Speed Awareness Course

[Simpo Two]

LunarOne said:

I think I'd quite like to do jury duty, and I wouldn't mind doing a speed awareness course. But I haven't been caught speeding since 1995 despite liking a turn of speed. Now that they've reduced all my local NSL roads to 40 limits, I suppose it's just a matter of time because I generally ignore those ridiculous limits.

Try the A14 in Suffolk, it's like the Kammhuber Line. Three points, money back if not delighted.

[cerb4.5lee]

I'm booked in for one of these in May. I got caught the other week doing 35 in a 30, and it is the very first time that I've been officially caught in 34 years of driving(I have been pulled over a few times over the years for speeding, but I've always managed to talk myself out of getting done though). I'm not looking forward to it in honesty.

The most worrying thing for me about getting caught was that I didn't even realise I'd been caught. Apparently it was someone with a radar gun, but neither myself or my missus saw them though. So a bit of extra education about driving for me probably isn't such a bad idea to be fair!

[NFT]

cerb4.5lee said:

I'm booked in for one of these in May. I got caught the other week doing 35 in a 30, and it is the very first time that I've been officially caught in 34 years of driving(I have been pulled over a few times over the years for speeding, but I've always managed to talk myself out of getting done though). I'm not looking forward to it in honesty.

The most worrying thing for me about getting caught was that I didn't even realise I'd been caught. Apparently it was someone with a radar gun, but neither myself or my missus saw them though. So a bit of extra education about driving for me probably isn't such a bad idea to be fair!

Skin of the teeth catch, could it be by someone concealed in an unmarked vehicle or on a bridge?

Wouldn't feel bad, my area is using men with guns in unmarked cars, vans, and bikes going on bridges with gun to catch DC traffic.

[cerb4.5lee]

NFT said:

Skin of the teeth catch, could it be by someone concealed in an unmarked vehicle or on a bridge?

Wouldn't feel bad, my area is using men with guns in unmarked cars, vans, and bikes going on bridges with gun to catch DC traffic.

Cheers. I was seriously pissed off about it at first, but I've calmed down a bit since though.

Funnily enough I saw a copper the other day lent up against the bonnet of his black unmarked 3 series with a radar gun(in a 30mph area and he was dressed in all black), and I said to my missus that from a distance you just wouldn't see him(it was a grim and dark day too).

I thought it was quite clever in some ways though, and it was a really easy way for him to make some extra money for sure.

[clive_candy]

Simpo Two said:

LunarOne said:

I think I'd quite like to do jury duty, and I wouldn't mind doing a speed awareness course. But I haven't been caught speeding since 1995 despite liking a turn of speed. Now that they've reduced all my local NSL roads to 40 limits, I suppose it's just a matter of time because I generally ignore those ridiculous limits.

Try the A14 in Suffolk, it's like the Kammhuber Line. Three points, money back if not delighted.

Like it!

[CardinalBlue]

I did one this week - my first time caught speeding, doing 34 in a 30.

Did it online in an evening, and took just over two hours. Seemed they ran daily at various times so picked one to suit.

One person was kicked off the course…they turned their camera off multiple times - and were warned if they did it again they would be removed meaning that they’d paid for the course, but would get the fine and the points anyway as they hadn’t completed it… madness (on their part obviously, not the organisers).

[21TonyK]

NFT said:

21TonyK said:

Having been nicked doing 34 in a 30 average zone at 7:50am on Christmas Eve on the A303.

I found my SAC both useful and informative.

Never work Christmas Eve again and never use the A303.

Was it 34? Some on here claim its only at 35 they take action.

Not 100%, can check if its really an issue but whatever, it was marginal and on an empty road with average cameras on roadworks, early morning on Xmas eve.

Pisse me off because doing 62 (well 70+ really) in a 40 I only got 100 fine and 3 points a couple of months before being a few mph over a limit that served no purpose was irritating to say the least.

[NFT]

CardinalBlue said:

I did one this week - my first time caught speeding, doing 34 in a 30.

Did it online in an evening, and took just over two hours. Seemed they ran daily at various times so picked one to suit.

One person was kicked off the course…they turned their camera off multiple times - and were warned if they did it again they would be removed meaning that they’d paid for the course, but would get the fine and the points anyway as they hadn’t completed it… madness (on their part obviously, not the organisers).

Perhaps he had a supportive partner that wanted him to get the best from course by making it a positive and memorable experience, but they were overly "generous" whilst camera was off a little bit..

Just decided that's what will happen outside camera view if I do SAC, sure it will make the time worthwhile and allow me to recall the experience much better.

[cashmax]

nutsyH said:

GolfDragon said:

I don’t know if this is an urban myth but I heard if you get caught in a different locality and you’ve already done a speed awareness course (but in a different locality to the 2nd offence) you can still get offered another speed awareness course.

I did one with Dorset Constabulary, over zoom, and the cop was very careful to point out that a further offence "within the Dorset Constabulary area in the next 3 years" would not qualify for a further SAC.

I think Dorset are the only exception. I did one a couple of years ago in Dorset and one of the other guys on it said it was his second that week!

