Soldato
Turn up, listen to what they have to say (in one ear out the other) tell them what they want to hear and be on your way.
Speed Awareness Course
- Thread starter DreXeL
- Start date
Mine was very similar and was in Leeds about a year ago.
Thames Valley and it was an hour or two
Caporegime
I went on a driver improvement course after I had an accident in which I wrote off someone's Megane. I was given a choice between a dangerous driving charge, risking a £5k fine, 6 points and 6 years in prison or something, or the course for £130. I took the course.
The course itself was fairly standard stuff - observation, awareness, not speeding, etc. All fairly dull but not too patronising as such.
The scary bit was going out driving with the instructors and the other attendees. We were put 3 to a car with an instructor. I ended up in some ancient Suzuki with 4 gears and the indicators and wipers on the wrong sides of the wheel, with HILARIOUS consequences every time I tried to indicate. Of the other drivers there was one lad who was up to his 4th crash or something and just kept asking the instructor what he could get away with and not charged if the police caught him. The other person I was with was a woman who would not put the car beyond 3rd gear no matter how fast she was going. We were going down some dual carriageway near Liverpool and she's doing 50 in third gear in a car with a lawnmower engine while the instructor begs her to change up.
Caporegime
Where is yours being held Drexel? I had one in keynsham a couple of years back.
Seemed informative more than an ear battering IMO. There were some thick people on the course though!
Seemed informative more than an ear battering IMO. There were some thick people on the course though!
Kings Weston.
Associate
I went on one of these courses earlier this year. I got caught by a camera in a van in a layby (first time ever done for speeding since I passed my test), doing 39 in a 30 (I'd have put the house on the limit being 40 but anyway...good thing I didn't!). It was ok, went from about 9am till 1pm or 2pm or something I think. Ironically I had to drive "a little faster than normal" to get there on time! And it wasn't my fault - I'd given myself over an hour to do a bit over 17 miles. On the way there someone's house had caught fire and completely burnt out so they'd closed the main road that I needed to use - so I had to use a load of back routes - and you can imagine the traffic! I got to the destination at about 3 minutes to 9! Ordinarily you can easily do the journey in about half an hour or so.
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Man of Honour
bad luck I had one of these and each of us in classroom had to stand up one at a time...
'what did you get your ticket for'
'37 in a 30'
'what was the first thing that went through your mind when you got the ticket'
'i was suprised as I'm usually going a lot quicker through that piece of road'
.....everyone sniggered.
he then explained in a patonising voice, 'there is a school in that road isn't there', I was happy to reply 'it was xmas day so I thought the risks of small children exiting school low'
We then got to watch some safety videos, about some guy getting frustrated in traffic. I then got picked on again and was asked what he could do to reduce stress in traffic... I said....
'get a bike'
At end you have to stand up and say you've learnt something or they fail you and give the points, just have to say 'speed kill mkay' or similar.
'what did you get your ticket for'
'37 in a 30'
'what was the first thing that went through your mind when you got the ticket'
'i was suprised as I'm usually going a lot quicker through that piece of road'
.....everyone sniggered.
he then explained in a patonising voice, 'there is a school in that road isn't there', I was happy to reply 'it was xmas day so I thought the risks of small children exiting school low'
We then got to watch some safety videos, about some guy getting frustrated in traffic. I then got picked on again and was asked what he could do to reduce stress in traffic... I said....
'get a bike'
At end you have to stand up and say you've learnt something or they fail you and give the points, just have to say 'speed kill mkay' or similar.
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Fair play
It made me chuckle when everyone leaving the learning centre practically flew out of the place on mine. Never heard so many high revs in a car park before
Associate
Fair play
It made me chuckle when everyone leaving the learning centre practically flew out of the place on mine. Never heard so many high revs in a car park before
Yeah was a little like that at mine! The burnt out house must've been quite serious as well because of the road closure and that - it was on the local BBC Spotlight news on the TV later that day!
Soldato
There is no such thing as a automatic ban for speeding, Each case is reviewed on its own circumstances.
Soldato
Never done one, but if I got caught speeding by a camera can I do one instead of getting points? Not that I plan to!
The course is only offered in certain creiteria (30mph/40mph) zones and if you are doing 1mph-7/8mph over the limit.
Permabanned
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- 13 Nov 2006
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I've been on one of these awareness courses. Wasn't to graphic.
I think all new drivers should be made to go on one. It's a real eye opener. When I was 17, I just didn't see danger at all or realise what can happen when speeding etc.
I think all new drivers should be made to go on one. It's a real eye opener. When I was 17, I just didn't see danger at all or realise what can happen when speeding etc.
Why only new drivers? Many new drivers are very aware of the dangers of speeding so why only pick them out? The reason these courses are there are for people who broke the rule, not those who haven't done anything wrong.
I guess the longer you drive for the more you are exposed to speed in your own car and speed in the cars of others, you point is a good one though regardless
Soldato
well worth it tbh, useful, informative and even, dare i say it, fun...
Permabanned
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All drivers then. Everyone should see the dangers of what can happen when things go wrong, especially new drivers who have not had the chance to break any rules yet.
Soldato
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These course vary quite considerably by area. I've done the Lancashire one a few years ago now and I went with the usual CBA this will be a load of speed kills mantra and came away really positive.
There was about an hour and half in a classroom with some videos about hazards and a bit of a round the room discussion about why people speed, but then we got 2 hrs out in a car with a driving instructor (shared with someone else, so about an hours drive) who pointed out a few bad habits and gave a bit of advanced driving tuition.
I've never been caught speeding since so perhaps they really work.
There was about an hour and half in a classroom with some videos about hazards and a bit of a round the room discussion about why people speed, but then we got 2 hrs out in a car with a driving instructor (shared with someone else, so about an hours drive) who pointed out a few bad habits and gave a bit of advanced driving tuition.
I've never been caught speeding since so perhaps they really work.