Not all but some speed limits have been set based on no accident history at all but rather a perception that cars are going too fast on a particular road. So when they say "It's 30 for a reason" sometimes "It's 30 for no reason other than a Nimby resident moaned to his local authority".
My last speeding ticket was in Japan. Interesting thing about tickets in Japan: you get ~36 hours to pay (from a 3 week window to pay) and then the police visit your employer and talk to your boss about your "social irresponsibility". Which, of course, embarrasses you in front of all your workmates and leads to the boss yelling at you for embarrassing the company. Which leads to your neighbours finding out and you're a pariah for a month. So you pay within 24 hours just to avoid the bollocking. Social embarrassment and approbation: It's a very effective system for encouraging you to not speed.
But you have to be going a substantial amount over the limit to have any chance of being prosecuted in Japan, right? Considering the speed limit of National Routes is only 60 km/h it seems the posted limits are very much out of line with reality there
@@AaronSmart.online I don't understand what point your trying to make. I'm talking about simple traffic tickets, not being prosecuted. Japan is like most countries: go over the limit and they have a scale of fines up to a certain speed over the limit and then they prosecute. There's also a factor for the type of license you have (learner, regular, full, or "golden"). Speed limits are complicated and quite variable, around the country including on the toll highways where they are literally variable from 40kph to 100kph depending on traffic and weather, etc. Most of the regional Route roads are 40-80kph IME.
@@iatsd Statistically the chance of getting a ticket in Japan for speeding within 20 km/h of the limit is extremely low - this is a stark contrast to many other countries where the leeway may be less than 5 km/h or nothing at all. The speed limits on National Routes is ridiculously low at 60 km/h (I don't mean expressways, I mean normal highways with at-grade junctions), speeding at around 15 km/h over the limit seemed socially acceptable outside of urban areas. Those kinds of roads would have 80 or 100 limits here in Ireland, with zero tolerance of going over the limit if you pass a camera.
The problem with this idea is that to be effective people have to care about their social standing and fear being judged by their peers. Many, many knuckle draggers in the UK just don't give a s**t.
Getting done for speeding is fair enough, but what annoys me is people who’s sole contribution to road safety is keeping to the speed limit, I see people using phones while driving, cutting other drivers off at roundabouts, not bothering with indicators and not giving cyclists and horse riders enough space while passing, in spite of all that they think they are a safe driver because they keep to the speed limit
A contribution of millions of £’s that’s quick and easy to prove not so with other driving offences which generally are mostly prosecuted when Police attend an incident. It annoys me that the emphasis is always about speed not poor, inconsiderate or bad driving it makes you wonder why, ££££££.
@@Captain_Scarlet_SIG wonder what the govt will so for revenue when the cars are all driving themselves, fine the software developers for any “bugs” or mishaps?
@@ohshitnotanotherknob No one said it didn’t what people were highlighting were lots of other offences equally unsafe are not treated with the same vigour as speeding is. Please read and understand what your reading.
In my opinion the worst kind of speeders are those with absolutely no concept of the speed limit. My drive to work is a series of B-roads, 50 and 60mph punctuated with 30mph villages. I often catch up to a car doing 40 in a 60 only for it to pull away from me in the next village, because it blindly maintains that 40mph wherever it is.
Sometimes, when overtaking, it's safer to break the speed limit in order to get back on to your side of the road as soon as possible. Do the authorities ever take that into account?
I think the authorities answer to that would be if you can't complete your overtake safely without going over the limit, then you should have stayed behind until it was possible to do so. Not saying I necessarily agree with this in all circumstances, I'm just guessing that's what the traffic authorities would say if you gave them this reason for speeding.
Sometimes one can avoid an accident in a reasonably quick car, accelerating out of a side impact but in a the process break the speed limit, which to be far is unjust. How many have accidentally driven as much as 40 in a 30 zone and it didn't result in killing someone...
@@sim6699 everyone is STILL missing the point! The faster you drive, the more dangerous you are!!! If you exceed the speed limit you commit an offence - if caught, you get prosecuted. Simples!
i got lead foot, i stay within the limits 98% of the time. most of the time i go for lower powered lightweight cars, the lightweight makes up for less power through the corners. my i20 1.2, even that if not careful can easy put u a tad over. driving like a nutter you get over 50 in 2nd, 3rd over 80. my question is, what happens if you are past point of no return when passing someone but they put there foot down. i had that the other day almost passed and they boot it so i had to keep power on to get back in before solid doubles. hard braking would left in stopped past the solid lines on a exit of blind but fast corner, so my only option was to use all of 3rd and very hard braking before corner. the only downside to low powered car as it took the whole straight to pass if someone puts foot down rather than quick kick down and passed
I did one about 6 years ago for speeding in Wales. I did 57 in a 50 zone and got snapped by a camera car. The course was actually alright! I found it interesting and the lecturers were funny and clever so it wasn't a drag. The defensive driving they make you aware of I still do today and I really did stay aware of my speed for months quite happily. It's not a failure Ian; merely a reminder! 👍😅
I think its very honest of you mention it. Its a good word up to the rest of us that the cops are interested in catching motorists not corrupt politicians still.
