I think a basic intelligence test should be added to the driving test. And maybe a year of compulsory bike-riding in traffic.

if they ‘replace’ an SP30 for Insurance purposes, why do the Insurance companies ask you if you have been on a Speed Awareness Course ?

Because they can.

So it depends how much your Saturday is worth to you, rather than how much a day off work is worth to you. To me they’re about the same, so it doesn’t make any real difference. Still happy that taking the points was the best option for me financially. I’m with Cougar on the likely benefits of the course and the relevance to the reasons I was caught.

Cougar – Moderator
Because they can.

they could also ask what colour of underpants I was wearing, however the point of my question is what is the relevance of it to an Insurer, and if you answer in the positive, does your premium go up the same as it would do if you took the points ?

The relevance to an insurer is fairly obvious I’ve have thought – you’ve exceeded the speed limit with sufficient lack of awareness to get caught doing it.

Whether it’d affect your premiums would be down to them I suppose.

I’m sure if their actuaries found the colour of your underpants made a statistical difference to the likelihood of a claim they’d also ask you that.

^^^ 🙂

I found it fairly interesting and the 2 ex policeman hosting it had a great sense of humour.

The problem for me is that it didn’t actually work. Probably went a bit slower for a few weeks but after that back to how I was before (with maybe a closer eye for mobile cameras).

The Speed Awareness course worked then, you just need the follow-up Speed Careness course.

wwaswas

Some dual carriageway earlier

I think you mean duel carriageways!

. .

I’m sure if their actuaries found the colour of your underpants made a statistical difference to the likelihood of a claim they’d also ask you that. [/I]

This.

Although reading this thread and the ’49 in a 40′ thread I ought to have:
– been dead many times over
– in prison
– banned a dozen times
– either had or caused dozens of accidents

But none of those things have occurred in my 35 years of ‘making progress’.

I think you mean duel carriageways!

that was probably the joke tbh 🙂

But none of those things have YET occurred in my 35 years of ‘making progress’.

Ah yes, the “experienced” driver emboldened by many years of getting away with it who thinks that they’re immune to accidents and law & safe/considerate standards of driving don’t apply. You don’t drive a taxi by any chance to you? 😀

Some awful excuses here

There was also this chap who despite having committed 12 driving offences whilst banned insisted he was a good driver. I doubt his comments about the judge did him any favours either!

On mine I was the only driver to not have been caught in a 30!
30 people in the room and 29 of them were all done in 30mph zones.
Did I learn anything?
Not really – instructors were a pair of sanctimonious old bags – one of whom had a hatred of motorcyclists and freely shared it to the rest of the “class”.
Both stated that they were instructors for Hants Police at Netley – turned out the short gobby beachball was – past tense and had been given “other duties” because of her attitude, etc. (handy being able to ask a traffic officer during the break).
She even went as far as to tell incorrect info on double and single solid lines, junctions, etc.
4hrs of biting my tongue.

As for notifying your insurers – only the Admiral Group make it a contractual term to notify them.
They treat it the same as an SP30.

Same as insurers demanding to know if you’ve had points within the last 5yrs when they are only valid for 3 and on your license for 4.
Nothing in law requiring you to do so – the uk insurance industry make it a contractual term despite trying to make out it is a legal requirement.

rascal – Member 
Got pinged by a cash-cow camera van a few weeks ago in South Wales.

M4 run up to the tolls?

Massive haul they get there (and where I got done).

Course cost varies a little by location. Check different places and see if there’s one cheaper that’s accessible. I found that. Place near work was cheaper than the one near home.

We’ve done this topic before and said at the time, on my course I felt I learnt a fair few things and it was a friendly course and people on it… until the subject of cycling came up. Then anti-bike anger from all the others and worse the cops running the course pretty much backed up all their arguments!

Nothing in law requiring you to do so – the uk insurance industry make it a contractual term despite trying to make out it is a legal requirement.

I guess it doesn’t need to be in law if it’s in the contract though..

