Driving ban for ex-postie of Bettws, Newport

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/g ... ex_postie/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A FORMER postman who helps disabled pensioners with their shopping has been disqualified from driving for six months.

Terrence Edward Mercy, 64, of Mill Heath, Bettws, appeared before Abergavenny Magistrates Court on Tuesday after admitting driving at 37 miles per hour in a 30mph zone, along Cardiff Road in Newport.

Gareth Driscoll, mitigating, said Mercy had been driving for Parcelforce for 20 years and had been a milkman and a postman before that.

In March this year he had a knee operation and returned to work in September, but found the pressure placed on staff to deliver parcels was “immense”.


He said he found himself concentrating on the speedometer so much that he felt he was not fully looking at the road.

Character references from two friends of his wife were read to the court, where the women described how Mercy took them out shopping or even did their shopping for them.

Magistrates said they were impressed by everything Mercy did outside work, including giving respite care for disabled children for more than two decades and being a former Cub leader.

Mercy was disqualified from driving for six months and must pay £45 costs, an £85 fine and a £15 victim surcharge.

[Lounge Lizard]

So the magistrates didn't show Mercy mercy !

[TeeferTiger]

So how many points did he already have on his licence to warrant a ban, or can they just ban for doing that speed in a 30mph? If that's the case, most of the drivers around here should be banned as they clearly don't know what those signs with the numbers and red circle mean...

[DGP1]

I would agree with you Teefer, it does seem strange that you would get a 6 month ban for 1 minor speeding offence

[TrueBlueTerrier]

I would agree with you Teefer, it does seem strange that you would get a 6 month ban for 1 minor speeding offence

I think he was probably a little to truthful when he was interviewed by the police.

He said he found himself concentrating on the speedometer so much that he felt he was not fully looking at the road.

Which I guess is enough for a Driving with without due care and attention, and the punishment falls within the guidelines.

Sentencing
If you are convicted of driving without due care and attention then you face 3 to 9 penalty points on your licence. You will also face the possibility of a fine and Court Costs. The penalty points of driving without due care and attention are 3 to 9. If it is a very serious allegation then the Magistrates can impose a discretionary disqualification under Section 34 of the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988 for whatever period the Court feels is appropriate.

[TeeferTiger]

That makes more sense.... but if he was concentrating on the speedo at the time, he wouldn't have been speeding lol

[DGP1]

That makes more sense.... but if he was concentrating on the speedo at the time, he wouldn't have been speeding lol

Exactly what I was thinking

[Lounge Lizard]

That makes more sense.... but if he was concentrating on the speedo at the time, he wouldn't have been speeding lol

Exactly what I was thinking

But maybe he was "concentrating hard on an instruction manual" not on the speedometer.

[NWpostie]

I have heard of three off duty Police bikers getting off a speeding rap as they were "concentrating on the road" in Wales, this was from a bikers forum many years ago when I used to do Bikes.


He could have used that excuse, he was concentrating on the road hazards that he didn't notice the speed creeping up, 37 miles an hour is hardly a crime of the century, most Police ignore that as long as it was not reckless.

In fact ACPO guideline on when to pull anybody in for speeding is 5 mph plus 2% which makes it 35.7 mph there is some leeway however as 50mph gets you a court summon rather than a fixed penalty,it is again the Officer's discretion to prosecute or not.
I got tugged for overtaking a coffin dodger driving at 20mph in a 30mph, he told me I touched 60 mph but let me off as he knew the car in front was driving excessively slow as he was right behind (it was a dark morning and I was on my way to work) and told me to be careful next time, I hope he pulled that car over for a bollocking too.

Sounds to me he was a little too truthful or said the wrong things under stress which was taken down by the Police under caution as anything says will be "taken down and used against him"

My Dad once said "You don't get prizes for telling the truth" especially when dealing with public bodies and Royal Mail managers !

http://www.pepipoo.com/files/ACPO/ACPO_ ... elines.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Interestingly enough droving at a lower speed than the speed limit can be classed as dangerous driving as it would cause drivers behind them to be driven to distraction and liable to overtake in a red mist or ignoring dangerous locations, the slow driver would be deemed to have contributed to that, I am of the opinion people who drive at 40-50 mph on motorway are more dangerous than somebody speeding away from you as you could be forced to slam on or causing a clogging up of junctions with cars and vans waiting to get on the motorway, in addition to those that insist on driving at 30mph in a 50 single lane carriage way.

[Lounge Lizard]

I have heard of three off duty Police bikers getting off a speeding rap as they were "concentrating on the road" in Wales, this was from a bikers forum many years ago when I used to do Bikes.


