Speed Awareness Course
Do you check your speed?
Everyone knows of at least one person that’s been caught speeding; most of us have been caught at some time or another. Whether it was speeding up to get through the lights and just getting flashed as the lights changed, or not noticing the change in Speed Limit and getting caught out by a sly and rather “well positioned” camera.
In most cases you’re now offered a “get out of jail” card (so to speak) when you speed or make a minor motoring offence. The card in question offers the option to take part in a Drivers Awareness Course. For many the Course means paying pretty much the same fine as the Speeding ticket given, but more importantly missing out on those pesky 3 points adding to the driving licence, helping keep the car insurance cost down!
For many the Courses are initially viewed as a huge inconvenience, many having to take place in the county where the ticket was issued. For some this means missing either a half or full day of work, travelling to the place covering the cost of fuel and parking, take part in the course, long arduous journey home.
So it’s not particularly appealing, at all. But, it saves you the points, so off you go to the course!
For the most part you’re going to expect the worse, half a day having a finger shaken at you telling you what a bad man or woman you’ve been putting lives at risk with your reckless driving (all this for 5 miles over the limit, sheesh!) – But you’d be wrong!
Speed Awareness Course
I’ve known at least 6 people do the test in the Hampshire area and I can tell you only one word comes to mind, Doddle. For a start there’s free tea, coffee, cakes and cookies; so get ready to munch away the pain!
Not only free snacks and beverages, but you’re going to see a good mix of people from all walks of life, not just a bunch of boy racers with their Saxo’s filling the car park! No, you’ll see Bankers & Cleaners & Businessmen & Shop Assistants & Personal Trainers… you’ll see a bit of everything no doubt – it doesn’t matter who you are, everyone gets nailed by the speed cameras eventually!
So, you’ll spend the day learning about better driving techniques and dangerous driving behaviour and probably learn a whole heap of stuff you didn’t know. You’ll have to see some pretty grim videos and pictures of crashes and accidents associated with speeding and other driving offences.
At the end of the day they’ll give you a lovely little certificate showing what a good boy or girl you’ve been and send you on your way, around £70 lighter, one certificate heavier – and most importantly, without 3 points added to your licence.
To sum up, Driving Awareness Courses are not something to be sniffed at, they’re interesting, not preachy or condescending, you’ll most likely be with a decent bunch of people and learn something. In my books that’s not the worst way you could spend a morning or an afternoon, particularly if its saving you from the dreaded licence points!
