Speed Awareness course or 3 points?

[Old Greg]

I'm 32 and did the course last year. Got caught at 36 in a 30 (shortly after a 40 limit) by a camera van, or as they called it, 'slow to slow'.

Some of the information was very useful when considered (who knows the stopping distance in rain off the top of their head). Made me think about what would happen if the worst were to happen. I can say that I've definitely noticed that I drive slower now, I make sure to leave extra time now when going everywhere so that it's not a worry if I'm running late.

The course seemed like tosh at the time but there was some useful information in there.

If it starts raining while I'm driving on the motorway, I just Google it on my phone.

[FatLazyContractor]

If it starts raining while I'm driving on the motorway, I just Google it on my phone.

Did not know that google worked on this phone, you old fart.

[BlueSharp]

I took the course a few months back, as my insurance people did not need to be notified buy check your t&c's. The course was also do on a Saturday morning so no billing impact. You can go online and look at different venues and booking times if you decide to do the course. 3 points would push up my insurance premium for 5 years.

[bobspud]

I have nine points, so when I had another speeding fine I had no choice but to take the course.

But I've found that if you shout down the phone at them when renewing, and threaten to change insurers, the insurance stays the same.

P.S. If you take the course, don't forget photo ID or they'll ask you to leave and you'll have to book another one with no refund!

(Luckily I had my passport in my coat, or I'd have been kicked out.)

They don't allow you to take the course if you have points. I got done on the M4 the other month. It was worth the £100 and 3 to see the footage of a crappy BMW one series trying to chase my SL down the M4. Interestingly the police officer drove aggressively close to number of other motorists without any form of lights or sirens just so he could try and monitor my speed. I was on an open stretch of road with no cars in sight. I wonder what would be made of the matter if I made a formal complaint to Avon and Somerset constabulary over his action.

[vetran]

They don't allow you to take the course if you have points. I got done on the M4 the other month. It was worth the £100 and 3 to see the footage of a crappy BMW one series trying to chase my SL down the M4. Interestingly the police officer drove aggressively close to number of other motorists without any form of lights or sirens just so he could try and monitor my speed. I was on an open stretch of road with no cars in sight. I wonder what would be made of the matter if I made a formal complaint to Avon and Somerset constabulary over his action.

they would of tacked on a dangerous driving conviction they don't like being told they are wrong.

[SueEllen]

they would of tacked on a dangerous driving conviction they don't like being told they are wrong.

Then you would have to do them for police harassment - they would eventually agree when they realise they would end up in court after a few years, and your compensation would only be enough to pay your legal bills.

[original PM]

They don't allow you to take the course if you have points. I got done on the M4 the other month. It was worth the £100 and 3 to see the footage of a crappy BMW one series trying to chase my SL down the M4. Interestingly the police officer drove aggressively close to number of other motorists without any form of lights or sirens just so he could try and monitor my speed. I was on an open stretch of road with no cars in sight. I wonder what would be made of the matter if I made a formal complaint to Avon and Somerset constabulary over his action.

If you were on an open stretch of road with no cars on how could the police have been driving aggressively close to other motorists?

[bobspud]

If you were on an open stretch of road with no cars on how could the police have been driving aggressively close to other motorists?

I came down the junction slip road. I could see that there was a load of slow moving traffic level with me I accelerated off the down ramp and onto the empty stretch of the M4 in front of that pack of traffic. However the unmarked car was somewhere in the back of that pack of traffic. Watching the footage of the BMW chasing me without sirens or lights, I could see the BMW camera inches from the rear of at least two vehicles in that pack as he tried to move them. The traffic was very close and a sudden change of lanes or speed could have caused a multi-car pile up.

I on the other hand, had my distronic cruise control set to maximum distance from other vehicles and was progressing without any problems. The way Distronic works is that it sets your distance from vehicles in front according to your speed. so if you are going very fast it will keep a maximum distance from any perceived objects in you front field.

So Speeding yes, Dangerous no. Thus I was happy to take the points however it occurred to me afterward that the BMW was far more of a risk to the traffic than I was.

[stek]

They don't allow you to take the course if you have points. I got done on the M4 the other month. It was worth the £100 and 3 to see the footage of a crappy BMW one series trying to chase my SL down the M4. Interestingly the police officer drove aggressively close to number of other motorists without any form of lights or sirens just so he could try and monitor my speed. I was on an open stretch of road with no cars in sight. I wonder what would be made of the matter if I made a formal complaint to Avon and Somerset constabulary over his action.

I got offered a SAC after my second speeding office. First one was in Swansea (ironically just after I started at DVLA) second North Yorkshire, 81mph on the motorway, which was a bit tight.

To be fair though, I don't remember if the points were already actually on my licence after the first offence, long time ago and the offences were quite close together.

A few weeks later I got my third NIP, 27 years of driving with nothing, no NIPs, no parking fines, no accidents, then three NIPs in three months.

That was 4/5 years ago now, nothing since, though I hardly drive now, having ICD too, just no fun in it anymore in UK, loved it in Germany though!

[Burns]

So Speeding yes, Dangerous no.

Have to respectfully disagree with this one. There's any number of things that could happen if you were going over the speed limit, it's not just about your distance to the car in front.

You know the speed limit, you either accept that you're breaking the law by going over this limit and accept the punishment when you're caught or you can argue about it and blame other people and their dangerous driving.

Also, the police driver is far more qualified on the road than most drivers, I'd feel fairly safe assuming that he has had more training from experts on how to drive safely than you have.