Driving ban, it'll pass....

[Gob]

He would be 200 years old, if he lived that long, before he could legally get behind the wheel of a car again.

But retired bus driver David John Browne, of Newcastle, says he’s done with driving.

‘‘I’ve certainly learnt my bloody lesson,’’ he said yesterday.

The 61-year-old narrowly escaped a 12-month jail term after receiving a suspended sentence in Newcastle Local Court for driving while disqualified.

He was caught by Newcastle Highway Patrol officers during a random breath test at Wallsend at about 6pm on June 16.

He told police he did not have a licence and produced a proof-of-age card. Police checked it and found that he’d been disqualified from driving until 2149.

That was not counting the extra two-year disqualification he’d been handed in Newcastle Local Court the week before for another driving while disqualified charge.

Outside court, Browne said he was relieved to escape a jail term.

‘‘I am very, very grateful that the judge saw it that way,’’ he said.

He said he got into the car to drive on June 16 because his son was urgently required at work.

‘‘It was a case of necessity. I had a son who needed to get to work and the car was there.’’ He admitted that there was some ‘‘stupidity’’ involved.

After six strokes, he is partially blind in one eye and will never attempt to drive again, he said.

‘‘The car’s in the top of the back yard. It’s going to my son who is about to go for his test.’’

Browne said he’d only been caught driving while disqualified three times, but it had involved a 22-day stint behind the wheel as the driver of a bus ferrying kids.

That only happened because he’d been disqualified from driving without his knowledge – he’d moved house and had not received the notice, he said.

His criminal record reveals he was fined $500 and disqualified from driving for two years for each of those 22 days in Parramatta Court on April 21, 2006.

He was also declared a habitual offender, with 100 years added to his disqualification period, pushing his non-driving days out to 2149.

Then he was caught driving on March 28 this year, for which he was given a 50-hour community service order and a further two-year disqualification, to 2151.

Yesterday he was given a 12-month suspended sentence and placed on a good behaviour bond, as well as being disqualified for a further two years, until 2153.



Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/nsw-man-banne ... z377jID7Fs

[oldr_n_wsr]

A guy across the street from my father in law was stopped on his way home from work. Turns out he didn't have insurance coverage on his car. They took the plates off his car and his wifes car (she also didn't have insurance) and they cannot re-register or sell their cars for 6 months. Actually, I think they can sell them, but the new owner can't register it for the 6 month period.

Never heard of this before.

[BoSoxGal]

We have that in Montana, as an enhanced punishment on a second or subsequent offense of driving without valid liability insurance.

[Lord Jim]

This aspect puzzles me:

they can sell them, but the new owner can't register it for the 6 month period.

If somebody is habitually caught driving without insurance, why would you want to make it difficult for them to sell their car?

[Econoline]

I would assume it's to prevent a "straw sale" to a friend or relative, who might then leave the vehicle available for the offender's use? (Just a guess.)

[oldr_n_wsr]

I would assume it's to prevent a "straw sale" to a friend or relative, who might then leave the vehicle available for the offender's use? (Just a guess.)

Bingo. And that is pretty much what the "law" said when they took the plates off the cars.

If somebody is habitually caught driving without insurance, why would you want to make it difficult for them to sell their car?

they are not allowed to register "any" car for 6 months. And there are plenty who drive without insurance, but they have plates from Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, the Carolinas, Georgia etc. Temp insurance, plates, come to NY. Most are illegal aliens (speculation on my part, but living in Farmingville, aka Hildago north for almost 30 years, you learn to spot who is legal and who is not).