Should Stephanie Cole be permanently banned from driving?

Question

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/bristol/7171154.stm

"A woman has been banned from driving for seven days after she drove along a motorway at speeds lower than 10mph. When police caught her there was a sign on her car which read: "I don't do fast. If I'm too slow for you DON'T hoot just overtake!" Mrs Cole, who admitted driving without reasonable consideration, was also ordered to take another driving test. North Avon Magistrates' Court had previously heard that Mrs Cole's GP had been treating her for "fear of driving" for the past three-and-a-half years."

For her own safety, and that of others, should she be permanently banned from driving? It is not always practical to overtake, particularly on busy roads where there is traffic coming in the opposite direction.

Admittedly, yes she'll fail her driving test for being too nervous, but why not just put her on a permanent ban?!

Answer 1

She will have to take a retest after counselling

so one way or tuther she will be advised.

Hope she can over come her fears.

Answer 2

As this lady has MS and admits to being very very nervous her case should be refereed to the DVLA on medical grounds. They would probably withdraw her licence on health grounds.

Answer 3

She should be re-tested as I have no idea how she passed in the first place...

Answer 4

if i had my way it would be all women

Answer 5

Absolutely. She is a permanent danger to other road users. I am absolutely delighted that these idiots who do 10 miles an hour and think they are the safest drivers on the road are finally getting their comeuppance.

Answer 6

could apply to many drivers but I see your point

Answer 7

Of course she should be banned, no ifs, buts or maybes. The woman isn't well enough to be behind the wheel of a car, it's an accident waiting to happen.

Answer 8

this lady was a REAL danger to other road users.

coming up at a legal motorway speed (70 mph) behind someone who is doing 10 mph is equivalent to approaching someone who is stopped in the outside lane, when you are doing 60 mph.

Hopefully, she now understands just how much danger she was putting herself.. and other people... in.

I would make her resit her test and take it from there

Answer 9

Poor lady she has MS and obviously it is affecting her driving capability. I will leave it to the courts to decide, but if she was to cause an accident and injure somebody else I am sure she would never forgive herself.

Again it highlights somebody trying to struggle on with a serious illness, I hope that she is getting all the help and benefits she deserves and this is taken into consideration before any ban is put in place.

For her a car is essential for her mobility and to maintain independence. A really tough one to call.

But sometimes it just has to be.

Answer 10

possibly for safety reasons.  hers as well as others

Answer 11

I have to agree,ban her,and not because she' a women,but she's a danger to everyone on the road,and there are thousand out there just like her.

I often wonder how some ever past the test,as years later, they are still driving as if its their first day out,and have'nt learnt anymore,just look at the fools on the motorway who sit in the middle lane with the first lane empty,no wonder we are often crawling along.

Answer 12

Why is it that every time an accident happens where a driver is speeding, the press reports that "speed was involved" (driver gets speeding ticket) but when a slow moving driver or vehicle that makes a sudden abrupt stop (for no reason) causes an accident, nothing is mentioned (and driver doesn't get ticket for slow driving)?

In fact, the highway patrol will probably say that "speed was involved" as if the rest of the traffic was at fault in such an accident.

Going 20 or 30 MPH in a 65 MPH zone is not only rude and inconsiderate, it is dangerous even if you stay in the right hand lane.

Especially when driving on a curve where drivers going 65 can't see you until they come around the curve.

I think law enforcement should take more action towards people who drive extremely slow or abruptly slow or stop unexpectedly.