I just learned this when I got caught speeding in England. Luckily I could do the course online. Otherwise I would have had to travel to Manchester. I might just do something I've never done before, and write to my MSP. To ask why these courses are not available in Scotland. I assume this is a Holyrood decision.
As you say Ian speeding can lead to serious consequences, but there can't be any driver who has never breached the limit, even by accident (eg. missing a 30 sign when the road before was 40), interesting the course teaches about dealing with tailgating because that is exactly what happens when you do 30 in a 30 zone! 😆
Since the lockups, I've seen many more signs indicating a reduction in speed covered in foliage. If you didn't know the road, it would be all to easy to breaking the limit.
Easily done. I "thought" I'd been caught after 35 years motoring.... only realise that I'd dropped back into a 70 zone. Completely missed a national speed limit sign that saved me, because I was shattered and just wanted to get home. Lesson learnt without doing a course!
I had to attend one of them some years ago I will admit mine was down to lack of concentration on speed limit I was looking for a turn off while pacing the car infront. I think everyone should attend these every few years as part of your driving career we learnt about being a driving inspector ie look for tell tale signs wet wheel marks on country roads. The guys running ours were very good I learned a lot
Getting rid of repeater signs on lamp posts was a bad idea. They were getting nicked for scrap and amusement value, apparently. So street lighting means 30mph, except where it doesn't. If you missed the 40mph sign the first you know is a tailgater with a purple face mouthing obscenities.
I attended a speed awareness course about 6 years ago when I was 50. I'm my case I was driving down a road that I thought was a 40, however it had lamp posts and they had recently removed the 40mph signs, I didn't notice, hence 30mph speed limit! I was under the mistaken conceited impression that mainly boy racers speed with impunity, and I was very much embarrassed to find that most of the audience were blokes of my age! And, like you, I did find it informative.
When I first started driving on the road, many years ago, my only experience other than taking the test and learning to drive in a car was racing motorcycles and I was still racing on short circuits at the time. My Motocross skills, although I do credit them for me not having any serious accidents or injuries unlike many of my contemporaries, didn't translate into a speed limit friendly riding style 😊 I rapidly became a ticket collector! Working in the motorcycle industry did change the way I thought about speeding, seeing the aftermath of some very serious accidents made an impression. Nowadays I really like the 'driving/riding experience in/on much slower cars and bikes. A big change from my time living in Germany and regularly riding at close to 200mph.
A clean driving licence for twenty-six years is a great achievement in this day and age of the speed camera. I think you can be forgiven for a first offence. Respect to you for sharing this. Relevant to note that the condition under which you were caught speeding was stress and not casual everyday driving. By the way, I think you'd be great at actually presenting the course.
You are right, 26 years without a ticket is good, but really it should be much more commonplace. Speeding is something many do habitually, without thinking about it. It's only when they see speed cameras that they notice and adjust their speed. Speeding has become the 'default' behaviour. Of course we all go over the limit occasionally, if only for a moment, but paying a bit more attention to your surroundings and checking your own speed is actually a very simple habit to pick up.
Totally agree with you on this one. Modern cars are so rapid today; even my own Honda CR-V has a theoretical top speed of over 100 miles per hour. Just as an aside, I was told of a gentleman who went on a speed awareness course (before Covid). He waited and waited..... was then informed that the instructor was no longer fit, as he had just been caught speeding! Happens to anyone it appears! Take care.
Thanks for sharing this. I believe a lack of patience is exactly my problem when I am driving, too. Good to be reminded of the impact of speeding and why speed limits are not just randomly chosen numbers, as some might think.
Over the last 3 years I've been done twice. I wouldn't mind if I had known I was speeding - I don't beleive in it, but we have moments where things get the better of us and we get let the needle creep slightly. My first was on a 'dual carriageway' with a posted limit of 30. I thought it was 40 on account of A) not driving for 7months, and B) forgetting it was 30. Oh well, lesson learned and speed awarenenss for me. My second was about 2 years later through some very extensive roadworks to put a bridge up over a roundabout on the A19. As a result, the contraflow was changing weekly etc. Coming home from a night away in Durham one Sunday morning and I get flagged at 49 in a 40. I had totally missed the limit change from 50. And honestly, to this day I strongly believe that it hadn't been posted - but by the time the fine came through my dashcam had been overwritten and I couldn't argue. So points and fine for that occasion. Live and learn. I try and be a good driver, I'm not perfect, but I try.
