Drivers licence suspension - Anyone had one before?

Stagg · 09-10-2014, 10:09 AM

Hi all,

as the title states, as of tomorrow, I have a 6 month licence suspension; I had accumulated 4 demerit points in a 12 month period, went on good behaviour and then got done 12kph over in a construction zone :(

I'm not going to be one of those people who drives unlicenced, going to bite the bullet and be mature about it, and get around any way I can for 6 months (bought an incredibly mature electric skateboard with a top speed of 50kph ahaha).

Just wondering though, because I've been driving since first getting my licence in 2008, has anyone else had a licence suspension? How did it affect getting around for you work/social wise? Was it hard for you?

EA2BA · 09-10-2014, 10:15 AM

I did, rode a push bike to work for 6 months, great exercise, and rode to mates houses, or made them drive me everywhere. NO real effect, just a lesson learned.

crainger · 09-10-2014, 10:20 AM

Can't speak from personal experience, but a close (at the time) mate was done for DUI and hitting a parked car. License gone for 12 months.

He was able to bike to work, so didn't lose his job. Didn't go on his record so didn't impact future jobs.

He said it reminded him when he was at Uni and car-less. Walk/bike where possible, catch public transport. Get groceries delivered. He was single so got a flatmate in and got driven around a fair bit in the end.

It hit hardest with the ladies though. Not able to run off at midnight to meet with someone he found on PoF or Tinder for a booty call mid week.

DBourne · 09-10-2014, 10:38 AM

My manager got suspended just before I started at my current job.

He ended up using his push bike to get around. Which then got my supervisor back in to riding (used to race) and then when I started, I was severely overweight, and they asked me to join them.

I've been riding for 5 and a half years since then, and love it.

So whilst it is a huge pain to start, it can become a big positive if you let it.

chevypower · 09-10-2014, 10:47 AM

Suspended twice in Australia, never in America (even though my driving habits haven't changed). I swore if it happened again, I would go for an electric bike. I would want at least a 1KW motor and decent range though.

Stagg · 09-10-2014, 12:14 PM

Thanks guys

makes me feel better that it's not all doom and gloom. I still think it's going to take a little adjusting to when driving somewhere is completely out of the question for 6 months, no road trips where I'd be driving etc etc...

But I'll adjust to it nonetheless. Might start a thread called 'electric skateboard modding', already upgrading from an 800W motor to a 1300W and it should push the top speed up to 50-55kph which will be interesting on a skateboard lol. If anyone on AFF lives on the gold coast they'll probably see someone flying around town on a souped up board.

I also wonder how it's going to affect how many hours each week I spend actually travelling, obviously I can't skate to somewhere like Byron Bay or Brisbane where I would normally drive down the freeway so I'll still have to take the train or take buses around. Plus I work as a DJ on weekends so normally I'd be driving around with a car full of PA equipment whereas for 6 months I'll just be limited to gigs in surfers paradise which will take getting used to as well

EA2BA · 09-10-2014, 12:15 PM

Forgot to add, I used the 6 months to completely rebuild my car from ground up too.

millzy555 · 09-10-2014, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chevypower

Suspended twice in Australia, never in America (even though my driving habits haven't changed). I swore if it happened again, I would go for an electric bike. I would want at least a 1KW motor and decent range though.

Yep E-bikes are the bomb!. Perfect for people with no licenses. This is mine

70km/h top speed 80km range. Get a few looks but otherwise pretty good

Stagg · 09-10-2014, 12:23 PM

How much did that E-bike set you back? 70kph sounds like you wouldn't spend much more time travelling as compared to a car!

millzy555 · 09-10-2014, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stagg

How much did that E-bike set you back? 70kph sounds like you wouldn't spend much more time travelling as compared to a car!

All custom made so around $4000. Plenty of cheaper ones out there (don't get a cheap one off ebay). Yeah i rode it back from Herrod the other day and got home quicker than the car

. Only downside it weighs a bit and you cant lock it on the street.

steve.zissou · 09-10-2014, 01:13 PM

another vote for riding a bike. My incident (5 months no licence even though I was found not guilty - hint: dont even sit in a car if you've been drinking - guilty until proved innocent i guess)

5 Months i became the fittest i have ever been. Riding or running 15 KM a day to work and back. couldnt drive so i went out less. drank less, spent less. Spent a lot of time on my farm building stuff.

come to think about it - i should suspend myself for a few months.

