speed awareness course
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Discussion

Planman350i

Original Poster:

599 posts

283 months

Monday 19th December 2005
quotequote all
My girlfriend got stopped for doing 49 in a 40 zone at the weekend. She was offered the opportunity to do a days speed awareness course (cost £100) rather than take the points, which she has taken up.

Has anyone else been on one of these course things? What can she expect...? It was the first time she has ever got stopped, so she was in a bit of a state when she got home, and is now dreading what lies before her!

Any info appreciated.

Thanks.

PetrolTed

34,468 posts

333 months

Monday 19th December 2005
quotequote all
Nothing to be afraid of. It's a course on which they talk about hazard awareness, how appropriate your speed is etc. etc.

SS2.

14,712 posts

268 months

Monday 19th December 2005
quotequote all
And expect you to be remorseful, polite and humble...

For me it would be a struggle to keep my mouth shut but definitely preferable to the hassle of fighting to keep the three points off my licence...

Tell her not to worry, it'll be a breeze.

>> Edited by SS2. on Monday 19th December 22:13

pies

13,116 posts

286 months

Monday 19th December 2005
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Thats quite a high speed to get on a course normally its lower has there been a change in policy

AIMHO

nonegreen

7,803 posts

300 months

Monday 19th December 2005
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I think probably the only way to get through it without killing the numpty delivering it is to pretend to be as thick as a pile of lavatory seats and agree with everything the dickhead says.

Planman350i

Original Poster:

599 posts

283 months

Monday 19th December 2005
quotequote all
I think she can manage the remorse thing, but shes a bit worried about being shown lots of gruesome car accident pics!

autismuk

1,529 posts

270 months

Monday 19th December 2005
quotequote all
Oh hell, play up to it, faint, vomit, have some fun with the prats.

TonyRec

3,984 posts

285 months

Monday 19th December 2005
quotequote all
On a positive note, she might learn something although to put someone through this for such a low a speed is a bit......sad really.

justinp1

13,363 posts

260 months

Monday 19th December 2005
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autismuk said:
Oh hell, play up to it, faint, vomit, have some fun with the prats.


Better that that, go to it then go to your doctor and complain of continuous nightmares, and you are scared to sit in your car any more. Get a good lawyer who deals with post traumatic stress disorder.

That'll fix it.

nonegreen

7,803 posts

300 months

Monday 19th December 2005
quotequote all
TonyRec said:
On a positive note, she might learn something although to put someone through this for such a low a speed is a bit......sad really.


Agreed, however I cant imagine the content of a speed awareness course being anything but propaganda, lies and a bit of sandalism thrown in for good measure. Vomitting is probably the best bet.

TonyRec

3,984 posts

285 months

Monday 19th December 2005
quotequote all
nonegreen said:
TonyRec said:
On a positive note, she might learn something although to put someone through this for such a low a speed is a bit......sad really.


Agreed, however I cant imagine the content of a speed awareness course being anything but propaganda, lies and a bit of sandalism thrown in for good measure. Vomitting is probably the best bet.


I honestly dont know a lot about them but they show you pics and do make you think, if only for a while. Its not something that i would want to go on but instead of points it has got to be the better bet.

I do believe though that they should be reserved for high speed detections or any offence of Dangerous/WDC. But in this case 49 in a 40 should have been a V/W and nothing else.

Some of us do have principles

PetrolTed

34,468 posts

333 months

Monday 19th December 2005
quotequote all
SS2. said:
And expect you to be remorseful, polite and humble...

>> Edited by SS2. on Monday 19th December 22:13


Some of them can be quite sensible from the experiences I've heard.

DennisTheMenace

15,605 posts

298 months

Monday 19th December 2005
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I thought 49 in a 40 was a public flogging followed by a hanging ??

