Speed awareness course or 3 points. Decision time

So I received a letter telling me I’m a criminal.
I was doing 46mph in a 40mph zone.
I was happy to discover that I qualified for a Speed Awareness course which would be an alternative to 3 points on my license.

Has anyone done one of these courses and if so is it worth the time,cost of fuel,two hour round trip and how will my insurance premiums be affected if I don’t go?

Do the course. Your speeding indicates you need more awareness. And it’ll mean less work overall: otherwise you will need to inform insurer, inform employer (if you drive for work at all), and await insurance premium increase.

yes, make the most of it, it will help you be a safer,better driver 🙂

the people that speed like lunatics get a whole other deal BTW 😉

I went on a Speed Awareness course just last week, was local to me so no issues with travel costs, had to put a holiday day in for a day off work.
I actually thought it was quite good, a good refresher on basic things, you’ll be surprised how much you forget after passing your test.
£86 for the course or £90 fine and 3 points, I’d rather keep a clean licence.

My insurance company asked me if I have attended a speed awareness course last time I renewed, so maybe they are catching onto to this?

They said during the course that no one had access to the lists of who has attended a course, so insurance companies will only know if you tell them. they also said that 1 or 2 companies actually give you a small discount for attending them.

Do the course, if you don’t and end up with 9 points down the track you will wish you did it. Most insurance companies don’t require you to declare a course you do have to declare points, not that they make much difference to the price.

I did one last year (speeding in the car, 30-odd in a 30), and it was a real eye opener. I actually got something out of it and it’s amazing how many people on the course didn’t use the road other than to drive their car. I was the only person there (out of about 20) who cycled and had a motorycle license 😯

Do it. You’ll learn a huge amount. None of us are as good as we think we are at driving…
I went on one 4+ years ago. I knew what I’d done wrong – missed the fact that I was in a 30 limit (industrial estate in North Wales at 11pm on a Friday) didn’t see the camera and went through at 35 so I wasn’t sure what the course would teach me. Totally wrong!
You’ll realise there’s a huge amount you were never taught in the first place, and because there’s absolutely no renewal of your knowledge or re-assessment since you passed, you’ve forgotten most of the little you were taught in the first place!
The highlight for me was what they said about aggressive drivers – they’re angry and aggressive when they get out of bed in the morning – there’s nothing you’ve done with your driving to make them angry and nothing you can do to make them less aggressive, so best just pull over and let them go…

Unless you’re a perfect driver already there’s a huge amount you’ll learn IMO.

Thanks, I’ve spoken to a few lads at work regarding this.
One said he did the course and wish he’d taken the points.8 hours of his life he won’t get back.
Another said his sons insurance premiums went up even though he took the course and never got the points, the insurance company found out somehow.

The fine is £100 and the course fee is £95 but factor in a 70 mile round trip in a Trannie van and I’m going to be more out of pocket taking the course.

I got nabbed in 2011, 36 in a 30, 06.40 on a Sunday morning, foot off the throttle & coasting to the right turn to work. I was tired too after little sleep from worrying about work. I knew the camera was active too, It had already nabbed loads of people from our place. Was offered a course but declined & took the points ( I think it was £60 fine & 3 points or £75 with the course & no points)
My insurance was due soon after & I declared the penalty & was surprised to get a cheaper quote than the year before.
My 1st & only driving penalty since I passed my test in 1975 😳

I prefer to see my miles per gallon ometer go up than my speedometer & usually drive like Miss daisy, I bet I never went above 45 that morning!

So your saying you think your standard of driving is at a level where you can’t learn anything else useful?

I’ve never done a speed awareness course but I’ve done various courses through work with ex police, IAM bods and general driver awareness people, and learnt stuff on all of them.

The driving test is the equivalent of doing a cycling proficiency course… Very basic skills.

I did the course 3 years ago ( at the old Leyland Motors Spurrier works ) got caught at 42 in a 30, £60 cost of the course plus half a day off work. Well worth it & very informative.

Brilliant work.

Ask advice on the Internet.
Get unanimous advice.
Ignore advice.

I don’t think the course is for you, take the points.

It is not about time or money 😐

…and if it is imagine how much you will potentially save by avoiding being involved in an accident 🙂

Having read the OP’s second post, I’m inclined to agree with nealglover. Take the points.

70 mile round trip in a Trannie van

You could just leave them at home. No point in all of you making the trip.

Brilliant work.

Ask advice on the Internet.
Get unanimous advice.
Ignore advice.

I don’t think the course is for you, take the points.

Great advice from you but I will ignore it as I’m in the process of booking a course, thanks anyway.

