stolen 0 Report post Posted March 4, 2006 Hello. I completely messed up on thursday. Went over to a friends place for a couple of drinks and somehow that didnt go to plan. Got caught for drink driving on the way home. And before anyone tells me, I am completely aware of how irresponsible this was and i am quite shattered about it right now. Even the policeman commented on how devastated i looked. I am usually a good driver, i never speed and i have never got any driving offenses before, not even a speeding ticket. Its about a couple of k's drive from my friends to my place. Anyway, Im due to appear in court in a couple of weeks and looking at about a 900$ fine and 6 months loss of license. I just wanted to know whether there would be any chance of being able to plea out of the 6 months loss of license by paying a bigger fine or something? Losing the license is going to affect my work so much. Any info would be greatly appreciated as I dont even know the court process. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kiwi535 538 Report post Posted March 4, 2006 all you can do is state the facts show genuine concern,if you ned the license for work there are considerations made...might pay to get a lawyer who knowshis stuff in these matters Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bimmer boy 21 Report post Posted March 4, 2006 There is a special kind of liscence you can apply for if you loose yours and I think it costs about $1200 for 3 months or 6 months I'm not too sure, but yeah its just allows you to drive to and from work during buisness hours. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shadowninja 0 Report post Posted March 5, 2006 As far as I know the loss of license is non-negotiable. However as bimmerboy says there are special restricted licenses available at significant cost to allow work travel. (and you're a bloody idiot) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Spargo Report post Posted March 5, 2006 Oh yea, and if you've got your managers certificate, consider than gone too. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
B*Emz 0 Report post Posted March 5, 2006 Well thats gay for you!! Maybe talk to the Land Transport NZ people? They might have some options you could bring up at the hearing?? May be worth a try. Good luck, dont make the same bl**dy mistake again!!!!!!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stolen 0 Report post Posted March 5, 2006 (and you're a bloody idiot) i know... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stolen 0 Report post Posted March 5, 2006 There is a special kind of liscence you can apply for if you loose yours and I think it costs about $1200 for 3 months or 6 months I'm not too sure, but yeah its just allows you to drive to and from work during buisness hours. thank you. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stolen 0 Report post Posted March 5, 2006 Well thats gay for you!! Maybe talk to the Land Transport NZ people? They might have some options you could bring up at the hearing?? May be worth a try. Good luck, dont make the same bl**dy mistake again!!!!!!!! Thank you. Yes i am definitely not going to be doing aything of the sort again. I feel like an idiot already. For a person who has never even gotten a speeding ticket this is a huge shock and dissapointment. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
*sic 1 Report post Posted March 5, 2006 haha im glad you got busted and im glad you will get a fine and im glad you will lose your licence. we dont need drunks on the roads. no sympathy! apply for a work licence restricted hours etc. i still hope you dont get one thou just so you dont f**k up again. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
conrod 1 Report post Posted March 5, 2006 If you don't have a lawyer already, give Michael Harte a call 09 3793230, he is pretty good on this sort of thing. Basically, if you don't have a lawyer the police will f$%k you over in court. If you have a good lawyer, you will get your work licence, and a minimal sentence, but the lawyer will f%#k you over with a large bill, that is how it works. I've been there many times (although not for drink driving, all speeding offences) Good luck, I know the feeling and it is probably worse than the actual reality of what will happen! :beer: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bravo 35 Report post Posted March 5, 2006 (edited) This is the legal ramifications/process - the advice I am about to dispense is the best way to go about keeping your license it does NOT mean I endorse drink-driving. At your first court appearance enter "no plea" (rather than guilty/not guilty) get one of the duty solictors at the court to do it for you - go early for your court appearance and ask at the counter where to find the duty solicitors - you usually have to put your name on a list.. You will be remanded for a week or two for a second hearing where you will be required to enter a plea. Get a good criminal lawyer who specialises in DIC (look in the yellow pages and ring around as prices vary). They should tell you you have two options - enter a guilty plea in which case you WILL lose your license for six months and get a fine or enter not guilty and defend it and hope you get off. If you don't you'll get a bigger sentence probably. Defednding a DIC will cost somewhere in the order of $3k-5k. Your lawyer will get all of the police notebook entries from the night and all of the paperwork and go over it with a fine-tooth comb. If your lucky the police will have made a proceedural error and you'll get off on a technicality (like failing to give you a full un-interrupted 10 mins to decide if you want a blood test etc). But chances are slim. If your lawyer doesn't find anything you change your not guilty to guilty at the status hearing and you'll walk away with the same sentence as above and a $1-2k lawyers fee. if your lawyer does find something you may get off but have the bigger lawyers fee. Finally - if you do lose it (most likely) you can apply for a work license/limited license (about $1.5k) which you'll need a lawyer to help you apply for and you'll need to prove it'll cost you your job not to have it - i.e you need a letter from your boss saying he'll fire you if you don't get a work license. Good Luck Don't be a dick - don't drink-drive. and before anyone asks - I've never had a DIC conviction, I just know a thing or two about the court process. Edit: Michael Harte is a QC and considered the best in the business -not cheap, but your best chance. Edited March 5, 2006 by bravomikewhiskey Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Carl 3 Report post Posted March 5, 2006 Curiously, how bad was it, not that it matters of course but like were you just over the limit (youth or adult) and didn't they just recently lower the adult limit from 400 to 350 or something like that? Amstel Light is the win if you need to drive. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
*sic 1 Report post Posted March 5, 2006 Amstel Light is the win if you need to drive. or better still, dont drink at all.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
*sic 1 Report post Posted March 5, 2006 or better still, dont drink at all.. or even better again have a misses that dont mind you drinking and then she drives o for orsome Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jazzbass 1 Report post Posted March 5, 2006 Amstel Light is the win if you need to drive. I'd say Coca Cola is the win if you need to drive. Just a thought - most people will condemn someone outright for driving drunk, but I know in my own case, I've been very guilty, but never been caught. Therefore it'd be rather hypocritical for me to blast you, or anyone - but I do! Its the benefit of being an old fart - we forget how bad we used to be. I haven't drunk for many years now - since I found out that alcohol is a poison to my system (so are prawns). However, when I was under 25yo, I was pretty much constantly pissed, stoned or generally out of it and I drove in that state a lot. I was a very irresponsible (and damn lucky) young person. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stolen 0 Report post Posted March 5, 2006 You will be remanded for a week or two for a second hearing where you will be required to enter a plea. Thanks, I dont think being in remand for 2 weeks is an option for me. Yes i am classed under adult. The limit was 400. From what you guys have told me it doesnt look like a lawyer will be much help to me. I was under the impression that the police will only get involved in the courts if i plead NOT GUILTY, otherwise for GUILTY it will be 6 months loss of license and the fine.Yes my missus can drive on the weekends etc, but im just worried about getting to work. Looks like the best think for me to do is plead guilty and take the 6 months and the fine and wait it out. I assume everything goes back to normal and they send me my license back in 6 months? I know i deserve it all but i just need a way to get to work and cant really afford thousands of $$ right now. Thanks for all the info. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jazzbass 1 Report post Posted March 5, 2006 (edited) read this info Looks like you're screwed for 28 days no matter what happens.. Edited March 5, 2006 by Jazzbass Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
E30stz 0 Report post Posted March 5, 2006 will this offense affect your travelling to other countries, I know hte US have a thing against people with convictions. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stolen 0 Report post Posted March 5, 2006 (edited) will this offense affect your travelling to other countries, I know hte US have a thing against people with convictions.Really?? My only travel plans are to Australia in a month for work purposes.. I hope this doesnt affect that.. This just keeps getting worse and worse.EDIT: But i was told this wont be a criminal conviction, it will be a driving conviction. Edited March 5, 2006 by stolen Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stolen 0 Report post Posted March 5, 2006 read this info Looks like you're screwed for 28 days no matter what happens.. Thank you very much for that JazzBass.It states If the court approves a limited licence, you'll be given a Court Order. Take it to a Land Transport New Zealand driver licensing agent and fill out an application form. The limited licence, which costs $46.50, will arrive in the mail. Make sure you only drive when and where you're allowed to. You must have the Court Order and limited licence with you when you're driving. This is a little comforting at least. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
E30stz 0 Report post Posted March 5, 2006 Really?? My only travel plans are to Australia in a month for work purposes.. I hope this doesnt affect that.. This just keeps getting worse and worse. EDIT: But i was told this wont be a criminal conviction, it will be a driving conviction. lol ... tell them your Bimmersport nicknames Stolen .. and im sure they'll let ya in . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cainchapman 0 Report post Posted March 5, 2006 You need one of these. DR91_InterlockXT.pdf Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cainchapman 0 Report post Posted March 5, 2006 or this. 9044868_Alcotest6510_e.pdf Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cainchapman 0 Report post Posted March 5, 2006 As we manufacture the Evendential units the Police use. I can tell you, that you will not get off on the machine making a mistake. Your only chance is that the police have made a procedural error and you get off on a technicality. Good luck. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
