Speed Awareness Course
Discussion
Firstly, sorry for this thread, I know they've been discussed 1000 times but for life of me can't find a thread!
This afternoon on way from Leeds to Nottingham reckon I've been flashed.
Broken down vehicle so temp speed limit of 40 on the gantrys. Very slow moving traffic so barely got above 20. Cleared the breakdown and traffic started to pull away so accelerated to keep pace (Alittle too much). I was closing on the vehicle ahead (about 30 metres) when *Flash Flash*.... Bo****Ks. Quick look at speedo and indicated 48, glance at phone and GPS of 47 just dropping to 46. Reckon must have been me, no traffic was closing on my inside and I was in the outside lane.
Fair enough, no excuses, my fault and won't be looking for any technical loophole to jump through. Annoying as was about 100 metres past the breakdown and the next gantry showed NSL, the gantry with camera though was still 40 so... Bugger.
I'm aware they have 14 days to issue the NIP (Car is registered to me and had it for years, not moved etc) and I'm in SACs territory. Not done a course before and had a clean license for 17 years now.
I was on the border of Derbyshire/Nottinghamshire. About 1/2 mile North of Tibshelf services, a DE55 postcode (Derby) so I assume Derbyshire Police will be dealing. Does anyone know the rough price of these courses now? Did some Googling and saw prices ranging from £91 into the hundreds!
Can I transfer the course into my home county? Derbyshire isn't far but be easier closer to home.
What do these courses involve? Am I going to be bored to tears for hours on end or did anyone actually take anything from it?
Any advice? Sit and back and keep mouth shut or get involved?
Again, sorry for the veterans who have seen these threads a thousand times. Just want to know what to expect.
Thanks.
This afternoon on way from Leeds to Nottingham reckon I've been flashed.
Broken down vehicle so temp speed limit of 40 on the gantrys. Very slow moving traffic so barely got above 20. Cleared the breakdown and traffic started to pull away so accelerated to keep pace (Alittle too much). I was closing on the vehicle ahead (about 30 metres) when *Flash Flash*.... Bo****Ks. Quick look at speedo and indicated 48, glance at phone and GPS of 47 just dropping to 46. Reckon must have been me, no traffic was closing on my inside and I was in the outside lane.
Fair enough, no excuses, my fault and won't be looking for any technical loophole to jump through. Annoying as was about 100 metres past the breakdown and the next gantry showed NSL, the gantry with camera though was still 40 so... Bugger.
I'm aware they have 14 days to issue the NIP (Car is registered to me and had it for years, not moved etc) and I'm in SACs territory. Not done a course before and had a clean license for 17 years now.
I was on the border of Derbyshire/Nottinghamshire. About 1/2 mile North of Tibshelf services, a DE55 postcode (Derby) so I assume Derbyshire Police will be dealing. Does anyone know the rough price of these courses now? Did some Googling and saw prices ranging from £91 into the hundreds!
Can I transfer the course into my home county? Derbyshire isn't far but be easier closer to home.
What do these courses involve? Am I going to be bored to tears for hours on end or did anyone actually take anything from it?
Any advice? Sit and back and keep mouth shut or get involved?
Again, sorry for the veterans who have seen these threads a thousand times. Just want to know what to expect.
Thanks.
A couple years back I got snapped on the M4 near Cardiff and did the course at the local fire station which is over the border in England.
Essentially if you agree to do a course you have a certain amount of time to complete it and have the option to choose a location more suitable than where the offence took place.
IIRC the charge was circa £90-£100 wherever you took it.
Personally I found it of interest insomuch that it confirmed how little people know about the highway code...
An HGV driver on the course got every question wrong in regards to speed limits on different roads as he wasn't aware that rules had changed affecting HGVs.
I was the only person to be able to identify a dual carriageway successfully, it was also fun watching a Hell's Angel type of biker wanting to fight with the HGV driver.... At this point the course leader earned his money by stopping it fully kicking off.
Be prepared to participate try not to be controversial, and be be prepared to accept that as a driver everything is your fault as you should have anticpated the hazards....
Essentially if you agree to do a course you have a certain amount of time to complete it and have the option to choose a location more suitable than where the offence took place.
IIRC the charge was circa £90-£100 wherever you took it.