I had a similar experience a few years back. All genders and ages were there, bike and car drivers. 6 to a table, we all had to introduce ourselves. This revealed I was a lorry driver so the ex-policeman running the course made a beeline for me on most quizzing occasions. I was staggered how little knowledge most of the others there had about limits, road types, general highway codes etc. I came away quite chuffed with myself. It didn't, however, make me think that speed was a killer even though there was another lady there with a few real life horror stories she'd experienced. It obviously is, stats back that up, but on it's own, it's just a number. Unfortunately, it's a number that greatly amplifies lack of concentration, poor road sense, emotional driving etc. before the inevitable accident. Like you said, the vehicles themselves are doing most of the thinking for us and almost isolating us from the realisation that we are actually in control of a very fast and heavy killing machine with their increasing safety measures, build quality and crash resistance. I think autonomous cars are coming at about the right time as I see the standard and pride in driving a vehicle diminish over the years on our roads. You've only got to sit in a supermarket car park for a few minutes to see the lack of care some drivers have in controlling their vehicle and parking it correctly to worry how that worsens at speed.
If Jimmy Carr managed to take a door off a Tesla, after it was left open, in a carpark, not sure I would trust its computer's decisions on the open road.
As more aids come in, the sillier the accidents will become. I have seen a number of crashes where the driver has engaged in a fight with their stability system by totally forgetting where straight ahead is on the steering wheel... This is only the start.
I got done in exactly the same way Ian. Stuck behind a cement lorry at 30 in a 60 limit in Gloucestershire. I was in a modern MINI Cooper S and on the day in question, was trying to get to a meeting with a potential client. I'd had no work in months, early days of a new business and wasn't thinking straight. I got annoyed, floored it through three gears and once well clear of the lorry, hit the cruise to drop back to 60mph. Trouble was, I was doing 89mph and there was a camera van on the verge that I didn't see. I ended up in court and walked out with my tail between my legs. I was never the same driver again and to be honest, I think that's for the better.
Safety is not (solely) in the number on your speedometer. There is much more to it. I have been speeding for 35 years (on my motorbike, rarely in my car) and the only time I do NOT speed, is when I am actually rushed for time. Because the focus in that case is not on safety but on time, and that should not be the case because we are not alone on the road. (even when we think we are; we may not, and there lies a danger)
I'm pleased to have been a motorist for over 40 years with no points for anything. I quite often use my cruise control, despite having a Mercedes slk, I'm happy just to enjoy the drive, let the nutters wizz along. Although now & again I let it loose.......
I agree with you Ian much like my own experience I did 34 in a 30 in Bromsgrove and got caught by a mobile van and it was going up hill so had accelerated but I went on the course and found it useful and a good refresher to be honest some were being silly in the session and they were told they would have points I had no points like you but was upset as I too had a clear driving record for over twenty years My wife was caught doing 35 in a 30 in Rowley Regis on way to work and she had points and no course it must be different how different police forces work I was also told to go to Worcester for my course as was caught in west Mercia area
Its pretty much impossible to make up for lost time by increasing speed and probably impossible to do so legally. I watched an extremely interesting video about a railway electrification project that showed how avoiding low speeds was the key to reducing journey time instead of increasing top speed, and the inability to make up for lost time came out of that. The rest of the video covered things like making sure there was an alternative route before closing the line for electrification, and how do you maintain a safety gap for the power lines when going under existing bridges. I’ve no particular interest in trains but learned a lot, especially that you can’t make up for lost time.
a camera van got me a few years back it use to be 40 mph dual carriageway change to 30 mpg the ticket came a day before my birthday points on my license and a fine 5 mph over the limit now I have a speed camera app on my phone it works well l find it not worth spending you just cache up with the prison that pass you at the next traffic lights.on the motor way road works slow you down.also now I have retired i am in no rush
Another annoyance involving numpty drivers is those who think that the installation of a speed camera must mean the limit is 30mph. They unexpectedly brake hard from 40 or 50mph when they see the camera. The camera is there to enforce the applicable limit and is not an indication of a 30 limit!
Great video. I hardly ever speed knowingly these days but confess to letting loose sometimes driving my modified Triumph Stag. I thought I’d been caught on a local motorway when blue lights appeared and I realised I was up around 85. Turns out the officers just liked the noise it was making and stopped me to talk about the car. Then he just said “ thank you for stopping mad maybe keep an eye on your Speedo in future” and that was it.
I'm in Scotland where, as you said, these courses are not available. "Luckily" I got caught speeding in England. And online courses were available. So I was able to avoid the 3 points. I saved the fine but the course cost almost as much as the fine would have been. So only saved a couple of quid. Mine was a motorway awareness course rather than a speeding course. I found it interesting. I found out a few things I didn't know about how smart motorways in England work. I don't generally speed, I just misread a variable speed limit sign. Thought it said 50 when it was actually 40. Done for doing 48mph. It was 4 o'clock in the morning on a rather empty M62 near Manchester. Boom! £80 for a motorway awareness course.
I have my online speed awareness test in 2 days time, I got caught doing 36 in a 30 limit, I am 63 and the 1st ever speeding notification. I class myself as careful as I am a carer in the community so need my car for work. nerves are getting the better of me, but wanted to say your video was very good
It took me 28 years to get 'done' (I was rushing to hospital) but it happens. I've done two SA courses in my time; I suppose that it has had to move online in these Covid times, mine were in person. My days of haring about are long behind me: now I drive to survive and also, I drive for economy now. The important thing is that you've learned something from it: in this month's "Railway Magazine" there is a photo of a black Audi A5/A7 driving alongside a railway track, with the driver holding his phone up filming "Flying Scotsman" at speed...
