Yann in court today

[Ade the green]

Wrong Odders the police decide if an Awareness course is an option not the offender.

Correct the cops decide.

I seem to recall I was offered a course as an alternative to points and a fine---i.e there was a choice. Some years ago so it may have changed or my recollection is incorrect.

Its the Police who decide if you are initially offered it OG, its not something they allow the offender to decide. Once offered its then up to the offender to accept the course or take the points.

So it is up to the offender to decide. Having done the course twice (I was better than either instructor, shouldn’t have been there etc. etc. ) the instructors on both my courses were driving instructors. Not the usual BSM drivers but the advanced driving instructors that teach the police. They weren’t traffic cops.

 

[Ted]

If you're eligible for a course the police will offer it to you.

Money made from courses (well some of it, usually about £30-£35) goes back to the force. Money from paying fixed penalties goes straight to the treasury.

Ps the person who said he was caught at 34mph in a 30 stop fibbing. You were doing at least 36mph.

 

[oddball]

changing tack slightly...the police are always on about speed cameras and how they help road safety... yet on the A38 from Plymouth to Exeter,where there are numerous fatal accidents there are no speed cameras......

 

[IJN]

There are Alan.

 

[Keepitgreen]

A statement from the club to set the record straight:

PAFC

 

[IJN]

Great statement from the club defending the player against inaccurate statements from the 'press'.

As we all know so well what is claimed to be 'fact' is so often not the case these days.

 

[Ted]

Ian. It's also worth noting that what his defence team say happened isn't fact either.

Anyway.

It really doesn't matter.

 

[IJN]

That's their job Tom! :greensmile:

 

[Frank Butcher]

Wrong Odders the police decide if an Awareness course is an option not the offender.

The police decide whether to offer a course and the guilty driver can decide on which option to take. I have been told that the criteria for offering the course is that you must be within 10% of the speed limit plus 9 miles an hour. Therefore if you are doing under 42 mph in a 30 limit you will be offered a course or under 86 in a 70 mph zone.

But also worth noting that 42 in a 30 is possible disqualification. 86 in a 70 isn't (first offence). Context is everything in speeding offences and hence why the 34mph example earlier is possible even though Thomas is technically correct about the 35mph threshold.

 

[Ponty]

Wrong Odders the police decide if an Awareness course is an option not the offender.

The police decide whether to offer a course and the guilty driver can decide on which option to take. I have been told that the criteria for offering the course is that you must be within 10% of the speed limit plus 9 miles an hour. Therefore if you are doing under 42 mph in a 30 limit you will be offered a course or under 86 in a 70 mph zone.

But also worth noting that 42 in a 30 is possible disqualification. 86 in a 70 isn't (first offence). Context is everything in speeding offences and hence why the 34mph example earlier is possible even though Thomas is technically correct about the 35mph threshold.

I attended a course after being caught doing 84mph on the M4 at Bristol.

The course organisers were not police employees and were quite easy to get on with. I found it quite educational which surprised me as I always classed myself as an experienced driver but found out I learnt a lot on the day.

I'd say it was a valuable exercise and walked away a wiser person.

 

[Keepitgreen]

Wrong Odders the police decide if an Awareness course is an option not the offender.

I've been on an awareness course, think I'll take the points next time.

Imagine a condescending Instructor, think of that Harry Enfield character:
'I am a trained police driver and I am considerably more experienced and better than you' :facepalm:

His attitude may have sucked, but he was factually correct, seeing as you were on an awareness course and all...

I never said that I was an :angel: nor did I say that he wasn't a better driver than me. The Harry Enfield character IS considerably richer than his brother-in-law, that doesn't grate, what does is the repetition and the attitude.
I don't think being on a speed awareness course means everyone is a bad driver tho'

I was caught doing 34 mph in a 30mph stretch near Chicklade at 3.45 a.m. Only car on the road. Just flown in from Egypt and was (literally) kacking myself so decided to cut through to the motorway services.
The only person I could have hurt was myself, the odd moth or a fox chewing a pheasant.

I live 'on the narrows' in Downtown BA, daily young lads roar thro' at 50mph, broken headlights, many chatting on their phones. Catch them! FFS!

I know and like a lot of policeman/women, I have a small selection in the family. Like most walks of life, the vast majority are fine, when I did the awareness course the guy was a t**t ... imho!!

Police officers don't run the course though. They're all civilians. In Devon & Cornwall they are run by a group called TTC.

TTC Group

 

[justanotherfan]

After reading some of the posts on this subject, Ponty, what a refreshingly grown up attitude.

 

[memory man]

After reading some of the posts on this subject, Ponty, what a refreshingly grown up attitude.

Was just going to post the same thing jaf.

 

[Ted]

But also worth noting that 42 in a 30 is possible disqualification. 86 in a 70 isn't (first offence). Context is everything in speeding offences and hence why the 34mph example earlier is possible even though Thomas is technically correct about the 35mph threshold.

I'd eat my socks if anyone was ever given a disqualification for 42 in a 30. Ignore the sentencing guidelines. 42 gets you a National Speed Awareness Course, anything up to and inclusive of 49mph will get you a fixed penalty (unless of course totting provisions mean you can't comply with a fixed penalty).

Context doesn't come a great deal into it.

It's the law. Police forces still adhere to the ACPO guidelines of 10% + 2mph.

 

[oddball]

I have found, driving in Plymouth, that it is very easy to go through a set of traffic lights when they are all green and there is little traffic on the road,above the speed limit especially at a downhill stretch.You are looking at the lights after all and not your speedo so speeding is easily done even if you do not intend to. To then have to attend a speed awareness course,or indded have three points on your licence,for a slight misdemenour is taking the proverbial Michael Evans....