the course if for a few hours [ varies from area to area ] but just the one session - talks and videos shown about the consequences of speeding

usually cost about £60 the same as the fixed penalty fine but is an alternative to collecting the 3 points on your license

What MrsH said think it cost 70 quid now. i was with people older one woman in her 70s she was doing 38 in a 30. mostly men in the group i was with.  A few hours watching videos talking about what you have watched.tea and coffee provided its ok isadora really, got to be better than the 3 points.

My brother had to go on one when he got done, I think it's just a 3 hour thing (or there abouts) you have to sit and watch videos about speed and how it can affect things on the road. It may have changed now (this happened about 2 years ago)

Sorry, forgot to say I my brother got done for doing 32 in a 30mph limit. (I still laugh )

I did one once, had to drive miles away for it and then sit for 4 hours. I was done for 37 in 30 mph place but thought it was 40 as it was place never been too before and was lost.

I had to pay £80 and am going to a place about 25 miles from here so not too bad.
I was caught by a police mobile camera - roadside one at 0820 on a sunday morning on my way to work. No one else around - I am sure it was there purely to make money.. not that I am cynical.
BUT I was caught so will have to suck it up.

I'm surprised that your brother got done at that level.

This is what Wiki says about tolerance levels in the UK:
n the United Kingdom ACPO guidelines recommend a tolerance level of the speed limit "+10% +2 mph" (e.g., a maximum tolerance in a 30 mph (50 km/h) zone of 30 + (30 × 10% = 3) + 2 = 35 mph) )ACPO = Association of Chief Police Officers),




This is a link to the ACPO's PDF file on these speed awareness course

It also has a chart of tolerances levels which tie in with the above. Of course these are only guidelines, so one could get done for speeding at 31 mph in a 30 mph zone.

I got caught doing 76 on a motorway, I never got a option, just a fine and 3 points. A nurse pulls out in front of me and my cars a write off, I was on crutches for nearly a year, she gets a course on carelees driving and no points  

I don't think it was her profession Dame. A similar thing happened to me - motor cycle ploughed into my car on a blind bend on the wrong side of the road. My car was a write off - I thought he would at least be done for dangerous driving.We were both lucky to be alive - it was only because he did not go through my windscreen that I am alive today.

Like your woman, he got off with a course and I am not sure as to whether he even got any points on his license.
All I wanted in the end was for him to apologise but of course he never did..

Oh I agree Isadora, nothing to do with her profession, it just annoyed me to hell, that she got a course with no points and virtually paid the same as I did for my speeding fine and nearly killed us to boot. Like you I received no apology, I would have been mortified if it had been the other way around.

Issy, I did one several years ago over in Lancashire and thought it was brilliant. I was expecting lots of slapped hands and scary videos etc. and it was nothing at all like my expectations, was really informative and I learnt all sorts of stuff. It was really more like an advanced driving course and was actually q a good laugh at times. We spent half a day in the classroom and half a day out with a driving instructor who assessed our driving, pointed out our bad habits, gave lots of advice e.g. to stay within the speed limit in a 30 zone don't go above 3rd gear as in modern cars it's almost impossible to stay at 30 or below in 4th.....From speaking to friends in other parts of the country who've done one I think some only do the half day classroom part, which is a shame as the bit out driving with the instructor was the best part imo, (not just because he was a td+h,witty Italian) Nonetheless they have all said that they thought it was really good and well worth the time, money and avoiding the 3 points.

Just to clarify given above posts, I didn't plough into anyone or anything, I was doing 36 in a 30 zone which had just been changed from a 40 zone and I hadn't realised!

Sound advice, and don't go round corners above second gear. There have been times when an agressive driver behind me in a 30 mph zone comes up at speed say 40-50 mph and comes right up behind me, obviously wanting me to speed up (I'm doing 30 mph). So at the first available opportunity, I will pull over having signalled, let him past, and then move on. Only in the last few days, someone did that  in a 20 mph - I could tell from his speed he must have been pussing 40 mph. This is in a road with speed bumps and goes past a junior school. There is no way I am going to speed up in that situation and I do not want to risk killing a child. He on the other hand could not care less, and will no doubt eventually be caught and I hope before he does injure or kill someone.

i was caught by a camera too id forgot it was there, i was doing 36 in a 30 too.

After my post 90 minutes ago, I went out in my car. On the way back, I came back on that 20 mph stretch I mentioned, but coming the other way. Just before the traffic lights at the crossroads, the 20 mph zone ceases and becomes 30 mph. But I carried on at 20 mph because ahead of me I could see 3 young boy cyclists, one on the road and the other 2 on the pavement. Beyond them are a couple of small speed bumps so I don't bother to speed up to 30, then back down to 20 as I'm not in a rush, and I'm a bit wary when I see cyclists, particularly a group of 3 youngsters.

Suddenly, the cyclist on the road sprinted across to the other side of the road without looking around and paying no attention - the other two had stayed on the pavement.

As I was only moving at 20 mph, he came to no harm. If I had been moving at 30 mph, I would have hit him without the slighest possibility of me stopping or swerving to avoid him (if I had I would have crashed into the 2 on the pavement).

I have not made this up or exaggerated this at all. So next time you are driving over the speed limit, please remember that you may think that you are driving safely, but you can never tell when the unexpected may happen. And if you are speeding, by the time you take to react, there is a much greater possibility of a more serious accident.

Another thing I remember being said on the course I did is that the speed limit is a limit, not a target

My ex has been on one and he said that he was told about the third gear thing..

trouble is, I drive an automatic.

I went on one about 3 years ago ... I was right peed off coz I'd been driving for over 30 years without being done.

I was expecting to be treated like a criminal, but it was all very civilised and informative. I had to do one of those hazard awareness tests - which was actually really good fun.

I am much more aware of the speed limit now - and even though we don't have any cameras in Oxfordshire anymore I always keep to the limit

Oh lawd ... I hope that isn't tempting fate

Back in the day I had lots of friends who were well aware of speed without going on a course. Occasional use only. 

I had a friend who injected speed and took ketamine by the sackful.  He was only of occasional use also.

bloody hell how hard is it? Speed limit we all know it, stick to it!! I observe the speed limit and am constantly undertaken/ cut up by drivers who think they are so important/good at driving they deserve to get there faster. How I laugh when they have to slow down/stop for lights and I come along just as the light changes !

I am normally so good Jonono - I do a lot of driving ... but that morning, hands up, the road was clear, I was probably not concentrating  on the speed and they got me.

I am not going to make excuses ,..... it happens to the best of us.

Sorry Isadora not ranting at you just in general. I just get peed off myself when folk insist on speeding. There is a road near my house where it's very hard not to as everyone does 40 so if you don't get over 30 it's almost like you could cause an accident. I do try to be good though and I wasn't having a dig at you but realised after I wrote it it looked a bit nasty so apolgies.

No probs -I feel the same but it is never them who get caught - just the ones who slip up once..
And don't even start me on mobile phones..
I could really lose it