Speed awareness course.
- Thread starter Dave
- Start date
-
Come along to the amazing Summer Moot (21st July - 2nd August), a festival of bushcrafting and camping in a beautiful woodland PLEASE CLICK HERE for more information.
If you are open minded about it you will probably enjoy it, you do learn something and you can chat and moan with a bunch of people in the same boat.
2nd time is a bit boring though
2nd time is a bit boring though
I did one a few years back, just be an active participant and you should be OK, you will probably be in a lecture room with maybe 20 to 30 others all having done the same as you.
It really is a worth while few hours, most of us forget too much after passing our tests...
They might put you in a small group and get you doing observation exercises on road safety, they will go through the stopping distances needed for various speeds and show you the consequences of speeding where you shouldn't, video's of past speed awareness adverts on the TV, you know the ones with dead kids...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YEoYGArMas
You will think differently after the course...
It really is a worth while few hours, most of us forget too much after passing our tests...
They might put you in a small group and get you doing observation exercises on road safety, they will go through the stopping distances needed for various speeds and show you the consequences of speeding where you shouldn't, video's of past speed awareness adverts on the TV, you know the ones with dead kids...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YEoYGArMas
You will think differently after the course...
I've done them a couple of times now.
Ironically, it was awareness of speed that got in trouble in the first place.
It's no big deal.
You'll be in a big room with a couple dozen other people like you. You'll listen to some talks, do some 'group work' and then go home.
You're not tested nor examined. Just sit there, nod knowingly, and contribute every now and then.
Don't try and be clever, don't try and be smart. The instructors aren't interested and you'll make yourself look an ****. Just play the game.
And that'll be that.
As others have said, some of it is genuinely interesting. But you'll be glad when it's over and done with.
Ironically, it was awareness of speed that got in trouble in the first place.
It's no big deal.
You'll be in a big room with a couple dozen other people like you. You'll listen to some talks, do some 'group work' and then go home.
You're not tested nor examined. Just sit there, nod knowingly, and contribute every now and then.
Don't try and be clever, don't try and be smart. The instructors aren't interested and you'll make yourself look an ****. Just play the game.
And that'll be that.
As others have said, some of it is genuinely interesting. But you'll be glad when it's over and done with.
No Janne. Just come off the motorway.
So I wont mention then, that I did think that you were allowed to speed up to overtake someone else, which is what happened. Mind you it has been 28 years since I passed.
Is it a 'jobs for the boys' thing then? [Are they all ex traffic coppers?]
Thats exactly what the summons reads like.....play the grey man, and shut up, or else.
So I wont mention then, that I did think that you were allowed to speed up to overtake someone else, which is what happened. Mind you it has been 28 years since I passed.
Is it a 'jobs for the boys' thing then? [Are they all ex traffic coppers?]
Last edited:
I guess they took you in a spot where lots of people speed. Will you have to pass a written test ofter the lecture?
Mine had no test. You just had to show interest which is fair enough really. Some interesting bits though. Last thing the instructor said was to avoid the speed camera just outside the stadium when leaving (Bolton Wanderers) 
The guy we had was an ex driving instructor. I got into an arguement with him when he said it was illegal to park on a pavement and I pointed out that it isn't. They don't like being argued with so just nod and smile
Most people there had done no more than 2 or 3 mph over the speed limit. I didn't even know I'd been speeding since the speedo on the Landy is a little... vague at times. I was in a long line of traffic heading to the Royal Welsh Show so they must have made some good revenue that day.
Most people there had done no more than 2 or 3 mph over the speed limit. I didn't even know I'd been speeding since the speedo on the Landy is a little... vague at times. I was in a long line of traffic heading to the Royal Welsh Show so they must have made some good revenue that day.
My old work used to hire a room to the council for speed awareness courses one day a week. They would run two courses per day and I know the chaps running it were going to other venues every day of the week.
It's a cash cow.
It's a cash cow.
It was actually quite pleasant! Two driving instructors, trying to make it entertaining. I did learn a fair bit I didnt know. They went into the maths of how much quicker you would get to a destination, if you were speeding by a factor of X, over a certain length, and it drives it home its just not worth it. Something like if you did ten miles per hour over the limit over a distance of ten miles, you only save six seconds per mile.....I forget the speed. Does make you realise its just not worth it. But speeding is a habit. And I am the worst person in the world for breaking bad habits...
And each table was a group. Not a bad experience at all in fact.
For instance I didnt know that everytime you see one of those large yellow boxes, [speed camera] with the lines in the road, did you know that, there has to have been at least 3 deaths or 3 serious accidents caused before they put it there?!