Although i my case i had to rent a house close to work during the week and pay lots in legal fees to get off - very expensive lesson but as long as you learn something from it its OK

blk6t · 09-10-2014, 01:32 PM

Done 6 months years ago, trust me, it's not the end of the world. You learn to adapt. The hardest was the first few weeks, but after that, I found more to do around the house and actually saved so much money not driving. Xbox became a very good friend and actually caught up on lots of TV series I had missed.

But DO NOT drive, not sure what state your in, but in NSW as of tomorrow if the car is registered in your name it will be on the HWP ANPR system. Then your looking at possible 2 years minimum plus $2k fine.

But it will go very fast and socially, I did rely on taxis a little more and friends, but once I got my license back, those friends that drove me around I repaid the duties and drove them around.

ford71V8 · 09-10-2014, 01:34 PM

My missus wasn't working last time I lost my license, so she did a lot of runing aorund.
Bit of walking, bit of help from mates, all good.
There's a lot of positives to come out of the experience so no its not all doom and gloom.
A mate just lost his too and told him there'll be good things to come from this - the time you are not in your car, you start to see other things around you. As a passenger but especially when you are getting around on foot. He's already enjoying the lifts, I can see him selling his car for good

mik · 09-10-2014, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by millzy555

Yep E-bikes are the bomb!. Perfect for people with no licenses. This is mine

image

70km/h top speed 80km range. Get a few looks but otherwise pretty good

cool bike, do you get hassled by the law ???

noddy383 · 09-10-2014, 02:05 PM

I haven't lost my licence before, but I've had plenty of mates who have and they've all survived. One in particular lost his for 12 months and decided to save up all the money he would have spent on petrol to put towards mods. After 11 months, he had a nice wad of cash to start with. He ended up keeping the car off the road for an extra 6 months to get everything done, just rode his bike everywhere and only begged lifts for long journeys. Now he's fit as and has the car he dreamed of when he bought it. Maybe I should lose my licence, if only I didn't need my job...

chevypower · 09-10-2014, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stagg

How much did that E-bike set you back? 70kph sounds like you wouldn't spend much more time travelling as compared to a car!

Depending where you are at and what time of day, it can be much quicker than a car. I worked in Collingwood 10 years ago, I was often late to work because of the Hoddle St. jam, if I had an E-bike, the heavy traffic wouldn't have mattered. I did try one in South Yarra, and I was cruising way past all the cars, trams, and pushbikes with absolutely no effort at all.

**supershifty** · 09-10-2014, 02:42 PM

Depends where you live and work really.

I'm 3 mins walk from the pub/bus stop/Woolies/chemist/newsagent.

I ended up doing the grocery shopping online from Coles/Woolies fortnightly and got it home delivered. They deliver 7 days, and into the night on weekdays. Costs about $10 for home delivery. I still do it now even though I'm licensed - **** I hate shopping!

I bought a pushbike but hardly used it, preferred to walk. Most of my mates live reasonably close so I'd walk, the mates that lived a little further out I'd jump on the pushy or they'd come pick me up. Taxi's hurt big time, but sometimes you gotta use them.

I worked in Brisbane city at time, so just walked to the bus stop and got off at King George square - 5 min walk to work from there. Not that I'd drive into the city anyway - parking fees would defeat the days pay. Get yourself a "Go Card" for public transport, it's about 25% cheaper than buying a ticket. You just top it up online using your credit card/bank account. http://translink.com.au/ This site you can put in your journey start/end address, arrival time and it will give you the best way of getting there with all transfer points, takes a little bit of nutting out but you'll manage.

Good to hear you're not gonna risk driving whilst on suspension - the magistrates get really ****ed at you if you get caught.

Cheers!

Stagg · 09-10-2014, 02:49 PM

Thanks guys!

Yeah I get worried about other drivers on the road being suspended or disqualified. In 2009 I only had my P plates for 3 months in Perth and my first car got totalled when an old aged pensioner in a camry T boned my buzzbox subaru. About a year before the crash, he had actually been forced to surrender his licence because he was too blind to drive, and of course that meant for a year he was driving unlicenced. Tell ya what after that I started to realise that not everyone older than me was always wiser!