Ah yes, the “experienced” driver emboldened by many years of getting away with it who thinks that they’re immune to accidents and law & safe/considerate standards of driving don’t apply. You don’t drive a taxi by any chance to you? [/I]

No, but I’ve probably driven more miles (up to 40k pa) than most will ever drive; cars and m/c’s and in all weathers and many countries across the world.

Not even had anyone drive into me, but that’s probably to do with years on m/c’s and learning how to continue living.

I did one last year. Pinged on the A3 just past QEP. Course was pretty informative – should be compulsory. The instructor stood up at the beginning of the course and said if the group could answer 3 questions correctly – we could all go home with a ‘pass’. Needless to say – we failed.

One woman was convinced it wasn’t her fault because she had one of those auto-cruise distance control features on her car – so it was the car in fronts’ fault! 😯

@hammyuk

Google: disclosure and misrepresentation act 2012.

You should probably retract the poor advice you’re providing too but hey what’s the web for if its not talking bollox.

if the group could answer 3 questions correctly

What were they? Did you have any chance at all, or was it something like a random statistic that no-one would possibly know offhand?

What poor advice is that wilbur?
Exactly

was it something like a random statistic that no-one would possibly know offhand?

What is the maximum speed of an unladen swallow?

What is the maximum speed of an unladen swallow?

What do you mean? An African or European swallow?

^^ 😀 It was three pictures, he asked what the speed limit was in each! You would be surprised how many people don’t know that if there’s a lamppost – it’s 30 unless otherwise advised.

The other takeaway was the facts around what actually triggers the presence of speed-bumps, fixed cameras, or even speed restrictions – these are based on the number of incidents that have occurred – went on to tell a story about a school asking for speed restrictions outside the school gates – council came back saying they could only justify it if a child got hit! It’s all about the money.

dday – Member 
You would be surprised how many people don’t know that if there’s a lamppost – it’s 30 unless otherwise advised.

Has to be a regular series of street lights with a particular distance between them (that I have no idea what that is off hand). Or common sense… a built up area. Most these days have an entry/exit speed sign, but confusion occurs when there are 40 or 50 roads within a town and then you’re onto lit side streets with no signs. Automatic 30.

Question is what happens legally when street lights are turned off after midnight as many towns and villages do now?

Has to be a regular series of street lights with a particular distance between them (that I have no idea what that is off hand).

Correct.

Question is what happens legally when street lights are turned off after midnight as many towns and villages do now?

For the purposes of it being a “built-up area” it still has street lights regardless of illumination. Otherwise, the limit wouldn’t apply during the day. All that will happen if the lights are turned off at midnight is, it’ll get darker.

deadkenny – Member
…Question is what happens legally when street lights are turned off after midnight as many towns and villages do now?

Built up area with the lights turned off doesn’t sound like the sort of place to be speeding…

Perhaps for the average driver but I am a driving God with a six cylinder German erection substitute.(all the latest wizz bangs)

I can drive safely at 100mph on any road much more safely than most drivers can manage even when under the speed limit.

The real danger are people not in cars, they are a bloody liability and should be outlawed.

Bloke on my one actualy stated it was OK to hit pedestrians on the road as cars had right of way!
I failed not to burst out laughing , but he continued to argue with the Traffic officer about it.
Same traffic officer went mental at one lad on the course who answered a text , but the lad was late so didnt get the ‘No phones whatsoever’ warning so he simply didnt know. Straight into level 10 agressive T.O. mode.
Same BS story as Dezb’s about the man driving home who texted his wife and died in a crash , despite the course being 40 miles apart in a different county.

^^ It was three pictures, he asked what the speed limit was in each! You would be surprised how many people don’t know that if there’s a lamppost – it’s 30 unless otherwise advised.

Oldies should know that. They’ll also know where to give way on cambered, but unmarked streets.

I did one in Cumbria 2 years ago. It wasn’t a complete waste of time but I’m not sure it needed 4 hours.

Think of it as detention for grown ups. You’ve been a little bit naughty so you have to give up some of your time as a punishment.

A few people on the course had been on it before. The guys presenting had that annoying superior tone and kept telling the group about their driving credentials to make out they knew everything.

Take the course, do the 4 hours and move on.