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Original poster

Anyone got any views on this?

45 replies

petunia · 15/06/2006 16:58

I was caught speeding and offered a "Speed Awareness" course as an alternative to having points on my licence. The problem is that I'm breastfeeding my 7 week old at the moment. I'd rather do the course than have points on my clean, 16 year old licence. I e-mailed them to let the course providers know that if I did the course, I'd be bringing DD with me as I'm breastfeeding, and they've replied saying that they can't allow a child in "due to Health and Safety reasons and to minimise disruptions." The only alternative that they can offer is that I've got 'til the 28th September to do the course (think they're assuming that I'll have stopped breastfeeding then and DD3 will be totally weaned or something). The other alternative is for me to have the points on my licence, which I don't want!
I really am so gobsmacked at this. "Health and Safety" seems to be used as an excuse for everything these days.

OP posts:

wannaBe1974 · 16/06/2006 16:52

no I think you're way out of order for even thinking they should accommodate you. You were in the wrong for speeding in the first place, if you hadn't been speeding (which is breaking the law) then you wouldn't have been required to go on a course. If you can't fit the course around your child then you should have the points on your licence. No discrimination here imo, if they do it for you then they have to do it for everyone, and what happens if every person on the course is a woman with a baby, it'd be more like a m/t group fgs.

tallulah · 16/06/2006 17:06

You're lucky that it is 3 hours. My DH was sent on one and it was one whole Friday and half day Saturday. He asked about alternative dates (because it wasn't even in our town) and was told this is it, take it or leave it, and if you don't complete the course you will be prosecuted.

His course also involved driving observation with 3 of them in the car at the same time.

curlysmum · 16/06/2006 18:08

I agree with wannaBe1974 , in fact I just can't believe that you are even posting this, I think you could reasonably ask for the course to be put back a month or so , but to take a baby on a course with you, I have heard nothing so ridiculous, what about the other people on the course ? what if the baby is crying , distracting others , you mean you really cannot leave the baby for 3 hours with a relative, partner, or childminder , lots of woman are back at work full time anyway , what a fuss about nothing.

finefatmama · 16/06/2006 18:34

I don't think it's reasonable to take a baby to class. what you are asking is similar to that. If anything it's discriminatory (maybe positively so) for a class to accommodate you or give you a deadline that others don't get. But you said they already gave you the deadline as an alternative because you were breastfeeding so they have already taken that into consideration. You could ask for an extension but I'm not too sure WHO guidelines are binding regulations on establishments. There's no harm in asking.

As far as am aware, if a person is forced to express or bf in a toilet because of lack of facilities, it's unhealthy by H & S standards. You are not being forced to get points really. You sort of earned them.

mancmum · 16/06/2006 19:12

I have done this and it is not all desk based - there is a driving element to it as well... the whole point of the course is re-education - it is a sort of punishment for speeding and so it is not unreasonable of them not to allow you to take your baby there are others in the car and would you want to have strangers driving your baby? Baby would get in the way of what is meant to be a structured informative day - that I actually really enjoyed and got a lot out of...

Original poster

petunia · 16/06/2006 20:18

I've not been given an extension, nor have I asked for one. The 4month deadline is the one everone gets.
When I contacted the course providers, I wasn't telling them that I was bringing DD, I was asking if it was OK, mainly as an act of courtesy rather than book myself on the course and turn up with her on the day. I just thought that, as she was young, I could discreetly b/f her at the back. I also thought that they must have come across a breastfeeding Mum before. Obviously I was wrong.

OP posts:

wannaBe1974 · 16/06/2006 20:55

well there's a lesson in all this ... don't break the speed limit.

GDG · 16/06/2006 21:00

Agree with others - can't believe you think anyone owes you flexibility on this. You were speeding - imo, you should get the points and the course. I think they are being flexible enough in giving you the option.

Original poster

petunia · 16/06/2006 21:10

wannaBe1974- agree on that one! And managed not to for 16 years!

