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Speed kills? Not in this case
Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2008 4:06 pm
by Kwackerz
She was lucky I guess, that nobody ploughed into her. Silly old Bat. 10mph? On a motorway?FFS!
10mph motorway driver given ban
A woman has been banned from driving for seven days after she drove along a motorway at speeds lower than 10mph.
Stephanie Cole, 58, of Fishponds, Bristol, repeatedly braked as she straddled the hard shoulder of the M32.
When police caught her there was a sign on her car which read: "I don't do fast. If I'm too slow for you DON'T hoot just overtake!"
Mrs Cole, who admitted driving without reasonable consideration, was also ordered to take another driving test.
Magistrates said they took into consideration the fact that Mrs Cole has multiple sclerosis.
When officers stopped Mrs Cole, she told them she had "no confidence" on the motorway.
Mrs Cole has been undergoing treatment for "fear of driving"
She had been travelling from her home to a Staples stationery store when she was arrested by police on 30 August.
"I really didn't want to go on the motorway, but I desperately had to go to Staples for an ink cartridge," she said.
"I don't know any other way to get to it so I went that way," she added.
"I think it was one of those things you do by mistake and that's exactly it was, I was on there by mistake.
"It just felt awful. I didn't know what to do. I panicked and turned to jelly inside and I didn't know what to do."
North Avon Magistrates' Court had previously heard that Mrs Cole's GP had been treating her for "fear of driving" for the past three-and-a-half years.
Andrew Howard, from motoring organisation the AA, said there had been calls for a minimum as well as maximum speed limit but enforcement of this could be tricky.
"It's something that's often talked about but really is hard to do on a practicality basis.
"We know that there are lots of times when the weight of traffic, for example on a motorway, means that you can get nowhere near the proper speed limit, you may even have to stop, and obviously if there was a minimum speed limit there would be a lot of confusion when that happens."
Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2008 4:10 pm
by Kwackerz
"I really didn't want to go on the motorway, but I desperately had to go to Staples for an ink cartridge," she said.
Hmm..Load of cobblers methinks?
"I don't know any other way to get to it so I went that way," she added.
Never heard of a Map? They sell them in most garages and quite a lot of shops
"I think it was one of those things you do by mistake and that's exactly it was, I was on there by mistake.
How can it be a 'mistake' !
She's already owned up to taking that route deliberately?
A week's ban? Id've banned her for life.
Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2008 5:31 pm
by BikerGran
I think someone who is so afraid of driving is just plain dangerous and should be banned!
Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2008 5:37 pm
by Fausto
She's gonna be interviewed by Eddie Mair on PM tonight.
Look forward to hearing her side of it ......
Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2008 5:54 pm
by snapdragon
BikerGran wrote:I think someone who is so afraid of driving is just plain dangerous and should be banned!
nod nod I agree with BG
remove driving licence, and give her a short course in online shopping
Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2008 8:00 pm
by Myrkk
Yep, ban her. For life. If she's been undergoing counselling for 3yrs then and is still that scared of driving then she has no place behind the wheel of a car.
It's a problem with the driving test as it stands. I personally think it should be part vocational. Too many people think driving is a right rather than a privilege, not everyone is suitable to hold a driving licence and the test is quite easy to pass. If you take more than 3 attempts you really should be asking yourself are you really suitable to let loose on the roads. Perhaps that would be a good way of weeding out the inappropriate drivers on the road!
Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2008 8:28 pm
by TC
What tickles me is that the so called expert has said that there has been calls for a minimum speed limit on Motorways for some time, but enforcement could be tricky.
He is an expert apparently, and yet he doesn't know that there is a legal minimum speed limit of 25MPH otherwise the vehicle is subject to an abnormal loads movement order
And of course it is enforceable, the woman was reported for driving without reasonable consideration for other road users which is under section 3 of the road traffic act, so Avon and Somerset had no trouble of enforcing the regs and getting a conviction.
Maybe I should ask the AA for a job
Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2008 8:29 pm
by Kwackerz
Indeed TC!!
Link to the latest PM
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/news.shtml?radio4/pm
Trying to find the point at which she's interviewed
53.30 .. found it
Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2008 12:08 am
by Pierre
They probably know she's gonna fail the resit, but its more politically correct than tearing her licence up infront of her
My mate failed his driving test for 'failing to make sufficient progress' or something similar, twas years ago.He had to move to america as he never seemed to live it down
And my grans next door neighbour took lessons every week for 5 years and failed at least 5 tests. When she did pass she couldnt drive without someone sitting next to her. Unluckily her husband passed away the next year and she never drove again *shakes his head at the irony of it all*
Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2008 1:46 pm
by Myrkk
This thread has made me realise exactly why I'm glad I no longer teach people to drive. I'm just about to get the duals removed from my car and send my green badge back in......... and it feels GOOD
Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2008 3:16 pm
by BikerGran
My god, yes, I can understand that - what a scary occupation!
Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2008 6:05 pm
by ligloo
Myrkk wrote:This thread has made me realise exactly why I'm glad I no longer teach people to drive. I'm just about to get the duals removed from my car and send my green badge back in......... and it feels GOOD
ahhh... but is it a case of the pupil is only as good as the teacher??
Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2008 6:30 pm
by Kwackerz
In the case of this woman, I think she's just...SHITE!!
I'd hate to have put my name to her pass..
Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2008 6:42 pm
by ligloo
Kwackerz wrote:
I'd hate to have put my name to her pass..
bet TRon passed her
Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2008 6:57 pm
by Samray
ligloo wrote:Kwackerz wrote:
I'd hate to have put my name to her pass..
bet TRon passed her
At 10 mph I should think most people passed her.
even tron