In regards to the point of no limits, if we had gone the way of the German Autobahns, I really don't think it would be as bad as most think. I did a lot of miles on unrestricted autobahns last year and most just sit around 80-90mph, which isn't that much different from what most people do on motorways over here. At least then you could actually relax while making decent progress on a long trip instead of watching the speed. In every other environment though, especially built up areas, speeding is a bad idea and isn't punished enough in my opinion.
I did a face to face one 4 years ago and it was surprisingly good fun. It was nice to meet new people, most of the participants were in good humour and the ones intent on scowling through the whole thing were used as comedy props. If you can shop around I recommend Stafford. Engaging presenters, decent venue, free tea, coffee and biscuits and ample free parking. 5 stars.
Very honest update Ian. That PT Cruiser did have a useful 2 litre engine with plenty of poke. Being caught behind slower vehicles always becomes frustrating but the trouble with dispensing with them in a blast of acceleration is that 5 miles on you usually get caught behind something else anyway, so progress is never really much better. The way to look at it is that the truck doing 40 mph will usually cover 40 miles every hour. In normal driving it is good going to cover much more than 40 miles in an hour on average in most normal cars in normal conditions.
Bless ya, l got caught speeding about 20 years ago, had 3 points and fine, watching you talking about your experience and speed awareness corse did ring home with some of the facts you said about,
A very good point made in this speed versus enjoyment debate. Perhaps car manufacturers will build more 'feeble' cars to enjoy, in a safe and sustainable manner, having fun on the road. On the other hand, some roads in Germany are high speed traverses and that appears to be going well because of the highway and driving discipline. With that said, thank you for your honest account Sir.
I recently had to go on a speed awareness course and what struck me was aside from one person everyone on the course was like me, someone who doesn't habitually speed but got caught out. The repeat offenders don't end up being offered the course. For me I was relaxing, I was on holiday, I was just driving down an A road in Norfolk at about 50mph and I missed the change in limit from 60 to 40 because apparently I was so relaxed and switched off from the normal stress of London driving I wasn't paying attention. So lesson learned there was to bring my A game every time and don't let my mind wander.
Driving home after completing my 'Speed awareness course', a co-attendee Female pulled up alongside me at a large roundabout. She then turned Right, and went the wrong way around, turning off half way round, just missing a Container Truck.
Well said. I’ve just booked mine 34 in a 30. I knew I was speeding too. Running late for an appointment because of jams on A road and had to go through the city. As it happened I made it to my appointment with 10 minutes to spare so there was clearly no need, no excuse and no gain. I’d like to become a much more patient driver too, I’m mostly calm and considerate but definitely fallible. 👍🏼
To be honest Ian I am the same. I get wound up something bad behind trucks, buses and people not going fast enough for me and in certain cases I've overtaken them at licence revoking speeds (in the city) and that point you make with "the brakes will save me" is very true. Even I've learned something here.
Did a course back in February. Totally agree,it's a good refresher course. First ticket in 44 years but if they'd had those cameras back in 1977 I'd have probably got one within a fortnight! Mk1 Escort van is a rally car isn't it?
Great thing to talk about this. For some people that course is the only additional driver training they have ever had once they had passed there driving test.
I got caught speeding by unmarked police on a DCW some years ago riding home from work on my Fireblade. I was polite to the copper and held my hands up to my crimes, and somehow managed to get a course (despite speed being a bit on the high side for one). However when I turned up it was not just for speeding, but was actually targeted at "anti-social motorcycling". Apart from me there were a couple of other older guys who'd been done for speeding, but the majority of the people were gobby chavs who'd been caught terrorising housing estates, pulling wheelies down the high street, riding with no insurance etc. The chavs all felt hard done by, and couldn't admit they done anything wrong
I did one a couple of years ago. The most annoying thing about the process was that at no point was I given the chance to say why I had broken the limit ! (I feel that I had a genuine reason, arguable before a judge, but I am not going to go into it here !) I did learn from the course, as things have altered since I gained my license (pre theory test) 38 years ago. Plus I had forgotten some stuff so overall it was a positive experience.
In 52 years of motoring I've had 2 speeding tickets, both of them in circumstances that caused my inner Viking to emerge. I've found it best to pull over for a while and calm down when that starts to happen. FWIW after the nice policemen had done their duty, I caught both foul miscreants in just the right spot and blew past them before they could pull any more shenanigans....
Been done once myself Ian......1997 going through Carnaby near Bridlington. I was bloody annoyed at my own stupidity. I try not to speed but I think none of us can say we don't exceed the speed limit but its trying to take car and be responsible that is the responsible thing to do - anyway 3 points and fine paid - not bad for 30 years of driving and around one million miles driven I think.