OP posts:

Jbck · 16/06/2006 22:00

I'm just hoping your DD was not in the car at the time . My husband is an H&S officer & gets quite riled up at people who just don't consider that these regs are there for their own protection.
I'm quite sure if the shoe were on the other foot & you were asked to do something on the course that you considered unsafe for your DD you'd be looking for HSE help.

Original poster

petunia · 17/06/2006 06:51

Jbck- I was doing 37 in a 30 zone caught by a fixed camera, so yes DD was in the car. I've just realised, is this why I'm getting so much grief over this? People think that we're talking a high speed chase with police car, blue flashing lights etc. (although doesn't matter either way, still speeding).
Either that or there's a lot of law abiding posters out there who've never gone over the 30mph limit!

OP posts:

wannaBe1974 · 17/06/2006 10:20

no I honestly don't think that people are thinking high speed chases etc, but speeding is speeding, and the limitss are there for a reason. I'll have to look up the exact figures, but the statistic says that if a child is hit by a car doing 20 mph it has an 80% chance of survival, if hit at 30 mph it has a 50% chance of survival, but if hit at 40 mph it has virtually no chance of survival. So bearing in mind you were doing 37 mph, chances are that if you'd hit a child, you would most likely have killed it.

jofeb04 · 17/06/2006 13:40

Imo, if you speed, you deserve the points. My dh has seen what speeding can do to someone, even by just going over the limit.
I cant believe you want people to accomodate you because you were the one who broke the law.

Amiable · 17/06/2006 14:18

Petunia, really rather shocked by your attitude. The 30mph areas are there for a reason - ie there are usually people around, including children, who could step into the road without looking and I totally agree with wannabe.

I feel it is actually much worse to speed in a 30 zone than on the motorway for this reason. You have been given a golden opporunity to avoid points on your license and I really feel you should be happy about that. Your child will survive 3 hours without you there to BF - a child hit by you at 37mph would probably die. Please get your priorities right.

SaintGeorge · 17/06/2006 14:27

37 in a 30 zone is pretty major really.

Sorry, but I have to say put up or shut up. You made your bed, now lie in it.

And any other similar metaphores that I can't think of at the moment.

Oh and the reason they don't provide for breastfeeders is probably that they expect mothers to have a bit more common sense!

HelloDolly · 17/06/2006 22:29

Those 7 miles per hour are the difference between an injured child and dead one, wonder if you'd feel the same if your child was hit ?

HelloDolly · 17/06/2006 22:29

Those 7 miles per hour are the difference between an injured child and dead one, wonder if you'd feel the same if your child was hit ?

Blondilocks · 17/06/2006 22:39

In my opinion doing almost 40 in a 30 is worse than doing almost 70 in a 60 limit as there is a greater chance of someone wandering into the road - a child for example, as 30s tend to be in built up areas.

I think you should consider yourself lucky to be offered a course in the first place, as some people said most people tend to just get a letter through. H&S regulations are a big part of all organisations now & in most cases are in line with legal and are not discriminatory. To be honest if I turned up at a course for grown ups and someone had a baby there I'd be pretty annoyed.

sue456 · 17/06/2006 23:00

I agree that 37 in a 30 speed limit is outrageous. Speed limits are there for a reason, can you imagine the chaos if we all used our discretion!

I cannot bearit when people who speed then go on about their previously unblemished license of 40 years or whatever- they've probably never been caught before!!

Whats that saying? If you can't do the time don't do the crime!

I've breastfed four babies and am totally in favour of rights for breast feeding mothers- however, it doesn't mean we can do what we like and never mind everyone else!!

wannaBe1974 · 18/06/2006 20:11

if you ever come to swindon you should go and find a road called acres way. There is a bench where there are always floral tributes. About 14 years ago a man came down there doing 40 miles an hour, admittedly he was also over the legal alcohol limit, but he was still only just over the speed limit. As he came down there he lost control of his car, careered off the road and into the bench and killed the 5 children who were playing on it. Only just over the speed limit.

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