I have just been pulled over by a police car which was on an overpass on the XXX (3 lanes separated dual carriageway with a speed limit of 50mph) in XXXXXXXX as I went underneath it. I was polite & respectful to the Police officer and he was the same to me. The police officer gave me a Fixed Penalty Notice (excess speed) £60 & 3 points and told me I had to take my license to my nearest station within 7 days and pay the fine within 28 days. I was speeding (not riding dangerously!) so hands up no excuses. However I’m 39 and my driving license has always been clean 0 points so I would like to do a speed awareness course if possible. The policeman who pulled me over said they do not do speed awareness courses in London anymore, but he did not know why or why some different counties Police forces do offer the course? A quick bit of research on the internet suggests the speed awareness courses are available in London:- The NADIP (National Association of Driver Intervention Providers) website www.driver-improvement.co.uk/index.php/home/speed-awareness-scheme says the course is an alternative to prosecution, for all speed bands and classes of vehicle speeds except 20 mph zones. The Transport For London National Speed Awareness Scheme website www.aadrivetech.com/driveraware/londonsas.htm shows training venues in London near me and the ability to book a course online. However the courses are only available to drivers who have been offered a course place by the Police, so you need a code from the Police to book the course online. My understanding is the decision is entirely at the Police’s discretion and there is no obligation to offer a course at any stage. Most Police forces will only offer courses to first time offenders or to motorists who have committed a relatively minor offence. So... How do I attempt to persuade the Police to offer me a speed awareness course? Do I just ask at the station where I take my license to within the next 7 days? Any advice greatly appreciated, Cheers.
How fast were you going? I think some forces have a policy not to offer the curse if you're too far over the limit. I think in Kent it's 9mph over, no idea about the met though?
What speed were you clocked/done for ? Round here (Norfolk) they only offer the course if you're just over the 10% and a bit rule, if you're well over then it's points/fine.
You wont / can't get a speed awareness course if you've been issued an FPN by an officer, that's it done deal, you either accept and pay your ticket or plead not guilty and go to magistrates court. The speed awareness courses are only given out if you activate a Gatso and your below ACPO guidelines for prosecution, i.e. in a 30mph zone below 36mph etc.... No point in even asking anything at the station, they're not interested in your ticket, they're there simply to take your licence and sent it to the fixed penalty office if you choose to surrender it. From knowledge and experience, if you've been given a ticket on the A406 in a 50mph zone you were probably doing 65+?
Just as a matter of interest, if you've had a clean licence up until now, what are 3 points between friends? They'll soon be gone if your past form is anything to judge by. Also, what's 60 quid these days? Just interested in why you'd want to waste your time being told about speed (is it going to tell you something you don't already know?) when you can forget the whole thing for 60 notes. Each to his own. Not living in the UK, I am no longer party to the subtleties of the points system. We don't have it here so forgive me if I am missing the point.
Well I got one for doing 65 in 50 but middle of night with no traffic except that unmarked car!! I guess most depends from officer that stopped you. Hhhjesus try it, you know beg, ask or steel maybe one will work beats 3 points. I am waiting for letter regarding ban, will see in next 14 working days. Grrr
Because if insurance company finds out (and I think by law you have to tell them) they will milk you for years.
In Cleveland the criteria is it's over the limit by between 10% +3mph and 10% +9mph makes you eligible for speed awareness, after that it's the points and a fine. Because you already been issued the fixed penalty notice notice your stuck with it, because when you have the option they give you the paperwork for speed awareness and you then can choose to pay what was £90 for me and do the course or send it back saying no thank you, then they issue the fixed penalty. Sorry m8.....
3 points with most insurance company's doesn't make a difference these days as most people have them because of the increased detection, it's usually when you start getting 6 and 9 that they start to like you, cause then you become their cash cow.
An SP30 offence won't make a blind bit of difference to your insurance, but you do have to declare it. Take the points, it's cheaper than the speed awareness course.
That will probably be 3 points and £60. I am waiting for mine though; 78 in a 50. I am gonna have to grovel in front of the Mag me thinks....
You're really unlucky to get nabbed on the North Circ dude :frown::frown: The speed awareness course will only be offered to you when issued with a fixed penalty notice from a speed camera and only if you've have been caught at 1mph or even 2mph over the speed limit. this is worked out by adding 3 and 10%. So in a 40, it would be 40 + 3 + 4 = 47, so if you are caught doing 48 or 49, you would get offered the course, 50 you get points and a fine. Sadly Mr Police man is right as they don't offer the course in London and anyway, if you haven't managed to talk the police man out of issuing you with a fine, there isn't anything you can do as they just slap you with the fine and points. Sorry dude.
I think I read somewhere that over 60% of driver have 3 points or more. Your right, the insurance companies arent too bothered with 3 or below. On a sep not if you have points for drivering using a mobile, most insurance companies wont insure you. Its the new drink driving. Obviously not really a bike thing, but worth knowing non the less
FWIW, Speed awareness courses are almost unbearable..... I had one. It seemed like a good idea at the time in preference to points. However, after four hours of being preached (often technically inaccurate) rubbish by a bloke in brown farrah trousers, most of us would have taken the points! It was almost insufferable! They nicked me doing 34 as I went into a 30mph zone, right at the sign post, coming down from a 40mph. I was already off the throttle, engine braking slowing me down, so I guess I was about 3 feet inaccurate in achieving the desired 30mph. It is all getting to be a little bit tiresome this now, and most people have lost more respect for the police for this carry-on than if they were just pulling us for the obviously bad driving/speeding. North circ is smothered in cameras these days. I roll around there at 49mph now. Seen so many people nicked on that road out west where I am.....
That's not entirely true the speed awareness course saves you 750 in 5 years in increased insurance premiums, I know this because I did one last year, the course is of course more than the fixed penalty of 60 it is different price in areas, it cost me 85 to do it in Barnsley, it is a very good discussion course lasting about 4 hours and making you completely aware of why speed limits are there and other things revolving around driving it's not a test it's an open discussion which you need to contribute too, and I would say to anyone that gets offered the chance to do a course to take the opportunity instead of fixed penalty and points on your licence for 5 years. Unfortunately you only get offered this if you get caught on camera either mobile or fixed.
Similar to me that.....mine was 90 quid 3 months ago and was exactly four hours long. I did ask my insurance company how much more it would cost for an SP30 and 3 points and there was no extra to pay, as I was gonna just pay the fine and take the points, but I sat through the four hours in the end. You can only choose to do speed awareness once in three years too.
Well if he knew the consequences of speeding then he wouldnt have done it in the first place!!! Hey I'm no angel I've had 2 x 3 points for speeding and the fines in the space of a year and last year I got caught again then I did the course....my eyes were wide open! This January I nearly got killed by someone speeding in a 50mph zone doing about 70/80 I got cut and lifted out of my car with suspected fracture to the spine....the woman that caused the Accident has caused damage to me both physically and mentally and I am on a lot of medication for what i am going through it has had an impact on me financially because of me being on ssp for some months and I have a mortgage to pay etc....had she been more aware of the consequence of her speed then it would not have happened. So as far as I am concerned think before you max the speedo it's not worth it, If I had of died then my son would be left without his mum and my other half without his love and they and my family would be picking up the pieces after a loss of a loved one!
