Speed Awareness Course completed but now 'conditional offer of fixed penalty' letter?

dggar

Strider590 wrote: »

Speed awareness courses are also PASS/FAIL, if you don't agree and/or "kòu t!u" to the people spouting all the "speed is the only cause of death on British roads" (non-sense) stuff, then they'll state that you haven't learnt a thing and you'll still be liable for a fine + points.

It might be that he wasn't submissive enough.....

I've heard that a lot of management type's fail the course (probably because they're too arrogant to listen to anyone else's opinion). So I know it's definitely a PASS/FAIL attitude test.....

Equally i've heard of people failing because they feel they were caught in unfair circumstances and used the course as a place to argue their case.

Are you sure about this?

surely they would need to give you a "pass" or "Fail" notification at the end of the course, not just let you find out when you get a letter telling you about a fine.

Strider590

dggar wrote: »

Are you sure about this?

surely they would need to give you a "pass" or "Fail" notification at the end of the course, not just let you find out when you get a letter telling you about a fine.

No, it's not an official thing as far as I can tell.
Your there to learn and if you act like an arrogant SOB who knows everything (and im not suggesting the OP), your not going to learn anything..... If you turned up and fell asleep in the corner, would that be any different to not turning up at all?

Valli

If a speed awareness course were a pass/fail thing then you would have to be notified whether you has passed. I'm fairly certain that the only criteria was that we attend a course.

Almost all of us were quiet, compliant and wanted to get it over with. We were there, we listened, we answered questions (orally) and that was it!

It cost us all more to attend the course than we would have been fined, but, of course, we had no points added to our licences.

Obukit

Has he checked there wasn't an internet course he had to complete afterwards? For my one (Thames Valley Police) you had to go online and do some stupid internet course afterwards (or in my case keep clicking on "Next" then just answer all the questions with "Speed is baaaad, m'kay".

They told us if we didn't complete the internet bit we would lose the money for the SAC and still get prosecuted.

Also, I wasn't "submissive" at the course, told him it was stupid when he told me "what if someone walked out in front of you" (on a straight country road with high verges) but I still passed I think they just want your £95.

Valli

Obukit wrote: »

I think they just want your £95.

No, they want people to be aware that speeding causes deaths; that victims hit by a car tend to suffer more serious injuries if the car is going faster and that, for example, motorway pile ups are made worse when the drivers speed.

If they just wanted more money they could up the fines. Much less hassle for them.

The 'worst' story I heard on the day was that of an on-call fireman, who was followed, by a copper on a m/c into the firestation (he was responding to a callout) who was still charged for speeding.

Obukit

Valli wrote: »

No, they want people to be aware that speeding causes deaths; that victims hit by a car tend to suffer more serious injuries if the car is going faster and that, for example, motorway pile ups are made worse when the drivers speed.

If they just wanted more money they could up the fines. Much less hassle for them.

Fines go to HM Treasury. With SAC courses the money you pay is split between the course provider and the speed camera people, who then use it to pay for more speed cameras.

Effectively it's a "bribe" which has no basis in law. That's why they are so keen to offer them, even upping the qualifying criteria from 110%+6mph to 110%+9mph over the speed limit.

Strider590

Obukit wrote: »

Fines go to HM Treasury. With SAC courses the money you pay is split between the course provider and the speed camera people, who then use it to pay for more speed cameras.

Effectively it's a "bribe" which has no basis in law. That's why they are so keen to offer them, even upping the qualifying criteria from 110%+6mph to 110%+9mph over the speed limit.

I think you'll find that someone, somewhere in govt takes a hefty backhander to select the contractor for the SAC's and then probably takes a cut from each payment. It'd be in their interest to make it successful......

Flyboy152

Quentin wrote: »

If it's a second offence (which seems unlikely - if the date and time is the same as the original), then there is no option for a SAC. (You only can do one every 3 years - any more offences mean points!)

That would depend on which area is running the courses and who issues the ticket.

Flyboy152

Obukit wrote: »

Fines go to HM Treasury. With SAC courses the money you pay is split between the course provider and the speed camera people, who then use it to pay for more speed cameras.

Effectively it's a "bribe" which has no basis in law. That's why they are so keen to offer them, even upping the qualifying criteria from 110%+6mph to 110%+9mph over the speed limit.

Oh don't be so flipping ridiculous.

I hear there's a sale of tin foil hats down at the hardware store.

Bigbubu

Hy all and sorry for posting here but i don't know where. So the ideea is that in september 2011 i was caught on motorway in sussex with 77 in 50 zone (working zone) so they sent me the first letter asking if i was the driver, i sent back with yes, and 2 days ago they sent me another letter with court ref. and date of hearing, Without any fine or maybe a course or something... what will be the next step? do i have to go to court? lawyer? the ideea is that i have european driving lincences not uk one. thank for any help.