Delivery driver caught speeding on day of awareness course

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.shropshirestar.com/news/2013 ... ss-course/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A Royal Mail delivery driver has been disqualified from driving for six months after being caught going over the limit outside Shrewsbury – just hours before he was due to attend a speed awareness course.


Paul Wood, 54, was caught going at 63 mph on October 26 last year on the A49 between the Preston Island roundabout and Battlefield in his work van, a class of vehicle that is only allowed to travel at a maximum speed of 50 mph.

Wood had pleaded guilty to the offence at Shrewsbury Magistrates Court last month, but appeared at Shrewsbury Crown Court on Friday to appeal against his disqualification.

But the appeal was dismissed. Recorder Denis Desmond, who heard the case alongside two justices, said it “beggared belief” that Wood had been caught going over the limit on the same day he was due to attend a speed awareness course in connection with a previous driving offence.

At the time of the Shrewsbury offence, which occurred shortly after 10.30am, Wood had nine points on his licence for a variety of speeding offences, dating back to February 2011.

He had been due to attend a speed awareness course in West Bromwich at 3pm on the same day in connection with an offence where he had been going at 60 mph in a work van.

Wood, from West Bromwich, had applied to have the disqualification removed on the grounds that he is a carer for his father and that he would also lose his job.

But the appeal was dismissed on the grounds that it did not represent the “exceptional hardship” required for the sentence to be overturned.

Recorder Desmond said: “The real crux of this appeal is he would lose his job. He is in his early 50s with not much chance of getting another job.

“That amounts to hardship, but does it amount to exceptional hardship? We take the view it does not. He was a professional driver knowing he had nine points on his licence. It almost beggars belief on the day of that course he speeds.

“We don’t believe his account with the training he got, he wasn’t aware the maximum was 50 mph. Even if it were the case, ignorance of the law is no excuse.”

[doorstepped]

What a Numpty!!

looks like he got what he deserved in the end :)

[houseoflords]

Probably on his way to do absorbotion

[eric the viking]

Sometimes we could drive on a road that we can do 60 in our car without thinking it should be 50 in the van.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Sometimes we could drive on a road that we can do 60 in our car without thinking it should be 50 in the van.

Its the same for CDVs which is apparently catching a few people out.

[Biker Mouse]

Sometimes we could drive on a road that we can do 60 in our car without thinking it should be 50 in the van.

Its the same for CDVs which is apparently catching a few people out.

CDV's up to 2 tonnes max laden weight are subject to the same speed limits as ordinary cars. Over 2t MLW then they "become" a goods vehicle and therefore subject to the lower speed limits.

[eric the viking]

Sometimes we could drive on a road that we can do 60 in our car without thinking it should be 50 in the van.

Its the same for CDVs which is apparently catching a few people out.

CDV's up to 2 tonnes max laden weight are subject to the same speed limits as ordinary cars. Over 2t MLW then they "become" a goods vehicle and therefore subject to the lower speed limits.

I don't fully understand why , the brakes on my van are a lot better than the ones on my car.

[fishtank]

CDV's up to 2 tonnes max laden weight are subject to the same speed limits as ordinary cars. Over 2t MLW then they "become" a goods vehicle and therefore subject to the lower speed limits.

You have to be very careful with this,the definition of car derived van is very narrow.

Speed warning for Citroen Nemo/Fiat Fiorino/Peugeot Bipper drivers
http://www.businesscar.co.uk/news/2012/ ... er-drivers" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Date: 04 December 2012 | Author: Paul Barker

Operators of the Citroen Nemo, Fiat Fiorino and Peugeot Bipper are being alerted to the fact their vehicles are subject to lower speed limits on dual carriageways and single-lane A-roads.

BusinessCar is aware of a trio of cases where drivers were stopped by police for doing speeds acceptable for most light vans, but, due to an anomaly in the rules, not these three, which must not exceed 50mph on single-lane roads and 60mph on dual carriageways.

The law states that "car-derived vans up to a 2.0t max laden weight" can drive at the same speed as cars, but despite having passenger car versions, the Fiat, Citroen and Peugeot vehicles aren't classified as car-derived vans because they were homologated for sale first as commercial vehicles.

They are the only vehicles, outside of microvans, on sale in the UK that have a GVW of below 2.0t yet are subject to the lower speed limits, and the lack of clarity has caught out some drivers.

The three BusinessCar knows about were doing speeds that would not have attracted police attention in a car-derived van such as the Citroen Berlingo.

A police source told What Van? it's a situation forces are aware of, and officers could use their discretion on a case-by-case basis.

A Peugeot source told What Van? that discussions are ongoing between Peugeot and the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders to close off the issue.

"We all know it's a nonsense but it's about getting the message through so the right people understand," said our contact. "It needs a bit of lobbying to bring it to attention."

[maisymoo04]

Sometimes we could drive on a road that we can do 60 in our car without thinking it should be 50 in the van.

Its the same for CDVs which is apparently catching a few people out.

CDV's up to 2 tonnes max laden weight are subject to the same speed limits as ordinary cars. Over 2t MLW then they "become" a goods vehicle and therefore subject to the lower speed limits.

I don't fully understand why , the brakes on my van are a lot better than the ones on my car.

Eric maybe coz you drive a sprinter mate ha ie bigger discs and pads , might be wrong

[Stormproof]

I started a thread on here a few months back when one of our guys got caught doing 69 in a Bipper. He got let off eventually. RM really need to relay this information to staff or at least put info in each van.

[UnhappyGremlin]

I started a thread on here a few months back when one of our guys got caught doing 69 in a Bipper. He got let off eventually. RM really need to relay this information to staff or at least put info in each van.

First off, the guy in question is an idiot. Anyone with 9 points already on their licence should make sure they follow every rule.

And I agree with Stormproof, I think RM should now hold WTLL sessions with all staff, and clarify the situation for us. I haven't given it a moments thought, though 99% of my driving is on under 40 mph limit roads. There should also be a leaflet produced for info purposes and given to each staff member. CWU HQ maybe should be raising this too.