Driver awareness courses ( SPEEDING )

General chat room. Pompey related or not, but PLEASE keep it reasonably clean.

Moderators: Kingofstar, Chris_in_LA, lakespfc, Admin, General Mods

Number 1 Jasper
Guy Whittingham
Posts: 9468
Joined: Fri May 12, 2006 10:27 am
Location: Dorset

Driver awareness courses ( SPEEDING )

Post by Number 1 Jasper »

Anyone been on one ? worthwhile ? interesting ?
"I love the night. The day is okay and the sun can be fun. But I live to see those rays slip away"
User avatar
Locky_McLockface
Guy Whittingham
Posts: 9821
Joined: Thu May 11, 2006 3:16 pm
Location: Cosham & Copnor
Contact:

Re: Driver awareness courses ( SPEEDING )

Post by Locky_McLockface »

Been done, then, Jasp?
I before E except when you run a feisty heist on a weird beige foreign neighbour
Number 1 Jasper
Guy Whittingham
Posts: 9468
Joined: Fri May 12, 2006 10:27 am
Location: Dorset

Re: Driver awareness courses ( SPEEDING )

Post by Number 1 Jasper »

the_lock_man wrote:Been done, then, Jasp?
Yes .

Sorry I was so slow to reply.............
"I love the night. The day is okay and the sun can be fun. But I live to see those rays slip away"
User avatar
Weybridge
Interim Manager
Posts: 5612
Joined: Fri May 19, 2006 2:23 pm
Been liked: 5 times

Re: Driver awareness courses ( SPEEDING )

Post by Weybridge »

Number 1 Jasper wrote:Anyone been on one ? worthwhile ? interesting ?
Yes, did one two years ago. Flashed doing 34 in a 30 (after just coming down from 50) at 8am on a Sunday morning on the A30. Still kind of pissed about that, but guilty nonetheless... £90 and a two hour lecture to save a couple of points and a hike on the insurance.

Was it a waste of time? Well, mostly - yes. A few interesting bits and pieces, but ultimately if you have half a brain and a good understanding of the Highway Code, then you don't learn much that you didn't already know.

The most useful thing was a short study of the M4 pileup in 1991. It was a detailed computer reconstruction of each vehicle's movements and where they went wrong, and in one instance how one vehicle's actions saved countless lives. The tragic irony was this - nobody was speeding.
"Look, we've all got something to contribute to this discussion. And I think what you should contribute from now on is silence."
User avatar
Locky_McLockface
Guy Whittingham
Posts: 9821
Joined: Thu May 11, 2006 3:16 pm
Location: Cosham & Copnor
Contact:

Re: Driver awareness courses ( SPEEDING )

Post by Locky_McLockface »

I would have thought at 4mph above the limit, you could have argued that it was safer to watch the road than the speedometer?
I before E except when you run a feisty heist on a weird beige foreign neighbour
User avatar
WheresWally/ScottMcGarvey
Sir Conan Doyle
Sir Conan Doyle
Posts: 4907
Joined: Thu Jun 01, 2006 3:35 pm

Re: Driver awareness courses ( SPEEDING )

Post by WheresWally/ScottMcGarvey »

I did one, few years ago now (figured that 3 points was all very well, but what if something 'happened' and I got another).

The course was ok - interesting though 'basic' (unfortunately a friend died later that day, and everything that I 'learned' went straight out of my head!)

You were unlucky at 34mph You were just 1mph over the limit given as 'margin for error' (I think) at 10%. (I did the same, I thought in a 40mph zone - a favourite in Pompey - Anglesea Road - now properly signposted. Despite being a Truvelo camera - meant to be infra-red - the flash from it blinded me for nearly a second - a long time behind the wheel!).