Personally I found it of interest insomuch that it confirmed how little people know about the highway code...
An HGV driver on the course got every question wrong in regards to speed limits on different roads as he wasn't aware that rules had changed affecting HGVs.
I was the only person to be able to identify a dual carriageway successfully, it was also fun watching a Hell's Angel type of biker wanting to fight with the HGV driver.... At this point the course leader earned his money by stopping it fully kicking off.
Be prepared to participate try not to be controversial, and be be prepared to accept that as a driver everything is your fault as you should have anticpated the hazards....
Edited by Seesure on Wednesday 20th November 17:39
I did my first and only one last year, and it was about £150 I seem to remember so more than the £100 standard fine but you avoid the points.
It was held at a hotel (Holiday Inn I think) in south Basingstoke by 2 ex-coppers who absolutely bored the ar*e off me for the half day.
I was tempted at one point to just walk out and take the penalty but thought as I was already there I would sit it out. If I got one again (you can't for at least 3 years) I must admit I'd just take the penalty if the licence was still clean.
I answered quite a few of the questions they asked the group (if you didn't volunteer they would pick on the quiet ones) and when I was able to answer pretty much everything in detail they asked had I done a course before and I said no, but I am a biker (although I was caught in the car) so like many who 'may' speed frequently I make sure I know the rules I 'may' have chosen to break but just got unlucky getting caught. I did point out they being there does not mean people don't know the rules, they 'may' have just consciously chosen to break them.......
I couldn't get out of there quick enough at the end, to half a day's worth of work e-mails to catch up on.......
I do drive a lot for business though hence liking a clean licence to give me some margin if I were to get caught again before point start to not make prizes.
I had a website I had to log into to choose a venue but as I was done in Aldermaston (Berkshire, just) and did the course in Basingstoke (Hampshire) I assume police district lines are not applicable and you can choose wherever. It wouldn't make sense if done on a drive to Yorkshire for instance but living down south to have to go back up there for a course - even more wasted time!
It was held at a hotel (Holiday Inn I think) in south Basingstoke by 2 ex-coppers who absolutely bored the ar*e off me for the half day.
I was tempted at one point to just walk out and take the penalty but thought as I was already there I would sit it out. If I got one again (you can't for at least 3 years) I must admit I'd just take the penalty if the licence was still clean.
I answered quite a few of the questions they asked the group (if you didn't volunteer they would pick on the quiet ones) and when I was able to answer pretty much everything in detail they asked had I done a course before and I said no, but I am a biker (although I was caught in the car) so like many who 'may' speed frequently I make sure I know the rules I 'may' have chosen to break but just got unlucky getting caught. I did point out they being there does not mean people don't know the rules, they 'may' have just consciously chosen to break them.......
I couldn't get out of there quick enough at the end, to half a day's worth of work e-mails to catch up on.......
I do drive a lot for business though hence liking a clean licence to give me some margin if I were to get caught again before point start to not make prizes.
I had a website I had to log into to choose a venue but as I was done in Aldermaston (Berkshire, just) and did the course in Basingstoke (Hampshire) I assume police district lines are not applicable and you can choose wherever. It wouldn't make sense if done on a drive to Yorkshire for instance but living down south to have to go back up there for a course - even more wasted time!
Thanks for the input.
Least I'll be able to do it closer to home.
Have to weigh up the costs.. I'm self employed so half a day not working is money missing plus the course cost. Need to balance that against possible insurance increase over the next X years (3?) and the FPN fine. License is clean at moment so no worries about a ban.
Course sounds like a mixed bag and depends on who you are attending with and the instructors... I'm tempted to do it just for the experience.
Thanks everyone for input though, very helpful.
Least I'll be able to do it closer to home.
Have to weigh up the costs.. I'm self employed so half a day not working is money missing plus the course cost. Need to balance that against possible insurance increase over the next X years (3?) and the FPN fine. License is clean at moment so no worries about a ban.
Course sounds like a mixed bag and depends on who you are attending with and the instructors... I'm tempted to do it just for the experience.
Thanks everyone for input though, very helpful.
The majority is a real PITA borefest, with the hosts/entertainers/teachers being marginally unemployable in any other role other than pro patronisers.
I asked about the relevance of stopping distances and why they have been the same in the highway code since 1966.
