Take the points and fine or the driver awareness course?

Caught red handed recentley well 28 days ago 33 in a 30 , yes I know its naughty and there are no excuses.

Despite my protestations of innocence 10%+2 mph Guv. It would appear this is no longer the case rather quietly SYP have brought in a zero tolerance policy.

The ACPO guidelines are moot despite my best attempts at finding a way out via Pepi Poo.

I have been informed and its now a case of 1 mph over and there is no leeway by them, Even though this isn’t public knowledge yet and many widely consider it the law I’m told its coming country wide no tolerance . So the speed camera on Oughtibridge caught me there is no wiggle room.

Which is the better?

option 1. £85 costs for 2 to 5 hours in a classroom full of other hardened crims!!

option 2. Pay the £100 and take the points?

Lynch him.

Do the course. You might find it interesting.

I went for the awareness course. I found it really informative, not just about why speed limits are there but also what else I should be looking out for and why. I’d actually support it being enforced for every driver every 5 years or so. The team that delivered it were very good, non-judgemental and not preaching. It was particularly poignant as one of the videos they showed relating to a road traffic incident resulting in the death of a young lad (pedestrian) was filmed a few hundred yards from my house.

Despite my protestations of innocence 10%+2 mph Guv. It would appear this is no longer the case rather quietly SYP have brought in a zero tolerance policy.
The ACPO guidelines are moot despite my best attempts at finding a way out via Pepi Poo.
I have been informed and its now a case of 1 mph over and there is no leeway by them, Even though this isn’t public knowledge yet and many widely consider it the law I’m told its coming country wide no tolerance . So the speed camera on Oughtibridge caught me there is no wiggle room.

Well as you thought the big sign saying 30 really meant 35 then you might learn a few things about driving on the course.

Points unless you’ve got holiday days you don’t know what to do with, or you can buy a day’s holiday for less than £15. Unless that is you already have points, in which case some more might affect your premiums.

Edit: actually I tend to agree with others in this case though – the limit is 30, not 30 + some wiggle room. It’s always been possible to get done for 31.

seems a no brainer to be, no points and course or points and a bigger fine.

Why are you even asking?

Most people I know who have done the course found it interesting.

Do the course , sounds like you need it.

Plus the points will mean an increased insurance premium.

Do you have to use your brain to work out how much a day of your time is worth?

I just did the course and found it excellent. And I would say that I have genuinely tried to incorporate what I learnt (or was reminded of) there into my driving.

Definitely do the course.

Ooo shit. I thought they all stuck to the ACPO guidline’s… I went through a camera recently at just under an indicated 70 in a 60. Really ~66mph GPS says. No excuse but I was massively distracted by some screaming and shouting in the car….

How long do they have to send out the NIP?

Do the course and be entertained by other participants. Plenty of (female) youngsters which I found worrying.

The course – I took one a few years ago and if you go into it with an open mind then you’ll learn something/update your knowledge. When I attended the course it was over thirty years since I’d passed my test so things were a little <ahem>rusty</ahem>

Do you have to use your brain to work out how much a day of your time is worth?

As its a day at work though it’s likely more exciting than the alternative, and yes, it’s a day of leave, but meh, I’d still do the course every time.

Despite my protestations of innocence

rather quietly

The ACPO guidelines are moot despite my best attempts at finding a way out via Pepi Poo

Even though this isn’t public knowledge

Sounds to me like you still think you haven’t done much wrong = Go on the course

I did a cause last year in Dorset. It was largely a waste of time to be honest. Lots of statistics thrown around intended as scare tactics, a teacher who couldn’t admit there’s a possibility of steering round an obstruction as well as braking to a stop. Lots of “all other drivers are crap, it’s not us”
Very little actual positive instruction and I learnt next to nothing. (One thing to be precise)
I wish I’d taken the points and not wasted my day.

Why would you not do the course?
The real cost to you is half a day of your time but you still have three points less on your licence and therefore a more comfortable margin in case you incur some more later.

It’s not though, is it, unless your employer pays you to take a day off to go on one. Should be compared with spending a day riding your bike.

You’ll regret taking the points if you get caught a second (or third) time.

