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Thread: Speed Awareness Course

  1. #1
    Grand Master TaketheCannoli's Avatar
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    Speed Awareness Course

    Despite having heard all the stories about them being boring and a waste of time, I did one today and found it very informative and an excellent use of time.

    I’ve been driving for thirty years and was shocked by the things I’d forgotten. Some pretty basic stuff too.

    I think making a refresher like this mandatory every decade would help us all be better drivers.

  2. #2
    Master thegoat's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by TaketheCannoli View Post
    Despite having heard all the stories about them being boring and a waste of time, I did one today and found it very informative and an excellent use of time.

    I’ve been driving for thirty years and was shocked by the things I’d forgotten. Some pretty basic stuff too.

    I think making a refresher like this mandatory every decade would help us all be better drivers.
    Agreed
    I really enjoyed mine . As you say , it’s an eye opener how much you forget and how much the Highway Code has changed .
    One other thing I also learnt was that I was the only guilty one on the course. Everybody else had been targeted, mistaken identity or completely innocent . 😳

  3. #3
    Grand Master TaketheCannoli's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by thegoat View Post
    Agreed
    I really enjoyed mine . As you say , it’s an eye opener how much you forget and how much the Highway Code has changed .
    One other thing I also learnt was that I was the only guilty one on the course. Everybody else had been targeted, mistaken identity or completely innocent . 
    We had a good group, everyone fessed-up and participated.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by TaketheCannoli View Post
    Despite having heard all the stories about them being boring and a waste of time, I did one today and found it very informative and an excellent use of time.

    I’ve been driving for thirty years and was shocked by the things I’d forgotten. Some pretty basic stuff too.

    I think making a refresher like this mandatory every decade would help us all be better drivers.
    Stating the obvious, but it probably depends very much on how engaging the person delivering the training is. Agree some sort of mandatory refresher would not be a bad idea - even just the eyesight test bit.

  5. #5
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    just do an advanced driving or riding course, you can then be re-tested every 3 years. That keeps you well upto date. Doesn't stop you speeding though :)

  6. #6
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    It's now 4-5 years ago since I was given the option of this course or a fine and points on my licence, I approached it as an annoying waste of time but came away a different driver entirely, from my POV very worthwhile and as I often cover 800+ miles in a week its made a major contribution in keeping my licence clean, the downside has been I now notice more fu**wit drivers than before.
    "Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action."

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  7. #7
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    Think its a bit of a joke of a course personally and just another money spinner
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  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by 100thmonkey View Post
    Think its a bit of a joke of a course personally and just another money spinner
    Agreed, I am struggling to think of one sensible thing I came away with, I do know they went away with £80 of my money and 4 hours of my time that could have been spent breaking the speed limit by a couple of miles an hour.

  9. #9
    Master Tifa's Avatar
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    Speed awareness course sounds great.
    Must remember to blast through that speed camera and get an invite.

  10. #10
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    Speed Awareness Course

    My statement......‘That I wasn’t guilty, just unlucky’ ....went down really well with the course instructors


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  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by dizz View Post
    My statement......‘That I wasn’t guilty, just unlucky’ ....went down really well with the course instructors


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    During coffee break on my course I asked the guy next to me how he got caught and he replied ‘dunno my mate paid me £50 to attend’


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  12. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by 100thmonkey View Post
    During coffee break on my course I asked the guy next to me how he got caught and he replied ‘dunno my mate paid me £50 to attend’


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    Odd, think we had to show photographic ID.

    Personally thought it was ok and depending on participants, a good bit of banter.

  13. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by 100thmonkey View Post
    Think its a bit of a joke of a course personally and just another money spinner
    I’m unsure it could be called a money spinner as I seem to recall it cost me only £10 or £20 more than my points / fine would have cost should I have decided not to go to the course (and the course required room hire, admin, a presenter etc).

