Speed Awareness Courses

[tony_mac]

Many insurance companies now "request" that you declare having been on a course whether it is recordable or not and if they subsequently find out that you have and have not told them may invalidate your cover.

As far as I know, it is currently only Admiral group who ask for this information - but there may be others joining in.

Given your speedo will deliberately over read,

They may over read. Some are remarkably accurate.

 

[RichmondCommu]

What I want to know is why was the OP speeding? If the OP was more sensible and timed their journeys realistically then he / she / would not have to speed.

 

[notadriver]

Ho Ho - go forth and multiply



I'm sure you have never exceeded the speed limit

Actually I never deliberately exceed the speed limit at work. Not even by 1 mph.

 

[tony_mac]

I could complain that my driving represented no danger to anyone at that time of the morning in a rural non-residential area, however I suspect challenging it will be a waste of time.

If you are feeling awkward, you could return the form unsigned.
Unless they have another source, they won't have admissible evidence of who the driver was. As far as I know, nobody in Scotland has been convicted for not signing the form, as long as it was otherwise completed correctly.

 

[Butts]

What I want to know is why was the OP speeding? If the OP was more sensible and timed their journeys realistically then he / she / would not have to speed.

I was on my way to an Alarm Activation, it was four o'clock in the morning and there was no other traffic about. The offence ocurred in an area with no housing (semi-rural).

My inkling is that most people speed every day but only a fraction get caught. "pay your money take your chance"
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

If you are feeling awkward, you could return the form unsigned.
Unless they have another source, they won't have admissible evidence of who the driver was. As far as I know, nobody in Scotland has been convicted for not signing the form, as long as it was otherwise completed correctly.

Unfortunately that is an "urban myth" - I have already been bubbled by my employer

 

[jon0844]

They may over read. Some are remarkably accurate.

They all are. They simply lie to you in order to never, ever, under read which is illegal.

On many cars you can enter a service mode and see the real speed before the offset. You can also adjust the offset I believe.

It's no different to a modern car lying to you about oil temperature.

 

[Bletchleyite]

What reason is there to lie about oil temperature?

 

[notadriver]

Maybe inaccurate is a better word - a bit like the fuel consumption figures from the on board computer.

 

[DarloRich]

Butts: They got you bang to rights and you were grassed up. Just accept it and take your punishment.

 

[Phil.]

They all are. They simply lie to you in order to never, ever, under read which is illegal.

On many cars you can enter a service mode and see the real speed before the offset. You can also adjust the offset I believe.

It's no different to a modern car lying to you about oil temperature.

The speedometers on vehicle have been set to over-read for a number of years. This is following an agreement between the Society of Motor Manufacturers and government. Remember too that as your tyres wear from new there will be a slight reduction on your true speed. People often don't realise that this when they up the wheel size on their cars. Buy a car with 16" wheels and put 19" wheels on for that boy racer look and your speedo is all to pot.

 

[radamfi]

It is worth using a phone app (like Waze) or satellite navigation device to measure your speed for added piece of mind, even if you know where you are going.

What reason is there to lie about oil temperature?

Some cars nowadays don't even have a temperature gauge, just a light that goes on when it gets too hot.

 

[jon0844]

What reason is there to lie about oil temperature?

To stop people worrying when the temperature fluctuates. As long as the temperature is within an acceptable range, it will stay in the middle. If something goes wrong, it will shoot up to max to prompt action.

As said elsewhere, you don't really need anything more than a wanting these days. Anyone needing more accuracy would fit their own.

 

[tony_mac]

They all are. They simply lie to you in order to never, ever, under read which is illegal.

Yes, but the amount varies. Some will be ~10% over, some will be just about perfect - without knowing about the car, you can't safely make assumptions as to which it is.

Unfortunately that is an "urban myth" - I have already been bubbled by my employer

No, it isn't - not in Scotland (the authorities have never gone to trial over an unsigned, but correct, form, whereas they did this years ago in England).
The form from your employer wouldn't help, but may not be enough to identify you as driving beyond reasonable doubt (just hypothetically, as I'm sure you wouldn't want to go through the hassle!).

 

[90019]

It is worth using a phone app (like Waze) or satellite navigation device to measure your speed for added piece of mind, even if you know where you are going.

SpeedView is good if you just want your speed.
It has a rather neat feature for using it as a head up display, which I use going through the roadworks with average speed cameras on the A1.

 

[jon0844]

Yes, but the amount varies. Some will be ~10% over, some will be just about perfect - without knowing about the car, you can't safely make assumptions as to which it is.

GPS would soon reveal the offset, either in a few seconds or maybe longer to make sure.

I also have a Vodafone drivexone attached to the engine management (with its own GPS) so it transmits my location and speed, and let's me monitor its location when parked, so that also gives me speed info. The dash cam is also nice and accurate, even measuring turns and G force for braking and accelerating.

I'm sure all that data will be used against me in court one day!

 

[Butts]

Butts: They got you bang to rights and you were grassed up. Just accept it and take your punishment.

I intend to, my only complaint was the lack of Speed Awareness Courses in Scotland, hence the thread title.

 

[miami]

I had heard they allow you 10% + 2mph

A myth

so I was caught for 1mph

no, you were caught for 6mph, or 20%.

The second leader attempted to teach us some of the principles of defensive driving, which I found more helpful, although I was unsure what that had to do with a speeding course.

Did they not explain how somebody realised that once you pass your test you have no more training ever, and this is a great way to give training to people without costing any money?

I now drive through Glan Conwy at exactly 30mph, being flashed and hooted at by lorry-drivers, bus drivers and cars travelling 1 foot from my rear bumper.

Probably because you're doing 27mph.