It's a little bit of a scary thought because thankfully I had comprehensive insurance, anyone driving suspended or disqualified doesn't have insurance either. Originally I thought to myself I could drive throughout the day and I could probably drive for 6 months without getting caught, but then should there be a crash, I'd be up for tens of thousands of dollars out of my pocket. Plus if I get pulled over just once, I'd be off the road for two years and caught again after that I'd be in prison. I'd be lying if I hadn't first contemplated doing the dodgy like a lot of people probably also did, but not worth it IMO

EA2BA · 09-10-2014, 03:04 PM

The other advantage is you will never be the DD for 6 months, so you can always have a drink knowing 100% its someone else who will drive.

**supershifty** · 09-10-2014, 03:55 PM

Stagg, maybe it's too late as you've taken the option the "good behaviour" option, but you maybe able to apply for a work license. As it was on demerit points and not a DUI charge above 0.149 you may be able to get one.

I was a shift worker at one time and got done for DUI under the 0.15 limit. 12 months suspension. I applied (cost me $1100 legal fees) and got it. Had to keep a log book of when I was driving and what shifts I was working in the car. Had an hour either side of my shift to get to/from home on the most shortest and direct route - otherwise I was cactus. No driving at any other time.

Is this an option for you? The laws may have changed, this was about 15 years ago.

Cheers!

Rockape · 09-10-2014, 08:39 PM

I did mine for 4 1/2 years. Dont go there trust me. I new all the taxi driver very well.

_Ben · 09-10-2014, 08:47 PM

^ 4.5 years.. good effort on that one haha

Rockape · 09-10-2014, 08:50 PM

yeah fun times

Rockape · 09-10-2014, 08:54 PM

Anyway to Stagg your done so just do the time. Dont keep driving or you will be where i was.

uniacidz · 09-10-2014, 08:58 PM

3 months due to speed.

Flatmate drove me round since I drove her everywhere when she had no license

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AndyXR6T · 09-10-2014, 09:07 PM

I lost my licence for 3 months about 8 years ago. I was an apprentice electrician so made it very difficult to get to work sites. Trains, bikes, parents etc were very annoying, but the biggest killer for me was not being able to drive my first born son home from hospital. It definitely taught me a lesson for life, and since then I've had a clean record. In nsw you get even more incentive where if you have a good record for 5+ years you pay half price on licensing fees.

Stagg · 09-10-2014, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by supershifty

Stagg, maybe it's too late as you've taken the option the "good behaviour" option, but you maybe able to apply for a work license. As it was on demerit points and not a DUI charge above 0.149 you may be able to get one.

I was a shift worker at one time and got done for DUI under the 0.15 limit. 12 months suspension. I applied (cost me $1100 legal fees) and got it. Had to keep a log book of when I was driving and what shifts I was working in the car. Had an hour either side of my shift to get to/from home on the most shortest and direct route - otherwise I was cactus. No driving at any other time.

Is this an option for you? The laws may have changed, this was about 15 years ago.

Cheers!

I know tomorrow morning I'll be given the option but I basically have to prove to the magistrate that I will face extreme financial hardship without my licence. It's doubtful because I'm only a five minute drive from work and I live at home still, but I'll make the application and not really have any expectations from it. Besides as a lot of people see above I think I'd see a lot of benefits from being without a licence. Just means I can't test out any mods for 6 months -__-

tlub · 09-10-2014, 11:29 PM

don't quote me but I think it is an offence (driving without a licence) to be in control of a motorized bike or skateboard. may be worth a enquiry with the cops. I know you can get done for dui using them

steve.zissou · 10-10-2014, 10:20 AM

sort of true. Maximum e bike power is 250 continuous watts.

get caught riding one with more and if they are feeling nasty they could do you for things like:
unregistered vehicle,
uninsured vehicle
unlicensed driving
etc

drink driving supposably relates to any means of transport - including a horse ( and probably a goat i think - i better delete that video) bicycles, motorised eskys, motorised toilets. I am not sure about pogo sticks but probably still applys.

chevypower · 10-10-2014, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steve.zissou

sort of true. Maximum e bike power is 250 continuous watts.

get caught riding one with more and if they are feeling nasty they could do you for things like:
unregistered vehicle,
uninsured vehicle
unlicensed driving
etc

drink driving supposably relates to any means of transport - including a horse ( and probably a goat i think - i better delete that video) bicycles, motorised eskys, motorised toilets. I am not sure about pogo sticks but probably still applys.

But if there's no label on it indicating the power, and you're not riding it in a way that makes them suspicious, you should be ok. Personally, I think there should be no power restriction. If there is, it should be around 10Kw. 250w isn't enough to get you up steep hills quickly.