Knew it would get me in trouble.......

[jaypers777]

Got pulled by an unmarked BMW this evening. I was being over zealous with my right foot. Policeman was extremely reasonable and pleasant and put me within the realms to attend a speed awareness course as I currently have no points. He clocked me quicker over 3/10 of a mile so I am extremely fortunate. First time I've been pulled over in about 20 years! He really liked my car and made a few complimentary comments about it. Think the course will do me good!

 

[Beluga S line]

it's a pity the speed awareness course doesn't show you how to be more aware of the unmarked cop cars

Joking aside for £85 ish and a few hours of your time the course is quite good!

 

[Dtwm1]

Got pulled by an unmarked BMW this evening. I was being over zealous with my right foot. Policeman was extremely reasonable and pleasant and put me within the realms to attend a speed awareness course as I currently have no points. He clocked me quicker over 3/10 of a mile so I am extremely fortunate. First time I've been pulled over in about 20 years! He really liked my car and made a few complimentary comments about it. Think the course will do me good!

I thought rule number 1 of speeding was looking for BMW's with 2 ariels - 1 OEM shark fin, 1 normal stubby one.

 

[gordie1973]

Look out for S3's too! spotted a monsoon grey unmarked one on the M3 yesterday around the m25 slip, had pulled some unfortunate sod at about 8am.....

 

[Minion Bob!]

Thats a shame mate but no points is always a plus.... All joking aside the course is actually quite informative, changed my perception on speeding and I went in there thinking oh god I'm going to be so board, but it was well worth it.

Just a note: In my class two people were being disruptive and didn't take it seriously, in the end got kicked out and had to pay a fine and get the points too...

 

[Kimmy.E]

Look out for S3's too! spotted a monsoon grey unmarked one on the M3 yesterday around the m25 slip, had pulled some unfortunate sod at about 8am.....

I saw that same S3 on Wednesday in the same area around 8am too. Must patrol that part regularly.

 

[S32B]

Most traffic cops are OK as long as you are OK with them. I was talking to a traffic cop a few years back whilst on holiday, he told me a story of when he pulled over a woman in a Ferrari doing 90 on an empty stretch of motorway early in the morning. He said he was just going to give her a verbal telling off and let her on her way. However, when he approached the car she put the window down and started having a go at him, saying that he was going to make her late for a meeting bla bla bla. The nail in her coffin was when she came out with "Don't you know who I am?". It turned out she was the owner of some well known company. She ended up with points and a fine

 

[gordie1973]

Traffic cop friend of mine had also the same view, if it's above the limit (not ridiculously so) and conditions are ok, then it's normally a calm fear of God / going to book you and you will go to court and potentially lose your license type bol****ing. Pause for 20 seconds let it sink in, and then a verbal caution. Said he's never caught the same person twice.....

Although he will throw the book at anyone on their mobiles, which given the amount of idiots I see on a daily basis is 100% the right thing to do!

 

[driver_tim]

Got pulled by an unmarked BMW this evening. I was being over zealous with my right foot. Policeman was extremely reasonable and pleasant and put me within the realms to attend a speed awareness course as I currently have no points. He clocked me quicker over 3/10 of a mile so I am extremely fortunate. First time I've been pulled over in about 20 years! He really liked my car and made a few complimentary comments about it. Think the course will do me good!

Which force was this?

 

[A3_Rider]

Most traffic cops are OK as long as you are OK with them. I was talking to a traffic cop a few years back whilst on holiday, he told me a story of when he pulled over a woman in a Ferrari doing 90 on an empty stretch of motorway early in the morning. He said he was just going to give her a verbal telling off and let her on her way. However, when he approached the car she put the window down and started having a go at him, saying that he was going to make her late for a meeting bla bla bla. The nail in her coffin was when she came out with "Don't you know who I am?". It turned out she was the owner of some well known company. She ended up with points and a fine

That's the great thing about England! I hope it does not change the way things are going!

