6 months ago I’ve gotten done for doing 90 over around 3am on a motorway. A highway detected my speed with lidar, pulled me over gave me a scolding for driving such speed in a shitbox that’s not built for these speeds(which is fair enough, if not for the big downhill for 2km I couldn’t even go above 150) and I got the 6 month suspension on the spot. Obviously not the best decision which I have regretted within the last 6 months.
I’ve just gotten the demerit suspension in the mail yesterday from tfnsw(was on red Ps, one day before getting my green Ps at the time of the offence). I know the general census on this subreddit is “if you are p plater no leniency/appealing is wasting time etc.” but over the last 6 months I’ve been commuting to uni 4 days a week 3hrs on public transport one way which is 1hr 20 mins by car and working in the construction industry all around Sydney similarly 1.5-2hrs by public transport one way which would have been a 30-45 minute drive instead. Put it this way, the extra commute taught me quick how valuable that drivers license was…
I understood that my initial offence was deserving of the 6 month suspension so I didn’t even think to appeal the initial one but would anyone with knowledge of recent cases be able to comment on whether spending the 2-3k on a lawyer could result in a decrease in the demerit suspension period? I understand that there should be punishment for such large infraction but spending more than 2-3 weeks extra of time on commuting over the last 6 months have taught me a great lesson. My concern is that a magistrate would see that I was able to deal with it for 6 months so why couldn’t I do it for another 3, but my dad recently got laid off so my construction job will be the sole income for my family which won’t be enough unless I’m able to work the nights(which is nearly impossible with public transport). I thought it might be better to gauge my chances before spending the $400 a consultation would cost with a lawyer.