Speeding - Speed Awareness Workshop

Stephen_Webber

wearside wrote: »

Obviously I am, but nowadays there are so many 30mph, 40mph and even 50mph roads with street lights at the side. Its difficult to decide which one is the limit, especially with someone up ones ar5e as they are in a hurry!

You assume that if no speed limit is posted AND there are street lights, then it is a 30MPH zone. In the same way, you assume that a road is a dual carriageway if there is a central reservation and that therefore the speed limit is 70MPH, unless there are signs to indicate otherwise.

GAILEY

I'm a lawyer.
I got caught on speed camera 36 in a 30 (I thought from memory that it was a 40...duh....should have looked at the signs as I knew there was a camera there!!).
I got offered the course - and grabbed it with both hands...apparently a lot of coppers take it too...
a local sol I have heard of couldn't be bothered so kept taking the fixed penalties....then he got to 6 and was without the area it was offered..so now has 9 points - a very precarious position to be in.

If you have a clean licence - take the course - no declaration to insurers and the benefit of being able to say you have a clean licence.

Apparently, 3 years has to expire before you become eliigable for the course again ,,,although god knows what records they keep when they never get your licence and different forces run different courses??

wearside_2

Stephen_Webber wrote: »

You assume that if no speed limit is posted AND there are street lights, then it is a 30MPH zone. In the same way, you assume that a road is a dual carriageway if there is a central reservation and that therefore the speed limit is 70MPH, unless there are signs to indicate otherwise.

Yes, I usually do this but for whatever reason, this time I didn't and did not see any speed signs. I had just left a duel carriageway, that had a nice grass covered central reservation, where I assume I did 70mph!

wearside_2

GAILEY wrote: »

I'm a lawyer.
I got caught on speed camera 36 in a 30 (I thought from memory that it was a 40...duh....should have looked at the signs as I knew there was a camera there!!).
I got offered the course - and grabbed it with both hands...apparently a lot of coppers take it too...
a local sol I have heard of couldn't be bothered so kept taking the fixed penalties....then he got to 6 and was without the area it was offered..so now has 9 points - a very precarious position to be in.

If you have a clean licence - take the course - no declaration to insurers and the benefit of being able to say you have a clean licence.



Apparently, 3 years has to expire before you become eliigable for the course again ,,,although god knows what records they keep when they never get your licence and different forces run different courses??

If I am offered the course, I shall take it. As you say a clean licence...........

sebdangerfield

To be fair, it not just street lights that designate a road as 30mph. It's the distance between them, you should all drive around with a tape measure hanging out of the window.... problem solved!

CHR15

sebdangerfield wrote: »

To be fair, it not just street lights that designate a road as 30mph. It's the distance between them,

I always thought that until I did my Speed Workshop.

The said during the course they have scrapped the "distance between the lights" formula as it's too difficult for people to understand.

The new rule is simply "Regular" street lights to designate 30mph, unless signposted otherwise.

sebdangerfield

Im sure its still law, just chaecked my newest book and as of the latest edition Aug 2009 its still part of the Road Traffic Regulations Act 1984 in order foe a road to be designated as restricted.

Mabe they mean the highway code has been changed as to the advise given to motorists to decide if a road's restricted.

By the way, restricted roads are always 30. Anything more should have repeater signs regulary. The road traffic regulations act states that anything unrestricted i.e 40, 50 etc should also have repeater signs.

wearside_2

I have been offered a Speed Awareness Course, which of course I have accepted. Hopefully the issue of 30mph areas will be up for discussion and also the distance between lights etc.

CHR15

wearside wrote: »

Hopefully the issue of 30mph areas will be up for discussion and also the distance between lights etc.

I did mine in the Thames Valley region where the 30mph limit and lights were discussed.

There were a lot of open questions, I was amazed at how few people understood the simplest of laws, another example was the National Speed Limit sign.
Out of about 25 people in the room, no more than 4 of us put our hand up (and were correct). Add to that, the people who knew, but couldn't be bothered raising a hand, and it was still an eye openingly small amount.

In my case, the course told me more about the lack of understanding of the law for the average driver on the roads, than it did about speeding.

Good course and a complete no brainer of a decision.

wearside_2

I have sent back my form accepting the course today together with some unavailable dates. Hopefully, I will get the date through in the next week or so.