I did a screeching start in my 8P in front of a marked (yes marked) BMW I didn't even see him! He wanted to arrest me and then just gave me points. Lesson learned for me.

I haven't footed it in a while now that I think about it!

 

[wideboybloke]

I went on a speed awareness course 2 years ago and agree it does change the way you think about speed. I'm much more conscious of speed limits now, although I'm not trying to say that I never exceed them. The thing about the awareness course though was the patronising attitude of the woman who led it. Due to the circumstances you just have to sit there for 3 hours and nod sagely at the right moments, but I would have really liked to challenge some of the things she said.

As for being pulled over on the M3 M25 slip, isn't that the bit that's subject to an average speed check? And yet the unmarked car operates there too? Suggests that the so-called average speed check is a hoax. And judging by the speed at which a lot of drivers travel through it, that could well be the case.

 

[wideboybloke]

Jeremy Clarkson's idea for average speed checks was to cane it through the first bit, pull over for a fag and a read of the newspaper and then cane it through the remainder!

 

[jaypers777]

I was really gunning it (short burst). He could have thrown the book at me. He did mention magistrates and so on as his opening gambit. It was an A road, 50 limit and conditions were good. Other than going too fast, I was not doing anything stupid....I'm not that kind of driver. I was in the wrong and of course held my hands up and gave the officer complete respect, which of course they deserve. He could not have been a nicer policeman. Even shook my hand as I got out of his car. Yes, this has taught me a lesson after being back in a performance car for only 6 months. The course will also be valuables......just hope they don't change their minds!!

 

[driver_tim]

I'm not sure I always agree about traffic officers deserving respect, but that's another matter!

 

[Simon L]

I was really gunning it (short burst). He could have thrown the book at me. He did mention magistrates and so on as his opening gambit. It was an A road, 50 limit and conditions were good. Other than going too fast, I was not doing anything stupid....I'm not that kind of driver. I was in the wrong and of course held my hands up and gave the officer complete respect, which of course they deserve. He could not have been a nicer policeman. Even shook my hand as I got out of his car. Yes, this has taught me a lesson after being back in a performance car for only 6 months. The course will also be valuables......just hope they don't change their minds!!

I feel your pain mate and I'm not gonna lie to anyone this is my only concern about the S3, also my first performance car for many many years!

Need to exercise some restraint but even if I do I know there will be those times when I want to go for it and then it could just be a case of wrong place wrong time

 

[h5djr]

Speed Awareness courses were only introduced when the Local Camera Partnerships were no longer allowed to keep the money from speeding fines. They scratched their heads and came up up with a new way of getting money from the motorist. They money from these course goes to maintaining and adding more and more cameras.

I was clocked by a mobile unit hiding in the shadow of a motorway bridge for doing 37mph in a 30 limit on a downhill hill road with wide verges, no houses and no road junctions. I complained in a letter to Police and even they agreed that the limit was not appropriate but it was still the limit. I even made them go out and check the distance between the street lighting columns and the vision distance from the mobile site and both were just within the limits for a 30mph zone.

The offered me attendance at a Speed Awareness Course for £100 or accept a £60 fine and 3 points. I chose the fine as I did not want to fund their cameras and I had no points on my licence so 3 points was not really a problem.

 

[Audimad]

Got pulled by an unmarked BMW this evening. I was being over zealous with my right foot. Policeman was extremely reasonable and pleasant and put me within the realms to attend a speed awareness course as I currently have no points. He clocked me quicker over 3/10 of a mile so I am extremely fortunate. First time I've been pulled over in about 20 years! He really liked my car and made a few complimentary comments about it. Think the course will do me good!

 

[Soulboy]

I got pulled by an unmarked Beemer a couple of weeks back, with a couple of very tasty female officers, while driving an Audi loan car out in the sticks.
I got breathalysed,, but had only had one small beer.

As I was sat in the back, a white Lamborghini who lives nearby came flying past the other way. They were absolutely speechless but there was nothing they could do.

I have also taken the speed awareness course (34 in a 30!!) and found it quite informative.

