Points Farce

Did everyone see the article in the times yesterday about how it's taking 14 months for the endorsement to hit your licence.Article
The law states that the 3 year endorsement starts then.So really you get a 4 year+ endorsement.
I think I'm right in saying that technically you have no points on your licence until you receive notice of endorsement.Why declare any points to the insurance companies now then???? We're losing the 10-17% discount.

Any thoughts on this anyone??

There was another article a few weeks ago about some young one from Leixlip who began a new job which she drove to. On her [unfamiliar] route she drove past the Gatso on the N4 opposite the Spa Hotel which picked her up speeding.
In her defence she said that she thought the limit was 60 and that she hadn't noticed the 50mph signs on the slip road onto the N4 (because she was concentrating on merging, even though the signs are a distance back from this point).

Anyway, she knocked up 12 points within a month. By then time she heard about the first two points she had already been banned from driving.

Personally, Im glad that so far I still have not recieved any points (not that I would speed!). However, there doesn't seem to be any real consistency in the lengths of time taken between the offence and the  punishment date. This girl found out about all of her offences within about two months whereas many others say it has taken much much longer.

Also according to the article, the duration between offence and punishment will be reduced when the private companys come in to help process the photos. Will this also coincide with the introduction of private speed cameras? I know how fair they will be!

Edited by kbannon

I can imagine their strategy in camera placement - pick a nice stretch of road, good surface with a rediculous 30 limit and CHI-CHING!

I'm all in favour of reducing road carnage by enforcing FAIR speed limits and policing these FAIRLY.  By that I mean warn the public of a dangerous bend and advertise that there are likely to be speed cameras there.  None of this hiding behind big road signs trying to meet monthly targets.

No points thus far to my knowledge but I'll have to wait 14 months before I can confirm this.

You don't have points until your licence is endorsed by the Gardai. You would find out about them 'shortly' afterwards.
I think that Hibernian have access to the points database so they may know you have points before you do.

Killian is right Richie, unless your licence is endorsed by the Gardai then say nowt. Unfortunately i dont think they'll let you off the hook regarding the two points, but a mention of legal action might soften them up.

I have no points(that i know of at the moment!) but if i had i think it would come down to a toss of a coin as to wheter to tell them or not, if they have a database and rumble me well then fair enough.

The fact of the matter is that they have been ripping us all off for a very long time now, and as with everything in this country until people start making noise the practice of rip off Ireland continues. The Gardai dont have the resources to stop crime never mind handing out endorsements, so once more we have to farm out work to private companies and the government will probably increase road tax to pay them.....aint life brilliant!

I had believed it that your licence was clean until the polis endorsed your licence, not when you find out about it. This does not coincide with when you find out about it (as that one from leixlip found out).
Due to delays in processing letters, post, etc. there could be a big gap between the two.
I'm being pedantic but hey!

Derek M5 wrote: I'd have thought that once you have the letter, you have the points - even if they haven't actually been applied to your licence. If you failed to declare them you could find your insurance void as a result of your non-disclosure. Many companies now ask if you have anything pending as well to avoid this problem.

My point was that it is more likely that you could have points on your licence well before you recieve the letter telling you of them.

According to de examinor she had the points before she was informed of them and therefore driving illegally.

I got a ticket last October (from a checkpoint rather than a camera).  I got my on the spot fine from the copper and paid it.  As of now, I still haven't had any notice of points being applied.  When I had my renewals I asked my broker what I should declare, and their advice was that until I was notified, I didn't actually have the points and therefore didn't need to declare having points, but that if/when I got the notice was the point at which the clock started ticking on the 3 years.

I had thought that with so much time having elapsed that the chances of actually getting the points might be diminishing, but the press coverage recently seems to suggest that that is just wishful thinking.

Afraid to ask too many questions in case it really HAS slipped through the net and I end up reminding them about it!

I remember being at one of the earliest MIJAG metings in Tallaght. Sadly very little has happened since then (no disrespect to MIJAG) but I don't think the right wing Govt. we have listen to socialists/young people!