My cousin was caught speeding in my car (which he took without permission)

LegacyUser

As the title says, my cousin was caught speeding in my car (which he took without permission) and now I got a FCPN in the post.

I had been drinking the night before and my home breath tester gave me a positive reading for being above the limit, so I left my car at home and got public transport to work. My cousin (who lives next door) saw my car there and told my dad that I gave him permission to use my car. I never knew about him taking the car until today.

He took my car and was caught at 126 km/h in a 12 km/h zone by a van. My dad was shocked that I didn't know and angry that my cousin lied to him.

I got the FCPN today. I am fuming.

Here's the catch. He's applying for a courier job that requires zero points on his license and he wants me to take the hit. He spent time and money on his C license. So he can't have the points. He wants me to take the hit and take the points (I am in a secure job where they don't care if you arrive by unicycle). I don't want points though but I don't want to spoil his chance of getting a good job.

Tokyo

If he cared about his upcoming job that much, he wouldn't have a) taken your car without permission, and b) been speeding in it. The fact of the matter is, he's playing you for a fool if he expects to both get away with taking your car in the first place, and for you to take the rap for his speeding and penalty points. If he'd hit somebody, would he expect your insurance to cover it too?

Report him as the driver at the time - he made his bed, now it's time for him to lie in it.

Big Bag of Chips

You know your insurance might also go up a little because of having penalty points. And they stay on your licence for 3 years? I know insurance companies claim that 2 points don't affect your premium, but premiums seem to be steadily on the rise these days.

Your cousin has no respect for you or your property. Yet expects you to be a mug for him. Nice guy.

Odyssey 2005

My ins co doesn't load me if I have just 3 points (I dont) but they do give a decent discount for having no points. As has been said send the FCPN back with his name and address and be thankful be didn't crash your car,wonder where you would stand if this was the case?

Kidchameleon

Do not under any circumstances take those points.

SteM

He wants a job as a courier that requires a points free license but is happy to go out doing something he knows incurs points. Even if you take the points (don't) its likely that he's not smart enough to stay under the limit in the future and he'll pick up points then anyway.

Hitman3000

OP I know it's a sh*tty thing of your cousin to do to try and get you to take the points. I would however if it were me take the points if it means he gets the job but I would make sure he would be contribute to my insurance for the next 3 years. Just my 2 cents. Good luck whatever you do. Although how close you are to him will help in your decision.

suicide_circus

If you do take the points hit he needs to give you a substantial lump of cash compensation.

naughtysmurf

If you decide to take the points for him, charge him €1500 for that service, he needs to understand there is a price to be paid for his actions

Caranica

If you take the hit you are breaking the law. You were not driving, the penalty does not belong to you. Sure it could screw up your cousin 's job plans but that's his fault not yours. He has to deal with the consequences of his actions

GingerLily

I would probably help him in your position, IF he apologied sincerely and gave a generous cash donation to you.

Tenigate

I'd take the points but I'd expect to be adequately compensated.

Donnielighto

He can pay any increase over your current rate for three years, but will he? Once you have the points what can you do if this scrote acts up.

august12

I certainly wouldn't take the points, you could easily rack up a further 3 points someday and then have 6 on your record, he drove without your knowledge which only came to light because of the points and lied to your father in the process, you are not responsible for him. Also, wouldn't it be illegal to accept points when you weren't driving.

Tigger99

Is that a typo or did he do 128 in a 12 km/h zone?

Wanderer78

Tigger99 wrote:

Is that a typo or did he do 128 in a 12 km/h zone?

Typo, never came across a 12 k zone and he d be banned if he did

farmerwifelet

Wasn't there a case a while back in England where a wife took the points for her husband and they ended up in court and I think there may have been a jail sentence involved.

I certainly wouldn't take the hit for him - he is an adult and if he behaves like a child then there are consequences - if he gets rewarded for bad behaviour why would he change? next time he could hit someone or drive drunk. Actions have consequences he has to take responsibility.

redcup342

OP you could end up the guy that's in the paper

"Judge puts two cousins in jail for 1 month to set an example for others that try to cheat the system"

The Princess Bride

You know something?
If he'd taken the car with your consent and was speeding, I'd probably consider taking the points in light of the new job etc. ..
But he lied to your dad, he took the car without your consent.
Ironically, you were being responsible by NOT driving your car after a night of drinking, otherwise none of this would have happened.

You know your cousin better than us.
If he's an irresponsible jack the lad who's always taking chances and expects you to take the points, well no way.
If you've a usually good relationship and this is out of character for him, well, I'd probably consider his request.

mordeith

If he took someone else's car then wasn't he was also driving uninsured (on that particular vehicle)?

bucketybuck

If I was the OP my response to the cousin would be three words, with "go" and "yourself" being two of them.

