Parliament with any discretion and common sense they can find

 

[DieselE]

Forget the fine, only a 12 month ban seems very light. I know someone who was barely over the limit (38, 3 over) got a 15 month ban, reduced to 12 if course was attended.

I agree with you. For double the limit I thought the ban would be 18 months to 2 years.

 

[Sp!ke]

I agree with you. For double the limit I thought the ban would be 18 months to 2 years.

.....and a retest at the end of it.