Speed awareness course?

[fhwong]

I just got a speeding ticket and they are offering me the opportunity to attend a speed awareness course for £60 and I don't get 3 points on my license.

I was doing a mind blowing 35mph in a 30mph zone in the middle of Wales on a Sunday afternoon.

Anyway the problem is I live in London and the awareness course is in North Wales which is a bit of a trek. Has anyone had one of these? Are you able to attend a course nearer to London if I write to them? Or can I only do it in Wales?

Is it worth going all the way there to save 3 points on my license? I currently have a clean license. Will my premium go up that much? If I get another 3 (by mistake) will it be serious?

Thanks.

[WildCat]

fhwong said:

I just got a speeding ticket and they are offering me the opportunity to attend a speed awareness course for £60 and I don't get 3 points on my license.

I was doing a mind blowing 35mph in a 30mph zone in the middle of Wales on a Sunday afternoon.

Anyway the problem is I live in London and the awareness course is in North Wales which is a bit of a trek. Has anyone had one of these? Are you able to attend a course nearer to London if I write to them? Or can I only do it in Wales?

Is it worth going all the way there to save 3 points on my license? I currently have a clean license. Will my premium go up that much? If I get another 3 (by mistake) will it be serious?

Thanks.

1. You have to do this course in Wales. I think ist mainly hazard perception - I hear not as good as the Lancs one which does at least formally teach und remind of COAST. Lancs ist twice this amount though - but ist whole day und I understand from those who have attended - und the leaflets they gave me und which I posted to Paul's forum - they hammer COAST throughout. Wales at £60 would be I think like TVP's version .. DVD hazard perception und the usual mantra. But ist your call whether to sacrifice quarter of licence und possible extra £30 on insurance for 5 years against a morning in Wales und no obligation to notify insurers at all. But when I say extra £30 ...ist case of shop around as I go off anecdotes here.. some (und fewer) load for three points und growing number of inusrers I understand are not doing so as ist becoming "norm" (which seem to fly in face of the scammers too )

2. If you decide to take the hit instead - shop around for insurance. Most now seem not to load for three points und Mad Doc und self who have "licences as clean as first issued" are told we are in "minority now"

3. I think they would load about extra £50 upwards depending on insurer for 6 points - but this depend on insurer - so again you'd have to shop around carefully for best deal.

4. Points are declareable for 3 years officially - und count toward tot-up for this period. They remain on licence data for 4 years und if you get to 9 points toward end of three year for first three - think that when they may include those older points if tot up offence occur before official cut-off for the first three.

However - you have to declare all points to insurers for five years

5. If you decide too much hassle to return to Wales (und do be careful on way to course if you decide to take it.. see the "Brustrom ist idiot thread" ) - und you htink you may be in danger of another blip given the reliance on these things

i) Buy a Road Angel or an origin b2 (I like this because gadget flash up speed limit as well if you missed the lolly for any reason.. bleeps at schools und on approach to congestion zones und you can set to blip for overspeed too)

ii) Do a refresher with ADI or go for an IAM course.

[turbobloke]

Speed awareness? I'm aware of the need for speed does that count?

[Mad_Morris]

My speedo broke the other day and I haven't been able to get a cable yet to fix it - watch out for a crawling Morris Traveller around Leicester! Only joking, most of my daily run is on the motorway, and the rest of the time I just keep with the flow, but I'll be really annoyed if I get a ticket! Especially the way some of the drivers around here zoom about! I should be getting a cable early next week to repair it, until then I still wish to keep my lovely clean licence, thankyou! A minority eh . . . ? Interesting, I wonder if this is before or after cameras were introduced?

[Dwight VanDriver]

The ACPO (Association of Police Officers for England and WALES) in their document 'Guidance for the Introduction of a National Speed Awareness Course'
it stateth that if such a course is offered then in relation to non local offenders the course can be taken in their home area.

So......scribe forth and ask for a local appointment quoting the above.

dvd