MGBGT

823 posts

252 months

Tuesday 20th December 2005
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A mate of mine went on one of these, and spent the day with a twittering political correctness Nazi who kept saying "Does that make sense to you?" at the end of every statement. She cuffed over all the bullshot DafT speed-related KSI figures and they were shown some accident images, but none were 'graphic' (nowadays, even on a First Aid course, if images of any casualties are to be shown, those present MUST be given the opportunity to leave the room BEFORE the presentation).
All in all, he spent the day being treated like an idiot and utterly patronised - if he pulled the course leader up on anything, she would tell him something like "Well, that's your opinion, and look where it has got you...". Smug little prat.
Take the points and watch your backside 'til they are removed is my view...

nonegreen

7,803 posts

300 months

Tuesday 20th December 2005
quotequote all
MGBGT said:
A mate of mine went on one of these, and spent the day with a twittering political correctness Nazi who kept saying "Does that make sense to you?" at the end of every statement. She cuffed over all the bullshot DafT speed-related KSI figures and they were shown some accident images, but none were 'graphic' (nowadays, even on a First Aid course, if images of any casualties are to be shown, those present MUST be given the opportunity to leave the room BEFORE the presentation).
All in all, he spent the day being treated like an idiot and utterly patronised - if he pulled the course leader up on anything, she would tell him something like "Well, that's your opinion, and look where it has got you...". Smug little prat.
Take the points and watch your backside 'til they are removed is my view...


I think a better aproach would be to show up with a tape recorder and pull the prat every time they lie. When confronted smile smuggly, tap the tape recorder and say Daily Mail. The result will be you will end up with the points as well but then you should appeal and tie the bastards up in court for years. If we all did this they would suddenly decide something else other than speeding was the big threat to humanity.

Flat in Fifth

48,843 posts

281 months

Tuesday 20th December 2005
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I thought nowadays these courses were both theory and practical, ie an observed drive with debrief.

Considering that <1% of UK licence holders have taken any form of advanced driving instruction since their basic L test. Surely the exposure to that can't be a bad thing, despite the nannying.

SS2.

14,712 posts

268 months

Tuesday 20th December 2005
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I fought a speeding allegation last year, had my day out in court and won... But what a heap of time and effort to save £60 and 3 points. No denying it was a great feeling to put one over the scammers and CPS (especially with costs awarded in my favour ) but had I been given the option of an Awareness Course, I probably would have taken it.

I know listening to some supercilious, patronising prat spouting manipulated KSI stats all day long would be hard to swallow, but in the long run, its better than taking the points and unless you are up for a long legal fight then it is by far the best option..

TOPTON

1,514 posts

266 months

Tuesday 20th December 2005
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I was given the option to run one of these courses a few years ago. They were brought in to bring down the court/NIP figures (to make it look like the world is a safer place). Also, and I agree totally, a little bit of retraining never hurt anyone. However, I turned it down when I realised I would be "helping" a load of prats who obviously knew better than anyone how to drive. I say "helping" because no points on license would be given. Surely a short driving course is a whole lot better than points on your licence, as previously stated by TonyRec, You might learn something!!

But it seems some people just want to F*** the system just because they can. Even when its there to help

Yugguy

10,728 posts

265 months

Tuesday 20th December 2005
quotequote all
I dunno if it is the same, but I was offered one a few years back but if I'd have gone and failed I would still have had the points applied.

I declined as I didn't have a problem with speed awareness, I knew exactly how fast I was going. And also the idea of driving around all day with 3 policemen in my car didn't really appeal.

nonegreen

7,803 posts

300 months

Tuesday 20th December 2005
quotequote all
TOPTON said:
I was given the option to run one of these courses a few years ago. They were brought in to bring down the court/NIP figures (to make it look like the world is a safer place). Also, and I agree totally, a little bit of retraining never hurt anyone. However, I turned it down when I realised I would be "helping" a load of prats who obviously knew better than anyone how to drive. I say "helping" because no points on license would be given. Surely a short driving course is a whole lot better than points on your licence, as previously stated by TonyRec, You might learn something!!

But it seems some people just want to F*** the system just because they can. Even when its there to help



I don't understand what are you saying? The course is there to keep prats in a job? Or the attendees are prats? Please explain I am genuinely curious.