The drone replied that there was no real improvement unless (said with a smug look) your car had carbon ceramic brakes which are the only things that would make a real difference.
He got a bit tetchy when I piped up and said my Porsche has Carbon Ceramic Brakes as a £5.5k option and were a bit average until warmed up. Additionally, I pointed out that a 1966 Ford Anglia on modern tyres would stop better on modern tyres anyway, so not sure what the Highway Codes point was, given the scarcity of 1966 cars on the road.
andygo said:
...I piped up and said my Porsche has Carbon Ceramic Brakes as a £5.5k option....
Yeah, there were a couple of blokes like that when I did a course circa 2014. The course was given by an ex police driving instructor. Those blokes had hotbox Audis, ISTR, and burned a bit of expensive rubber as they squealed out of the car park after snorting and scoffing their way through the course. Looooaaaaaddddsss a MONEY.
andygo said:
The majority is a real PITA borefest, with the hosts/entertainers/teachers being marginally unemployable in any other role other than pro patronisers.
I asked about the relevance of stopping distances and why they have been the same in the highway code since 1966.
The drone replied that there was no real improvement unless (said with a smug look) your car had carbon ceramic brakes which are the only things that would make a real difference.
He got a bit tetchy when I piped up and said my Porsche has Carbon Ceramic Brakes as a £5.5k option and were a bit average until warmed up. Additionally, I pointed out that a 1966 Ford Anglia on modern tyres would stop better on modern tyres anyway, so not sure what the Highway Codes point was, given the scarcity of 1966 cars on the road.
I asked about the relevance of stopping distances and why they have been the same in the highway code since 1966.
The drone replied that there was no real improvement unless (said with a smug look) your car had carbon ceramic brakes which are the only things that would make a real difference.
He got a bit tetchy when I piped up and said my Porsche has Carbon Ceramic Brakes as a £5.5k option and were a bit average until warmed up. Additionally, I pointed out that a 1966 Ford Anglia on modern tyres would stop better on modern tyres anyway, so not sure what the Highway Codes point was, given the scarcity of 1966 cars on the road.
CoreyDog said:
Have to weigh up the costs.. I'm self employed so half a day not working is money missing plus the course cost. Need to balance that against possible insurance increase over the next X years (3?) and the FPN fine. License is clean at moment so no worries about a ban.
Depending on location some SAC's are also run at weekends so, unless you work more than five days a week, you can attend without losing any income!gazza285 said:
It'll not be an SAC, it will be a Motorway Awareness Course. Not that it is any less tedious. The only thing it made me more aware of was how little most people know about driving.
And as the motorway course has lots of content about smart motorways, it's even more amazing how few people even know what they are. Plus the propaganda about all the amazeballs benefits of smart motorways. Couldn't get a better morning out!Got my sac next Friday as I was caught by a mobile van at 46 in a 40 near Stroud. You can take the course anywhere as the website records your nip number and links to your licence.
Speaking to people at work who have done it they say that the content lasts four hours but could be completed in forty minutes.
£88 for the privilege of being bored but better than points I guess.
Speaking to people at work who have done it they say that the content lasts four hours but could be completed in forty minutes.
£88 for the privilege of being bored but better than points I guess.
Not all SAC are boring. Turn up, switch your phone off (otherwise a potential fail for the course), answer sensibly and ask sensible questions. I have done two in the last 8 years. Just enjoy and feel smug about how little other drivers know. Oh, swat up on NSL speeds for vehicles other than cars, very few know them fully.
I got caught out assume that the suburban dual carriageway road I had used in another town was 40. It had been dropped to 30 (I was thus doing 37 in a 30). My take away point, if you are driving straight you will see a change of speed sign, if you turn into another road then assume there may well be a change of speed, so drop to 30 until you see a repeater sign that confirms the speed. The signs were not best positioned, and partly obscured by traffic lights at a Pelican crossing, I thought it pointless to protest that.
I got caught out assume that the suburban dual carriageway road I had used in another town was 40. It had been dropped to 30 (I was thus doing 37 in a 30). My take away point, if you are driving straight you will see a change of speed sign, if you turn into another road then assume there may well be a change of speed, so drop to 30 until you see a repeater sign that confirms the speed. The signs were not best positioned, and partly obscured by traffic lights at a Pelican crossing, I thought it pointless to protest that.
andygo said:
The majority is a real PITA borefest, with the hosts/entertainers/teachers being marginally unemployable in any other role other than pro patronisers.
