Speed Awareness Courses (part whatever)

Leper · 13-11-2009, 06:40

I recently attended a speed awareness course because after 45 years with a clean driving licence and I wanted to keep a clean licence which would affect my insurance cost at the end of the day.
With the best intention in the world to abide by the speed limits, I find I get uptight and frustrated by all the people who overtake me at not the best time to do it.
Does anyone honestly say that they never speed when there are speed restrictions and hope they never get caught, am I the only sinner?.

Dawn Melling · 09-01-2010, 13:40

Hi

What was the course like?? I am in similar position as you, been offered course, but I doubt that I could sit through 4 hours of rant in order to save the three points on my licence. Was it really boring?

HeadingNorth · 09-01-2010, 13:42

The number of drivers who actually never break the speed limit is probably fairly tiny - unless they always use cruise control to limit the speed for them.

Still, it shouldn't be too hard to have a good enough sense of speed that in, say, a 40 zone, you might wander up to 42 but no higher. If you're doing 50+ in a 40 zone and you aren't aware of it, you damn well should be.

Right · 09-01-2010, 13:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leper

I recently attended a speed awareness course because after 45 years with a clean driving licence and I wanted to keep a clean licence which would affect my insurance cost at the end of the day.
With the best intention in the world to abide by the speed limits, I find I get uptight and frustrated by all the people who overtake me at not the best time to do it.
Does anyone honestly say that they never speed when there are speed restrictions and hope they never get caught, am I the only sinner?.

The problem is that many speed limits have now been reduced much lower than the design speeds of the roads to aid conjestion buildup which along with saving the planet from imminent destuction will be the reasons given for us to pay to use the roads in the next elected term.
Unfortunatly speed is an easy target to make money from if only it had a bearing on the real causes of accidents.Not only is it NOT the cause of most accidents it is actually having a knock on effect of causing drivers to have bad attitude towards others that IS causing accidents and more serious ones than a few miles an hour ever did.
Unless you are only a couple of miles an hour over the speed limit you dont qualify for the courses,so the ones that really need it dont benefit but of course they doubled their money extracted from you.
The worst offences are committed WITHIN the speed limits.Of course we can all believe if there was no speeders there would be no accidents,we all know that is total tosh,but with millions of ££££ involved no one is going to admit that,with the exception of Swindon council who refuse to play the game.

HeadingNorth · 09-01-2010, 13:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by Right

The problem is that many speed limits have now been reduced much lower than the design speeds of the roads to aid conjestion buildup

Reducing the maximum speed does not increase congestion.

Right · 09-01-2010, 13:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadingNorth

Reducing the maximum speed does not increase congestion.

No it makes the flow faster ha ha

HeadingNorth · 09-01-2010, 14:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by Right

No it makes the flow faster ha ha

It slows down journey time (assuming people could ever drive consistently at the old speed limit), but it does not increase congestion. As long as traffic is still moving, congestion will not increase.

Right · 09-01-2010, 14:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadingNorth

It slows down journey time (assuming people could ever drive consistently at the old speed limit), but it does not increase congestion. As long as traffic is still moving, congestion will not increase.

I really cant be bothered with your crap today! If traffic is slowed then it takes longer to get from a -b of course you will tell us how making vehicles be on the roads longer helps us all get home sooner and relieves conjestion

HeadingNorth · 09-01-2010, 14:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Right

I really cant be bothered with your crap today! If traffic is slowed then it takes longer to get from a -b of course you will tell us how making vehicles be on the roads longer helps us all get home sooner and relieves conjestion

You're confusing two different issues. Congestion is about traffic being stationary and causing a problem. Changing a speed limit from 40 to 50, or from 50 to 40, does not cause that to happen; traffic can still move.

Right · 09-01-2010, 14:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadingNorth

You're confusing two different issues. Congestion is about traffic being stationary and causing a problem. Changing a speed limit from 40 to 50, or from 50 to 40, does not cause that to happen; traffic can still move.

Stop talking crap.

Number Six · 09-01-2010, 15:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leper

I recently attended a speed awareness course because after 45 years with a clean driving licence and I wanted to keep a clean licence which would affect my insurance cost at the end of the day.

I got 3 points for speeding on the motorway with no offer of a course. Didn't make my insurance dearer though, but I wonder what the criteria is for being offered the course?

I would suggest that doing 90 on the M1 is safer than doing 33 outside a school at 3:15, but one is legal and the other isn't.

Bruno · 09-01-2010, 15:04

I've been on one of these courses, they are not boring, infact they are quite fun and as said keeps those points off your license, however you are only offered this chance in a three year period.

I'd like to bet that the only drivers out there who never break the speed limit are the ones who have a driving license but don't drive a car

mammybear · 09-01-2010, 15:21

i too have been on one of these courses, the tea and biscuits is ok as is the free keyring.

Right · 09-01-2010, 15:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by mammybear

i too have been on one of these courses, the tea and biscuits is ok as is the free keyring.

It was far from free!

Leper · 10-01-2010, 08:08

As I said earlier, as a license holder from 1959 and thinking I was a fairly good driver I realised how much had changed in the Highway Code. When I passed my test there where about 30 pages in the HC, now it is almost a novel. I still thought that flashing your headlights your headlights to an oncoming car meant "come on, I will give you right of way", when what it means is " warning I am here, beware I could have right of way".
It might be time for people to check up on the "whys and wherefors " of driving. The Highway Code is advise to drivers and not a law but it is, in a sense, the bible for police to judge us all as a reference document.

Justin Smith · 10-01-2010, 08:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leper

I recently attended a speed awareness course because after 45 years with a clean driving licence and I wanted to keep a clean licence which would affect my insurance cost at the end of the day.
With the best intention in the world to abide by the speed limits, I find I get uptight and frustrated by all the people who overtake me at not the best time to do it.
Does anyone honestly say that they never speed when there are speed restrictions and hope they never get caught, am I the only sinner?.

I never speed unless by accident, like when the speed limit keeps changing up and down like a whore`s drawers and you miss one of the signs.

I have to say I`m deeply cynical about this whole thing, you know the people who say reducing speeding is about "education not prosecution".
On the odd occasion that I`ve had a chance to point out to a driver that they`ve been speeding or gone through a red light or whatever their reaction is ALWAYS extreme arrogance and anger. Not once has any driver I`ve ever come across admitted they`re in the wrong and apologised.
Sorry, I`d love to be proved wrong, but in my experience the only way to prevent speeding (or red light jumping or any of that selfish arrogant driving) is cameras and then prosecution.

Chris_Sleeps · 10-01-2010, 16:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by B Trautmann

I got 3 points for speeding on the motorway with no offer of a course. Didn't make my insurance dearer though, but I wonder what the criteria is for being offered the course?

I think if the driver is only a little over the limit, they give them the option of the course. I believe, don't quote me.

Right · 11-01-2010, 12:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris_Sleeps

I think if the driver is only a little over the limit, they give them the option of the course. I believe, don't quote me.

True!
So if you really need the course you cant do it!

Leper · 11-01-2010, 13:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Right

True!
So if you really need the course you cant do it!

I was doing 70 in a 60 zone.

Right · 11-01-2010, 14:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leper

I was doing 70 in a 60 zone.

Im suprised they didnt jail you for being that far over.