Dark Phoenix

126 in a 12km zone? that is not just speeding that is insane. OP if he cared that much about his job he wouldn't have done it. The reality is you could take the hit now, he goes to his job and he ends up losing it anyway as he will inevitably get caught speeding at work or in his own car at some stage because he hasnt learned anything so you taking the points now will have been pointless.

freshpopcorn

OP you are asking should you break the law and I don't know is that allowed here on Boards.
Well the generally answer here on Boards given is don't do it. They'd be talks of the camera having a picture of the driver etc and you'll end up in lots of trouble.
I have heard of countless people taking penalty points for one another over the years and nothing has never come of it.
If I was you I'd look at the situation and view your relationship with your cousin in general and make your choice based on that or have a discussion with him/family. Would it be possible his parents could help out? I know of a few mammy's/daddy's who have there children's points.

donspeekinglesh

farmerwifelet wrote: »

Wasn't there a case a while back in England where a wife took the points for her husband and they ended up in court and I think there may have been a jail sentence involved.

Yes, he was a government minister: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R_v_Huhne

December2012

He wants to drive for a living, so he stole your car, got penalty points and won’t take his punishment? It’s his fault. Don’t be a sucker for that idiot.

august12

freshpopcorn wrote:

Would it be possible his parents could help out? I know of a few mammy's/daddy's who have there children's points.

That's a very interesting point, how come he never suggested this to you? Do not under any circumstances accept liability for this,

pq0n1ct4ve8zf5

Very easy for people removed from the situation to say fcuk him let him take the points.

He's a relative, who lives next door to you? Close enough family by the sounds of it?

It's a really unfair situation but you have to weigh up if it's worth it. Obviously he is never to drive your car again and an upfront cash donation to cover some of your insurance seems more than fair.

LegacyUser

Please don't take the points on behalf of your cousin; it's obvious that he doesn't have an ounce of respect for either you or the law. He essentially stole your car and then committed an offence whilst driving it - knowing full well that his job depended on having a clean license. Why on earth should you pay the price for his wanton irresponsibility?

freshpopcorn

august12 wrote: »

That's a very interesting point, how come he never suggested this to you? Do not under any circumstances accept liability for this,

In all honesty mightn't have taught of it. I know somebody in a similar position and they never taught of it until somebody suggested it to them!

I Am_Not_Ice

Please don't take the points on behalf of your cousin; it's obvious that he doesn't have an ounce of respect for either you or the law. He essentially stole your car and then committed an offence whilst driving it - knowing full well that his job depended on having a clean license. Why on earth should you pay the price for his wanton irresponsibility?

dellas1979

Well, my insurance company charges me e75 for every penalty point.

I think you should sit down with your cousin and talk about what happened. And the consequence for you.

All he is thinking now is about himself. As most people in these situations do. And that's not fair on you.

You dont have to take the points for him. Does he have a brother/father/sister who could take the hit for him? In that case, Id be like "sorry not being the fall guy here, sort your own mess out and ask someone else".

Thestones

Your insurance will go up, I got 3 points and it did make a difference to the premium even though companies claim it doesn't. I did it online and tried with and without points to see the difference, higher when I clicked that I had points. 3 years you'll have of that. I actually took the points for my husband driving my car so it really annoys me that my insurance suffers but he needed a clean licence for work and we are a one salary family so I didn't have any choice and the money all comes from him! If I was in your situation I wouldn't be doing any favours!

uck51js9zml2yt

If he's capable of taking your car and speeding then he's capable of taking 3 points and a fine.
There should be no discussion on this one!

Rubberchikken

i havent read the replies but my advice is not to take the points.
do we need another van driver on the road ignoring speed limits? if he could take your car without permission, lie about it, break the speed limit and then expect you to lie and break the law, then he's hardly worth employing in a driver position.
if you're found to have lied, you'll be in trouble too. maybe your workplace doesnt care what type of vehicle you arrive in, but they might care about an employee who lies to the courts.

BrokenArrows

BetweenRockAndAHardPlace wrote: »

As the title says, my cousin was caught speeding in my car (which he took without permission) and now I got a FCPN in the post.

I had been drinking the night before and my home breath tester gave me a positive reading for being above the limit, so I left my car at home and got public transport to work. My cousin (who lives next door) saw my car there and told my dad that I gave him permission to use my car. I never knew about him taking the car until today.

He took my car and was caught at 126 km/h in a 12 km/h zone by a van. My dad was shocked that I didn't know and angry that my cousin lied to him.

I got the FCPN today. I am fuming.