I asked about the relevance of stopping distances and why they have been the same in the highway code since 1966.
The drone replied that there was no real improvement unless (said with a smug look) your car had carbon ceramic brakes which are the only things that would make a real difference.
He got a bit tetchy when I piped up and said my Porsche has Carbon Ceramic Brakes as a £5.5k option and were a bit average until warmed up. Additionally, I pointed out that a 1966 Ford Anglia on modern tyres would stop better on modern tyres anyway, so not sure what the Highway Codes point was, given the scarcity of 1966 cars on the road.
The good thing about carbon-ceramic brakes is, they can stop you quicker than steel brakes, saving you from writing off your expensive car by smashing the front end up, ploughing into the car ahead if it stops suddenly.I asked about the relevance of stopping distances and why they have been the same in the highway code since 1966.
The drone replied that there was no real improvement unless (said with a smug look) your car had carbon ceramic brakes which are the only things that would make a real difference.
He got a bit tetchy when I piped up and said my Porsche has Carbon Ceramic Brakes as a £5.5k option and were a bit average until warmed up. Additionally, I pointed out that a 1966 Ford Anglia on modern tyres would stop better on modern tyres anyway, so not sure what the Highway Codes point was, given the scarcity of 1966 cars on the road.
The bad thing about carbon ceramic brakes is, they can stop you quicker than steel brakes, which can result in your expensive car being written off by the car behind ploughing into the back, smashing it up, due to the car behind being on steel brakes.
The best bit of the course is when they show a clip of some pedestrians on a pavement and a car drives past at speed. (mocked up on power-point.)
They then ask you to judge them by saying “What do the pedestrians think of the driver?”
Apparently “oh, he’s in a hurry” was not the answer they wanted…. 😊
To be honest though there was a shocking level of ignorance, incompetence and sheer attitude shown by many attendees.
In the first 6 photos shown only two of us got the speed limit correct. (I was one!) Must be why everyone does 60mph on a dual carriageway with a central reservation if you can find one without a 40mph limit posted.
They then ask you to judge them by saying “What do the pedestrians think of the driver?”
Apparently “oh, he’s in a hurry” was not the answer they wanted…. 😊
To be honest though there was a shocking level of ignorance, incompetence and sheer attitude shown by many attendees.
In the first 6 photos shown only two of us got the speed limit correct. (I was one!) Must be why everyone does 60mph on a dual carriageway with a central reservation if you can find one without a 40mph limit posted.
I attended one a couple of years ago, it was a smart motorway one, got caught at 67 in a 60 limit. Did it locally (was caught the Welsh side of the M4) it wasn't terrible, decent coffee and biscuits and the trainers were very much of the mindset that we were all there to avoid collecting points. Its only then that you realise what cretins you are sharing the road with, one woman was adamant that L1 of motorways were for Lorries and Caravans ONLY and refused to accept otherwise. However smile, be polite, answer a few questions and participate and if you can manage not to be a smart arse all the better.
Once again, thank you everyone for the information!
Reckon I'll just take the course when offered, makes more sense to me than an FPN even if costs more money, keeps my license clean. If I mess up again in next 3 years, don't want 6 points instead of 3. The £81 cost though is far more appealing than some of the figures I've seen! Have to see on that one.
Never even knew a Motorway Awareness Course was a thing! Did some Googling and apparently its something that is run by Derbyshire. Also some of the Derbyshire courses are run at the Holiday Inn in Long Eaton, Nottingham, that's only a 10 minute drive down the M1 I was flashed on...
Reckon I'll just take the course when offered, makes more sense to me than an FPN even if costs more money, keeps my license clean. If I mess up again in next 3 years, don't want 6 points instead of 3. The £81 cost though is far more appealing than some of the figures I've seen! Have to see on that one.
Never even knew a Motorway Awareness Course was a thing! Did some Googling and apparently its something that is run by Derbyshire. Also some of the Derbyshire courses are run at the Holiday Inn in Long Eaton, Nottingham, that's only a 10 minute drive down the M1 I was flashed on...
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