Urban myth or not?

[Bob U]

I was sent the following e-mail today. Is this yet another urban myth or is it fact? Has anyone heard of it before or better stilll tried it? There seems to be so many of these get out of points/paying/fines things about.



Just thought I would share this with you, as you know I work in the
speeding fine department in Swindon 's Magistrate's Court and in the course
of my investigation into 'fines, their payment methods, and how points are
automatically added against drivers licences' we discovered something very
interesting
 
'If You Get a Speeding Fine.'
This has been tried and it works I tried to send this to everyone I know.
I know that for a fact is works so if you ever get in this situation, you
have an out. We discovered that this procedure works nationwide. Read it
and try it, you have nothing to lose but the points on your license.
This is how it works:
If you get a speeding ticket or went through a red light or whatever the
case may be, and you are going to get points on your licence, then there
is a method to ensure that you DO NOT get any points. When you get your
fine, send in the cheque to pay for it and if the fine is say, £40, then
make the cheque out for £41 or some small amount over the
fine. The system will then have to send you back a cheque for the
difference, but here is the trick!
**DO NOT CASH THE REFUND CHEQUE!!!** Throw it away!!
Points are not assessed to your licence until all financial transactions
are complete. If you do not cash the cheque, then the transactions are NOT
complete. However, the system has gotten its money and is happy and will
not bother you any more.
This information came to our attention from a very reliable computer
company that sets up the standard database used by each county's computing
system.
Good luck and share this with all your friends and other family members
as well!!!

[Doris]

Looks like a good old fashioned urban myth ...

http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/blpoints.htm

Dx

[Bob U]

Oh well. Maybe one day one of them will be true.

[Snoring Rhino]

OK, so what happens if you miss read the summons and make out the cheque for say £600 rather than £60? will it be cashed or will it be sent back? and therefore left as this implies.

[Lawnmower Man]

Well apart from the link Doris gave.

When you get a Fixed penalty notice You have to send the cheque and your Driving Licence.

My guess is they don't send your Licence back with the overpayment cheque.    One might assume that your Licence sits in the file till you cash the cheque.   I think it more likely they cash your cheque and send off your Licence.  They may also send you a refund.

If it were true he Licence may not get the points added but when plod stops you and gives you the form to produce within 14 days You better cash the cheque PDQ,    Of course you need to cash the cheque within 6 months of its date of issue.  If you don't you have to go back to the court and say pretty please can I have a second cheque.  Then you have get it paid in and the court do what ever it has to do to verify you cashed it then send your licence off to get he points added.  The DVLA aren't know for their speed.   So you may well find your 14 days up!  Oh dear.  What is the penalty for failing to produce?

IMNSHO it's horse Poo!  Don't eat it Elmer!

t.

[Dangermouse]

I recall this from a few years back and by all accounts it has a basis in fact.
You could do this, but the loophole was closed very very quickly.

There must be other loopholes out there.....after all, this isn't the brightest government or bunch of legislators we've ever had.

[Lawnmower Man]

I find it difficult to believe there is any truth in this.   I doubt you would find anyone that had successfully exploited such a loophole.

As I see it the only way to get around hte whole thing would be for everyone to for go the Fixed Penalty and go to court.  They just could not handle the volume.

t.

[vqdave]

i've heard of this one before and do believe it to be a bag of bollox.