Dizzy Posted July 9, 2012 Report Share Posted July 9, 2012 Speed Awareness Courses..... These are the 4 hour courses you are invited to attend if caught speeding just over the limit rather than getting 3 points on your licence if it's your first offence. Has anyone been on one of these and what did you think of it? Did it change your driving habits and make you more aware of the possible consequences of your actions of accidentally or intentionally going a little bit faster than you should have been doing ? or Did it make no difference to you as you were so peeved at say being caught at 35 - 39 mph on a 30 limit and having to spend 4 hours in a classroom that you just weren't interested but you went along with it so you didn't have to have the points. And before you ask NO I haven't got a speeding ticket... I just wondered as I've heard people say they were a waste of time but then others say they were a real eye opener. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victor Posted July 9, 2012 Report Share Posted July 9, 2012 Dizzy, I'll let you know as I am going on one tomorrow (Tuesday) !!!! I was clocked on Winwick Road doing 35 MPH at 6:30 am on a Sunday morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
algy Posted July 9, 2012 Report Share Posted July 9, 2012 Dizzy, I'll let you know as I am going on one tomorrow (Tuesday) !!!! I was clocked on Winwick Road doing 35 MPH at 6:30 am on a Sunday morning. Two neighbours of ours have both been on the course and said that they thought it worthwhile and informative. I passed my driving test in 1967 and I'm the first to admit that there is no way that I would pass the present day driving test. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted July 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 9, 2012 Blimey Victor you made me jump there ... it's almost 4 months since you last posted and I didn't expect you to see this. Funnily enough your very last post on 15 February 2012 was about 'speed' too (broadband though rather than the 'other') Good to see that you are still lurking in the forum shadows but maybe a more regular and constant steady speed in posting in future is more favourable to the foot on the pedal sort Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted July 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 9, 2012 I don't think I'd pass mine either Algy as it took me quite a few attempts to pass the sample theory tests on my sons cd when he was revising for his and I don't think I drive 'aggressively' enough to pass my practical. I must admit having looked through and tried to answer questions on the highway code again recently too there's a heck of a lot of that I don't seem to know either and my other half says the same despite us both driving for over 30 years and never having an accident (I touched wood as I typed that) PS I was only 3 when you passed your driving test Algy x Looking forward to hearing how you go on tomorrow Victor and what it actually consists of.... that's if you don't get locked up of course for living upto your namesake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazj Posted July 9, 2012 Report Share Posted July 9, 2012 With some of my cars; I'm lucky to get to thirty!!! But seriously, the speed awareness courses appear to be a very good money making scam and an opportunity for plod to patronise you... that was the impression I got from my mate who did one. He did however say there was some "interseting facts" banded about..... and we all know from having read Kijes posts over the past few years that we couldn't possibly exist if we didn't have the facts!! My mate also came up with a good point; cars these days are capable of ever increasing speeds and there seems to be a conspiracy to drive speed limits down so consequently more people get caught speeding (I never have speeded ever officer which is why I have never had a speeding conviction!)... but if you manage to catch the same person 4 times in a few years, the source of income from that individual dries up (he doesn't pay road tax, insurance tax, fuel tax, VAT etc etc....) so to avert that disaster; the plod came up with the speed awareness courses which basically gives the driver another chance but also gives plod and the government an extra slice of income that they wouldn't have had by banning him! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inky pete Posted July 10, 2012 Report Share Posted July 10, 2012 I did a speed awareness course last year (34mph in a 30 limit at some ungodly hour of the morning when there wasn't a soul about!) 4 hours of patronising, finger wagging, dodgy "facts" and statistics that didn't hold up to even basic scrutiny. I thought at one point I was going to get thrown off the course when I pointed out that the statistics being spouted defied the basic rules of arithmetic. Mine was run by 2 ex-coppers. They were doing 3 courses in a day - morning, afternoon and evening - with about 20 people on each course, at £60 a head. Now that is REALLY nice money for old rope if you can get it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted July 10, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 10, 2012 If all those people took the 3 points instead they would still have to pay a £60 fine too....so surely they make a lot more money that way than than they do charging the same amount for a 4 hour course and wages for whoever is running it. I'm slightly worried when you say the stats and calculations didn't add up though and I hope Victor doesn't read that before he goes or he will be analysing and scrutinising them in detail and could get in trouble Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil Sid Posted July 10, 2012 Report Share Posted July 10, 2012 Diz they can get you for the first one and instead of three points you do the course and pay £60. The second time you don't get to do the course but instead get three points and pay the £60 fine the third time three points and a £60 fine the fourth time three points and a £60 fine that give them a chance at a fifth go at you which is another three points and £60 fine and loss of license. So that is a total of £300 from you before you get banned as opposed to £240 plus all the added revenue from tax and ffuel duty they collect up to the time you get banned. very sneaky that is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverlady54 Posted July 10, 2012 Report Share Posted July 10, 2012 I'm more concerned about the drivers who have over 12 points on their license for driving misdemeanours (possibly not just speeding) but are still allowed to drive around because they have come up with a good reason not to be deprived of their cars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted July 10, 2012 Report Share Posted July 10, 2012 So let's clarify - it's £60 plus three points on your licence OR £60 plus time out on one of these courses? Errm, think I'd just take the points! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inky pete Posted July 10, 2012 Report Share Posted July 10, 2012 My point is that the £60 for a speed awareness course goes to the company running the course (usually ex-coppers who've got the nice fat contract because of who they know). The £60 fine if you take the points goes into the general tax coffers - so at least it goes towards balancing the nations books a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolfie Posted July 10, 2012 Report Share Posted July 10, 2012 Do they have Fountain Awareness courses. Watch out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lt Kije Posted July 11, 2012 Report Share Posted July 11, 2012 Silverlady If you ban someone who has 12points (speeding) they loose their job, and will claim benefit, so do you alow them to drive and pay taxes or do you ban them and then pay them benefits. We should get rid of the points system all together!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Posted July 11, 2012 Report Share Posted July 11, 2012 When it comes to speed, I don’t think that the fixed three point system is right and a fairer proportional method wouldn’t be that hard to come up with. I believe that I’m a perfectly normal responsible driver and yet I’ve had a total of four speeding tickets. In every case I was only marginally over the limit and for this I’m treated in the same way as the utter head cases and I don’t feel that’s right. Would I attend the course? No I wouldn’t as I believe I’m intelligent enough to understand the facts and figures without having it pushed down my throat. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazj Posted July 11, 2012 Report Share Posted July 11, 2012 Bill I would disagree.... I am a perfectly normal responsible driver and yet I’ve never had any speeding tickets... being marginally over the limit is over the limit. Most car speedos are calibrated slightly under what they show anyway so you may have been going faster than you think..... also, utter head cases are not treated in the same way as most utter head cases tend to be banned for dangerous or careless driving on top of whatever speed they are doing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lt Kije Posted July 11, 2012 Report Share Posted July 11, 2012 Never been done for speeding Baz , With your luck can you give me the lottery numbers for Friday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted July 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 11, 2012 I've never had a speeding ticket either and I've been driving for nearly 30 years but I've never won the lottery either so no point in asking me too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazj Posted July 12, 2012 Report Share Posted July 12, 2012 Never been done for speeding Baz , With your luck can you give me the lottery numbers for Friday. Kije.... I don't speed..... I use my cruise control all the time on this car because it slows down for you instead of having to brake and reapply.... I have had points; I got 3 points about 7 years ago when i went through a red light camera in a Corsair because the brakes didn't work.... there was nothing else on the road at the time (and it did that annoying thing of changing to red when you as the only car on the road, are approaching) My other points were way back in 1989... driving my 3.0 4x4 Granada... stopped at the junction of Longshaw Street and Lilford Avenue on Dec13th it was dark and really wet. I eased the car out of the junction; and suddenly had a young lad on a scooter thing right between my headlamps... I had two witnesses that said he had no lights on; which I have always maintained was the way I saw it too.... he had no lights on.... but it went against me thanks to the plod and I got a £100 fine too!!.... thank heavens there was none of that no win no fee nonsense back then!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted July 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 12, 2012 .... I am a perfectly normal responsible driver and yet I’ve never had any speeding tickets... So that was clearly a fib then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazj Posted July 12, 2012 Report Share Posted July 12, 2012 So that was clearly a fib then not at all!! I have never had a speeding ticket.... unlike some speed demons on here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverlady54 Posted July 12, 2012 Report Share Posted July 12, 2012 Silverlady If you ban someone who has 12points (speeding) they loose their job, and will claim benefit, so do you alow them to drive and pay taxes or do you ban them and then pay them benefits. We should get rid of the points system all together!!! My point was more that some of these people who have more than 12 points didn't just get them for speeding! I don't really follow your logic on losing your job if you are banned - there's public transport or lifts etc. and if it was so important to keep their license for their job, they should be more aware of speed and take responsibility for their actions! Isn't 9 points warning enough? Should we never ban anyone from driving just because it is for speeding? They are often the ones who aren't paying attention to what is going on around them. (I don't include the ones 2 or 3 miles over the limit on an empty road in this). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted July 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 12, 2012 Sorry Baz... my mistake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil Sid Posted July 12, 2012 Report Share Posted July 12, 2012 Can honestly say have only ever had one speeding fine and that was on chester road after overtaking a slow moving articulated wagon and was unlucky enough to be caught by traffic police on their radar unit, despite the fact that I had just about finished overtaking and was slowing down in front of the said articulated vehicle. That was in 1977 about three weeks after passing my test. even though I explained that I was overtaking and that once past I was slowing down I still ended up with a fine. Only other time I came close to getting a speeding fine was in 1976 before I got my first real motor bike. Was tootling over the bridge at kingsway heading for latchford when I was overtaken by another motorcyclist. do not know what he was riding only that it was noisy and fast. He had turned off just about where the flats are and i carried on my merry way only to be pulled up by a police car that was lurking around the next bend. The showed me the reading that they had got and it was over sixty. they did not seem very impressed when I laughed ta them (they never are) and pointed out that the only time my machine would ever get up to a speed approaching sixty mph was if they dropped it out of an aircraft at thirty thousand feet. after a bit of scrutiny of said machine they reluctantly agreed and allowed me go about my way. The motorcycle I had at the time was a battered putsch(not sure about spelling of that as it was a while back) moped with two gears and a top speed, down a long hill with a gale force tail wind of thirty five mph. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asperity Posted July 14, 2012 Report Share Posted July 14, 2012 :grin: :grin: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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