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by triumph coupe View Post
    I’m unsure it could be called a money spinner as I seem to recall it cost me only £10 or £20 more than my points / fine would have cost should I have decided not to go to the course (and the course required room hire, admin, a presenter etc).
    30 x £100 = £3k. Twice a day that’s £6k a day.

    Instructor on £150 and room even at £850 a day is £5k profit.

    Multiply that by x amount of locations and you can see where they gain £12 million a year from!


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  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kingstepper View Post
    Odd, think we had to show photographic ID.

    Personally thought it was ok and depending on participants, a good bit of banter.
    He said he was the driver for
    Someone. Most uni students will attend for a bag of chips


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  16. #16
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    It was possibly THE most boring 4 hours of my life.
    plus the "trainer" had a deeply irritating verbal tick of putting "good? ok? right right" at the the end of everything he said.

  17. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by 100thmonkey View Post
    He said he was the driver for
    Someone. Most uni students will attend for a bag of chips


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    Ah, ok, thought he was impersonating someone on the day.

  18. #18
    Quote Originally Posted by 100thmonkey View Post
    30 x £100 = £3k. Twice a day that’s £6k a day.

    Instructor on £150 and room even at £850 a day is £5k profit.

    Multiply that by x amount of locations and you can see where they gain £12 million a year from!


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    You’ve clearly missed the point... they could / do get £80 or £90 (I forget which it is) by just giving you the points & fine.

    I’m pretty certain that the course costs more than £10-20 per attendee to run which means there is less nett income by offering the course.

  19. #19
    Master reggie747's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 100thmonkey View Post
    Think its a bit of a joke of a course personally and just another money spinner
    Would you rather pay a fine costing more than the course and get a hold of 3 points on your license ???




    I didn't think so...

  20. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by reggie747 View Post
    Would you rather pay a fine costing more than the course and get a hold of 3 points on your license ???




    I didn't think so...

    Id rather not break the speed limit!
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  21. #21
    Master reggie747's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 100thmonkey View Post
    Id rather not break the speed limit!
    Well obviously, but in the real world, fine + points or awareness course cost ?

  22. #22
    Craftsman Byron's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by number2 View Post
    It's now 4-5 years ago since I was given the option of this course or a fine and points on my licence, I approached it as an annoying waste of time but came away a different driver entirely, from my POV very worthwhile and as I often cover 800+ miles in a week its made a major contribution in keeping my licence clean, the downside has been I now notice more fu**wit drivers than before.
    Same here - c.40,000 miles every year for the last 10 years. The trainer was very engaging too which I think helped.

  23. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by reggie747 View Post
    Well obviously, but in the real world, fine + points or awareness course cost ?
    Forget points and courses just make it a standard £2500 fine with all the profit going to road safety and support to victims of road accidents and 5 year ban if over acceptable buffer.
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  24. #24
    Quote Originally Posted by 100thmonkey View Post
    Forget points and courses just make it a standard £2500 fine with all the profit going to road safety and support to victims of road accidents and 5 year ban if over acceptable buffer.
    Sounds like a money spinner to me...

  25. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by triumph coupe View Post
    Sounds like a money spinner to me...
    All for charity mate (Said like Nicey)
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  26. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by reggie747 View Post
    Would you rather pay a fine costing more than the course and get a hold of 3 points on your license ???




    I didn't think so...
    I had the option for one many years ago. The fine had to be paid regardless, with the option being points or course.

  27. #27
    I went on course around 2012. It was informative. Funny this thread came up as I think I have got another one by the shifty mobile camera van a few days ago. All a revenue spinner.

  28. #28
    Grand Master TaketheCannoli's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ventura View Post
    I went on course around 2012. It was informative. Funny this thread came up as I think I have got another one by the shifty mobile camera van a few days ago. All a revenue spinner.
    As someone said further up, they’d make more money not offering the courses.

    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by Ventura View Post
    I went on course around 2012. It was informative. Funny this thread came up as I think I have got another one by the shifty mobile camera van a few days ago. All a revenue spinner.
    As someone said further up, they’d make more money not offering the courses.

