question about a friend getting points on their license

Car_54

Bigphil1474 said:

All a bit harsh on the OP. I use my built in sat nav for what a sat nav is used for. It displays the speed limit on the road I am travelling on. I rarely rely on it, mainly because I'd need my reading glasses on to see it, but can't drive with my reading glasses on. Not impossible to get in to a situation where you aren't 100% sure of the limit though e.g. on long drives, particularly when switching from Motorway, to A road, to dual carriageway, to single carriageway, coming out of road works etc. Easy to see how the OP's friend made their mistake. Presumably they were using their phone as a sat nav, so it doesn't mean they were constantly staring at their phone whilst not watching the road. They may have passed a 30 sign hidden behind an overgrown tree or blocked by a parked lorry or covered in grime - all not beyond the realms of possibility.

When coming out of roadworks, you normally pass one or more "End" signs. These mean "end of roadworks, and any associated restrictions including speed limits."

As for the obscured 30 signs, it would be unusual for the street lights also to be hidden by trees etc.

oh_really

ontheroad1970 said:

oh_really said:

Didn't the previous 6 points collected focus their mind on raising their standard?

I'm sure the person concerned will find that very helpful.  Give yourself a pat on the back.  How superior do you feel now?

Given other road users share share space with this individual, it speaks to his judgement and decision making, it would appear he is incapable of learning from his driving history or simply doesn't give a monkeys funky.

That aside, don't be a genital manipulator !

Bigphil1474

Car_54 said:

Bigphil1474 said:

All a bit harsh on the OP. I use my built in sat nav for what a sat nav is used for. It displays the speed limit on the road I am travelling on. I rarely rely on it, mainly because I'd need my reading glasses on to see it, but can't drive with my reading glasses on. Not impossible to get in to a situation where you aren't 100% sure of the limit though e.g. on long drives, particularly when switching from Motorway, to A road, to dual carriageway, to single carriageway, coming out of road works etc. Easy to see how the OP's friend made their mistake. Presumably they were using their phone as a sat nav, so it doesn't mean they were constantly staring at their phone whilst not watching the road. They may have passed a 30 sign hidden behind an overgrown tree or blocked by a parked lorry or covered in grime - all not beyond the realms of possibility.

When coming out of roadworks, you normally pass one or more "End" signs. These mean "end of roadworks, and any associated restrictions including speed limits."

As for the obscured 30 signs, it would be unusual for the street lights also to be hidden by trees etc.

Assuming the people doing the road works have put all the correct signage up and haven't done a half arsed job? Not all street lit roads are 30mph. I drive down a 40mph street lit road every day. Yes there are repeaters but these can be up to 400m apart. 

Adrian - "within 100m or so"? So, feasible for a driver not to be 100% certain with that 100m. 

AdrianC

Bigphil1474 said:

Adrian - "within 100m or so"? So, feasible for a driver not to be 100% certain with that 100m. 

Did they suddenly get teleported into that car on that bit of road?

No. They simply weren't paying any attention up to that point.

At 30mph, travelling 100m takes seven seconds.
But, of course, the driver can see further than they actually travel. After all, the bare minimum eyesight required to drive is to read a number plate at 20m...

Bigphil1474

user1977 said:

Bigphil1474 said:

Easy to see how the OP's friend made their mistake.

Yes, I don't think anybody is arguing that it isn't easy to see how they made their mistake. But it's much harder to see why anybody would think it constitutes a valid defence.

I didn't say it would be a valid defence. I was pointing out that the sanctimonious attitude of others doesn't help the OP, where a simple understanding of how easy the mistake has been made with a, sorry love no defence, would be much better.

Car_54

Bigphil1474 said:

Car_54 said:

Bigphil1474 said:

All a bit harsh on the OP. I use my built in sat nav for what a sat nav is used for. It displays the speed limit on the road I am travelling on. I rarely rely on it, mainly because I'd need my reading glasses on to see it, but can't drive with my reading glasses on. Not impossible to get in to a situation where you aren't 100% sure of the limit though e.g. on long drives, particularly when switching from Motorway, to A road, to dual carriageway, to single carriageway, coming out of road works etc. Easy to see how the OP's friend made their mistake. Presumably they were using their phone as a sat nav, so it doesn't mean they were constantly staring at their phone whilst not watching the road. They may have passed a 30 sign hidden behind an overgrown tree or blocked by a parked lorry or covered in grime - all not beyond the realms of possibility.

When coming out of roadworks, you normally pass one or more "End" signs. These mean "end of roadworks, and any associated restrictions including speed limits."

As for the obscured 30 signs, it would be unusual for the street lights also to be hidden by trees etc.

Assuming the people doing the road works have put all the correct signage up and haven't done a half arsed job? Not all street lit roads are 30mph. I drive down a 40mph street lit road every day. Yes there are repeaters but these can be up to 400m apart. 

Adrian - "within 100m or so"? So, feasible for a driver not to be 100% certain with that 100m. 

OK, but if the "End" sign was missing after roadworks you would assume the lower limit still applied. Similarly, if there were  no 40 repeaters on a lit road, you would assume 30. In either case, you would be in no danger of unknowingly breaking the law.

born_again

ontheroad1970 said:

oh_really said:

Didn't the previous 6 points collected focus their mind on raising their standard?

I'm sure the person concerned will find that very helpful.  Give yourself a pat on the back.  How superior do you feel now?

If only people took personal responsibility for their actions and not try to weedle their way out blaming some inanimate object...

It always interesting how people argue they are a professional driver & need their licence to work. Yet have accumulated over 12 points. Clearly as such they should have a far better understanding of not only the dangers on the road, but also how their failure to act on their previous failures is going to lead to their downfall.

Anyone claiming to be a professional driver should face a ban of twice the length, with no way of passing 12 points without a ban. 

Grey_Critic

My wife is a good driver but as she has got older she is nervous. I keep telling her that she should ignore the idiots who try to force her to go faster. If the limit is 30mph then that is what you do, if someone wants to ignore that and go faster then let them pass - several times on one of tghe main roads that run by the village I have had people overtake (on double whites) when I have slowed down. It is quite funny when they come past only to find a speed camera. It is not only a case of knowing the speed limits but noting what other drivers are doing.

Manxman_in_exile

Bigphil1474 said:

user1977 said:

Bigphil1474 said:

Easy to see how the OP's friend made their mistake.

Yes, I don't think anybody is arguing that it isn't easy to see how they made their mistake. But it's much harder to see why anybody would think it constitutes a valid defence.

I didn't say it would be a valid defence. I was pointing out that the sanctimonious attitude of others doesn't help the OP, where a simple understanding of how easy the mistake has been made with a, sorry love no defence, would be much better.

Sorry but that's crazy.  It very much helps the OP's friend to have it pointed out to them that it is plain daft and stupid to rely on Google or any other electronic device to tell them what the current speed limit is where they are.

They already have six points and very shortly will be up to nine.  If they continue to rely on Google for speed limits they could very easily end up with no licence at all in double-quick time.  That's why a simple "Sorry love no defence" isn't as helpful as you seem to think it would be.