I picked up 3 points now expired. Told insurance and there was no increase. Insurance told me that most companies expect 3 points now, so it didn’t load it. Something to consider before wasting a days holiday.

Course booked thanks to advice from everyone except nealglover and deadlydarcy

Do the speed awareness course.
Then , when you get caught again in 2 1/2 years time you wont have 6 points on your licence . When you inform your insurance they then will load your premium.
You also might learn something .
Like the chap on mine who thought it was OK to hit pedestrians on the road as they didnt have right of way , cars did.

fourbanger – Member
I picked up 3 points now expired. Told insurance and there was no increase. Insurance told me that most companies expect 3 points now, so it didn’t load it. Something to consider before wasting a days holiday.

I won’t be wasting a days holiday, I’ve booked an afternoon course which I’ll be doing after my early(430am-12pm)shift. Just hope I don’t fall asleep during the course or worse still,
while I’m driving there or back

Do the course you’ll learn something. I did, 35 in a 30 zone.

Get it done, it’s worthwhile.

To counter this I did a course last year and it was largely a waste of time. I learned very little, just s couple of minor points, and the tutor wasn’t much good. She spent a lot of time frightening people with statistics and reinforcing negative stereotypes – “all other drivers are bad” etc. I tried to point out that there can be an alternative to braking in an emergency situation (steering for example) and she just wouldn’t have it, there was no discussion to be had on it at all. Also, there was one bloke who was a right prick. I was literally on the verge of telling him to shut his gob because I wanted to get on with it all and go home at one point.
I did it to keep my clean license, but 3 points would have been £10 cheaper and I’d have had a day to go riding instead, so I wish I’d not bothered.
(By God they hate anyone on two wheels too)

Do the course. You’ll learn something. Don’t be late or you can be asked to leave and still have to pay the fine, waste an afternoon ect.

d

Swallow your pride, put on your best “yes sir, no sir” face and go take the course. It’s only a few hrs, they talk some sense (and a LOT of bolleux) and you might learn something. 😉

I’m going on one next month, not telling my speed though. 😳

Course booked thanks to advice from everyone except nealglover and deadlydarcy

Your second post suggested you weren’t going to do the course, despite all the advice, because it was going to cost a few quid extra.

I still think the OP should take the points. 🙂

You’ll realise there’s a huge amount you were never taught in the first place, and because there’s absolutely no renewal of your knowledge or re-assessment since you passed, you’ve forgotten most of the little you were taught in the first place!

Can we get this put on every motorway gantry and advertising board in the UK please.

Can we get this put on every motorway gantry and advertising board in the UK please.

On that point, reminds me of something I saw on M62, J21, a few weeks ago.

You know those (good idea) signs through motorway roadworks that say “Please drive slowly. My Daddy works here” with associated picture?

I’m not joking, one of these was displaying it.

I was stupid enough to speed past a camera and get caught so I opted for the course. It was hopeless, mostly because the trainers wanted to be everybody’s friends. So it hasn’t changed my habits; I drive at 30 mph or below in built-up areas but on an empty dual-carriageway at 05.00 on Christmas morning I’ll still be exceeding the limit as I was the morning I got caught. (The camera in question had never held any film or had datum marks on the road and had been been vandalsed then sawn down but had been re-erected and lines painted a few days before Christmas.)

If you fall asleep on the course or turn up and don’t take part, they will chuck you off and let you take the points
They turfed one cockley arse out of the one I did
Can’t believe there done yiu for only going 46 in a 40 !!

If its west mercia area- TCS2000, take the points.
utter waste of time. I was really hoping to get something out of it but I was shocked by how bad it was. never left the room other than to let the smokers out half way through, so no teaching, just shock tactics and rubbish, cyclists MUST use cycle paths, Abs won’t help you in an emergency, etc etc , some issues with basic physics.
A 1/2 day off work, £85 to be shouted at not taught. I’d take the points next time.

Can’t believe there done yiu for only going 46 in a 40 !!

ACPO guidlines for NIP/ speed awareness course is 10% + 3mph is acceptable , above this NIP or option of speed course.

My policeman friend says I was harshly dealt with at 35 in 30 limit. Although its all about revenue genertaion , with 30 people in a room at £90 a head, and a retired copper preaching for 3hrs , room hire, tea / coffee/ admin costs does leave some margin

Only 46? That would likely have been an indicated 50 😆

My policeman friend says I was harshly dealt with at 35 in 30 limit.

You can get done for 33 in a 30 here in Dorset.

Everyone at the course is guitly of poor observation: failing to see whatever was just about to cost them a day off and a few £20 notes.

I’m constantly impressed by your insightful contributions to the forum.