  29. #29
    For me, course and fine were same price - £100.

  30. #30
    Master reggie747's Avatar
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    Ok, forget the fine.
    Do you want the points ?

  31. #31
    Quote Originally Posted by reggie747 View Post
    Ok, forget the fine.
    Do you want the points ?
    Who me? I was happy to do the course.

  32. #32
    Master reggie747's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kingstepper View Post
    Who me? I was happy to do the course.
    No and I would be also if it meant nil points.

  33. #33
    Master Skier's Avatar
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    Having had my first speeding offence in over 20 years in January '18 I wasn't offered the option of a Speed Awareness Course; it was 3 points and a £100 fine. I'm not sure I would have bothered with the SAC option had it been offered as time is just too valuable and if the presenter had adopted the parent/child manner (as friends who have done it have reported) I might not have made it to the end.
    Last edited by Skier; 8th August 2018 at 21:42.

  34. #34
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    Yep been there done that.

    Choice was fine and points or course. As the cost of the course was about the same I took the course.

    Also, you need to factor in not only the points, but the rise in car insurance due to the RTO.

    Quick question 3 points?

    Where I am at the moment it was lowered to 2. Which drivers obviously prefer and so do the local authorities.

    Think about it, let’s say the fine is £50 (for simplicity) 3 points a time, 4 goes and you’re out, £200 raised in revenue.

    2 points a time needs 6 goes before you’re out, £300 comes in, 50% up pre-ban

    And some say it’s for safey, pah

  35. #35
    Grand Master TaketheCannoli's Avatar
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    I can’t believe anyone takes the points over attending a course. Not only will that have an effect on your insurance costs for five years you also don’t know what else might happen. What if you’re involved in an accident and you end up with nine points as a penalty? Add the three you could have avoided and you’re banned. All for the sake of four hours of learning.

    Madness.

  36. #36
    Master alfat33's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by TaketheCannoli View Post
    I can’t believe anyone takes the points over attending a course. Not only will that have an effect on your insurance costs for five years you also don’t know what else might happen. What if you’re involved in an accident and you end up with nine points as a penalty? Add the three you could have avoided and you’re banned. All for the sake of four hours of learning.

    Madness.
    Unless you are paid daily and would lose a day’s pay.

    And resent handing £100 under duress to the Police benevolent fund that many of these independent speed awareness companies appear to be.

  37. #37
    Master reggie747's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by alfat33 View Post
    Unless you are paid daily and would lose a day’s pay.

    And resent handing £100 under duress to the Police benevolent fund that many of these independent speed awareness companies appear to be.
    They do the courses on Saturdays too (maybe even Sundays but that would be out of reach of some of the holier than thou on here who'd probably be in church, obviously)

    Can you expand on the bolded part of your statement ?
    Last edited by reggie747; 8th August 2018 at 21:34.

  38. #38
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    Quote Originally Posted by reggie747 View Post
    They do the courses on Saturdays too (maybe even Sundays but that would be out of reach of some of the holier than thou on here who'd probably be in church, obviously)

    Can you expand on the bolded part of your statement ?
    Not in the region in which I was speeding, Monday to Friday only. The company running the course I was required to attend had an ex-senior police officer as a senior executive. I gather many of the instructors are ex-Police. Fair enough, they are entitled to work. If you look carefully into the business model you will see that some of the revenue of these companies is remitted back to the police. I was quite surprised once I started googling.

    Honestly I try to put it behind me now. I was speeding, through distraction rather than haste, I was wrong, and being caught has made me more careful and less likely to be distracted, so fair enough.

    I would’t want anyone to think that everyone who chooses to take the points is mad though.