Hard luck Ian but your response is sensible and admirable. For me the most difficult speed limits to adhere to are those in urban areas, e.g. 30 mph in the UK generally and in some areas of London the even more testing 20 mph. It's not that I have an urge to go faster if I'm alone on the road, but sometimes the pressure as other traffic builds up behind and the cars in front draw away requires a lot of self control to not respond by speeding up. Even more galling though is when the limit comes off and you find the lot in front now don't want to go at more than 40!
Kinetic Energy is 1/2mV2. The energy of the vehicle is the square of the speed. 90 units at 30mph, 160 units at 40mph, 250 units at 50mph, 360 units at 60mph, 490 units at 70mph. In other words at 70mph the vehicle has about 5 times the energy than at 30mph.
The stopping distances on the back of the Highway Code were done using a Ford Anglia with disc brakes and no servo. This has not been updated since 1968.
Wonderful vlog! Stuff we all probably know, but don’t consciously think about as we drive. About the car insulating the driver: the newest technologies now in cars, such as accident avoidance braking, provide an unrealistic sense of security and “safety” which tends to induce an aura of indestructability around the driver.
Indeed; I've watched quite a number of those "dashcam" videos of car crashes, and the commentary on one (a Tesla, but not to impugn all Tesla drivers) was something like, "Good thing I was alert, and my automatic collision-avoidance (lane-change) took over." For me, the most-recent cars we've had have the "lane-change warning" (I turned this off, preferring mirrors, and checking my blind-spots before lane-changing), and the auto-brake (anti-tailgate) functions (I set ours to the maximum distance, since it cannot be switched off, as far as I know). We all do make mistakes, but I try to remain as "situationally aware" as I can, and, as the old Driver's Ed. class I took in 1973 (!!) cautioned, "Always leave yourself an 'out'," rather like in aviation, always be aware of an alternative landing site if the engine should quit, and you find yourself in a glider.
I did a speed awareness course about 11 years ago at 18. I was the youngest there by atleast 20 years. Young drivers get the rap for speeding but we all do it. One woman was caught doing 31 in a 30 and got the course. Even the course tutor said that was wrong and should argue it. with people picking speed I don't think people would go mad it's because you can't do it you do it. It's like smoking if it was healthy kids wouldn't do it. I went down autobahn few years back and everyone was driving around the 70/80 mark. We was going by far the fastest in a 1.6 diesel rental car.
Very well put, and very well taken on the chin……FairPlay HubNut👍🇮🇲 ps never had a pull in 38 years, 23 as a HGV driver, it’s all about treating driving as a professional pursuit, wether nipping to the shops, or delivering 22 tonnes of sand…..👍🇮🇲😀
The last time I was caught speeding was in 1987 on the A17 in Norfolk. It is a very busy and laboriously tedious single track road.I was in an Astra GTE and was being, what felt like, hunted down by a gold SD1. All I could see in my rear view mirror was his windscreen. I decided to get a few cars between me and him. An inviting gap in the oncoming traffic opened up. Needless to say, the GTE picked up it's skirts and I managed to put five cars between me and the SD1. The next thing I noticed was a white, unmarked Sierra XR4i come hurtling from a side road to intercept the traffic. Needless to say it was the local hooligan prevention squad and they stopped me about five miles later. Being asked if I knew what speed I was doing, I quickly realised that either answer was wrong, so I declined to answer. The nice but predictably patronising officer informed me that it was 97mph in a 60 mph zone. I then replied with "Good job you didn't get me a bit further back, as I am sure the needle had passed 120 mph." The ensuing silence was deafening. The look on his face prompted me to add. "It was a Joke." Luckily I only incurred a £60 fine and 3 points on my licence. Never had a speeding infringement since. Lesson learned. Keep up the good work, I also had a Fiat X19, but that is another story.
Fair play - everyone does it at some point. Just not everyone gets caught. I’m embarrassed to say it took 4 speeding tickets over just under 3 years, 12 points in total and a ban under the totting up procedure some years ago before I finally realised that speeding was a bad (and costly) thing. Having now seen the light all those years ago I tend to take things much easier and live by the words of my old driving instructor - “It’s a speed limit, not a target.”
Been on 2 speed awareness courses. Not as preachy and boring as I thought although they could condense them down to a couple of hours I think. I also got 3 points on license for speeding. I do around 20k miles a year so I’m on the road a lot. Every time I got caught I felt I was just keeping up with flow of traffic
Well admitted Sir! Do you think its something that should be a scheduled refresher for drivers or would it lose its impact if it became routine? This is part of the reason the E350 is going, the noise and shove is addictive but its too tempting and easy to get up to silly speeds and not notice! (When on my own I might add + also I now need to fit 2 more car seats in! 😳)
When i got my one and only speeding ticket (also overtaking a truck) i didnt realise that you could take the course locally 🤡 so at least i got a pleasant short break in Cornwall out of the experience !
