I have been 'invited' and accepted, the option of attending a course as an alternative to a fixed penalty and 3 points on my clean licence. I have been driving for 25 years and was doing 36mph in a 30mph limit. Nevermind that I'm constantly checking my speedo, and look out for speed cameras on a daily basis. London (and Hampshire) are full of them.
Could anyone who has attended one of these courses, please let me know what 'fun' I'm in for during the 3 hour session?!
Also, I asked Hampshire to let me attend a course in London, but they said that wasn't possible. Has anyone been successful in being allowed to do this?
Thanks
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The courses are only run in the area covered by the police force in which you were caught speeding. So you will not be able to attend in the Metropolitan Police area if you were caught elsewhere. The system is not national, so this has the advantage that if you're subsequently caught again in another force's area, you may be offered another session in place of points and a fine - if you get caught again in Hampshire though you'll be on their records as having attended one and will get the points and fine straight away.
I attended Thames Valley's version after being similarly caught at 36 in a 30. It was quite an eye opening day, but not in the way I think they intended. What surprised and alarmed me the most was the fact that, during an initial session about which speed limits applied where, it became evident that only about 10% of the people there had any clue what the limits were for the various types of road we have in the country. The ignorance was staggering given that everyone should have learnt this in order to pass a driving test.
We were treated to watching video footage of various roads on a computer screen from a driver's perspective, and asked to comment on the speed limits, how far from cars in front we should be, etc. And also given some tests of our reactions as various surprise scenarios unfolded on the footage. All of this was in the name of a research project at a local university.
This was followed by lengthy explanations of why speed limits are set to the levels they are accompanied by photos and footage from accident scenes and blackspots. Nothing gory, mind you.
All in all I thought it was a much better way to spend an afternoon than going to work, and I left with the impression that every driver should attend one as a condition of keeping their licence, rather than just those who have been caught speeding.
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Step son attended one on Wednesday in Derbyshire.
In addition to the videos, he was given some personal tuition on the road by an 'advanced driving instructor'.
What surprised him was that he was the youngest in attendance and many of them were Jaguar and Mercedes owners of 'advanced years' and not boy racers.
Our family does not learn; four now having been done by the same camera.
Edited by Glaikit Wee Scunner {P} on 24/10/2008 at 14:54
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What surprised him was that he was the youngest in attendance and many of them were Jaguar and Mercedes owners of 'advanced years' and not boy racers.
Same here. Most of the people in my course were well heeled middle aged types. I was easily one of the youngest at about 35ish at the time. Most amusing participant was a very feisty middle aged French lady who truly resented being there and sniped at the instructor relentlessly about how she wouldn't have to put up with such humiliation in France.
Yes, looking back I quite enjoyed my afternoon and it has influenced me in staying the right side of the speed limit, which was not often the case beforehand.
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What surprised him was that he was the youngest in attendance and many of them were Jaguar and Mercedes owners of 'advanced years' and not boy racers.
That is quite possibly because the Jag/Merc "elderly" drivers just drifted over the limit and got offered the course. The boy racers were too quick and got the fine and points.
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I attended one of these in Merseyside, 56 mph in a 50 limit. Mine was a two part course, 3 hrs theory, and two hours with a driving instructor. I found both elements informative and relevant. Go in with an open mind and you will pass, go in with a negative attitude and you will probably get your points.
The course was being held at a hotel in Knowsley, the company running it held two a day and had done so for a few weeks. The mix of ages was spread evenly, however I was suprised that 50% of those attending were women.
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Mrs B got on the Northants version a few years ago. SCP at time followed ACPO guideline of 10% + 1mph as action threshold, over 36 and you got the offer of points etc. but 34/5 were allowed option of an evening course at cost of £60.
No driving involved just presentation, films etc. Quite good value - say's she learned a lot and has not offended since.
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The courses are only run in the area covered by the police force in which you were caught speeding.
Not in all cases, my son got caught in Devon and was able to attend a course in Leicester.
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I was an instructor on those courses during my latter years as an ADI. How useful they were I don't really know as there was never any feedback on what happened with those who had attended when they went back into the real world. Most attendees were co-operative and you could visibly improve aspects of their driving in the time they were in the car, but one old boy I remember was absolutely appalling and I had to sit him down with the police co-ordinator at the end of the drive and persuade him to give up his licence, which he agreed to do albiet in tears. He was in the early stages of Parkinsons Disease and had to be told that if he didn't agree to give up volunterally the DVLA would be informed that we thought he was medically unfit to hold a licence. He was on the course after rear ending someone, but how he had even survived the drive out of his own road without killing himself was beyond me. I'd had to grab the steering wheel at one point to prevent him hitting a couple of pedestrians.
Happy days (not).
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Just out of curiosity, are the courses run by Driver Awareness Ltd.? tinyurl.com/5jxm6p
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