The question is what focusses the mind more on not speeding, going on a course or having 3 points on your licence?

It’s not though, is it, unless your employer pays you to take a day off to go on one. Should be compared with spending a day riding your bike.

That assumes you use your leave for such activities. I rarely do, and end up taking Mondays off in November to avoid losing it!

Plus the unknown cost of increased insurance premiums which could exceed your ‘day rate’.

The course I’d have thought, but if the fine and any insurance bump from the points bothers you less than having to attend a course take that instead, upto you innit.

Sounds to me like you still think you haven’t done much wrong

I think amedias has a point here.

Ah, which is why I added the “holiday days you don’t know what to do with” provision – I’ve never had that problem (and I presume you don’t have kids?)

Plus the unknown cost of increased insurance premiums which could exceed your ‘day rate’.

When I last checked 3pts made £0 difference to mine.

Only one of your options is likely to have biscuits

Did anybody else not read the OPs post and scroll straight to the second comment

Lynch him.

Made my afternoon

How long do they have to send out the NIP?

14 days iirc.

When I did it I could do it on a Saturday am so no leave wasted. Still thought it was a bit of a waste of time, not from the content, but mine was full of oldish people with a range of stinging insects in their bonnets and the instructor let them rant on. Also given lengthy coffee breaks, this is a massive pet hate of mine on courses full of randoms, I don’t know you, I don’t want to talk to you, let’s have 5mins for a slash and grab a drink and finish ASAP.

The question is what focuses the mind more on not speeding, going on a course or having 3 points on your licence?

Maybe so, at a “the greater good of road safety” level, but at an individual level the question is purely about retaining the extra buffer to protect against getting caught again.

Take the course, that way you’ve still points to play with.

And it’s only speeding if it was inappropriate speed, irrelevant what the sign says 🙂

I think they only do people for 33 in a 30 when they have loads of spaces left on these courses. They give you the choice but obviously they want you to go on the course. I wonder where and who the money goes to?

If you don’t currently have any points then I would take them and the fine. It won’t make a difference to your insurance and then you can get on with your life instead of wasting a day on one of the courses.

god I hate getting stuck behind people doing 33 in a 30. Drive like a normal person next time eh?

Do the course and steer the subject towards bikes. See how all the moans come out about cyclists.

Most I found were generally bitter about being there and ranting about various things. Though personally I found some of the course to be useful. Not the speeding but the general awareness stuff, and a few points of the highway code I wasn’t aware of.

Wouldn’t want to do it again, though at present if I get caught again it’s points straight away.

Note that some insurance companies are now asking if you’ve done the course, so the course may not help keep your insurance from rising.

Surprised you have to ask OP

The course lasts 4 hours the points are 3 years

If you don’t currently have any points then I would take them and the fine. It won’t make a difference to your insurance

Good luck finding an insurer who’s not interested in SP30s

On the course the OP should open with why he shouldn’t be there are he was doing allowed speeding.

Teetosugars – Member
How long do they have to send out the NIP?

14 days iirc.

Aaahhh, should be OK then. Was nearly 4 weeks ago. Just the divorce to finalise now 😀

When the opportunity arose I educated them about cycling and safe overtaking. 😀

Do the course and be entertained by other participants

This

I had one rage quit. Lots of confused old ladies, conforming-to-stereotype BMW driving rep.

I was surprised how terrible people were at estimating speeds of cars on video.

The hazard perception was a bit silly though – had a bit of a tounge-in-cheek go at the instructor who assured us there were something like 95 hazards in a 1 minute clip. Someone using stepladders on a shop front, overhead cables etc….

I got done for 78 on the M6 but was saddened that everyone else was SP30.

I did the course – no problem with that and it was interesting.
My whinge relates to the booking process. They offered me morning/afternoon & Dorchester/Bournemouth so I went for morning/Bournemouth but what I got was afternoon/Dorchester!

mine was split with people grumbling about only doing 33 in a 30

and people like me, very relieved to have got away with only a speed awareness course 😀

Plenty of (female) youngsters which I found worrying.

Young female drives also appear to be the worst offenders* when it comes to texting/email/browsing/facebook whilst driving.

* based on the number I see vs the same in any other age/sex group.