 

[SamR92]

Never had to do a speed awareness course (don't think they're even offered in Scotland) - but as I drive for work occasionally, I had to an advanced driving/safety course to be covered by the fleet insurance policy. One of the parts covered was speed, and one of the scenarios has stayed in my mind ever since:

On a motorway, just up ahead in lane 1 is a lorry, lane 2 a car travelling at 70mph, lane 3 a car doing 90mph. Just has the car in lane 3 gets side by side with the car in lane 2, the lorry in lane 1 jackknifes blocking all 3 lanes and comes to a complete stop. Both cars brake, car in lane 2 stops metres from the lorry, and the car in lane 3 hits the lorry - doing 70mph.

The room went silent for quite a few minutes.

 

[h5djr]

Never had to do a speed awareness course (don't think they're even offered in Scotland) - but as I drive for work occasionally, I had to an advanced driving/safety course to be covered by the fleet insurance policy. One of the parts covered was speed, and one of the scenarios has stayed in my mind ever since:

On a motorway, just up ahead in lane 1 is a lorry, lane 2 a car travelling at 70mph, lane 3 a car doing 90mph. Just has the car in lane 3 gets side by side with the car in lane 2, the lorry in lane 1 jackknifes blocking all 3 lanes and comes to a complete stop. Both cars brake, car in lane 2 stops metres from the lorry, and the car in lane 3 hits the lorry - doing 70mph.

The room went silent for quite a few minutes.

Yes but a lot of the difference where speed is concerned is down to concentration. I have driven at 130mph on a German autobahn and, apart from the fact the the German's seem to be much better drivers mainly because they have to take a much harder test which includes some autobahn driving, I have always found it does need at lot more concentration and looking well ahead.

Whether two vehicles hit each other at speed is down to many factors. Speed is just of those factors as is the road surface, the weather, the braking system of the car, the distance they are apart. Speed in itself is not dangerous. Inappropriate speed for the conditions is where the danger comes in. If one car was doing 70 and stopped before hitting the lorry it would have reduced it speed by 70mph. Assuming the same level of braking force the car doing 90 should also reduce it's speed by a similar 70mph and hit the lorry at 20mph, unless of course the driver was fiddling with the radio, talking on the phone, or a million and one other things drivers do when they are driving.

I have also done two advanced driving courses run by the Police because I too used to have to go out to sites a lot. I found them very interesting and informative but I have not heard any good reports of the so called speed awareness courses. At the end of the course we had a chance to go out with a Police driver in a Police car for a high speed drive (well above the limit at times) and then that driver car out with us in our own cars to access our driving.

 

[DescendDescend]

''. If one car was doing 70 and stopped before hitting the lorry it would have reduced it speed by 70mph. Assuming the same level of braking force the car doing 90 should also reduce it's speed by a similar 70mph and hit the lorry at 20mph, unless of course the driver was fiddling with the radio, talking on the phone, or a million and one other things drivers do when they are driving.''

I am afraid this is a fundamental misconception. If you react in exactly the same way in identical cars the one doing 90mph will certainly hit the stationary object at 70 mph. In a similar fashion, if a car traveling at 30mph can stop before it hits a pedestrian, the same car braking at the same point from 40mph will hit the pedestrian at 30mph. It has very little to do with linear changes in speed but with the amount of kinetic energy the vehicle posesses. The kinetic energy is proportional to the speed squared.

 

[driver_tim]

DescendDescend - that is my understanding too, however I still have a big issue with speed limits and speed enforcement in this country. Before I go any further I'll say it definitely is possible to drive too fast, and doing 60 down a narrow residential street at school kicking out time is clearly stupid. That said, in my view many speed limits are far too low in this country. For example, I really can't see the issue with 80 or even 90 on the motorway when conditions allow. Yes the lorry scenario given above is probably true, but what the Brake types conveniently forget to mention is driving at 70 is still very dangerous. There also seems to be an obsession with enforcing speed way above all other motoring laws. We all make mistakes behind the wheel but there are plenty of people out there who think it's acceptable to routinely tailgate, cut up, or drive at high speed whilst texting etc. etc. Speed in itself does not kill, but only in conjunction with bad driving. I can't help feeling if there was a general push on increasing driving standards the roads would be a lot safer, but of course that brings in far less revenue for the authorities than having Police officers hiding on bends with radar guns.

