Yes it was so.Was this offence in Scotland?
The driving ban I can cope with. The criminal record is breaking my heart . Hope you are ok now xBrief Description of Offence:
Drank wine in the evening. More than usual due to relationship issues.
In the early hours of the morning I drove to a near by 24 hour garage 2 miles away. One of my lights was out which is enough to be pulled over even if you are driving 'normally'. He knocked on my window at the garage as I got was getting out to the pumps. Told me my light was out..then smelt alcohol and breathalyzed me which came up as a fail. No other offense or factors came in to it. Was flood lit empty road to the garage. Just unlucky about the light I guess.. :-/
Blood Alcohol Level and Reading Type:
Breath 84ug at the station
Mitigating Factors:
No previous drink driving / criminal convictions, completely co-operation with the police start to finish, short distance driven, there were some personal reasons for driving at 2am that morning but I did not try to justify my actions with them, but they were mentioned in court.
I am very slim and small in build also which wouldn't have helped with the amount of alcohol that was still in my system, perhaps this should have been mentioned in court too.
Several officers made statements about my nice nature and my clearly honest regret at my actions. They didn't have to, and for that i am grateful.
Aggravating Factors:
non.
Legal Representation at Court?:
Yes - fee £475 ( I am pretty sure a duty solic could have done the same job. )
Sentence:
17 months ban, fine £100, costs £100
Offered the Drink Driving Rehabilitation Course?:
Yes to reduce ban by 25%
I definitely will be attending this in a few months. Aside from bringing my ban down to 13 months, I genuinely want to attend it to scare me off ever being that stupid again, whether I had a good reason that morning or not!
Sentence Comments:
I was told to expect 2 years and anything less would be a bonus. That was good advise as it really did soften the blow of 17 months with the course offered too. but of course I had prayed for less for a few important reasons.
I'd heard of people with higher 'ug' readings going further distances and driving recklessly getting pretty much the same ban period as me ( but bigger fines ) so I was a little low.
But it also could have been worse!
After Thoughts:
I seriously would have taken a £1000 fine to reduce my ban if that was possible (god knows how I would have paid it!)... but money is nothing compared to my job ( i can no longer travel too).. or the unbelievable life change for me and my young family for the next 13 months.
One of the worse parts of this (along with losing my license!) is knowing I know have a criminal record.
If I could go back in time..... :-/
x
Hi Lizzie, I hope you don’t mind me asking you a question. You mentioned hitting a parked van, was your insurance able to pay the third party costs and did they chase you to recover that cost? Thank you xBeen to court today 24.9.20
Brief Description of Offence:
Had a few drinks with a family member. Ended up drinking alot of red wine and thinking I could drive home
Blood Alcohol Level and Reading Type:
122 in breath
Mitigating Factors:
Long clean driving licence, short distance driven (.7 miles), no other criminal convictions, early guilty plea, compliant with the police, stressed due to work and looking after poorly parent
Aggravating Factors:
Crashed into a stationary van, very high reading
Legal Representation at Court?:
Yes - although it transpired my Solicitor was the duty solicitor for the day. Felt a bit ripped off especially when we were disturbed so he could see another case (which was worse than mine). Solicitors costs £500.
Sentence:
26 month ban, 180 hours CS to be taken over 18 months, £85 court costs
Offered the Drink Driving Rehabilitation Course?:
Yea and will take the course. This will reduce my ban to 20 months.
Sentence Comments:
Happy with my sentence I was expecting a higher ban and a suspended sentence.
Arrived to court and was very nervous. Was told i would be facing the District Judge. I panicked at the thought of this but was told by my Solicitor and probation officer that it's much better to have the District Judge than a Magistrate. Went in and had the charges read then had to speak to the Probation Officer before sentancing. He was absolutley brilliant. Went through some options and it was deemed I didnt need an intervention or any other support.
I will never drink drive again. I am glad it is over and can draw a line under it. Happy to give advice to anyone going through this. I have been so stressed out but in all honesty all it wasnt as bad as I thought. This forum has been really helpful to me and felt I really needed to document this.
