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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to not go on a speed awareness course

303 replies

sPJPPp · 08/04/2015 09:51

The course will be 97 and the fine is 100.

I would get three points and my insurance will go up by about 40 next year.

The course is 2 hours drive away and will take 4 hours. So the best part of a day taken away.

Aibu to just take the points as 40 to loose a day off is just not enough.

OP posts:
MamainMilan · 08/04/2015 10:34

Well I know exactly why I speeded and it was the stupid cunt behind me that for the last 20 mins had their fog lights on when it was totally clear. This really distracted me and I bet that stupid bitch doesn't have to attend the course

Why do I get the feeling that any number of YABU won't alter your thinking on this?

You really should go on the course.

RinkRashDerbyKisses · 08/04/2015 10:35

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Samcro · 08/04/2015 10:35

omg op you need to go on that course.
they will teach you how to deal with that,
(pmsl at the excuse)

Sparklingbrook · 08/04/2015 10:35

Anyway I take responsibility as I should of pulled over in a layby and let her pass.

So just go on the course then. You can't blame your speeding on bad signage, the driver behind etc.

formerbabe · 08/04/2015 10:36

What I needed was practical hints and tips to improve my driving and there weren't any.

I should imagine that if you were on a speed awareness course, it would be fairly self explanatory. Slow down maybe?! Confused Do you need any more tips?

Whiskwarrior · 08/04/2015 10:37

Ugh, OP, you sound like my ex SIL. I've lost count of how many times she's had speeding tickets, her and her charming partner. The times she gave our address as hers so she didn't mess up her insurance. She went on a course about a month ago and then raged about what a waste of time it was - all over Facebook, naturally. Obviously, her idiot friends all lol'ed and hunned at her. She's an idiot who needs banning, to be honest, and your posts on here indicate that you need to attend that course.

And maybe watch some of the police shows that my Dad watches - so many drivers who really shouldn't be on the roads.

WhereYouLeftIt · 08/04/2015 10:37

OP, from what you have posted I really think you need to go on this course.

Cherriesandapples · 08/04/2015 10:38

I have been on two four years apart! I drive a lot for work and was 4mph over the speed limit each time. The first one was run by An ex police officer who was really sexist and confrontaltional. I felt that I gained little from it. The second was run by a driving instructor and was excellent and I learnt a lot from it. I didn't know some things like repeater signs so was helpful in changing my way of driving. I am a better driver now!

RinkRashDerbyKisses · 08/04/2015 10:38

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

DarylDixonsDarlin · 08/04/2015 10:38

BUT the point they were supposed to be making is: speed doesn't kill. But lack of observation/awareness does . So if you got caught speeding, that means you were not observant enough - so what else might you not be observing? nicely put mummy that's true, I feel.

I did see the van which must have had the camera in it. Just not until it was too late. (parked up in a side road off the main road on which I was driving 8mph above the speed limit) in fact if they'd taken a picture of my speeding car it would have included me with my face like Shock

No gory shit on the course. And I didn't find it overly patronising - this could depend on the people delivering the course, I guess? There were some useful tips, but like another poster above has pointed out, there was a lot of stuff which I had been doing right all along, with the exception of driving above the speed limit. However the ignorance of some of the others attending the course (basic highway code questions really) was pretty shocking! And theres always one person in the corner who wants to challenge everything the course instructor says, plus sniggering and snorting at everything they disagree with, even when the rest of the room is nodding in agreement! Hmm

Sparklingbrook · 08/04/2015 10:38

I can only imagine the bad attitude of some of the people on the courses.

Songofsixpence · 08/04/2015 10:40

I went on one several years ago and did find some of it helpful, but as others have said, the presenters were awful.

I was caught doing 47 in a 40 - through roadworks on an empty motorway at 3am returning from an emergency dash to my great aunt who had been rushed into hospital.

I was sceptical at first, I never speed usually, and felt very hard done by - lots of grumping about how unfair it all was, it didn't really apply to me as it was a one off, etc, etc. I did the course, primarily to avoid the points

I did learn a lot from it though

thornrose · 08/04/2015 10:41

At my course we were told in no uncertain terms that a bad attitude would get you sent home. Non completion of course and you'd get the points.

Oldraver · 08/04/2015 10:41

If you choose to take the points then you will have to make sure you never get caught again as you have lost the innocence of being a first time offender.

I think once you have points you cant be offered a speed awareness course again, so any subsequent offences will go straight to points

OH opted to do a course and it did alter his perspective

babygiraffe86 · 08/04/2015 10:42

DP didn't do his, he took the points.

but he is self employed and the cost of losing the days wage on top of it all far outweighs the cost of the alternative.

3 points is on your license for 3 years, will affect your insurance for this time, some companys do not even take them into account if its your only 3 points and you have no accidents or convictions on your record(used ot work in insurance)

mummytime · 08/04/2015 10:42

For a tailgater with fog lights on - flip your rear view mirror (does anyone else think its weird how much you can still see at night, when its pointing at the ceiling?) then slow down until they have enough room to stop if you have to slam on your breaks.
There would have been repeaters to indicate the speed limit.

We have a piece of road around here which you can easily do 40 on, could do 50 safely - the course taught me that it is 30 - probably saved me more points just from that.

Snottybiyatch · 08/04/2015 10:43

You say that it was the fault of the person behind you but earlier you said

I was caught doing 60 in a 50 zone, however it was an empty a road at night

For gawd's sake, go on the course, AND pay the fine AND take the points. For all of our sakes.

formerbabe · 08/04/2015 10:45

Oh and everyone's got a story as to why their speeding was justified.

Snottybiyatch · 08/04/2015 10:45

By the way, I was every bit as arrogant good a driver as you OP until I went on a speed awareness course.

Samcro · 08/04/2015 10:46

i went on one and the blokes doing it were really good, they made it interesting and I learnt stuff.

LonnyVonnyWilsonFrickett · 08/04/2015 10:46

What is the best way to deal with tailgaters? We've just moved somewhere a bit more rural and it happens to me much more than in the city (for obvious reasons). I never speed (got my license when the 6 points in the first two years means you lose it rule came out) but it is really intimidating if you are at the limit and some cock is right on your tail...

Snottybiyatch · 08/04/2015 10:47

Oh and everyone's got a story as to why their speeding was justified

^^This !^^

Cherriesandapples · 08/04/2015 10:48

Most of the people on the courses I went on were people who drive for work. What I liked about the second course was that the course teacher tailored it to who was on the course. Explaining employment law to the truck driver / owner - telling him what his responsibilities are. Talking about one of his ex pupils who had died whilst speeding and the affect that it had had on the family. There was a young boy racer next to me and it had such a profound effect on him.
Really these courses are to make the roads safer rather than punish people.

Sparklingbrook · 08/04/2015 10:49

If they are being that much of a cock I would pull in and let them by Lonny. Other than that I would keep at the speed limit and ignore them.

I didn't know that rule about the first two years thing either so I have even learnt something from this thread. Smile

Snottybiyatch · 08/04/2015 10:49

Lonny it's a pain isn't it. I just pull in at the next available spot and passively aggressively let them sail on by.

Even more of a derail...is it just me that finds inner London drivers to be the most considerate in the country? And rural drivers to be a total pita?

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