Highway Robbery

So, as I return to driving on the 14th of this month I sit here pondering – what have I learnt?

Well, I think there are a number of fairly obvious points to raise.

I don’t believe my driving ban had anything to do with road safety, I believe it was ALL ABOUT MONEY.

If we were talking about road safety, then why aren’t the police focusing on drivers without insurance and all those idiots that race through our streets with their exhausts popping and banging.

Why are the road black spots not targeted more and motorways ignored?

My ban resulted from an accumulation of points on ‘Smart motorways’.

57 mph on a newly listed section of roadworks with no other cars on the road?

Really – dangerous driving? – Really?

Ok, I did do 97mph for one offence, I hold my hands up for that one, but again, I would plead that modern cars on an open motorway will very quickly exceed all of our speed limits and nobody is doing 70 …. NOBODY.

For those of you horrified at the 97mph, I would have been doing that peak speed for about one second as I accelerated to join the traffic coming off a slip road.

Yes, I know still guilty.

Again, those of you thinking in the back of your mind – oh it’ll never happen to me I won’t get caught. It will.

Those of you thinking ‘So long as I don’t go over a 100mph – I won’t get banned’. You will. The law has changed – now anything over 96mph is an immediate ban.

Those of you thinking ‘I’ll pay for one of those speeding solicitor types to get me off’ – they don’t work – the courts don’t like you turning up with a solicitor, it just gives them the idea that you have money, and they can fine you at a higher level.

Don’t turn up to court in an expensive suit – they don’t like that.

Don’t turn up to court in your jeans – they don’t like that either.

Don’t tell the court that you won’t get fired if you lose your driving licence because you own the company – that went down like a lead balloon.

Don’t think you can tell them you need your car for work – they could not give a shit.

Sooo…

Fine ££££££
Solicitor £££££
Court fee ££££
Appeal ££££
Solicitor ££££
Court fee ££££
License return – yes, they charge you for that as well ££££

Then add in –

Taxis ££££
Car insurance ££££
Lost revenue at work ££££

Jeez just shoot speeding offenders ….it would be less painful.

Mike C