driving with no license, and ran a red

[claire12]

I was just driving and ran a red light by accident. Problem is, I dont have a license. But I am 24 yrs old and learnt to drive when I was young, I dont drive as a normal occurance, but it was a bit of an emergency. What is likely to happen to me as its the first time anything like this has happened!!

[sara3]

hoop earrings??

[claire12]

You all make out I do it al the time this was one off

[monkeyeyes]

And so it will be until the next time ..................

Very good, Sara3 :o)

[sara3]

;o)

[sara3]

O
;o)
O

[claire12]

Well you are all pointless, as most of you haven't managed to answer my question. I dont never drive because my bf does, but he's away working and out little girl is very sick. I didn't really have much option as a cab wont take us while she's throwing up, and an ambulance could take too long and I feel a waste of money when I can drive suffieciently enought to drive 10 mins down the road, but thank you all for your answers. I feel so much better!!

[sanden]

Its a bit pointless me bothering with a license and insurance cos I have never hit anyone either!!! Perhaps I can get a refund.
Strange this being the first time you have done this, and yet you jump a red light. Would have thought you would have been a bit more careful.

[Buenchico]

(2-part post):

The insurance on the vehicle only covers the policy holder, and any other named drivers, who hold a valid licence to drive the vehicle. You were definitely not insured to drive the vehicle.

Driving a vehicle while uninsured to do so can normally be dealt with by a fixed penalty of �200, plus 6 points on your licence. However, because you don't have a licence, the case will be heard before a court. They can impose between 6 and 8 points on your (currently non-existent) licence. If you acquire a licence within the next 4 years, those points will appear on it. (However, they only remain valid for 'totting up' purposes for 3 years). The court will also impose a fine. They typically impose a fine rather higher than the �200 fixed penalty. So you're probably looking at around a �350 fine plus �60 costs plus a �15 victim surcharge. (The courts do sometimes impose far lower fines, where the defendant has very limited means).

[Eve]

You have no licence and no insurance and running a red light doesn't inspire confidence in your driving skills - once is too often.

No licence/no insurance means you shouldn't have been driving at all.

[Buenchico]

However, it appears that your boyfriend gave you permission to drive his car. Permitting someone to drive a vehicle while uninsured (even if you didn't understand that they weren't) is regarded as just as serious offence as actually driving it while uninsured. Your boyfriend will almost certainly be charged with this offence, meaning that he will receive the same penalty points as you and the same fine. Since you state that your boyfriend 'already has too many points', and given that 6 points is the minimum that the court can impose, your boyfriend will now lose his licence and, presumably, his job.

The rest of your problems, lie solely with you, and not with your boyfriend. Driving through the red light will get you 3 more points to start off your new licence if you get one. The court will probably fine you the same amount as if a fixed penalty had applied, ie. �60 but plus costs. Then there's driving without a licence. That might be an additional fine of around �500, plus costs.

If 'running a red light' was only detected by a camera, and not by you being stopped by the police, you could try to get someone else to accept the points. However, if you were to get found out, you'd almost certainly face a fairly substantial prison sentence (typically of around 2 years) for attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Chris

[sanden]

Thats a pathetic excuse - perhaps if you tried phoning an ambulance, you might have been surprised.

[monkeyeyes]

If you really cared for your daughter, you wouldn't have taken her anywhere in an uninsured vehicle..................if you had crashed and either of you had been seriously injured you would have had no-one from whom to claim compensation.................

No doubt, from the lofty heights of your indignation, you'll keep parroting 'but I didn't hit anyone...but I didn't hit anyone'; however, you were obviously paying insufficient attention to see the red-lights.............

[claire12]

Thank you for that informed answer, I have a lot to think about.

To the rest of you with your sarky remarks, there are plenty of people out there WITH licenses who are a liability to us all, it was an emergency and I did what I thought was right at the time (you try thinking clearly when you have a sick child). Its not something I make a habit of doing, as said this is a first. And without enough to worry about you all sit there and snipe. As I said no one was hurt but me!!!

[monkeyeyes]

I think you'll find a lot of people on here are responsible parents, who when faced with dilemmas such as yours, have not resorted to illegality as a solution..........

You will continue to be a menace until such time as you either get a licence or realise that you MUST stay away from the drivers seat of a vehicle.

[sara3]

btw, I hope your daughter is better :o)

[mrs.chappie]

I'd say there's a good chance nothing will happen because no-one noticed.

Try not to worry about it (easier said than done, I know) and put it behind you claire. You have learned a lesson from it.

Just a thought lass .... why don't you sit the driving exam (you might not need many lessons to bring you up to speed if you learned to drive when you were young) and then you will be fully legit if an emergency occurs and you need to drive again?

Sorry, don't mean this to sound patronising - it is not meant to.

Best of luck if you do decide to take the test.

[Jugglering]

I agree with Mrs Chappie - please sort this out so that if you or your family are in a similar circumstance in the future, you will be able to legally drive them to whereever - hospital, doctors, etc etc

Cars can be lethal !!!! Several tons of metal moving forward - you really need to know how to drive, operate, maintain, move and stop them in a safe, controlled manner, as well as being insured and your ability checked out. The car also has to be roadworthy and fit to drive - please think about all this and get some proper driving lessons.

[Tups]

Well done Mrs Chappie. Think you've finished this thread off very well.

[Skyline D]

So then, having read the entire thread twice now:

Is there any reason to believe claire12 has actually been caught here or is it just a case of "what if I was seen"? Were you actually stopped claire or do you know for a fact the lights in question have enforcement cameras on them? Chances are if not that you'll get away with it.

Not that this makes it right. You seem to be completely ignorant to the fact that driving without a licence makes you completely uninsured and it was a serious offence you committed. If your daughter was seriously ill then you should have called an ambulance. If so seriously ill that you really thought you didn't have time to wait for one then you would, if charged, have to use that justification to the court presumably (though I'm no lawyer and I don't know if it would have any relevance or not). Chris will know. I presume if that is the case the medical staff will be able to confirm the position.