Hello,
The wife has been caught speeding by the local "Safety Camera Partnership". She was doing 36mph in a 30 zone.
The standard penalty is £60 fine and 3pts.
Does anyone know about the "Driving Awarenes" alternative? Is it true that you can offer to take one of these (or are they randomly offered??) in lieu of the 3pts aspect?
The wife has not received anything indicating this is an option in her letter.
This is her first offence by the way.
Thanks if anyone has any info/experience!
|
|
hi, i was offered the option of a speed awareness course for doing 36 in a 30, you still have to pay the £60 tho! and take the morning off work it lasts about 3 hours when i went there were 4 blokes and about 16 women and as far as i remember everyone of us had been caught doing exactly 36 in a 30 i think that is a cut off point but anyway its better than getting 3 points on yer licence, just a point the guy running the show (x copper) asked everyone in the room " how do you know if you are in a 30 mph limit zone" and nobody apart from me knew the answer (smug git)
|
|
|
To be honest I'd take the three points option and watch the speedometer very carefully.
It's a long drawn out process otherwise to save getting three points, plus a heft charge. See:
www.driver-improvement.org.uk/
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
|
PS
>>She was doing 36mph in a 30 zone>>
So it's very likely that she would have at least 40mph indicated on the speedometer...:-)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
|
Not sure I agree with that Stuart tbh. My car will be indicating no more than 38 mph at a GPS 36.
As for whether she should do a speed awareness course... if she is given the option she should consider it but it'll cost her £150-odd (I imagine this varies by force area) so she probably won't save money overall even if her insurance premium doesn't go up as it would have. Then of course there is the hassle of a day off work, so it's not a soft option by any means.
Of course they don't even have to offer it to her.
If however she is attached to her clean licence and/or feels that she would be open minded and interested enough to learn something (albeit there is no guarantee that the course will do anything for her driving other than hammer home a simplistic 'speed kills' message).
Would I? I think I probably would do it, out of interest and attachment to a clean licence (I was gutted when I had my first accident) but I would completely understand someone who wouldn't.
|
|
|
>>She was doing 36mph in a 30 zone>> So it's very likely that she would have at least 40mph indicated on the speedometer...:-)
That's what SIDs ("Speed Indicator Devices, those smiley/frowning face things) are good for! You can drive past them and see what they say. This a.m. I went past one at just under 35 indicated. It said I was doing 30. Just over 45 comes out at 40. You're right about the liklihood of 40 being indicated!
|
|
|
|
|
In the Brunstrom Badlands (North Wales) the cut off is rigid at 35 mph. I was caught at 36 and despite the certainty incurring the cost of time off work and a 400 miles round trip to get to the course the request for latitude on 1 mph was declined. Stuff them then! Other forces may have different rules or be amenable to a bit of grovelling! Brusntrom has caught over 100 of his own officers, and his daughter, on speed cameras and the burglary clear-up rate is 6%, I bet the Council Tax Payers cup of joy overflows at such news!
|
>...the burglary clear-up rate is 6%...
Didn't we do this a few weeks ago, AS? The Home Office's official figures rate North Wales rather well on burglaries.
|
I am not so interested in North Wales that I check the figures for anything there on a regular basis. In order that I may be better informed please post a link and I will revise my post. The clear up rate on burglaries is carp compared with the clear up rate on speeding which is, of course a low effort high earner, which investigating burglaries is not!
|
|
|
|
It was supposed to be available throughout the country by 2005.
A friend living in Cardigan has recently opted to take a course in Reading, the nearest available place.
I gathered that a good few of the people there had not in fact been speeding, but had "owned up" to the offence in order to save someone else from losing his licence, and to whom this easy option would not have been offered.
|
|
|
Both my Sister and my Mother have been through one of these courses in the last year, they both seem to think they were of benefit and better then getting the 3 points.
neither myself nor my father have had to take one, or got a speeding ticket (recently)- says something about their driving, not that we would ever tell them that ;o)
|
She could take the 3 points, 60pound fine - and also take a course from the IAM/RoSPA - this will be much cheaper than a speed awareness course, more effective and more convenient.
Forget the 'Advanced' bit of the course - any driver should be able to pass and most will benefit.
This is probably the best way to avoid a further speeding fine - it worked for me anyway :-)
The three points only apply for a short time and it may be more purposeful to take the points and learn, rather than try to find an escape route. I know that's harsh, but it's just a point of view. I also understand the pure frustration at getting caught by the cameras.
I'm not suggesting that I'm completely free of the speed bug tho'
|
|
|
|
Depends on the force and how much over the limit you are. Also, I think if you aren't offered it you dont get the option.
My wife got caught for 35 in a 30 in Northamptonshre and she did the course.
Also, it realy winds me up how they use the term 'safety camera partnership' as a politically correct use of words to disguise the revenue generating purpose of these things.
|
|
Rather have the 3 points & fine then take time off & pay to sit in a classroom.
|
Depends a bit on whether it is your first three points! If you are getting near totting up a course might be better. For some people there also insurance premium increase implications.
|
I was an instructor on these courses a few years ago. At the time they were not for speeding offences, but for minor transgressions of carelessness such as rear ending someone. From what I remember about the details of many of the offences, people were often browbeaten into signing up for them after incidents where in my opinion the police would have had a hard job getting a prosecution had the offender opted for court instead.
