You could say i was either unlucky or just plain daft as i got caught speeding recently and have been fortunate enough that instead of a fine and points on my licence i was given the option to go on a speed awareness course instead.
Dont know anybody who has been on one and therefore not sure what it involves, so thought others maybe in the same boat as me (wasnt in a boat at time may i add), all i know at the mpment is it lasts for 4 hours so watch this space and i'll let you know how hard a slap i get ..................................
BM, check out
http://www.nopenaltypoints.co.uk/SpeedAwarenessCourse.html
cant see the point, (pardon the pun) LMAO...
i've never needed a speed awareness course.. i have a speedo that tells me how much over the limit i am, hehe
Dont tell me, let me guess,
there is some rule hidden away in section 10,057, subsection 784, paragraph 35, line 66 that says it's the law and is compulsory for all newbies attending their first event to buy the organiser of said event a drink of said organisers choice.
and somehow Ive overlooked it, right??? LMAO
Definately take the awareness course.
They'll doubtless frighten the life out of you with explanations of why speed kills, but it has to be a better option than points.
Never know, might even learn something
.....like don't get caught
My mate has just done one, he was made to feel like adolf Hitler at the pearly gates. Anybody would think he had murdered a gaggle of nuns!
We all know its wrong in the obvious places.
A load of lecturing, then a bit of driving, putting your new "awareness" of speed into practice *shrugs*
Money for old rope for the instructors on 'em - nice work if you can get it!
An ex did one, and was raving about all the knowledge he'd gained from it. Got caught speeding about 3 months later. *shrugs again*
They're perhaps not quite so much of a waste of time as the drink driving awareness courses... another ex did one of them, and subsequently carefully calculated just how many pints he could get away with drinking every time he went out. Numpty. He ended up drink-riding more frequently AFTER taking the stupid course than he did before. It's OK though. He's off the roads now, as he turned into a complete alcoholic & a junkie, so had to sell all the cars & bikes
jackie......are you letting vfr400paul get away with his very sexist remark .........we do not" flutter our eyelids".......under any curcumstances.......germaine greer has told us not too.
ps. still want my 'rolly eyes' emoticon, matt.
Friend of mine got done for cutting a red light too fine and went on one of these courses as an alternative to points on his licence.
He said it was surprsingly relaxed with an attitude of 'look, what you've done could happen to almost anybody. You're all first-timers, and we'll work together to make as sure as we can there isn't a second time.'
He's not the kind of driver who habitually pushes at speed limits, amber lights and the rest, as as far as I know he's been a good little bunny ever since.
I reckon however boring or guilt-inducing the course is it's gotta be better than losing your licence (accumulate enough points and you will) and having to pay again all the associated costs of getting another licence.
Speed awareness course....yep been there done that and i must admit how i didnt burn the place down i dont know.
Advice for going to a course. 1) Don't arse about..they don't like it. 2) Don't ask silly questions...they don't like it. 3) Don't put any of your knowledge into any part of the course...they don't like it. 4) When you do your first drive or ride make a few mistake's that are obvious so they can correct you and you drive better on your second drive or ride so it looks like you have learned something and it makes them feel better.
For the experienced rider, driver this course is bollocks but if you are new then there are some good pointers for you.
WARNING DO NOT PISS THEM OFF OR YOU WILL STILL HAVE TO PAY THE FINE AND WILL HAVE THE POINTS PUT ON YOUR LICENSE AS IF THE PRICE OF THE COURSE ISNT ENOUGH.
Paul yes you had beter read ur handbook better !!!
As for fluttering my eyeslashes when i do that most plp think i'm having some kind of fit
Well have been and was more surprised by the fact that i was probably the youngest one there more than anything else !
One old dear even told us that she turns her rear window washer the wrong way so she can jet tailgaters lol
On the whole they didnt tell me anything i didnt already know, did learn a few good tips though. The guy taking the course could actually get a job as a stand up comedian , and as he was a biker he made sure he pushed the point of looking out for bikes.
In a nutshell, lecture on why you shouldn't speed and the consequences if you do, watched a few videos of accidents, general discussion on peoples views then had to fill in a form which involved yes or no answers, which i inevitably got told off for as me being me those opitions didnt match my reply !!!
Have to say though would rather have done it then got points on my licence.
Would i speed again ...........................................
I've recently done a course instead of points.....
it was four hrs in a classroom .........
some questions,,,,,group answers
some basic comp type scenes to guess hazards etc....
it was all pretty easy as long as you kept your gob shut and blended into the backgroung....hence:_ SO SORRY YOU GOING TO STRUGGLE
I went on one a couple of years ago. I got caught on camera doing 35 in a 30 limit. In yorkshire that would be OK as were allowed 10% + 2. But in Wales it's 10%. Anyway I thought it better than getting points on my licence. No fine, but the course did cost the same as the fine. Spent a few hours in a classroom getting lectures on speed awareness, stopping distances etc. Looked at some photos and picked out hazards. Simple stuff really. It was a nice day out in North Wales. I took my IAM badges off as I thought it best.