I felt the course was rather annoying, as it was harping on about the dangers of doing >30mph in residental areas (I rarely do more than 25), yet didn't mention at all the dangers of speeding through manned roadworks where there's a movable piece of plastic protecting the road crew (Again something I don't do, but I feel also deserves pointing out)

I was court round the bottom of the M60, 60 in a 50mph average zone
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

and still people whine when they get "caught" by a camera.

I whined. At myself for being so unobservant or distracted I neglected to slow down enough


I wonder if being caught by a camera should attract a diving without due care and attention charge, rather than a speeding charge.

 

[tony_mac]

A myth

Not exactly...
http://www.cps.gov.uk/legal/p_to_r/road_traffic_offences_guidance_on_fixed_penalty_notices/

The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) has issued speed enforcement policy guidance, which suggests that enforcement will normally occur when a driver exceeds the speed limit by a particular margin. This is normally 10 per cent over the speed limit plus 2 mph.

 

[northwichcat]

I intend to, my only complaint was the lack of Speed Awareness Courses in Scotland, hence the thread title.

Don't forget if you want to do a Speed Awareness course in England then you would usually have to use 1/2 or a full day's annual leave to be able to do it.

A myth

I never believed that because it means it would mean on a Motorway they wouldn't be bothered if you were doing 79mph at the same time at the government has decided in the interests of safety the speed limit on Motorways won't be raised to 80mph.

 

[richw]

I never believed that because it means it would mean on a Motorway they wouldn't be bothered if you were doing 79mph at the same time at the government has decided in the interests of safety the speed limit on Motorways won't be raised to 80mph.

They aren't bothered if your doing 80mph on motorways normally. If they raised the limit to 80mph, they'd still need a tolerance- which would potentially be around 90mph, they don't want people doing 90.

 

[Johnuk123]

The 10% plus 2 mile an hour rule is advisory but is followed by all Police forces.

 

[notadriver]

They aren't bothered if your doing 80mph on motorways normally. If they raised the limit to 80mph, they'd still need a tolerance- which would potentially be around 90mph, they don't want people doing 90.

I think many people do. It's only when I go past 100 mph that I feel I'm significantly overtaking most cars.

 

[miami]

They aren't bothered if your doing 80mph on motorways normally. If they raised the limit to 80mph, they'd still need a tolerance- which would potentially be around 90mph, they don't want people doing 90.

15 years ago 80-90mph used to be quite common on fairly clear motorways. I recall doing 85mph* on the inside lane of the M40 in 2001 and having two lanes of traffic overtaking at a fair pace.

Nowadays you're more likely to see someone doing 50mph on the inside lane. I doubt this is speed enforcement (besides the M6 between the M61 and M62 I can't remember the last time I saw a traffic car). I wonder if people saw how much extra petrol it took while prices were £1.40 and habits have stuck.


* not really 85mph, not a drop over 70mph honest guv.

 

[richw]

I think many people do. It's only when I go past 100 mph that I feel I'm significantly overtaking most cars.

15 years ago 80-90mph used to be quite common on fairly clear motorways. I recall doing 85mph* on the inside lane of the M40 in 2001 and having two lanes of traffic overtaking at a fair pace.

Nowadays you're more likely to see someone doing 50mph on the inside lane. I doubt this is speed enforcement (besides the M6 between the M61 and M62 I can't remember the last time I saw a traffic car). I wonder if people saw how much extra petrol it took while prices were £1.40 and habits have stuck.


* not really 85mph, not a drop over 70mph honest guv.

Anything over 95mph on 70mph motorway is a day out in court, below is your 3 points and penalty.

My right foot may have sub conciously noticed fuel prices have dropped. My fuel consumption has dropped from around 29mpg down to about 24-25mpg, yet it's still costing me less to make the same long journeys. When fuel was at its highest I drove to Bristol and back and the same car achieved 47mpg with cruise control set to 60 the whole way. (From the start of dual carriageway part of the A30 near summercourt, Cornwall)

 

[Llanigraham]

Butts: They got you bang to rights and you were grassed up. Just accept it and take your punishment.

He was not "grassed up".
His employer, as the registered vehicle keeper, is legally obliged to inform the Police of who was driving the vehicle at the time of the offence. If they fail to do so then they can be prosecuted and have to pay the fine.

And from some of the comments on here, some of you need to consider taking an advanced or defensive driving course.

 

[miami]

His employer, as the registered vehicle keeper, is legally obliged to inform the Police of who was driving the vehicle at the time of the offence.

How would the employer know who was driving? They know who was supposed to be driving, but not who was driving unless someone in the car at the time provided evidence.

 

[fowler9]

How would the employer know who was driving? They know who was supposed to be driving, but not who was driving unless someone in the car at the time provided evidence.

If the employer knew who was supposed to be driving and someone else was driving it wouldn't look great on the person supposed to be driving surely?

 

[miami]

If the employer knew who was supposed to be driving and someone else was driving it wouldn't look great on the person supposed to be driving surely?

An internal discipline matter. The company could honestly say "the only person authorised to drive was X", but I don't see how they could say "The person driving was X".

 

[fowler9]

An internal discipline matter. The company could honestly say "the only person authorised to drive was X", but I don't see how they could say "The person driving was X".

Totally agree, still might not work out great for the person meant to be driving or the person who was.

 

[90019]

Anything over 95mph on 70mph motorway is a day out in court, below is your 3 points and penalty.

100mph+ is an automatic 6 month ban.


Speed has it's time and place, but lots of people in this country are unable to judge when it is or isn't appropriate*, so things have to be set at the lowest common denominator to cater for that.


*people doing 80-90mph on a motorway in heavy rain, for example, or pootling along at 35mph on an NSL dual carriageway in perfect conditions, or doing 40mph everywhere, and so on and so forth.