Some eye opening stuff like that.
And each table was a group. Not a bad experience at all in fact.
For instance I didnt know that everytime you see one of those large yellow boxes, [speed camera] with the lines in the road, did you know that, there has to have been at least 3 deaths or 3 serious accidents caused before they put it there?!
Some eye opening stuff like that.
Last edited:
It's good to find things out...
And cheaper than three points on the licence with whatever fine they can impose these days, £60?
Also the £100 a year on your car insurance for the next three years...
And the chance to change the way you drive and hopefully prevent an accident or even a fatality, possibly your own...
Did they do the traffic cone and speeding car to show stopping distances and speeds at point of impact ?
And cheaper than three points on the licence with whatever fine they can impose these days, £60?
Also the £100 a year on your car insurance for the next three years...
And the chance to change the way you drive and hopefully prevent an accident or even a fatality, possibly your own...
Did they do the traffic cone and speeding car to show stopping distances and speeds at point of impact ?
They showed that as an illustration, a diagram, but they had three different courses running next door to each other with over 70 people present. One for speeding awareness, one for motorway speeding, and one for using mobile phones, so they did seem a bit rushed.
I think it was to stop at 30mph, you need a distance in front of you of 6 cars, or 45 yards. Where as if you are doing 35 Miles per hour it increases by a much larger percentage that you would think. He admitted no-one ever leaves a 6 car gap though....
[The guy running the course admitted he had six points and he was a driving instructor!]
I think it was to stop at 30mph, you need a distance in front of you of 6 cars, or 45 yards. Where as if you are doing 35 Miles per hour it increases by a much larger percentage that you would think. He admitted no-one ever leaves a 6 car gap though....
[The guy running the course admitted he had six points and he was a driving instructor!]
Last edited:
Just goes to show that no one is immune from prosecution, just don't get caught again for a few years, as next time there is no option to do the course unless there is a good gap between offences.
I think that they did the stopping distance cones at 30 and at 35, but the difference of speed at impact was massive, deadly...
They used a car at 30mph and did the emergency stop, where the car stopped they put the cone... then did it again at 35mph...
I think that they did the stopping distance cones at 30 and at 35, but the difference of speed at impact was massive, deadly...
They used a car at 30mph and did the emergency stop, where the car stopped they put the cone... then did it again at 35mph...
I try and follow the two second gap principle, and three or more seconds gap if wet or other poor conditions. Doesn't matter how fast you're going then as the distance between you increases as your speed increases. Works for me.
I also find if you leave a large gap you're not always touching the brake when the guy or gal in front of you touches their brakes; just easing off the accelerator works most times.
Works well, "Only a fool breaks the two second rule" and all that... Until doing 30mph in a built up area and someone steps out from behind a parked car without looking as they're on their phone or headphones and hoodie.
The problem with leaving a large enough gap is that some twerp pulls into it. So you are trying to do the correct, safe thing, and you end up jammed behind someone who you already know isn't a sensible driver . . .
Last edited:
I found that what was delivered could have been done in maybe 2 hrs if the majority didn't try and plead they were in the right!!!
I found the majority trying to reason why they wasn't speeding; really? If they just excepted they were there it would have been easier on the ears! One guy, believed his new Scania had a better stopping distance than the laws of physics and inertia...
Just play the game, stay grey and look forward to not handing over extra money to your insurance for three years!
It is an absolute cash cow though.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I found the majority trying to reason why they wasn't speeding; really? If they just excepted they were there it would have been easier on the ears! One guy, believed his new Scania had a better stopping distance than the laws of physics and inertia...
Just play the game, stay grey and look forward to not handing over extra money to your insurance for three years!
It is an absolute cash cow though.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I did mine a year ago. 37mph in a 30 zone.
Whilst i I still maintain I was not a danger to anyone no pedestrians or other road users to hit just a cunningly placed van.
the message got through that speeding with modern enforcement just isn't worth the cost and hassle. Inevitably you will get caught by a camera at some point so stick to the limits.
I found the attempt to play the guilt card distasteful. How would you feel hitting a child at 30 etc.
Whilst i I still maintain I was not a danger to anyone no pedestrians or other road users to hit just a cunningly placed van.
the message got through that speeding with modern enforcement just isn't worth the cost and hassle. Inevitably you will get caught by a camera at some point so stick to the limits.
I found the attempt to play the guilt card distasteful. How would you feel hitting a child at 30 etc.
Similar threads
