DT Ralge Posted May 8, 2016 Share Posted May 8, 2016 (edited) [/color] There's certainly a lot of money being made and where it goes is questionable. For the record I've only had three speeding fines in 25yrs and two of those were 35 in a 30. Nobody will ever convince me that the things are there to make money and have very little to do with safety. If you paid the fines you didn't go on a speed course. You are not party, then, to the truth that 35 in 30 ("marginal" speeding) by the masses is what the courses are aimed at. The reason for this? Marginal speeding by the masses adds up (in a numbers/probability game) to the mass of serious injuries. The message behind the courses: every single mph over any given speed makes a hugely disproportionate difference to the force of impact in any resultant coming-together. I.e. Speed choices matter in a world governed by the Laws of Physics not by finger-wagging sanctimony. Edited May 8, 2016 by DT Ralge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
top4718 Posted May 8, 2016 Share Posted May 8, 2016 [/color] If you paid the fines you didn't go on a speed course. You are not party, then, to the truth that 35 in 30 ("marginal" speeding) by the masses is what the courses are aimed at. The reason for this? Marginal speeding by the masses adds up (in a numbers/probability game) to the mass of serious injuries. The message behind the courses: every single mph over any given speed makes a hugely disproportionate difference to the force of impact in any resultant coming-together. I.e. Speed choices matter in a world governed by the Laws of Physics not by finger-wagging sanctimony. I did in fact go on one of these, it cost £85 so it's still a fine of sorts. It was possibly the most tedious 4hrs of my life and I actually during a break worked out how much that particular course is making per week (it's staggering), there are many, many more factors in accidents than speed, I would argue that drivers who lack confidence and make poor decisions account for as many. Speeding fines have become a very profitable industry and if safety is the main concern make car manufacturers set limiters on vehicles so they cannot travel above the speed limit, problem solved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyclone Posted May 8, 2016 Share Posted May 8, 2016 How do you imagine that will work? The car has to know where it is and the speed limit of every road it could be driven on... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DT Ralge Posted May 8, 2016 Share Posted May 8, 2016 I did in fact go on one of these, it cost £85 so it's still a fine of sorts. It was possibly the most tedious 4hrs of my life and I actually during a break worked out how much that particular course is making per week (it's staggering), there are many, many more factors in accidents than speed, I would argue that drivers who lack confidence and make poor decisions account for as many. Speeding fines have become a very profitable industry and if safety is the main concern make car manufacturers set limiters on vehicles so they cannot travel above the speed limit, problem solved. Shame you find it tedious. Many/most attendees report it having been illuminating, eye-opening, a useful refresher. Those who go into into with a closed mind are likely to get little out of it, yawn, think "yeah, yeah, yeah" and, in my experience are spotted as such by the trainers in the first moments. Hey ho ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
top4718 Posted May 8, 2016 Share Posted May 8, 2016 Shame you find it tedious. Many/most attendees report it having been illuminating, eye-opening, a useful refresher. Those who go into into with a closed mind are likely to get little out of it, yawn, think "yeah, yeah, yeah" and, in my experience are spotted as such by the trainers in the first moments. Hey ho ... I don't buy into what they are saying as nothing but speed is addressd, as I said above I've seen very few accidents caused by speed but plenty by poor judgement, a money making racket, no more no less. ---------- Post added 08-05-2016 at 15:35 ---------- How do you imagine that will work? The car has to know where it is and the speed limit of every road it could be driven on... Sat navs do that now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyclone Posted May 8, 2016 Share Posted May 8, 2016 Are they foolproof? Do they work if you cover the aerial with tinfoil? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phili Buster Posted May 8, 2016 Share Posted May 8, 2016 Are they foolproof? Do they work if you cover the aerial with tinfoil? Don't know about tinfoil but they do need to be updated periodically so that details of new roads etc are known. Until I updated mine, the sat-nav thought I was in the middle of a field when on the new bit of road on the A57 at Red Lion crossroads. They also need to be updated with details of any amended speed limits. However temporary limits are not updated, for example 50 limits on the M1 or more specifically whatever speed is set along the 'smart motorway' sections which can change many times during the day. So no sat-navs are not foolproof. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allen Posted May 9, 2016 Share Posted May 9, 2016 Don't know about tinfoil but they do need to be updated periodically so that details of new roads etc are known. Until I updated mine, the sat-nav thought I was in the middle of a field when on the new bit of road on the A57 at Red Lion crossroads. They also need to be updated with details of any amended speed limits. However temporary limits are not updated, for example 50 limits on the M1 or more specifically whatever speed is set along the 'smart motorway' sections which can change many times during the day. So no sat-navs are not foolproof. Those things just above your nose...one to the left and t'other to the right..are called eyes. Speed limits are clearly displayed.... What's the problem? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DT Ralge Posted May 9, 2016 Share Posted May 9, 2016 (edited) I don't buy into what they are saying as nothing but speed is addressd, as I said above I've seen very few accidents caused by speed but plenty by poor judgement, a money making racket, no more no less. ---------- Post added 08-05-2016 at 15:35 ---------- Sat navs do that now. "Speed, speed, speed" - this is NOT the only thing the authorities focus on. If anything it is the only thing the average driver focuses on to his/her detriment. Other clues left by Council/HA interventions are ignored and are not seen as significant, so meagre are the average driver's observation/road awareness skills. In contrast to your negatives about the course ("tedious") many attendees recall it as "eye-opening", "challenging" ... "Nothing but speed" - what would you expect a speed awareness course to address? There are also courses on red light running, phone use (...) and ones for drivers who have had a bump (NDAC). I guess your mind was closed at the point where you were invited to reflect on your speed choices ("why speed, where, what makes you ...") "I've seen very few bumps caused by speed" - how would I or you know what caused the accident? How would you know that the bump would or wouldn't have happened (and the damage/injuries would or wouldn't have been so severe) with a slightly lower speed (legal or not)? Seems to me that your mind is closed on the subject ("it's what I think/know") so this is a waste of effort, time and space if you are not prepared to reconsider what you think you know to be the truth/facts. How much does this money-making racket make? Do you know? I guess you won't be able to answer that with anything other than "loads of money". I write this with no expectation that you will change your mind. But the messages you give to the wider audience ("it's all a scam", "speed choices don't matter, carry on, there's no consequence to speed") added to the one and only attribute and aspiration in driving that the young inexperienced driver considers as driving prowess (speed) is a literally deadly mixture. And messages that I am bound to argue against. Edited May 9, 2016 by DT Ralge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyclone Posted May 9, 2016 Share Posted May 9, 2016 Not the only thing that they focus on, but the only thing that is rigorously enforced at spot points all over the country by cameras and fines... You can see why people might thing that there is an over focus on it. Oh, that and the lowering of many speed limits all over the country now that councils have been given that ability, some directly against the advice of the studies they commissioned (A57 Sheffield to Ladybower for example). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now