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Speed awareness courses....
- Thread starter Dex10
- Start date
I've been on one in Surrey, 4 hours in a conference room at the Spectrum Centre... it was interesting and well thought out... very little shock tactics, and largely focussed on factual and statistical analysis of the impact of 35-40 in a 30 rather than silly speeds on motorways etc...
Having spoken to a Sussex police officer recently, their course uses more 'shock' videos etc...
Definitely worth it for me to keep the points off my license.
Having spoken to a Sussex police officer recently, their course uses more 'shock' videos etc...
Definitely worth it for me to keep the points off my license.
Goring Gull
New member
Go on teh course well worth keeping the point soff the licence - Wish i had had the option about 10 years ago ( 49 in a 30 and overtaking on the other side of the road) i ended up in court got 6 points and £250 fine - thinking back now i deserved it and probably gotr off quite lightly as they could've done me for dangerous driving.
Elvis
Well-known member
Went on one last month at Stanmer Park.
You will spend the morning inside being lectured to by some driving instructors basically going over the highway code and other subjects. In the afternoon you go out with a driving instructor ( in their car) and drive around Brighton. The instructor goes over all the stuff that you have forgotten, I passed my test in 1987 so I found the afternoon session quite useful. To be honest the lecture session is a bit of a drag although I did enjoy having a look around Stanmer House.
Oh BTW if like me ( and quite a few others) you have an old style driving license, make sure it is all there as one fella couldn,t go on the driving course as on part of his license was torn and parts were missing.
On the whole its better than getting the points and I haven't been done since although it was only last month!!!!!!!!!!!!
You will spend the morning inside being lectured to by some driving instructors basically going over the highway code and other subjects. In the afternoon you go out with a driving instructor ( in their car) and drive around Brighton. The instructor goes over all the stuff that you have forgotten, I passed my test in 1987 so I found the afternoon session quite useful. To be honest the lecture session is a bit of a drag although I did enjoy having a look around Stanmer House.
Oh BTW if like me ( and quite a few others) you have an old style driving license, make sure it is all there as one fella couldn,t go on the driving course as on part of his license was torn and parts were missing.
On the whole its better than getting the points and I haven't been done since although it was only last month!!!!!!!!!!!!
tinx
Well-known member
I've been on a sussex police course and it was fine about 3 hours in a clss room and then went out for an instructional drive with a driving instructor on safety awareness. There was one shock video at the beginning but it wasn't particularly shocking either. Well worth doing in my opinion rather than taking the points.
Nathan
Well-known member
- Jan 8, 2010
- 3,788
The mrs went on one last year (got caught doing 37 in a 30) and she said the course was interesting enough. In the afternoon they take you out in their car and get you to talk through the dangers on the road etc.
The mrs was concentrating on talking through the dangers so much that she ended up going through a red light!
The mrs was concentrating on talking through the dangers so much that she ended up going through a red light!
Do these courses work or is it just away of avoiding 3 points ? That's a genuine question not a judgement !
Tubby Mondays
Well-known member
I went one about 2 years ago in London after getting done for doing 36 in a 30 limit in Brixton (incidentally on the same day a man was sot and killed on the same day outside a pub in Brixton - that crime hasnt been solved).
It was for about two and a half hours and was classroom based. You had to look at this footage of roads on monitors and brake when there were hazards etc. Then you sat a little test that was more to increase your knowledge than to test it.
I didnt mind the course, my issue was the attitude of them that ran it who were ex old bill. For example; one young woman turned up with her mum and asked if she (the mum) could wait in the waiting room while her daughter was doing the course. I wouldnt have thought this was a problem, they knew how long it would be, she had brought a book to read and there was plenty of room for her to sit outside and wait. Oh no; Mr Plod has to make a big song and dance out of it and make them both look and feel like twats, before deciding that, yes, that would be perfectly alright (now that they knew who was in charge and how powerful and important he was). Then a bloke who was in his 60s had trouble using the computer (not unreasonably, Im sure there are plenty of people in their 60s who would struggle). Cue Mr Plod springing into action to make him look and feel like a total twat in front of everyone as well.
It did make me think about where you speed and road conditions etc. It also made me think about the effect wearing uniforms has on some people.
It was for about two and a half hours and was classroom based. You had to look at this footage of roads on monitors and brake when there were hazards etc. Then you sat a little test that was more to increase your knowledge than to test it.
I didnt mind the course, my issue was the attitude of them that ran it who were ex old bill. For example; one young woman turned up with her mum and asked if she (the mum) could wait in the waiting room while her daughter was doing the course. I wouldnt have thought this was a problem, they knew how long it would be, she had brought a book to read and there was plenty of room for her to sit outside and wait. Oh no; Mr Plod has to make a big song and dance out of it and make them both look and feel like twats, before deciding that, yes, that would be perfectly alright (now that they knew who was in charge and how powerful and important he was). Then a bloke who was in his 60s had trouble using the computer (not unreasonably, Im sure there are plenty of people in their 60s who would struggle). Cue Mr Plod springing into action to make him look and feel like a total twat in front of everyone as well.
It did make me think about where you speed and road conditions etc. It also made me think about the effect wearing uniforms has on some people.
Arthur
Well-known member
They make you more aware of your speed certainly. Doesn't stop you speeding though.
And yes they are just away of avoiding 3 points.
Arthur
Well-known member
Out of interest to you lot that have done them where did you lot get caught (under which forces jurisdiction)? And where did they offer you to do the course?
I live in Sussex but gone done by Kent old bill. Was offered Kent as an option but it was places like Dartford and Deal. So ended up doing with Thames Valley Police in West London as that was the next closest.
All the others were forces in the north or the west country. The woman I spoke to on the phone to book it couldn't explain to me why I wasn't offered anything closer.
I live in Sussex but gone done by Kent old bill. Was offered Kent as an option but it was places like Dartford and Deal. So ended up doing with Thames Valley Police in West London as that was the next closest.
All the others were forces in the north or the west country. The woman I spoke to on the phone to book it couldn't explain to me why I wasn't offered anything closer.
Arthur
Well-known member
From what I was told at mine if you'd been caught doing that today you still wouldn't have been offered the course as they are only offered to the people who marginally offend. The guys said I was "lucky" to be offered as I was caught doing 38 in a 30.
Seemed a bit daft to me but there excuse was that the courses aren't there to shock you into slowing down it's to prevent you speeding in the future and their stats showed the marginal offenders were less likely to offend again.
Elvis
Well-known member
Seem to remember them saying that you get offered the course once, any re offending then its points on the license...
I was caught on the Kingsways nr the King Altred,so was offered the course in Brighton, Hailsham and one other location which cant remember.
Apprantely alot of counties just have the theory lecture and not the practical, seems a bit daft as I personally think having the practical was a good refresher after 23 yrs of driving.
I was caught on the Kingsways nr the King Altred,so was offered the course in Brighton, Hailsham and one other location which cant remember.
Apprantely alot of counties just have the theory lecture and not the practical, seems a bit daft as I personally think having the practical was a good refresher after 23 yrs of driving.