driver awareness course dilemma

chrisw99

a.turner wrote: »

Maybe save you more points by not driving.

In other words, for anyone who ever gets points on their license should start flying around the country instead on the offchance they may get more??

stator

chrisw99 wrote: »

What on earth has that got to do with anything?

The cost of mileage and the risk of getting more points should be compared to the cost of a train or plane ticket.

a.turner

chrisw99 wrote: »

In other words, for anyone who ever gets points on their license should start flying around the country instead on the offchance they may get more??

No, but when you get to 12 you may have to

iolanthe07

That's a notorious stretch of road for speed cameras, though often you would be lucky to get anywhere near 30 mph; people thoughtlessly park in the village on the main road and cause massive tailbacks. Dorset is one of the few English counties that have no motorway at all, and not much dual carriageway either.

Billco_2

chrisw99 wrote: »

What on earth has that got to do with anything?

I'd assume the suggestion that it might be a cheaper way to get down there to do a course. Can pick up really cheap last minute.com budget flights, no clue what a train costs these days.

As for the points, personally I would give just about anything to avoid points. Because although 3, generally don't mean a lot, thats your buffer gone. One more little mistake and bam, your stuffed.

chrisw99

Billco wrote: »

I'd assume the suggestion that it might be a cheaper way to get down there to do a course. Can pick up really cheap last minute.com budget flights, no clue what a train costs these days.

As for the points, personally I would give just about anything to avoid points. Because although 3, generally don't mean a lot, thats your buffer gone. One more little mistake and bam, your stuffed.

Checked the train and it's £120 - £150, and is a 6 hr journey involving 3 changes. Not going to fit at all, as there wouldn't be a train that gets me there on the day, or home after the course, so would need 2 nights in a hotel!

Now had the letters through. Booked my 1st course (10 mins from home). Definitely confirmed Dorset isn't part of the NDORS scheme, so can do theirs as long as I haven't done the Dorset one before in the last 3 years.

Interesting spread of prices for doing the other course, can be done anywhere on the National scheme, but Cheshire is £85, Manchester £90, Lancashire £120 and so on. Long waiting lists for the cheaper ones though.

redux

I'd say plead guilty by post on the Dorset one, with what you said above in mitigation, about the van too close behind.

Not much point in running up expenses of 3 or 5 times what the fine will cost, in order to avoid it.

Mercdriver

redux wrote: »

I'd say plead guilty by post on the Dorset one, with what you said above in mitigation, about the van too close behind.

Not much point in running up expenses of 3 or 5 times what the fine will cost, in order to avoid it.

Sorry but that's silly. You are suggesting something that might be seen as trying to offer a defence to the charge. For a fixed penalty level, you just accept the points and £100 fine.

My brother in law was in a situation where he didn't want to do the course and took the points. Then he ended up on the wrong side of 6 points and now has 9 and has to drive like a nun for three years.