Hi MollyHi Lizzie, I hope you don’t mind me asking you a question. You mentioned hitting a parked van, was your insurance able to pay the third party costs and did they chase you to recover that cost? Thank you x
Thanks for your reply. I asked this question in a separate thread a few ppl have suggested that it is usually Admiral Group or that’s the only one they have heard of that comes after you for third party claims. I am hoping they won’t xxHi Molly
I am assuming they will but I havent heard anything from them as yet. After my accident (which was around the corner from my house ) the police called my husband and he came straight away and liaised with he police and the owner of the van. My husband told me that there wasnt a great deal of damaged to the van. Just my car (which was written off). My insurance company (zenith) were so inept its unreal. I'm sure I will hear from them at some point. Please correct me if I'm wrong (others) but I think this can take a while.
Are you having issues with your insurance?
All the best xx
And I guess the insurance didn’t pay you anything for your car? I am sure that they don’t cover your car in you are convicted of DD but only pay third party. Just hoping that they don’t come after us to recover third party cost, fingers crossedHi Molly
I am assuming they will but I havent heard anything from them as yet. After my accident (which was around the corner from my house ) the police called my husband and he came straight away and liaised with he police and the owner of the van. My husband told me that there wasnt a great deal of damaged to the van. Just my car (which was written off). My insurance company (zenith) were so inept its unreal. I'm sure I will hear from them at some point. Please correct me if I'm wrong (others) but I think this can take a while.
Are you having issues with your insurance?
All the best xx
So a month and a half off my ban and feeling good! Obviously nee problems and stress life is a bitch.Brief Description of Offence:
Had several drinks at a friends house (2 brandy and coke) at about 9pm to 11pm, also had 2 beers from 5pm to 7pm on the same day after work, left my friends at 11 pm to drive home, I thought I was fine, I overtook a slow car going 20mph in a 30mph road which was a legal manoeuvre due to the hatched marking allowing overtakes, police saw the overtake and decided to check me out and breathalyse me as precaution.
Blood Alcohol Level and Reading:
I blew 42 on the roadside and 41 in the station.
Mitigating Factors:
Good character, 2 character references, criminal history over 10 years ago, no previous drink driving offences.
Aggravating Factors:
None.
Legal Representation at Court?:
No - if pleading guilty I wouldn't pay huge amounts to a solicitor to defend you, do your research, present yourself correctly, write your mitigating circumstances and try to read it in court to show you are sorry and for them to see the remorse first hand. obviously I blew a low reading so you may differ blowing over 100u or having accidents.
Sentence:
12 month ban, 480 fine.
Offered the Drink Driving Rehabilitation Course?:
Yes, got ban down to 9 months
Sentence Comments:
awaiting the court date wasn't a great time, have been drink driving for a long time now and I have finally felt the fire first hand, I will never drink drive again, lucky I was at the lower end not blowing a high reading, please learn guys. one love and wish you all the best... remember life goes on.
No I didnt get anything for my car (didnt expect too). My car wasnt worth a great deal. I had loads of trouble with Zenith. They told me that they were collecting my car from storage then to be told other wise in a letter 10 days later that they were not. I even questioned with them if they were sure as it was DD. I'd also arranged a scrap dealer to go and get it then cancelled it as Zenith assured me. I must have gotten a staff member that didnt know what they were talking about. Therefore I had to foot a £500 storage billAnd I guess the insurance didn’t pay you anything for your car? I am sure that they don’t cover your car in you are convicted of DD but only pay third party. Just hoping that they don’t come after us to recover third party cost, fingers crossed
Well let’s just hope and pray that the insurance doesn’t come after you or us for recovering the third party costs xxNo I didnt get anything for my car (didnt expect too). My car wasnt worth a great deal. I had loads of trouble with Zenith. They told me that they were collecting my car from storage then to be told other wise in a letter 10 days later that they were not. I even questioned with them if they were sure as it was DD. I'd also arranged a scrap dealer to go and get it then cancelled it as Zenith assured me. I must have gotten a staff member that didnt know what they were talking about. Therefore I had to foot a £500 storage bill