ABD Launches Campaign Against Speed Awareness Courses

[deeps]

Also, how would people feel about a successful legal action against the course operators, ruling that all monies obtained from course fees should be refunded?

It would be quite a biggy, justice and refunds on PPI scale.

[Du1point8]

deeps said:

Also, how would people feel about a successful legal action against the course operators, ruling that all monies obtained from course fees should be refunded?

It would be quite a biggy, justice and refunds on PPI scale.

So you want people to just have points and bans instead?

[OwenK]

Ok I see your point now and it could be a valid one.

I think you have a hard sell on your hands though because a speed course is better for the INDIVIDUAL (no points) and you're asking people to throw away that "benefit" on the promise that they may not have been caught speeding at all.

I did a course last year and it was good, I had no problem with it. However my offence was 79 on a deserted dual carriageway at 10pm in good conditions - 100mph would have been safe - and I think I've recently been done at 5am on an empty country road, so I see where you're coming from.

Saying that, most people on the course were done for offences in built up areas and some of them near schools where they just hadn't been paying attention, and those are the people that really do need a course. I accept my speeding incidents were my own choice.

[lord trumpton]

LordHaveMurci said:

My OH was very happy to accept one last week, 1st time in 15yrs .

Childish but

[powerstroke]

Sorry but I think they are good , firstly what else could the sort of smug worthy type people who run them do? maybe you
think they could audit paper clips or become traffic wardens,
and since the police no longer command much respect it saves them telling people off ,
anyway if you don't speed then you are a safe driver and won't have to attend a course......

Edited by powerstroke on Thursday 21st July 06:35

[Riley Blue]

deeps said:

I did suspect many people would miss the point. This is exactly how they are getting away with offering these courses and raking in millions!

To summarise:

[Lots of words]

That was longer than your original post. Brevity in all things otherwise your message, as on this occasion, risks being lost.

[bennyboysvuk]

Du1point8 said:

deeps said:

Also, how would people feel about a successful legal action against the course operators, ruling that all monies obtained from course fees should be refunded?

It would be quite a biggy, justice and refunds on PPI scale.

So you want people to just have points and bans instead?

I suspect the point is that if the courses were not raking in the cash, as they are reported to be, then there would be no funding for mobile camera vans to catch you in the first place.

[Ninja59]

I take the OP's point, but there is another obvious element to all of this...there simply is not enough police to go around the UK's roads and deal with people.Furthermore, most of Kent's finest end up dealing with the M20/M2/A20 most of the time.

As for the usage of cameras well the M25 is full of the buggers, Kent seems to have the majority ironically on there and the safety camera partnership have not updated the online map for donkeys.

As for lowering (in some cases dramatically) then it is not just the safety camera partnership, but the relevant council authority as well that are not helping.

If they removed SAC there would be another income stream sometime in the future anyway, and with so many people being me focused these days then chances are you are unlikely to fight against the no points situation.

[jamieduff1981]

I think I'd rather just have the points than lose a day of my life at one of these courses.

[Johnnytheboy]

Du1point8 said:

deeps said:

Also, how would people feel about a successful legal action against the course operators, ruling that all monies obtained from course fees should be refunded?

It would be quite a biggy, justice and refunds on PPI scale.

So you want people to just have points and bans instead?

As far as I understand it, the ABD's point is the growth in courses is driving the increase in people being caught, since the funding arrangements were changed.

The safety camera partnerships oddly lost all interest in people receiving fines and points when they stopped receiving the revenue.

[xRIEx]

deeps said:

Some greedy, clever ex police chiefs then saw an opening in the market, to make lots of money by bypassing the Fixed Penalty Notice method (which the treasury now receives) and instead offering speed awareness courses. This way they could once again cream off most of the money. The courses now make multi millions of pounds which is divided among the operating parties, including the police.

So instead of the money going to the treasury, the money goes to the police force. Who are funded by the treasury.

Sorry, I'm still seeing no reason to care.

[LordHaveMurci]

lord trumpton said:

LordHaveMurci said:

My OH was very happy to accept one last week, 1st time in 15yrs .

Childish but

Uncomfortably close to the truth too

[CypSIdders]

waremark said:

Another here who believes that they are generally a good thing. I have attended two.

stumpage said:

I've now done 3 SACs.

So not that effective then!

[TooMany2cvs]

Johnnytheboy said:

As far as I understand it, the ABD's point is the growth in courses is driving the increase in people being caught, since the funding arrangements were changed.

It's simpler than that. The Association of Boring dheads want everybody to be able to do whatever they want behind the wheel, and anything that prevents them from doing so is just SOOOOOOOO UNFAAAAAIR, Mum.

You just need to look at the OP's use of terms like "blackmail" and "prey on". It's very fking simple. Can't do the time? Don't do the crime.

[Thorburn]

jamieduff1981 said:

I think I'd rather just have the points than lose a day of my life at one of these courses.

That is an option anyway.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

jamieduff1981 said:

I think I'd rather just have the points than lose a day of my life at one of these courses.

No one is stopping you. That's the great thing about having a choice.

[Johnnytheboy]

TooMany2cvs said:

It's simpler than that. The Association of Boring dheads want everybody to be able to do whatever they want behind the wheel, and anything that prevents them from doing so is just SOOOOOOOO UNFAAAAAIR, Mum.

You just need to look at the OP's use of terms like "blackmail" and "prey on". It's very fking simple. Can't do the time? Don't do the crime.

Erudite.

[RemyMartin]

CypSIdders said:

waremark said:

Another here who believes that they are generally a good thing. I have attended two.

stumpage said:

I've now done 3 SACs.

So not that effective then!

Quite. It definitely should only be offered once and that's it forever. If you don't learn after one you never will.

[addsvrs]

Whatever the in's and out's, i went above the speed limit for that road, and got caught. About time people took responsibility for their actions instead of blaming everyone else.

[brman]

Johnnytheboy said:

TooMany2cvs said:

It's simpler than that. The Association of Boring dheads want everybody to be able to do whatever they want behind the wheel, and anything that prevents them from doing so is just SOOOOOOOO UNFAAAAAIR, Mum.

You just need to look at the OP's use of terms like "blackmail" and "prey on". It's very fking simple. Can't do the time? Don't do the crime.

Erudite.

and correct

Bottom line is, go over the speed limit and get caught and you will either be paying cash to the courts (or whoever takes the fines) or these courses. If you don't want to do that then don't speed.
And if you think the speed limit is incorrect for the road then campaign to have that changed, don't attack the symptom!
This "it isn't fair, I got caught doing something wrong" attitude really doesn't help anyones cause.....

btw. as others have said, the police need all the money then can get, if they don't get it from these courses then they need to get it from the tax payer some other way.