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Original poster

Anyone attended a speed awareness course?

25 replies

ifonly4 · 21/01/2019 10:13

Has anyone attended one of these courses? If so, can you please tell me how much it cost, was there a course that was easy to get to in your local town and were they run on different days of the week?

OP posts:

Oakmaiden · 21/01/2019 10:15

I have. the cost was the same as the fine, if I recall correctly. It was held fairly centrally, but I don't recall there being a lot of choice re when I went. I think it was a weekend.

It was very interesting, and has definitely made a positive difference to how I drive.

thebeesknees123 · 21/01/2019 10:16

It was about 100 but you don't get the points, which can affect insurance.

I have been twice, though, so probably didn't work!

BarbaraofSevillle · 21/01/2019 10:17

They are generally carried out in the area where you committed the offence, so the one I did was approximately 80 miles from home. Some people had travelled even further.

I think you are generally given a choice of dates, so you book onto the one that suits you. I don't know what you do if you can't make any of the dates, due to work/childcare etc - you might even decide to take the points instead, but try to get on a course if you can - almost everyone will learn something as long as they go with the right attitude.

thebeesknees123 · 21/01/2019 10:18

Mine was local

BarbaraofSevillle · 21/01/2019 10:19

The one I did was slightly more than the fine, but you are likely to save overall, because your insurance won't go up.

Also should reduce the risk of speeding again, so much less chance of being caught again, and while one speeding offence probably won't significantly affect your insurance, 2 or 3 convictions will as you are then marked out as a much worse driver.

PurpleWithRed · 21/01/2019 10:20

Yes, £90 but a few years ago, local, lots of dates, and it was worth every penny.

Nettletheelf · 21/01/2019 10:20

£90 and I was able to do mine locally even though I was caught by a camera 50 miles away.

It wasn’t too bad. It’s detention really. Make sure you don’t sit on the ‘scuffer table’ with the people heckling the trainer!

Timeforabiscuit · 21/01/2019 10:20

This was a couple of years ago, but from memory it was £90 or there abouts, I remember it was less than the fine (£120?).

I could book on a range of centres, but none were particularly convenient to get to (speaking with the course leaders, its because of cost - the venues were very low price). Closest was about 40 mins drive in the back end of nowhere.

I think there was a rolling calendar, so weekdays, weekends and evenings were available, but it was quite scattergun depending on the venue - you could tell it was very well run on an exceedingly tight budget!

I know that some areas no longer fund the speed awareness course and now just have straight to fine, which is a shame as the course really helped change my driving habits.

thenightsky · 21/01/2019 10:23

I did one two years ago. the fine would have been £60 plus 3 points. the course cost £90 and no points. There were a lot of sessions to choose from... they send you a list. I can't remember if there were different venues to choose from though... I think not. Mine was at an office block that was part of the police station. I chose a Saturday morning.

shaggedthruahedgebackwards · 21/01/2019 10:27

Think I paid £75

Yes, there was a reasonable choice of date and location as I recall

Mine started at 8am which was tricky as meant I had to get DH to do school run but I did manage to get there in time

MrsEricBana · 21/01/2019 10:27

A friend did one. Pretty fed up as he'd been doing 26 in a 20. He knew it was a fair col but thought the whole thing was daft. Anyway, he said it was fantastic and has changed his driving style as a result. Can't remember cost but £85 rings a bell and was in a nearby town on a suitable weekday.

MrsEricBana · 21/01/2019 10:28

Fair cop

thenightsky · 21/01/2019 10:29

It’s detention really. Make sure you don’t sit on the ‘scuffer table’ with the people heckling the trainer!

Yes.. this! There were 26 people on mine. 23 men and 3 women.

Blobby10 · 21/01/2019 11:11

I really enjoyed mine - learned a bit, was the most knowledgeable there on several topics including towing trailers and caravans which I felt nicely smug about but the biggest surprise for me was finding out how differently everyone perceives a hazard!

Think mine cost £90 but it was a few years ago now.

reallyneedmoresleep · 21/01/2019 11:14

It was interesting but clearly not effective as about 70% of the people on mine had been to one before!

Cadburyssurpriseegg · 21/01/2019 11:16

Just been to one a few days ago. I came in with very low expectations. But actually really enjoyed it. I was sitting on a table with angry Uber drivers though and they had a lot to say . I paid £90 lasted 4 hours with a 15 minute break. I got choose where and when I attended the course too

Foxyloxy1plus1 · 21/01/2019 11:28

I had some choice about the venue and time. It cost £10 more than the fine.

It was a hotel venue, so plenty of water, coffee and biscuits.

What surprised me was how many very young people there were, in danger of having to take their test again.

It was useful and has made me more vigilant about speed.

Coffeist · 21/01/2019 11:32

I've attended, found it useful and interesting. Make sure you're not late though because they are very strict on that and won't let you in.
Everyone in my course were first timers and all felt it was useful and made them aware of speeding.

Jolonglegs · 21/01/2019 11:35

The one I attended was about £90 and fairly local, with a limited choice of days. In a weird sort of way it was enjoyable, and instructive as it made me realise how out of touch I had become with traffic signs and general driving skills. Go for it OP.

derxa · 21/01/2019 11:40

I've been on two .

RitaConnors · 21/01/2019 11:41

Mine was last February and it was £90 and the fine would have been £96. It was local but you could choose from different locations. There were two a day to choose from. One started at 8:30 and the next one at 12:30. Mine was at a posh hotel so lovely surroundings and the actual course was fine.

FlamingJuno · 21/01/2019 11:46

DH went on one a couple of weeks ago. I think it cost around £80 -90. He said that most of the people had been on the course before, and one of them was a chap who had been clocked doing 112mph on an A road and his solicitor had bargained the automatic ban down to the course . This chap had been on several courses before and accepted it as an opportunity cost .

DH said that many of the people there were taxi drivers who were generally very vocal about the unfairness of penalising professional drivers .

Iruka · 21/01/2019 11:59

I did one a few years ago, it was slightly cheaper than the fine. I could pick from three different locations, ended up choosing the furthest one because the date was better.
Course was ok, almost all age 30 and upwards. The trainers said young people less likely to be offered the course in this area.

Getabloominmoveon · 21/01/2019 12:02

As others have said above, mine was much better than I expected, and achieved its objectives by definitely making me more aware of my own bad habits! Definitely worth doing for itself, and - of course - for avoiding the points.

CantBeArsed99 · 21/01/2019 12:11

Best friend did one a couple of years ago, she had to keep it secret from her DH (he's a bit abusive - whole other thread) so we had to make all kinds of logistical and childcare arrangements so she could go. She couldn't afford it (about £80) outright and they were really good about letting her pay it £10 a month by DD, and there was a good range of dates and times at a location 10 miles from us. She thought it was great and I definitely feel safer when it's her turn to drive us somewhere. She was caught doing 35 in a 30 zone but has always driven too fast always late for everything and it was a wake-up call.

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