  39. #39
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    Quote Originally Posted by TaketheCannoli View Post
    I can’t believe anyone takes the points over attending a course. Not only will that have an effect on your insurance costs for five years you also don’t know what else might happen. What if you’re involved in an accident and you end up with nine points as a penalty? Add the three you could have avoided and you’re banned. All for the sake of four hours of learning.

    Madness.
    When I told my insurance comapny I now had an SP50 and 3 points it made ZERO difference to my insurance. Additionally, any 'accident' for which you receive 9 points is no accident so your point is not logical. You pay your money (fine/course) and take your choice.

  40. #40
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    I'd say I found them interesting but as I've done three in 37 months, I don't think they work for me...

  41. #41
    Quote Originally Posted by Dave O'Sullivan View Post
    I'd say I found them interesting but as I've done three in 37 months, I don't think they work for me...
    Thought you wouldn’t be offered a second course within 3 years but maybe it varies by area.

    Would be more of a deterrent if this was universal.

  42. #42
    Master steptoe's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by TaketheCannoli View Post

    I think making a refresher like this mandatory every decade would help us all be better drivers.
    Easy enough to arrange. If you think you need a refresher just get caught speeding once every decade.

  43. #43
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    David (TtC), your one of a very few that have said something sensible on this thread.

  44. #44
    Master WarrenVrs's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by TaketheCannoli View Post
    As someone said further up, they’d make more money not offering the courses.

    - - - Updated - - -


    As someone said further up, they’d make more money not offering the courses.
    Forgetting that they can raise more revenue before someone is banned by offering the course. 5 offences versus 4.

    Personally, I can't fathom why it takes a fine and mandatory course for people to realise that additional training is sensible? The right course/instructor will make the average driver safer, faster, and enjoy driving more.

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  45. #45
    Master WarrenVrs's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by TaketheCannoli View Post
    I can’t believe anyone takes the points over attending a course. Not only will that have an effect on your insurance costs for five years you also don’t know what else might happen. What if you’re involved in an accident and you end up with nine points as a penalty? Add the three you could have avoided and you’re banned. All for the sake of four hours of learning.

    Madness.
    I can't believe it takes a speeding offence, and fine for folks to realise additional training is sensible.

    That's madness ;)

    Buy a copy of road craft, have a look at reg local on YouTube (or piston heads, or his books).

    Majority of road users pootle along, barely aware of their surroundings, oblivious to the road ahead. Why do you think so many people look angry/baffled when you sound the horn/flash full beam? They're totally unaware of what they've done.

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  46. #46
    Quote Originally Posted by WarrenVrs View Post
    I can't believe it takes a speeding offence, and fine for folks to realise additional training is sensible.

    That's madness ;)

    Buy a copy of road craft, have a look at reg local on YouTube (or piston heads, or his books).

    Majority of road users pootle along, barely aware of their surroundings, oblivious to the road ahead. Why do you think so many people look angry/baffled when you sound the horn/flash full beam? They're totally unaware of what they've done.

    Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using Tapatalk
    If everyone pootled along roads would be safer.

  47. #47
    Master WarrenVrs's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kingstepper View Post
    If everyone pootled along roads would be safer.
    If no one got in a car, safer still. But speed is dangerous, right? That's why motorways are so dreadfully unsafe.

    Right?

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  48. #48
    Master alfat33's Avatar
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    Unfortunately for me the speed camera that caught me didn’t realise I’d already had some training. No doubt if I’d gone on the course and pointed that out they would have sent me home early and refunded me.

  49. #49
    Quote Originally Posted by WarrenVrs View Post
    If no one got in a car, safer still. But speed is dangerous, right? That's why motorways are so dreadfully unsafe.

    Right?

    Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using Tapatalk
    Pootle - “move or travel in a leisurely manner”.

    Rush about if you want to but don’t expect everyone to do the same.

  50. #50
    Master WarrenVrs's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kingstepper View Post
    Pootle - “move or travel in a leisurely manner”.

    Rush about if you want to but don’t expect everyone to do the same.
    I'm not quite sure of the point you're trying to make?

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