[NFT]

21TonyK said:

NFT said:

21TonyK said:

Having been nicked doing 34 in a 30 average zone at 7:50am on Christmas Eve on the A303.

I found my SAC both useful and informative.

Never work Christmas Eve again and never use the A303.

Was it 34? Some on here claim its only at 35 they take action.

Not 100%, can check if its really an issue but whatever, it was marginal and on an empty road with average cameras on roadworks, early morning on Xmas eve.

Pisse me off because doing 62 (well 70+ really) in a 40 I only got 100 fine and 3 points a couple of months before being a few mph over a limit that served no purpose was irritating to say the least.

Its normal to be pissed, I have a theory that the needless punishment/misrepresentation punishment was at all genuinely needed as "safe" driving was somehow "unsafe", often results in "the motions" being suffered, for some time, and whilst at the wheel. Which leaves safety schemes responsible for persistently creating a large mobile road risk group.

Now if only someone would take it up, do a study and ensure all punishment is safe and honestly due in the name of safety, use of law to enroll people safe to pursue, and not just part of a dangerous, and maximum enrolment model to get people in at signs and empty roads, to ensure this massive road risk group isn't created.

[WeirdNeville]

cerb4.5lee said:

I'm booked in for one of these in May. I got caught the other week doing 35 in a 30, and it is the very first time that I've been officially caught in 34 years of driving(I have been pulled over a few times over the years for speeding, but I've always managed to talk myself out of getting done though). I'm not looking forward to it in honesty.

The most worrying thing for me about getting caught was that I didn't even realise I'd been caught. Apparently it was someone with a radar gun, but neither myself or my missus saw them though. So a bit of extra education about driving for me probably isn't such a bad idea to be fair!

Don't worry, they're actually quite fun and engaging. Just take it on the chin and do the course in good faith. It's no bother. I've done 2, one in person and one online. 35.1 on the A40 flyover at 6am on a Sunday felt particularly vindictive, but taught me a lesson in Porsche Speedo accuracy (they are very accurate and 10%+3 can't be relied upon!).

A colleague did one and clocked a bloke sneaking out and coming back reeking of booze. called the plod and had him stopped rolling out of the car park at twice the legal limit! So, errr don't do that I guess.

[martinbiz]

WeirdNeville said:

(10%+3 can't be relied upon!).

it can be relied upon to get you a ticket

[halfpenny43]

Was visiting the UK, driving a rental car on the A14 and was caught at 79mph and have now been offered an online Speed Awareness Course.

I see there are lots of suppliers to choose from - are the any suggestions ?
TTC or DriveTech ?
Ticket came from the Norfolk and Suffolk Constabulary if that matters.

[VSKeith]

CardinalBlue said:

I did one this week - my first time caught speeding, doing 34 in a 30.

Did it online in an evening, and took just over two hours. Seemed they ran daily at various times so picked one to suit.

One person was kicked off the course…they turned their camera off multiple times - and were warned if they did it again they would be removed meaning that they’d paid for the course, but would get the fine and the points anyway as they hadn’t completed it… madness (on their part obviously, not the organisers).

Can't believe this was missed - could you post a pic of the 10% + 1 NIP?

[Ken_Code]

I’ve done three, one years ago and then two on the same day in 2022.

I can’t understand anyone choosing to take the points instead, it’s a couple of hours on Zoom while you have a cup of tea and biscuits.

[BertBert]

VSKeith said:

Can't believe this was missed - could you post a pic of the 10% + 1 NIP?

For the obvious reason that's not going to happen

[C70Rev]

Managed to almost get thrown off my course because I wasn’t bowing down to the speed kills mantra.
Trying to point out that it’s inappropriate speed which kills seems to confuse the instructor.
Having local police on site doing an audit probably didn’t help.

I like to believe this is still a free democratic country, however that do apply on a speed awareness course.

[LosingGrip]

cashmax said:

I think Dorset are the only exception. I did one a couple of years ago in Dorset and one of the other guys on it said it was his second that week!

Yeah Dorset aren't in a national scheme which means you can do a Dorset one and a national one within three years.

I've done a Dorset one and fk me it was dull! I'd actually consider taking points if I needed to do another (I say that...I'd take a course over points any day of the week).

[bigothunter]

C70Rev said:

I like to believe this is still a free democratic country, however that do apply on a speed awareness course.

Freedom and democracy have lost their value in modern Britain. We prefer conformity and obedience now.

[vonhosen]

C70Rev said:

Managed to almost get thrown off my course because I wasn’t bowing down to the speed kills mantra.
Trying to point out that it’s inappropriate speed which kills seems to confuse the instructor.
Having local police on site doing an audit probably didn’t help.

I like to believe this is still a free democratic country, however that do apply on a speed awareness course.

I suppose accurately people can die as a result of what you might consider appropriate speed too.
It's the energy in the collision that kills them whether that speed would have been considered appropriate for the conditions or not.
Higher speeds in collisions are more likely to result in deaths.
They will also probably consider any speeding to be inappropriate behaviour, after all it's the reason you are on the course or would have been fined/given points in lieu of the course. It's a defined inappropriate behaviour.