oh no, just received letter re speeding

[silvercurls]

anybody know how much the fine is/ how many points I'll get? I'm 53, never had one in 30 years of driving....idiot.

Just do the speed awareness course. They are sort of interesting and a good refresher on your Highway code the first time, and there is flexibility now they are being delivered over Zoom.

Yeah, one of my siblings is in the police, I asked about it and apparently it's at the discretion of whoever's doing the speed camera @RoseRedRoseBlue.

@BoredZelda

3 points will do little to affect your insurance. I think the whole "speed awareness" thing is an absolute racket. If worrying about losing your licence from having multiple points isn't going to put you off speeding, sitting in an overly warm room listening to Kevin drone on about the dangers of speeding isn't going to do it either.

My best mate works in the ‘industry’ and can confirm this is utter bollocks.

It’s used because it works way way better than fines. (Lots of evidence for this) Think about it logically

If you get fined, the government gets the £100

If you do a speed awareness, you’ve got to hire a room, write some training materials, and keep them up to date, print handouts, and faff about hiring, training and paying a trainer. All for the same £100.

@banisher

I had this, 33 in a 30 zone. Felt awful but the course was actually really useful and has helped me ever since feel confident when people are tailgating.

You didn't actually have to do the course when you get caught doing 33 it's 35 and over I actually learnt this on a speed awareness course from the person doing the course , even if they send u a letter they legally can't give u a fine or points or make u do the course! Just a tip incase it happens again.

@Pissoi

The fine is a percentage of your weekly wage that increases in garidents dependent on the degree of speeding - take the course!

Only if you don't accept it and take it to court.

If you admit it's you and accept the penalty notice, it's usually £100

@silvercurls

thanks everyone. Hope I can do an online course, no chance of changing shifts for time off to do it. hadn't actually thought it would affect my insurance. Mad at myself.

It will still be live at a scheduled time with trainer and other participants, but there's quite a lot of choice over dates and times. And you don't have to do one offered by your own area.

I did one last year and although it was still quite painful in parts, was much better than doing it in person!

it's ridiculous that you can drive for decades with no refresher training
I agree. But a speed awareness course isn't refresher training. I'd fully support a mandatory 5 yearly driving assessment.

3 points increased my premiums by about £600.

In my 30 years of driving, I have had 3 points twice, about 20 years apart. My husband has had 3 points once. It made zero difference to the insurance renewals. Compare the Market did the research and the average effect of 3 points is less than 5%. The average policy at £700 rises to £705. Sounds like someone was ripping you off.

If you do a speed awareness, you’ve got to hire a room, write some training materials, and keep them up to date, print handouts, and faff about hiring, training and paying a trainer. All for the same £100.

Not the same £100. At 20 people per course that's two grand. 400 quid for an instructor for a day. A similar cost for a room with refreshments for a day, chuck in a generous couple of hundred in printed material cost and incidentals, someone is making £1000 per course. Absolute racket.

Did you actually get an option to do a course, OP? It will say in your letter. It'll also say how many points you'll get.

I just had the exact same - 36 in a 30 - this was by manual handheld speed camera about 30 cm past the 30 sign where the previous speed was 50, so obviously i was decelerating and had assumed there was a few metres grace.
No option to do a course - £100 fine and 3 points.

Quite pissed off but nothing I can do about it.

I am actually wondering what happens if someone is speeding behind you and you risk crashing if you brake severely - it also says in the letter that this can't be used as an excuse?

@Woeismethischristmas

I would say send the form back recorded delivery. This happened to a friend and she sent back her form apparently It was never received and so she was charged with failing to provide driver information. Had to go in front of a magistrate. It was dismissed as no case to answer but according to the police officer there’s been a lot of it. Absences/ working from home means paperwork isn’t where it should be.

A guy from blue was on the bbc today with a similar story.

Thanks for this tip - am just about to post mine so it's a trip to the post office for me..

I had the misfortune to drive through Dorset and was doing 35 coming into a 30 from a 40 mph zone. Just didn't brake hard enough and let the car decelerate. Dorset at the time forced everyone to go to their station to do their awareness course. There was a woman heavily pregnant with twins who'd driven up from Cornwall, others from all over the place....it was a cynical way of capturing fines for their own force.

The course instructor was a sanctimonious control freak who was determined to tell us about their own driving prowess, their high powered motorbike, their driving experience in the Met and generally dominate the session rather than give a good speed awareness course. I was actually looking forward to it having been frustrated to start with. Really really disappointed by a poor delivery from someone who just wanted to belittle people and relish their power!

I did a SAC via Zoom a few weeks ago (flashed doing 57 in 50 - totally my fault, I knew it was a 50 ). I found it quite interesting, and the chap who delivered the course was excellent - relaxed, non-judgemental and the the content is designed to make you think. Also some good tips for not getting stressed dealing with tailgaters! As PP have said, a very good refresher. It took from start to finish just under 3 hours, which included about 20-30 mins for the chap to check everyones photo ID. The car I have now has a speed limiter, and I use it all the time.

I would respond ASAP if I were you - being able to do the course via Zoom meant that I could do it on a Saturday morning from the comfort of home, and therefore not lose income (self-employed) or have to travel anywhere. Cost £100 (I think it varies by area), and much better, IMO, than points and a fine. Be aware that if you are caught speeding again within 3 years, you will NOT be allowed to do another course - straight to prosecution (eg fine plus points).

If you do the course via Zoom, be prepared for the possibility that some people in your group may be belligerent and try arguing - they get shut down quickly! Also remember that everyone can see you on camera, so try to avoid mouthing ‘wanker’ (with or without hand gestures) which I nearly did because one idiot in my group was a total knobhead.

I don't get the logic of being offered a SAC for 57mph when my letter says at 36 mph the detected speed "is too high for a workshop to be offered". Clearly it isn't!

@HurryOnHome

That doesn’t sound right? Here’s what it said on my letter - if you were in a 30, you should be offered it from 35-42? I’m in England BTW:

Huh!! Thanks for that Coffee - wonder if I should get in touch with them (again - already had to ring to request all the information that the letter assured 'was available' if I go online to the public access system...)
Wonder if it varies from force to force?

This suggests it varies but seems odd that 1mph over their LOWEST threshold is too high?
www.askthe.police.uk/content/Q584.htm

I meet the other criteria (first offence etc)

@HurryOnHome

Mine was from Thames Valley Police, but surely it wouldn’t vary? Here’s both sides of the NIP I received:

@HurryOnHome

Sorry, didn’t attach!

Thank you! Very odd. Mine is different (a different police force) but broadly the same. But definitely says my speed was too high for a workshop. I'll ring them again and spend another 30 mins waiting... I assume it's not incorrect but I want to know what their eligibility criteria are now!

@HurryOnHome

Just looked at your link - yeah, I can kind of understand that there MIGHT be a limit to the higher speeds within the tolerances from force to force, but not offering you a SAC at 36 in a 30 seems a bit heavy handed?

@HurryOnHome

Which police force was yours issued by?

Mine was Avon & Somerset. Have checked their website and it doesn't give any details (unlike e.g. Nottingham which comes up when you google).

(1) The fine is cheaper than the course. (2) If your insurance premium goes up as a result of you taking the points rather than doing the course, there will be extra VAT due, which goes to, you guessed it, the government. (3) There is evidence that many people take plenty away from a SAC, becoming more considerate drivers.

@HurryOnHome

I’ve just done some googling too … and as you say, nothing helpful! I think you just have to do what you said and keep calling them, keeping in mind the response time re. the original letter. It’s a bit shit though, and I’d be really hacked off in your position.