 

[michael-s3]

Yesterday, I drove past a patrol lurking on the side of the interstate doing about 80mph. I was worried when it pulled out, but the lights never came on and it didn't follow me off at the next exit. I can't remember the last time I got a ticket, decades ago? I think that my new and old cars not having in-your-face-fast styling has saved me a few times.

 

[h5djr]

DescendDescend - that is my understanding too, however I still have a big issue with speed limits and speed enforcement in this country. Before I go any further I'll say it definitely is possible to drive too fast, and doing 60 down a narrow residential street at school kicking out time is clearly stupid. That said, in my view many speed limits are far too low in this country. For example, I really can't see the issue with 80 or even 90 on the motorway when conditions allow. Yes the lorry scenario given above is probably true, but what the Brake types conveniently forget to mention is driving at 70 is still very dangerous. There also seems to be an obsession with enforcing speed way above all other motoring laws. We all make mistakes behind the wheel but there are plenty of people out there who think it's acceptable to routinely tailgate, cut up, or drive at high speed whilst texting etc. etc. Speed in itself does not kill, but only in conjunction with bad driving. I can't help feeling if there was a general push on increasing driving standards the roads would be a lot safer, but of course that brings in far less revenue for the authorities than having Police officers hiding on bends with radar guns.

I agree. I frequently drive on the continent where most speed limits are 130 kph or 80 mph and it does not seem to lead to total carnage on the roads. Even German where some stretches of autobahn have limits and some have no limit their is still not total carnage. It also means on the autobahn which normally has no speed limit, when one is imposed it for a good reason and most drivers do tend to respect it.

The biggest problem with the UK is that as long as you can drive a car round a town you can get a driving licence. As soon as you have that licence you can take your car, on your own, out on to any motorway with no experience of motorway driving. You only have to note the number of cars stuck in the middle of a three lane motorway to see that. Many more so called accidents are not caused by speed but by lack of concentration and poor observation. To get a licence in Germany you have to do so many hours normal driving, so many hours night driving and so many hours autobahn driving, all with with a qualified instructor, BEFORE you can even apply to take the test.

I'm sure if some people had their way we would all be driving around with a man in front with a red flag!!

 

[Dtwm1]

It really baffles me that you can drive on the motorway straight away.

When my girlfriend passed her test we collected her 500 abarth and planning on getting home via a-roads however there had been an accident we had no other option but to use the motorway. We had dinner out so it wasn't as busy and her first drive was following me on the m25 and m4. Luckily it was dead and wasn't a problem but still scary that someone can pass in the morning and a go straight onto a motorway doing 70mph+

 

[Flibble]

There are published statistics for reported accidents on UK roads; about 45% are caused by people failing to look properly at junctions, while around 15% are caused by excessive speed. Yet there is far more enforcement and noise made about people speeding than about people being dopey or distracted.

 

[sunscreemer]

My first ever ticket was just after I moved to a new area. Was in a 30 zone, genuinely thought it was 40 so even seeing the radar trap I made no attempt to slow down. Was very apologetic with the traffic officers who pulled me over, I didn't have a flash car back then but they still threw the book at me. So in my experience they're not good.

 

[sunscreemer]

There are published statistics for reported accidents on UK roads; about 45% are caused by people failing to look properly at junctions, while around 15% are caused by excessive speed. Yet there is far more enforcement and noise made about people speeding than about people being dopey or distracted.

Speeding in certain areas is plain wrong but I totally agree that it's awareness the major cause of accidents. You learn to drive you learn basics of car control but you spend the rest of your driving life developing awareness, anticipating what clueless individuals could/will do next!

