Driver awareness course - Anyone been on one?

[threebikesmcginty]

Done two speed awarenesses...

First one was ran by a Ned Flanders lookalike...

Hey diddly ho speedereenos!

 

[swee'pea99]

Some insurance companies now ask if you have points or have been on a course.

Although I get the impression three points or a course in isolation will not do your premium much harm.

After getting the 'fine or a course' letter, I googled around and this seemed to be the consensus (tho' I'm sure it makes a helluva difference what and how long your 'previous' is). I paid the 60 quid & took the points, and my renewal ended up being about 10% higher.

Wasn't there a post on a thread about this not that far back, where someone had been on one of these courses, and one of his fellow attendees was a wee grey-haired old dear, mightily (and vocally) indignant about how she couldn't understand it because she'd never speeded in her life and many many etcs, and on the way home from the course he was passed by a merc convertible doing around the ton, at the wheel of which was a wee grey-haired old dear...

 

[Archeress]

Some insurance companies now ask if you have points or have been on a course.

Although I get the impression three points or a course in isolation will not do your premium much harm.

I now work for an insurance company, you'd be surprised at how much effect any points can have on a premium. For a young driver especially you can be talking about a couple of hundred just for a 3 point endorsement.

Also, under the rehabilitation of offenders act, any conviction that has a fine has to be declared for 5 years after conviction. We get a lot of people who don't declare their endorsements in the belief they no longer have to and then get a shock when we write to them. An ordinary motoring coviction without a fine does drop off after 4 years, but most convictions are fixed penalties which carry a fine.

Hugs
Archeress x

 

[Pale Rider]

After getting the 'fine or a course' letter.

I'm currently on tenterhooks having recently passed a camera van a few mph over.

Something rings a bell about the Notice of Intended Prosecution having to be sent out within two weeks.

Might be wrong about that, but if it's correct I have dodged a bullet because my offence was now 17 days ago.

 

[Peter Armstrong]

" Let he who is without sin, cast the first stone?"

I never speed so i can throw a stone!

 

[Peter Armstrong]

Does anyone else like me drive around at the speed limit? It’s great, but you know what really annoys me...... The police fines give points; send people on driving course for speeding, how many people get pulled for tail gating. If you are like me, you will know how much abuse you get, people up your arse, flashing, giving you the V's and calling you all sorts of names because you hold them up. I hate driving now, dive slow and safe and get abused, speed and get penalised.

 

[winjim]

As I've mentioned before, I found my speed awareness course very useful. I went in with an open mind and saw it as a learning opportunity rather than a punishment. And I now know what cycle lanes are for!

 

[Peter Armstrong]

As I've mentioned before, I found my speed awareness course very useful. I went in with an open mind and saw it as a learning opportunity rather than a punishment. And I now know what cycle lanes are for!

What are they for?

 

[ASC1951]

I went on a speed awareness course about six years ago and am booked on another next month. ... Since the first course, I now keep a much better eye on the speed limit especially at 30mph when it matters most. I take a pride in keeping a clean licence and don't want to have to declare any points to my insurers.

I'm not sure of the precise date, but soon insurers will have direct access to the DVLA database so that they will always be aware of driving convictions, even when the driver has opted to go on a course rather than accept points. Which is a Good Thing.

 

[Labradorofperception]

I did one a couple of weeks back. Basically it's 4 hours in a hotel room, with biscuits.

To be honest, it's a good refresher - concentrates on reading the road, impacts of speeding and driver behaviour. It was quite pro cycling and they went into some detail about SMIDSY (including an exercise involving spotting a cyclist in traffic). Most of the drivers in the room were not cyclists and I bet they all came away with a better appreciation of driver awareness, sharing the road and improving driving skills.

As an ex Police driver, it was close to our classroom sessions and actually quite technical, interesting and not remotely patronising.

The biscuits, however, are rubbish.

 

[Fnaar]

If you go on one, make sure to rush in at the last moment, saying "Blimey, I was nearly late! Had to drive like a nutter to get here!"

I went on one, I actually cycled there, and I was able to score some points for 'our side' by pointing out that their 'how to get here' directions mentioned nowt about cycling

I found the course informative and useful, and now my kids tell me I drive 'slower than grandad' (who I don't believe is safe any more anyway, and I've been trying to suggest that he no longer drives).

 

[JoeyB]

What are they for?

Car parking I think

 

[winjim]

What are they for?

They* are a quick and cheap way to narrow the carriageway in order to slow the flow of traffic.

*Not all of them, obv.

 

[Smurfy]

You've been done for speeding haven't you?

Should've gone to PePiPoo!

 

[winjim]

That's not actually what they're for. That's a marginal (and short lived) side effect of them.

Well that's what I was told on my course