Another interesting vlog. My 4 penny worth is this. Speed awareness courses are very good for revitalising performance, to bring information to the front of ones mind, operation and awareness skills are essential for safe travel. Secondly it is recognition by police that the "carrot is better than the stick". As a former driving instructor and instructor trainer I have been amazed at how a fantastic skill as driving is how it fades by negligence, not deliberately but when it becomes a chore and I include myself. When training potential instructors the levels of focus becomes intense in trainees, a similar focus appears on Speed Awareness Courses to most. My final point is the locations of mobile speed camera vehicles, I would be interested in the accident reports for that section of road, if it is a frequent "Black spot" it is totally justified, I suspect as a road I have used many times with large commercial vehicles labouring uphill the camera has been placed there for maximum revenue, better they are used in concentrated traffic areas to prevent and protect from injury.
In the USA, at least the state where I live, you still have to pay the fine even if you take the course. My daughter got an 'excessive speed' ticket for doing 40mph in a 45mph zone. The notation said it was 'unsafe for the conditions' since it was in a road construction zone.
Though I generally agree with sticking to the rules, I think there is too much emphasis on speeding because it is the easiest to check. What about using smartphones, not indicating, antisocial merging (in front of a truck preferably)? Some limits are beyond reasonable and are only there for the revenues. This makes all the other speed limits less credible. Lower speeds are safer: lets drive at zero mph!
Good man Ian, my speeding days are over I was naughty when i was younger. Got caught doing 40 on a 30 when the 30 zone was approximately 100 metres and jumped back up to 40 again. That was annoying and I complained but no I got 3 points. 2 years later when they came off my licence (is it 2 years they stay on? I can't remember as I have been living in NZ for the past 15 years. I got caught speeding again this time i was in a rush to pick my sis up from the airport but I was well over the drink driving limit (night before). I was so lucky that I didn't get breathilsed but I got the 3 points fair and square. Since then I'm a safe driver and no wreckllessness. There were no speed awareness courses back then so you got the points and that was it. The annoying thing was the day I got the additional 3 points that was the exact day my previous 3 points came off my license. Didn't last long having a clean licence haha By the drivers in NZ are shocking, where I live I saw a man doing a u turn at a T intersection and crossed a footpath nearly running over a pedestrian. Need more education here....
I remember one of those Think! PSA adverts many years ago showing a car screeching to a halt because a child had run out in front of it, with the voiceover going, "This car was travelling at 35mph. Had it been travelling at 30, it would have stopped...here." (Car goes on to hit the child some distance past that point). It's always stuck with me for some reason.
There is a parody version of that which shows what happened if the car had been travelling at 50 mph. The presenter says it would have been past before the child ran out so claims speeding saves lives
Learned my lesson at the tender age of 21 where I got banned for 6 months on totting up policy.Due to still having to go to court after for other speeding offences not included in the totting up ban my liscence finally came back still carrying 9 points.I slowed down and grew up.
I had this when I moved from a starlet with its low sound deadning and engine sound there you know you going fast, to a rover 75, you just don't feel the pace and sound as much as you rightly say it's easy to go over the limit without noticing right away, thats what i found when I first started driving it and scarily its a big heavy car and the brakes are not particularly over assisted so stopping is not as quick as some. Also like you the one time I got caught and took the course I was caught two mph over in a 30 zone as I was in a happy mood as my car had just passed an mot I may have gone over. The guy doing the course was fine, but one thing stuck in my mind that day - he said that driving in a 40 zone you should drive in 3rd gear so the revs act as engine braking, or second at a 30 zone to help keep speed down. he said staying in lower gears at higher rpm also saved fuel, which just isn't true, anything over 30mph I'm straight up into top.
Thank you Ian for sharing your story with us online. I will certainly be keeping a close eye on the speeds that I travel at especially on Dual Carriageways & Motorways.
With the overzealous policing of speed limits (in talking to you Victoria Police Australia), people spend more time looking at their speedo rather than the road.
Some years ago we had a campaign here in Denmark saying something along the lines of "60km/t = 44km/t". The science behind those numbers: Normal speed limit in danish cities is 50km/t. Many drive 60, because "10km/t more doesn't matter", but the campaign said that if you drive 60 instead of 50, the point where the 50km/t car stopped, the 60km/t car was still doing 44km/t. That is quite the eye opener.
Last time i got done for speeding was in 1990. I got chased by the fuzz for 8 miles completely unaware as he was that far behind me in his Carlton jam sarnie, he eventually caught up and gave me an on the spot fine for doing 68 mph in a 60 limit, he said i was lucky as he knew but couldn't prove I'd gone much faster and he was right as I'd been doing 145 mph in places. I hasten to say i wasn't driving a car, I was riding a Kawasaki Gpz900r. 3 points and a £36 fine, never been done since, my days of speeding are a long way behind me now.