 

[Simon L]

Speeding in certain areas is plain wrong but I totally agree that it's awareness the major cause of accidents. You learn to drive you learn basics of car control but you spend the rest of your driving life developing awareness, anticipating what clueless individuals could/will do next!

Totally agree. I've only been pulled once (although had my fair share of speed camera fines), for doing a hair-raising 36 on a 30 limit. Motorcycle cop with a speed gun. I was as nice as pie to him, gave him the usual very sorry I know I was going a bit fast blah blah blah.

He was just a total w4nker about the whole thing. Long speech followed by fine and points.

I'm afraid, as in all walks of life, some just enjoy their job too much and take great delight in playing god. Rather pathetic in my book

 

[Nikon]

Sounds like a good time to mention the IAM and the advanced driving test. Passed mine in 2006 and went on to become an observers for my local group and have helped many others to reach a level to pass their test. It's not all about old men in slippers driving around at 20mph. I find it bizarre that an individual can pass their driving test at 17 and go on to potentially until they are 70+ without under taking any further training.

 

[h5djr]

The big problem is that exceeding the speed limit in the is so easy to detect. It's all down to numbers. The equipment, whether is a radar gun or a fixed camera, just registers a number and if it's more than another number you're speeding. The UK has many more fixed speed cameras than all the rest of Europe put together. The UK is obsessed with them. A lot of other offences that cause accidents need a police patrol and their judgement and mostly these patrols, where they do exist, are busy doing other things. On my way to holiday I went round the M25 early in the morning only to see a marked Police patrol car driving along in lane 3 on a 4 lane section with very little other traffic around. So I passed it in lane 4 and made a point of going straight into lane 1 and still it just stayed in lane 3. What hope is there!

 

[sunscreemer]

I have much more time for average speed cameras than fixed speed cameras, I think they are far better at having the desired effect on traffic on a particular stretch whilst you are far less likely to just get caught out or be unfortunate. That is of course if the main priority is calming traffic in known black spot areas or areas where there may be children playing etc. and not just a money making scam...

 

[S3inSE21]

The big problem is that exceeding the speed limit in the is so easy to detect. It's all down to numbers. The equipment, whether is a radar gun or a fixed camera, just registers a number and if it's more than another number you're speeding. The UK has many more fixed speed cameras than all the rest of Europe put together. The UK is obsessed with them. A lot of other offences that cause accidents need a police patrol and their judgement and mostly these patrols, where they do exist, are busy doing other things. On my way to holiday I went round the M25 early in the morning only to see a marked Police patrol car driving along in lane 3 on a 4 lane section with very little other traffic around. So I passed it in lane 4 and made a point of going straight into lane 1 and still it just stayed in lane 3. What hope is there!

I think speed cameras themselves can add to the danger on certain roads. I used to commute by car from Canterbury to Canary Wharf every day, and on the stretch of road from the M25 junction on the M2 to the entrance of the Blackwall Tunnel, there are around 10 speed cameras. It's only a 13 mile stretch of road. I have lost count of the number of times I have seen people slam on the anchors and someone rear ends them. For people who know the road it's the same process every day - gun it between cameras then brake hard as you approach them. Madness.

 

[steeve]

I try to stick to posted limits, but there are limits which are just so unsuitable which must tax every ones patience.
I can never understand those that hoon about on motorways and main trunk roads, it's so easy to get picked up.

Lets face it we don't want people speeding through where we live so we ought to appreciate the places where other people live?

Where I live we have some great quality A roads, good surfaces, no habitation and few junctions but many have been slapped with 50 limits, even 40 in some cases, yet a little single track side road with grass down the middle has derestricted sign at its beginning, try explaining that to a foreign visitor.

 

[Snibo]

I find it bizarre that an individual can pass their driving test at 17 and go on to potentially until they are 70+ without under taking any further training.

And that's the problem with a significant amount of Drivers on the roads today.
The Driving Test should only be open to those at the age of 25 onwards.
At the other end of the scale, you should receive a Bus Pass in one hand while handing your Driving Licence in with the other.