Here's the catch. He's applying for a courier job that requires zero points on his license and he wants me to take the hit. He spent time and money on his C license. So he can't have the points. He wants me to take the hit and take the points (I am in a secure job where they don't care if you arrive by unicycle). I don't want points though but I don't want to spoil his chance of getting a good job.

Tell your cousin where to go.
Its not your problem.

Tell him that either him or someone else he knows needs to take the points.

Purple Mountain

Do you realise that he probably wasn't even insured on your car?
At best he might have had open drive policy so AFAIK that's only a 3rd party cover so if he had crashed your car that day, how was he going to cover that cost?

gaynorvader

Tigger99 wrote: »

Is that a typo or did he do 128 in a 12 km/h zone?

This is actually an important question. If he was doing 128 in a 120 zone, download a speedo app and check to see if your speedometer is calibrated. My current car reads 50 when I'm doing 45 and my last car read 50 when I was doing 53. Built in speedometers are not always bang on and he might be able to contest the points.

Tenigate

gaynorvader wrote: »

This is actually an important question. If he was doing 128 in a 120 zone, download a speedo app and check to see if your speedometer is calibrated. My current car reads 50 when I'm doing 45 and my last car read 50 when I was doing 53. Built in speedometers are not always bang on and he might be able to contest the points.

Worst. Advice. Ever.

It's not op's speedometer that said he was speeding. It's the speed trap's!

kylith

AFAIK you can argue with a speed trap as they have a 10% margin of error, so it might be worth your (or his) while contesting it. If it doesn't work then I would in no way advise taking the points, and I'd tell him he was lucky not to be being done for theft too.

kylith

AFAIK you can argue with a speed trap as they have a 10% margin of error, so it might be worth your (or his) while contesting it. If it doesn't work then I would in no way advise taking the points, and I'd tell him he was lucky not to be being done for theft too.

Mr. Incognito

I suspect its 126 in a 120km zone- the motorway

bucketybuck

Mr. Incognito wrote: »

I suspect its 126 in a 120km zone- the motorway

And quite frankly, anybody who hasn't ever went 6kmp/h over the speed limit is a liar. I don't speed either but in the real world 6kmp/h is very little and sometimes it happens.

So I wouldn't crucify him for that, its just that lying so that he could take your car means that he is on his own for any consequences.

gaynorvader

Tenigate wrote: »

Worst. Advice. Ever.

It's not op's speedometer that said he was speeding. It's the speed trap's!

My point is, if the OP's speedometer said they weren't speeding, and the discrepancy is low (I think 10% might be right as Kylith said), they can have their cousin contest the ticket. I know of at least one person this has worked for and heard of others.

Still agree that OP should not take the points under any circumstances and the cousin should count themselves lucky they don't have a GTA charge too.

Pelvis

I would have thought 126km/hr would have been let slip, seems too close to the actual limit to be worth perusing, considering the margin for error.

nikkibikki

Pelvis wrote:

I would have thought 126km/hr would have been let slip, seems too close to the actual limit to be worth perusing, considering the margin for error.

Me too. I reckon there's a typo in the OP.

Cuddlesworth

Pelvis wrote: »

I would have thought 126km/hr would have been let slip, seems too close to the actual limit to be worth perusing, considering the margin for error.

Nope. Cars speedo would have shown around 135-140 though.

I wouldn't take the points because he got caught speeding in a stolen car. He wouldn't last a month in a full time driving job if that's the case.

jimmycrackcorm

kylith wrote:

AFAIK you can argue with a speed trap as they have a 10% margin of error, so it might be worth your (or his) while contesting it

The speed traps take this into account.

seamus

He can take the points. Between sending forms back and forth it'll be a couple of months before they're applied to his licence, so he'll have the job before the points.

No biggie.

Dial Hard

All this discussion of typos, margins for error and calibration is a bit by-the-by. There's no such thing as a 12kmh zone in the first place, but whatever the actual speed limit was and whatever the speedo was reading, the fact is that the cousin was done for speeding. Everything else is just academic.

OP, your cousin's job offer isn't your problem. You'd be absolutely touched to take these points for him.

eviltwin

If you take the points you are a complete mug OP.

LegacyUser

seamus wrote: »

He can take the points. Between sending forms back and forth it'll be a couple of months before they're applied to his licence, so he'll have the job before the points. Everybody wins. I won't report the theft of my car.

No biggie.

He's accepted the job (and the points). He's lied about his points to his company (obviously due to data protection the company wouldn't have access to RSA database.

Cuddlesworth wrote: »

Nope. Cars speedo would have shown around 135-140 though.

My speedo is bang on the mark actually. Yes, it is very unreasonable to get done for being 5% over the limit. It's equivalent to being fined on the quays at 31 km/h.