I must admit I've got a ticket in my 1969 Daimler V8-250 ... but the speediest car I've had was a 1976 Daimler Sovereign/XJ6 that was a loaner from my mechanic. So smooth and quiet and very, very easy to go way above Australia's 110kmh (70mph) limit
I sometimes borrow cars from either my employer or a co-worker of mine and I use the cruise control all whenever it makes sense... Did get a parking ticket in my employer car because it has a electronic parking disc - that had a flat battery..
when i got done years ago i was 5mph over , soon as i realised i slowed down, but still got done, i refused to do the course , said give me the points , not being lectured by people younger than me and who have been driving 5 minutes over my 26 years. if it was online then i might of done it, but this was in a class room . stubborn? yep but i dont care. if i was reckless then fair enough, was a genuine mistake tho, i never speed or drive reckless. in 19 cars only had a few over a 1.4 , currently a 1.0 litre ! so many lunatics on the road get away with it all the time, i thought i was doing 35 in a 40, when it was actually a 30 zone, like i said soon as i did realise i was back at 30
@7:55 "Pick your own speed" is pretty much the situation in Poland and the result is actual carnage. 13.5 deaths per 100k inhabitants compared to 5.7 for the UK. I try to stick to the speed limit but with a line of 6 trucks up one's arse in a 50kph zone it require balls of steel to not let it creep up a bit. Things have improved over the last 10n years but the bodies continue to stack up.
Hear hear. Recently I've started using our car's cruise control on Poland's endless long, straight roads and urban dual carriageways to stop the speed creeping up as the traffic rushes past. It really reduces the stress and lets me concentrate on the road properly.
@@sim6699 Autobahns have unrestricted sections, yes, but much of the network has speed limits, sometimes as low as 80 kph. In the unrestricted sections the recommended maximum speed is something like 140 kph and if you have any kind of accident above that speed it can mean big trouble, legally and in terms of your health. Besides Autobahns/motorways are always the safest roads for many reasons, especially that there are no pedestrians or very slow moving vehicles. We're talking about urban and rural roads that were never intended for high speed traffic where speed limits exist for very good reasons. But you're partly right - the issue is not speed itself. The issue is the person behind the wheel and their willingness to follow basic instructions and rules. EDIT: Got to admit I often enjoyed cruising along at 160 in the unrestricted sections! Until I realised how much extra fuel it takes...
Ultimately it’s the self disappointment that stops you doing it again, I understand how you feel, but don’t beat yourself up to much, it was just a mistake. It’s good you know what created it.
First of all, i find it brave of you to talk about it. Not that there's something strange about the subject, but since you are embarrassed about it, and no one really likes to talk about things like this, i think it takes some courage to do so in front of a camera. Even though i don't want to discuss the subject of speeding, i'd just like to say that i am somewhat more confident in drivers today. I mean, there are a LOT of bad drivers, but i do find that most of them are driving way below the limit most of the time. Over here in NL you can only drive 100 km/h from 6 AM to 7 PM. Between 7 PM and 6 AM you can drive 130 km/h. I do so happely, but most people tend to drive around 100 km/h and that gices me the feeling i'm going pretty fast, haha! My younger self would disagree with the limits, but i do think the limits are there for a good reason now. Not everywhere, but most roads.
I found myself speeding all the time, getting faster and faster, 50 in a 40, 60 in a 50 and so on thinking that it wasn't hurting anyone etc but the speed awareness course that I did opened my eyes and now I'm. good boy again. They're really worth doing imo. Can see why they're offered, in my case and I'm sure many others it did the trick better than I'm sure 3 points would have done.
9 years ago for me, while on holiday. Came home to find the ticket on the doormat… I was surprised and alarmed at some of the answers given by my fellow Speed Awareness Course classmates… And I share the roads with these people. Alarming.
I was caught by a road camera back in 2017. Back then drivers had to go & attend an actual class. I said to the instructor, ''so we are here for the speed awareness course, is this where you teach us to go really fast, & when to get your foot down?. Do you show us the best local routes where we can really clog it?. He did laugh, but with a sullen frown!. 😁
My old car was a 2009 Ford Crown Victoria, a " retired " police car. After nearly 30+ years of driving since my last speeding ticket I was pulled over for doing 80mph in a 65mph zone on a " ring road " in Virginia. I should have realized that there was a reason why traffic had slowed from doing just over 70mph to just over 65mph, but being about 4 hours into a 9-10 hour drive I was in a hurry. Luckily(?), the officer took pity on me because of my clean driving record, and I think he was amazed that someone who had a Commercial Truck driving license had a clean driving record going back several years, that he wrote the violation for a lower speed which meant a substantially lower fine. I should and could have contested the ticket but my philosophy has always been: do the crime, do the time. Besides, I procrastinated past the deadline to enter a not guilty plea.
I totally agree on the modern sports scars! Also on speeding. But in Belgium there are 30 km/h zones introduced on and around school zones, which I think is totally fair. The thing that is happening now, is that, after the creation of something like a "Bike street", where cyclists are king, and where you aren't allowed to pass them and the maximum speed is 30 as well. This is simply some way of abusing the zones where 30 can be put as a speed limit. And that I find a bit not okay. Cheers
Thank you for that. Speed limits, by the nature of the case, are arbitrary, but NOT unnecessary. A further virtue of sticking to the limit is that people are mostly going at the same speed, which in itself makes life safer. I see the difference between driving in Adelaide in Australia, and Auckland. Adelaide has had a lot of enforcement for a long time, and they're fairly law abiding, so if the limit is 60kph, pretty much everybody is going at 59, and everything is serene. In Auckland it's still a bit hoony, everyone is going a little bit faster than the limit, but the danger is that there are a few people going a lot faster: so you see a car coming up, but on a quick glance in the mirror, you don't pick how much faster it's going, so it's on you earlier than expected. I've heard racing drivers (and riders) reported as saying that one of the biggest dangers is cars of different categories going at greatly different speeds.
