Anyone been on a speed awareness course?

[HelloDenise]

What can I expect?

I did mine online during lockdown, and it was a bit comical to be fair - people had phones ringing, doorbells going, dogs barking. The instructor was incredibly patient in his defence, and as an ex Policeman he had some very interesting stories. Did it change my driving? I'm a hell of a lot more aware of speed limits - I've got a chime on my car once you go 2 mph over it. However I feel very strongly that speed cameras are revenue driven rather than making people better drivers....

I’ve done four. Shows how well they work. Lol

Did one about 15 years ago, about 20 of us in a local hotel, really friendly bunch, id got caught on a motorway by the averaging speed cameras and i honestly think it could've saved my life, i drove like an idiot before, so for me it worked and friends also say the same, without being preachy it does change your thinking subliminally, if you allow it

I did the online course, I think it was about two hours with a fifteen minute break. I thinknit was very good and everyone should do it as part of their test.

One thing I remember is at 31 mph versus 30 mph the stopping distance increases by 8 feet, so if you had to do an emergency stop at a zebra crossing, you may plough through it.

This was my experience too. My group was funny - nine Asian taxi drivers and me - (not being racist; I do live in a very Pakistani/Bangladeshi area). Two of them kept getting told off because they were turning their cameras off and it was because they were in the taxi office taking calls when they should have been concentrating!

I did an online one a few days ago and this was exactly the format.

You have to be engaged, asking questions and making notes.

I don’t think it’s the course that’s the problem.

When I did it I was under the impression you could only do it once and the next time was a fine. But clearly it has changed.

Why is that even remotely funny?

Boring and very condescending. Everything they talked about was just common sense, and things that every driver should know. I hated that we were cold called on because I don't like to be put on the spot.

I thought you could only do 1 in a 4 year window, then it resets

A lot of very bad statistics and science.

Speed doesn't kill half as badly as human error turning right or foreign lorries or being on a motorbike, but we dont ban those. (Worked in car insurance)

Unless you regularly are driving like a loon, which most arent, its a very boring waste of time and money.

(Twice attender, once literally just after the switch from 30-40, but the Police weren't doing anything about the bikers doing wheelies and overtaking stupidly a mile down the road going home from a bikers' event. Scariest car journey ever, coupled with a speeding ticket Not bitter about that at all)

Boring and very condescending. Everything they talked about was just common sense, and things that every driver should know.

But every driver, including you, evidently didn't know, because if they knew they wouldn't have been there.

I’ve done four. Shows how well they work. Lol
Why is that even remotely funny?

Indeed. 'I'm incapable of keeping to the speed limit. lol'

All those saying it was boring - it's not supposed to be entertainment. You're there to listen and take note of what you hear, because you've committed a motoring offence, not because someone wants you to have a fun day out.

Yes it was common sense, except it was common sense that you and your course cohorts didn’t call on whilst driving, otherwise you’d not have been there!

All these people complaining about them! They’re not a day out!
Dont speed, or, alternatively take the points if you don’t want to do it.

Actually, just don’t speed anyway.

You find it funny? I didn’t find it funny when my family member was killed by a speeding driver.

I’ve done one course 10 years ago and the instructor would send a glass eye to sleep. Most boring few hours of my life

I think the majority of people caught speeding and attending speed awareness courses are those doing a few mph over the speed limit, in fairness.

And that shows just how out of date the HC stopping distances are. In a modern car in the dry it’s more like 3ft.

To be fair they have cancelled the requirement for a man with a red flag walking in front of your vehicle.

(Although being a bit old-fashioned and rather cautious I still follow this regulation.)

My husband did his recently and it was done via teams. He said it was a mixed bunch of people but one of the participants was laying on their sofa in their pyjamas 🤣

Did online one last year, camera and mic on at all times, you will get a quick break or two to go grab a tea etc. no one else is allowed in the room. Have a pen and paper handy as we had to write down a few answers and show to camera. You can’t ‘fail’ it unless you refuse to take part so just answer some questions voluntarily and show willing.
I passed a kidney stone 20 minutes before the start, won’t forget that day in a hurry 😂
I do watch my speed more now and am more patient.
It’s nothing to worry about at all.

There was an older lady sat in bed on mine, in pajamas, vaping non stop 😳

Boring and not useful. I failed to spot the newly introduced 40mph signs on a motorway at 4am, so was doing 50. Saves points though. Our instructor spent a lot of time telling off people he thought weren't listening.

I did an in person one. It was pretty boring. Then I did an online one and it was better but that was probably because it didn’t last as long as they said and once it was over I didn’t have to schlepp back from the venue.

Neither took a punitive approach.