Give it a go if you can do the day off. Better that than the 3 points, you never know...
Bloke who does Rubi's Fantasy League. SEE LATEST TABLES HERE: PREM,CHAMPS & now the CUP
Fratton End Exile
Billy The Boot Boy
Posts: 1440
Joined: Mon May 15, 2006 4:13 pm
Location: Poole

Re: Driver awareness courses ( SPEEDING )

Post by Fratton End Exile »

did one a couple of months back in Dorset. quite interesting, does make you re-evaluate your driving style, though if i'm honest I've reverted. What I did take out of it was stopping distances, now much more aware of how much distance I leave to the car in front.
Vince
User avatar
Weybridge
Interim Manager
Posts: 5612
Joined: Fri May 19, 2006 2:23 pm
Been liked: 5 times

Re: Driver awareness courses ( SPEEDING )

Post by Weybridge »

WheresWally/ScottMcGarvey wrote:I did one, few years ago now (figured that 3 points was all very well, but what if something 'happened' and I got another).

The course was ok - interesting though 'basic' (unfortunately a friend died later that day, and everything that I 'learned' went straight out of my head!)

You were unlucky at 34mph You were just 1mph over the limit given as 'margin for error' (I think) at 10%. (I did the same, I thought in a 40mph zone - a favourite in Pompey - Anglesea Road - now properly signposted. Despite being a Truvelo camera - meant to be infra-red - the flash from it blinded me for nearly a second - a long time behind the wheel!).

Give it a go if you can do the day off. Better that than the 3 points, you never know...
Yes I could (and maybe should) have argued it as the margin is 10% + 3mph (so technically 36mph), but I only saw the notice on my doorstep after I'd been away for three weeks. I had about two days to respond to whether I wanted 3 points and £60 fine, or cough up £90 and take the SAC. Since it was my first and only offence, I just took the course.

They did say that insurance companies are not privy to SAC information, so premiums are unaffected - and even the course leader advised not informing them.
"Look, we've all got something to contribute to this discussion. And I think what you should contribute from now on is silence."
User avatar
WheresWally/ScottMcGarvey
Sir Conan Doyle
Sir Conan Doyle
Posts: 4907
Joined: Thu Jun 01, 2006 3:35 pm

Re: Driver awareness courses ( SPEEDING )

Post by WheresWally/ScottMcGarvey »

Weybridge wrote:Yes I could (and maybe should) have argued it as the margin is 10% + 3mph (so technically 36mph), but I only saw the notice on my doorstep after I'd been away for three weeks. I had about two days to respond to whether I wanted 3 points and £60 fine, or cough up £90 and take the SAC. Since it was my first and only offence, I just took the course.

They did say that insurance companies are not privy to SAC information, so premiums are unaffected - and even the course leader advised not informing them.
Maybe I'm getting mixed up (very probably!), but thought the 10% was 'margin for error' (with speeding offences), and the +3mph is just what is 'dialled' into our speedo's? So (theoretically), if I was got for 34mph, then speedo should've shown 37mph - the same with you. (Also my SatNav - which I didn't have/wouldn't have had on then), seems to tally with about 3mph less than my speedo. I thought this was sort of 'standard'?

But could be talking out of my backside! :smt017
Bloke who does Rubi's Fantasy League. SEE LATEST TABLES HERE: PREM,CHAMPS & now the CUP
User avatar
Earl Grey
Interim Manager
Posts: 6015
Joined: Sun Jun 04, 2006 10:36 am
Location: Here be dragons!

Re: Driver awareness courses ( SPEEDING )

Post by Earl Grey »

WheresWally/ScottMcGarvey wrote:
Weybridge wrote:
Yes, did one two years ago. Flashed doing 34 in a 30
Maybe I'm getting mixed up (very probably!), but thought........ if I was got for 34mph, then speedo should've shown 37mph .....
That's what I thought, WW/SM. My thinking was they accuse you of doing 34 knowing you were doing a fair bit more by your speedo so there's no room for argument.

I think the specification for speedos is that they should read anywhere between absolutely accurate up to 10 % higher than actual speed.
So I imagine manufacturers aim for their speedo to read about 5% high so they get no rejects in the factory.
Tom Toms, however, do not have this restriction and so are much more accurate on a level road.
Stop looking for solutions to symptoms and start identifying the disease.
User avatar
Locky_McLockface
Guy Whittingham
Posts: 9821
Joined: Thu May 11, 2006 3:16 pm
Location: Cosham & Copnor
Contact:

Re: Driver awareness courses ( SPEEDING )

Post by Locky_McLockface »

My missus used to work with someone who was a traffic plod at Havant - he told me that they gave 10% + 4mph before they would even think about pulling someone over. However, this was the best part of 20 years ago that he told me.

