What did you learn on a speed awareness course you didn't know before?

[rondo]

Or I suppose you had forgotten?
Or what were you surprised other people did not know?

Sweet FA!

It was a healthy and timely reminder of stuff I'd studied for my test so many years before. I do remember learning for the first time that the little speed signs (like lollipops) in between the big speed signs, are called repeaters.

My abiding take-away was that far too many treat the speed limit as a target to be achieved, not a maximum to be respected. I fully admit I broke the law,and deserved to be there, but still, in my mind, feel justified, as I was rushing a very badly injured dog to the vet on a completely empty road in broad daylight. Would I do it again? Probably.

I find this thread very informative actually! Very bored of the semantics and derailing though ... so unnecessary as I think we all got the gist after the 10th post!

I have driven here for about 17 years but got my license in another country my home country, my country also have quite rigorous driving education, theory and practice, we even have to do a snow course on how to handle a car on slippy, snowy circumstances and have to have winter tyres on by law from late October. But an interesting thought, should people from abroad have to go through one of these courses? I think it would be very useful actually.

I have never been on a speed awareness course but my FIL was and he is one of those men that has been described on courses, never does anything wrong, wasn't his fault, learned to drive in the Army etc etc, I think he may have had another one on the same exact stretch so some people will never learn, and he is a shocking driver, don't like being in the car with him

My biggest worry when I started driving here was obviously driving on the 'wrong' side of the road ;-) We had just had a kid and needed to move outside the city so needed a car. I practiced with my husband for a while before being comfortable driving.

I was always confused about the NSL as why not bloody just put up signs what the speeds limit is?

Have had one very expensive speeding ticket from where I am from and one from a holiday in France

Great thread!

I was always confused about the NSL as why not bloody just put up signs what the speeds limit is?

This is true, anyone know why?

Because it's not all about you - different vehicles have different limits ...

This is what you see at the border in Norway. Maybe we need more of these around the UK just to remind people.

(They also have 60 km / h and 30 km / h ones as well)

And maybe a bit much to read at the border....unless you are waiting for a ferry

@Strugglingtodomybest @Snowsp so what you should have learned was that your observational skills were lacking and you rely too much on assumed knowledge.

Yes that occurred to me just after posting I remember a friend who hadn't realised that vans have different limits and got caught speeding (not a defence, I know)

Some (most!) winding country roads are NSL at 60 for cars but it would be unsafe for anyone going anywhere near that - it is a bit odd.

The one thing I know about country roads is that they are risky - for several reasons:

Locals who know the road and think 60 is fine
People who don't know the road
Blind corners, hidden entrances etc - you just don't know what's around the corner

The biggest nuisances on country roads are people who can't reverse and think I should. Never mind that they are two car lengths forward of a passing place and I've got to go back 100 yards to a gateway with a massive rut in it....

(Sorry, the 'Quote' Function has disappeared from this thread, for me )
If you're on a browser, the quote function has moved from the three dots in the right hand upper corner, to underneath the post. Caught me out the other day too!

Thanks @HirplesWithHaggis . I was wondering how some people were still quoting but my ability to, had disappeared

I find this thread very informative actually! Very bored of the semantics and derailing though ... so unnecessary as I think we all got the gist after the 10th post!

Yup

According to my course leader, two key hazards to watch for are SMIDSY (reminding you to look out for cyclists when turning out of a junction - apparently drivers always say Sorry Mate, I Didn't See You), and Smombies (smartphone zombies not looking where they are going when walking and accidentally walking onto a side road without looking for vehicles turning in or driving up) 🤷🏼‍♀️

According to the Highway Code, those pedestrians should have priority.

But it seems a lot of people aren't following the new rule - and a lot of pedestrians aren't aware

The highway code isn’t law though
But yes, it’s a good idea not to kill pedestrians

I could be pedantic here...but would that be derailing?

I learned that when the letter telling me I'd been caught speeding arrived, not whilst on the course.

Oh god I also learned that if you do the course online you will get a last minute piece of information that no animals are allowed in the room with you. And to ignore the dont make notes on an electronic device at your peril. Cue running around at the start of the course grabbing the nearest approximation of a notebook possible and writing in felt tip pen. While hiding the fact I had the clingiest sausage dog stashed under my arm in secret.

Why would you even think about taking your dog with you?

Im a dog owner and lover but this level of expectation of things being dog friendly or appropriate is ridiculous

Why would you even think about taking your dog with you?

Er, because that particular poster was sitting in their own home / living space where their dog normally is also sitting, maybe ?

Because locking a clingy dog in the kitchen will lead to more noise and disruption than having it in the room with you.

Not sure I'd be that happy if I turned up for my SAC and someone had bought a dog.

Or maybe I misunderstand, and participants were all asked beforehand and agreed ? If so, I apologise for seeming judgey ....

As well it could be because then they can change the limit without changing all the signs.