He could have used that excuse, he was concentrating on the road hazards that he didn't notice the speed creeping up, 37 miles an hour is hardly a crime of the century, most Police ignore that as long as it was not reckless.

In fact ACPO guideline on when to pull anybody in for speeding is 5 mph plus 2% which makes it 35.7 mph there is some leeway however as 50mph gets you a court summon rather than a fixed penalty,it is again the Officer's discretion to prosecute or not.
I got tugged for overtaking a coffin dodger driving at 20mph in a 30mph, he told me I touched 60 mph but let me off as he knew the car in front was driving excessively slow as he was right behind (it was a dark morning and I was on my way to work) and told me to be careful next time, I hope he pulled that car over for a bollocking too.

Sounds to me he was a little too truthful or said the wrong things under stress which was taken down by the Police under caution as anything says will be "taken down and used against him"

My Dad once said "You don't get prizes for telling the truth" especially when dealing with public bodies and Royal Mail managers !

http://www.pepipoo.com/files/ACPO/ACPO_ ... elines.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Interestingly enough droving at a lower speed than the speed limit can be classed as dangerous driving as it would cause drivers behind them to be driven to distraction and liable to overtake in a red mist or ignoring dangerous locations, the slow driver would be deemed to have contributed to that, I am of the opinion people who drive at 40-50 mph on motorway are more dangerous than somebody speeding away from you as you could be forced to slam on or causing a clogging up of junctions with cars and vans waiting to get on the motorway, in addition to those that insist on driving at 30mph in a 50 single lane carriage way.

"37 miles an hour is hardly a crime of the century" - agreed, not in the same league as Harold Shipman or Jimmy Savile, but there wouldn't be a 30 mph speed limit if it was safe to drive at 37 mph in built up areas.

[NWpostie]

Depend on the circumstances, most analogue speedometers are inaccurate, which is why the ACPO have used 5mph +2% to take this into account, cars can stop quicker and safer than it used to be 20 years ago when those speed limits were set, its not the speed you want to look out for, its careless and dangerous driving, cars are not dangerous, its the person behind the wheel.

[Lounge Lizard]

Depend on the circumstances, most analogue speedometers are inaccurate, which is why the ACPO have used 5mph +2% to take this into account, cars can stop quicker and safer than it used to be 20 years ago when those speed limits were set, its not the speed you want to look out for, its careless and dangerous driving, cars are not dangerous, its the person behind the wheel.

Maybe "cars are not dangerous" but I've known a few Vauxhall Combo vans that are.

[NWpostie]

Depend on the circumstances, most analogue speedometers are inaccurate, which is why the ACPO have used 5mph +2% to take this into account, cars can stop quicker and safer than it used to be 20 years ago when those speed limits were set, its not the speed you want to look out for, its careless and dangerous driving, cars are not dangerous, its the person behind the wheel.

Maybe "cars are not dangerous" but I've known a few Vauxhall Combo vans that are.

Thats why we have MOTs and the Driver responsibility to ensure that the car is road worthy otherwise you will be arrested for having an unsafe car on the road

[Lounge Lizard]

Depend on the circumstances, most analogue speedometers are inaccurate, which is why the ACPO have used 5mph +2% to take this into account, cars can stop quicker and safer than it used to be 20 years ago when those speed limits were set, its not the speed you want to look out for, its careless and dangerous driving, cars are not dangerous, its the person behind the wheel.

Maybe "cars are not dangerous" but I've known a few Vauxhall Combo vans that are.

Thats why we have MOTs and the Driver responsibility to ensure that the car is road worthy otherwise you will be arrested for having an unsafe car on the road

But an MOT only confirms safety on the day the certificate's issued, and then only if issued by a reputable garage.
As for driver's responsibility to ensure that the car is road worthy most simply can't be bothered.

[NWpostie]

Depend on the circumstances, most analogue speedometers are inaccurate, which is why the ACPO have used 5mph +2% to take this into account, cars can stop quicker and safer than it used to be 20 years ago when those speed limits were set, its not the speed you want to look out for, its careless and dangerous driving, cars are not dangerous, its the person behind the wheel.

Maybe "cars are not dangerous" but I've known a few Vauxhall Combo vans that are.

Thats why we have MOTs and the Driver responsibility to ensure that the car is road worthy otherwise you will be arrested for having an unsafe car on the road

But an MOT only confirms safety on the day the certificate's issued, and then only if issued by a reputable garage.
As for driver's responsibility to ensure that the car is road worthy most simply can't be bothered.

That would be their lookout and their own risk and their licence on the line, more fool them.

The MOT while accurate for the day is valid for 12 month until the next check, it should keep you on your toes so as to make sure it is ready for the next one.