Yes, I know that there are really good younger / older Drivers around, although the majority are not.

Plus, there should be a stringent Re-Test / Assessment every 5 years at a reasonable cost, say £100.
Fail three times in a row and you hand your Driving Licence in for good.

The above measures would assist in making the roads that little bit safer while reducing the amount of traffic on the road.

 

[h5djr]

And that's the problem with a significant amount of Drivers on the roads today.
The Driving Test should only be open to those at the age of 25 onwards.
At the other end of the scale, you should receive a Bus Pass in one hand while handing your Driving Licence in with the other.

Yes, I know that there are really good younger / older Drivers around, although the majority are not.

Plus, there should be a stringent Re-Test / Assessment every 5 years at a reasonable cost, say £100.
Fail three times in a row and you hand your Driving Licence in for good.

The above measures would assist in making the roads that little bit safer while reducing the amount of traffic on the road.

Personally I think a much more comprehensive Driving Test in the first place, including motorway, driving would be a good place to start. Having a bus pass myself there is no way I would consider myself as other that a good driver, and with around 40 years driving experience, I'm sure I am still much better that a lot of younger drivers you see on the roads.

 

[jimmydougle]

And that's the problem with a significant amount of Drivers on the roads today.
The Driving Test should only be open to those at the age of 25 onwards.
At the other end of the scale, you should receive a Bus Pass in one hand while handing your Driving Licence in with the other.

Yes, I know that there are really good younger / older Drivers around, although the majority are not.

Plus, there should be a stringent Re-Test / Assessment every 5 years at a reasonable cost, say £100.
Fail three times in a row and you hand your Driving Licence in for good.

The above measures would assist in making the roads that little bit safer while reducing the amount of traffic on the road.

That would be a great way to cripple the economy, remove essentially a whole generation from being able to drive. I understand your point, but I think that's a bit too authoritarian.

I agree with h5djr, the test should be made more comprehensive to start with. It still amazes me that driving on the motorway isn't part of the learning process. It's like saying to a pilot, "congratulations of passing your first solo flight, now take off and perform some aerobatics on your own". Just doesn't work. They removed the D1 (minibus) from your license after passing your test in 1997 and, having been on the minibus course recently, I can honestly say that was a really good decision.

I think that there should be a re-test/assessment, but not every 5 years. Perhaps when you reach 65, as so much would have changed in the driving legislation from when the older generation passed their driving test in their teenage years, that it makes sense to pass again at the modern standard.

 

[Kugaman1]

I got 3 points and a £60 fine several years ago....

I was in a Mk5 Golf GTI having a spirited drive against an Audi S3......

****** S3 drivers!!!

 

[NickyF]

I attended a speed awareness course last year after being caught by a camera at the bottom of the M4 doing 82mph. Open road, bright sunshine. They should have thrown away the key.

The course I attended was in Islington and the majority of people had been caught doing just over 30 mph in a built up area, typically around 33 to 38 mph. The course was patronising and I got nothing from it. They were teaching us to pay more attention to our speedos than the road. I never intentionally speed in proper built up areas as I don't want to kill someone, but to fine someone for 3 mph over the limit is pathetic. Where's Jeremy Clarkson when you need him.

 

[rikia93]

And that's the problem with a significant amount of Drivers on the roads today.
The Driving Test should only be open to those at the age of 25 onwards..

Maybe us younger folk should call for a retest of the older generations having taken theory tests with <25 questions or none at all and no hazard perception, easier practical tests (remarkably less traffic on the roads even 5 years ago let alone 30+!! no show me tell me etc etc ). Whilst we are at it why don't you just bash the younger generation a little more I mean we are all ******* useless benefit taking, smoking drug and drinking youngsters right?

Personally If I couldn't drive now at 22 I wouldn't have my job I wouldn't be paying tax through fuel, insurance and spending my money that contributes to the economy, what kind of freedom and life would I have without my car? 25 Is just absurd especially when you consider that some states in the USA allow driving with a full license at 16 .....