I have since read/seen/heard something somewhere that speed cameras are "supposed" to give you 10% +2mph before they'll take you. If the camera is somehow off-spec and is taking people's photos at too slow a speed, it could well be that the moosh who's processing the photos is not actually thinking for themselves, and just putting the reg number and speed down without realising that 34mph was a bit slow.

I once had my photo taken by the Truevelo in Northern Parade. Having just pulled out from the Alexandra Park car park access road, I was barely doing 30mph. Didn't get a ticket though.
I before E except when you run a feisty heist on a weird beige foreign neighbour
ddavis
Kev the Kitman
Posts: 4175
Joined: Thu May 18, 2006 10:01 pm
Location: Fareham
Contact:

Re: Driver awareness courses ( SPEEDING )

Post by ddavis »

Speed + 10% + whatever is all 'guidance'.

They can, and will if they want, do you for 31 in a 30. Most roads are zero tolerance.
User avatar
Locky_McLockface
Guy Whittingham
Posts: 9821
Joined: Thu May 11, 2006 3:16 pm
Location: Cosham & Copnor
Contact:

Re: Driver awareness courses ( SPEEDING )

Post by Locky_McLockface »

ddavis wrote:Speed + 10% + whatever is all 'guidance'.

They can, and will if they want, do you for 31 in a 30. Most roads are zero tolerance.
Is there not a legal precedent where someone appealed a ticket on the basis that to keep to a precise maximum of 30mph involved driving without due care and attention, since they would have to spend a disproportionate amount of time checking the speedometer, and therefore insufficient time looking at the actual road?
I before E except when you run a feisty heist on a weird beige foreign neighbour
User avatar
Earl Grey
Interim Manager
Posts: 6015
Joined: Sun Jun 04, 2006 10:36 am
Location: Here be dragons!

Re: Driver awareness courses ( SPEEDING )

Post by Earl Grey »

the_lock_man wrote: I once had my photo taken by the Truevelo in Northern Parade. Having just pulled out from the Alexandra Park car park access road, I was barely doing 30mph. Didn't get a ticket though.
They seem to have shifted that one....unless my eyesight's going.

Went down that way the other day and was specifically looking out for it after seeing this thread and couldn't spot it.

I'm sure it was there about 3 weeks ago, though, so only recently got rid of....unless I just didn't see it. (this weather does encourage scantily clad female distractions that even the most diligent hetero male driver will lose concentration over).
Stop looking for solutions to symptoms and start identifying the disease.
User avatar
Weybridge
Interim Manager
Posts: 5612
Joined: Fri May 19, 2006 2:23 pm
Been liked: 5 times

Re: Driver awareness courses ( SPEEDING )

Post by Weybridge »

Earl Grey wrote:
the_lock_man wrote: I once had my photo taken by the Truevelo in Northern Parade. Having just pulled out from the Alexandra Park car park access road, I was barely doing 30mph. Didn't get a ticket though.
They seem to have shifted that one....unless my eyesight's going.

Went down that way the other day and was specifically looking out for it after seeing this thread and couldn't spot it.

I'm sure it was there about 3 weeks ago, though, so only recently got rid of....unless I just didn't see it. (this weather does encourage scantily clad female distractions that even the most diligent hetero male driver will lose concentration over).
Definitely my worst moment behind the wheel. I was watching someone I shouldn't have been, wearing something she shouldn't have been. A little bit of eye contact, she smiles - and then I realised at the last picosecond I was about bomb straight through the red-lit pedestrian crossing she was waiting to cross at. Full on emergency stop, which brought me smack in the middle of the crossing as the beeps went off. She pissed herself laughing, I just went beetroot and gingerly drove out the way.

On a serious note though, thank f... there was nobody else on the crossing, or coming up behind me. Not my finest hour.
"Look, we've all got something to contribute to this discussion. And I think what you should contribute from now on is silence."
Post Reply

Create an account or sign in to join the discussion

You need to be a member in order to post a reply

Create an account

Not a member? register to join our community
Members can start their own topics & subscribe to topics
It’s free and only takes a minute

Register

Sign in