--
|
RR. I take your point but many people would rather go on a course than take the hassle and cost of going to court, take the chance of being convicted, and finishing up with a criminal record! I'd pay to sit in a classroom for a day rather than go to court for a day!
|
|
|
|
This is her first offence by the way.
You mean it's the first time she's been caught! ;-)
--
L\'escargot.
|
Varies by area - I did the one in Warwickshire (£60 and 1/2 day in classroom) same as the fine and don't have to tell the insurer.
Was also offered it in Staffordshire (full day and £100 but includes assessed drive)
Bear in mind that your insurer will increase your premium so in my view the course is a no-brainer.
I found it very useful and do drive slower now (30 on the sat nav rather than 34 in a 30 area), and ANYONE who regards cameras as reveue generation needs to go on the course - but then these people will only denounce what they are told as propaganda because they believe they have a divine right to break the speed limits!
|
|
BTW my NIP said 35 so at 36 she is too far over the limit for the course!
|
Previous poster said that whether he would accept the offer of a course would depend on how many points he'd already accrued: I think local policy (East Yorks) is you only get offered the alternative for the first offence...
Tim{P}
|
Previous poster said that whether he would accept the offer of a course would depend on how many points he'd already accrued: I think local policy (East Yorks) is you only get offered the alternative for the first offence... Tim{P}
correct, you only get offered the course on your first offence, if you get offered that is!
|
A slight aside, my wife opted for one of these courses after getting caught (36mph in a 30mph, it would have been her first points). The pre-course literature made it clear that anyone who was late would not be allowed entry and would have to take the 3 points. I could picture people driving like loons desperate not to be late for their speed awareness course.
|
|
What's the chances of being offered a course having done 62 in a 40 zone - first offence - about nil I guess. This on a dual carraigeway through a road works that had been cleared away for the weekend - maybe I should get a solicitor - anybody got any sensible suggestions?
|
36 in a 30 doesn't cut it so 62 in a 40 won't. I think you'll be luck to get away with a Conditional Offer of a Fixed Penalty. Pepipoo will give some idea of what to expect but it won't be £60 and 3 points I'd guess.
|
|
4 to 5 points for 62 in a 40 and probably 150-250 fine plus court fees £35 -£60. 20 to30% uplift in your insurance for 5 years. Regards Peter
|
I was caught doing 39 in a 30 coming out of Tunbridge Wells and took a 'speed awareness' course. I've got a clean license and still have a clean license after paying out £100 + a day off work.
I drive for work so haven't increased my insurance or theirs.
You basically spend a couple of hours in a classroom where they hammer home the point that any amount over the speed limit kills and then you go out on the road with an advanced driving instructor (mine was a member of ROSPA) who gets you to drive very slowly and hammers home the point that any amount over the speed limit kills.
My opinion is that it's better to keep the points off the license if you can help it.
Chris.
|
"hammers home the point that any amount over the speed limit kills"
And we all know that to be true, don't we? However, my advice would be to swallow your pride and take the course. Much cheaper than weighted insurance premiums for a few years.
V
|
You basically spend a couple of hours in a classroom where they hammer home the point that any amount over the speed limit kills Chris.
I am all for observing non-motorway speed limits, and anything that improves driving standards is good, but how can you take seriously anything else they say when the above nonsense is presented? So when speed limit is lowered (commonplace), the road must have presumably been a deathtrap, with hundreds of deaths per day. I presume you are mis-quoting them?
|
Take the opertunity of the 3 hour instruction ,it appaers you only get offered one for up to 35 mph in a 30 limit and you have to complete the course within a set time from the offence commited.You can only do 1 in 3 years so the next offence you will not get annother course offered. It cost me £60 and a morning of lets say "entertainment" and free coffee and biscuits foolewed by a questionare.
--
rustbucket (the original)
|
I am all for observing non-motorway speed limits, and anything that improves driving standards is good, but how can you take seriously anything else they say when the above nonsense is presented? So when speed limit is lowered (commonplace), the road must have presumably been a deathtrap, with hundreds of deaths per day. I presume you are mis-quoting them?
Mis-quoting them?
No, we all sat in a classroom whwre evryone gave their excuses for doing more than the speed limits and you then look at ways to prevent yourself from having to go over the speed limit (i.e. allowing more time for your journey etc)
Their whole point is that there is no excuse for driving over the speed limit.
|
Hello Again,
Thought I'd update you with the news that SWMBO got a driver awaress offering after all. Cost £60 (identical to the SP30) and takes an afternoon. Better than a license endorsement I think.
Guess Dorset Police must have signed up to this initiative recently, even though the website that someone highlighted earlier in the thread said not.
A fortunate outcome I admit. I am looking forward to her report after the event!
Thanks All
|
Having recently travelled from Edinburgh to London in a small car I was really scared at the way drivers enter motorways. They think they have right of way"they do not" It is not always possible to move over and in anycase it's they that should be slowing down. Regarding speed cameras vers Lieu of points. Maybe it's a good idea but it is also up to the government to ensure that roads are properly designated. Most of the signs I see are either old and dirty,hidden, or just not there. After all how is it possible to drive within the limits of the law. When the law is just out to make money out of us.
unnecessary quoting of post being replied to removed. DD
|
|
