Winter, schminter! Summer started 1st December.
Beamish, I was already on "good behaviour". Over here, if you accumulate your 12 demerit points within four years, you can choose between a 3 month suspension or a 12 month good behaviour period (basically, 12 months without a fine). But yes, the slate is wiped clean afterwards. My good behaviour period would've finished 8th Feb, so I didn't quite make it. The gamble is that if you do stuff up whilst on good behaviour, you get double the suspension. I've never been an overly productive gambler...
The "good behaviour period" is only an option if you've lost your points gradually. If you get done for DD or excessive speeding (40k over, or 30 in some states), then it's an automatic suspension.
I shouldn't have any trouble with the Hardship thingie since I'm female, live on my own & work mainly night duty, often not starting until 10:45pm, ie, well after dark. Plus I'm only in a small city (pop. about 120,000) & the public transport is crap. Being a nurse probably won't hurt either. I'm not sure if I'll go back to zero demerits afterwards though
Worst thing is, my fella just got got again, which'll be his 12 points gone too! Nothing like a nice push-bike ride with your sweetheart, eh?
We used to get only 9 points, but they vanished after a year. It was doable, but the system's near impossible now for the average rider to keep their licence.
I think this'll be Incy's 5th suspension...