Uninsured Drivers

[monkeyboy]

Breaking driving ban is a serious offence that will lead to prison sentense.

Apparently not in this case

[BoredBloke]

"Breaking driving ban is a serious offence that will lead to prison sentense."

Replace 'will' with 'should but doesn't'

[expat]

"Breaking driving ban is a serious offence that will lead to prison sentense."

Replace 'will' with 'should but doesn't'

Yes, but AtW is quite correct, that is what the point is of giving the ban. Driving whaile already banned is more serious than driving while not really authorised.

[BoredBloke]

I know what should happen. In our local paper there is a section detailing cases in the local court. Most are traffic related. Most are driving without insurance/Mot/disqualified and ALL get a fine along with a ban. Very very rarely the scrote ends up in nick.

[AtW]

The highway code suggests that driving while disqualified can lead to a maximum imprisonment of 6 months (12 in Scotland), up to 5k fine and at least 6 more points.

Now courts won't immediately improson them (unless serious case like someone was killed) because there are simply not that many places in prisons. Also if the guy insists on breaking the law then its good to see if he does it all the time - after few bans/points he will max it out for the rest of his life and noone will ever insure him. Of course he will most likely continue driving anyway, and at THAT point prison should really be the only option.

Sadly there are not enough prisons, perhaps UK should take GULAG in long term lease - I hear its cheap when you lease it for 100+ years.

[BoredBloke]

The highway code suggests that driving while disqualified can lead to a maximum imprisonment of 6 months (12 in Scotland), up to 5k fine and at least 6 more points.


And if he pleads guilty this is automatically cut in half and then gets early release.

[AtW]

Well, what are you suggesting then - remove incentive to plead guilty to have full blown trials all the time at great expense?

Those guys who drive like this often commit other offences - driving dangerously, so cops just need to keep an eye on them and catch them at it, this is when driving when disqualified will count against them.

[BoredBloke]

"Well, what are you suggesting then - remove incentive to plead guilty to have full blown trials all the time at great expense?"

If there is sooooo much evidence against somebody then they shouldn't be given the reduced time in jail. If it is an open and shut case then why reward them. If there is a margin of doubt then the reduced time served should be by negotiation - not an automatic 50% reduction.

[Paddy]

ID cards?

The problem of uninsured and drivers without licenses was discussed on the radio a couple of weeks ago. A police officer in Bradford was saying that many families with the same surname and similar looks were sharing one driving license between family and friends. ID cards will not stop this problem; it will just cut out the common sense aspect.

[AtW]

ID cards will not stop this problem

ID "cards" will be biometric, they will be very good at stopping this very problem.