‘Caught at 69 in a PT Cruiser’ sounds like a Sunday Sport headline
oh no why
I find this difficult to swallow
Nice to hear such a grown up response to the situation.
Not all but some speed limits have been set based on no accident history at all but rather a perception that cars are going too fast on a particular road.
So when they say "It's 30 for a reason" sometimes "It's 30 for no reason other than a Nimby resident moaned to his local authority".
My last speeding ticket was in Japan. Interesting thing about tickets in Japan: you get ~36 hours to pay (from a 3 week window to pay) and then the police visit your employer and talk to your boss about your "social irresponsibility". Which, of course, embarrasses you in front of all your workmates and leads to the boss yelling at you for embarrassing the company. Which leads to your neighbours finding out and you're a pariah for a month. So you pay within 24 hours just to avoid the bollocking. Social embarrassment and approbation: It's a very effective system for encouraging you to not speed.
But you have to be going a substantial amount over the limit to have any chance of being prosecuted in Japan, right? Considering the speed limit of National Routes is only 60 km/h it seems the posted limits are very much out of line with reality there
@@AaronSmart.online I don't understand what point your trying to make. I'm talking about simple traffic tickets, not being prosecuted. Japan is like most countries: go over the limit and they have a scale of fines up to a certain speed over the limit and then they prosecute. There's also a factor for the type of license you have (learner, regular, full, or "golden"). Speed limits are complicated and quite variable, around the country including on the toll highways where they are literally variable from 40kph to 100kph depending on traffic and weather, etc. Most of the regional Route roads are 40-80kph IME.
@@iatsd Statistically the chance of getting a ticket in Japan for speeding within 20 km/h of the limit is extremely low - this is a stark contrast to many other countries where the leeway may be less than 5 km/h or nothing at all.
The speed limits on National Routes is ridiculously low at 60 km/h (I don't mean expressways, I mean normal highways with at-grade junctions), speeding at around 15 km/h over the limit seemed socially acceptable outside of urban areas. Those kinds of roads would have 80 or 100 limits here in Ireland, with zero tolerance of going over the limit if you pass a camera.
The problem with this idea is that to be effective people have to care about their social standing and fear being judged by their peers. Many, many knuckle draggers in the UK just don't give a s**t.
Yet another example of Japan being a boring dystopia.
Getting done for speeding is fair enough, but what annoys me is people who’s sole contribution to road safety is keeping to the speed limit, I see people using phones while driving, cutting other drivers off at roundabouts, not bothering with indicators and not giving cyclists and horse riders enough space while passing, in spite of all that they think they are a safe driver because they keep to the speed limit
A contribution of millions of £’s that’s quick and easy to prove not so with other driving offences which generally are mostly prosecuted when Police attend an incident. It annoys me that the emphasis is always about speed not poor, inconsiderate or bad driving it makes you wonder why, ££££££.
100% agree. You cannot measure safety by a number, but you can automate a penalty system based on them.
@@Captain_Scarlet_SIG wonder what the govt will so for revenue when the cars are all driving themselves, fine the software developers for any “bugs” or mishaps?
Are you guys for real, did you not listen to a word Iain said SPEED MATTERS, KEEP A LID ON IT.
@@ohshitnotanotherknob No one said it didn’t what people were highlighting were lots of other offences equally unsafe are not treated with the same vigour as speeding is. Please read and understand what your reading.
In my opinion the worst kind of speeders are those with absolutely no concept of the speed limit. My drive to work is a series of B-roads, 50 and 60mph punctuated with 30mph villages. I often catch up to a car doing 40 in a 60 only for it to pull away from me in the next village, because it blindly maintains that 40mph wherever it is.
Must have cruise control set to 40 lol
I'd be in a rush to get rid of a PT too Ian. Chin up, we live and learn.
a cheap car Ian does not like must be really miserable
"...I was angry, because I was driving a PT Cruiser..." Perfect! Glad it turned into a positive experience for you!
Sometimes, when overtaking, it's safer to break the speed limit in order to get back on to your side of the road as soon as possible. Do the authorities ever take that into account?
I think the authorities answer to that would be if you can't complete your overtake safely without going over the limit, then you should have stayed behind until it was possible to do so. Not saying I necessarily agree with this in all circumstances, I'm just guessing that's what the traffic authorities would say if you gave them this reason for speeding.
Sometimes one can avoid an accident in a reasonably quick car, accelerating out of a side impact but in a the process break the speed limit, which to be far is unjust. How many have accidentally driven as much as 40 in a 30 zone and it didn't result in killing someone...
@@sim6699 everyone is STILL missing the point!
The faster you drive, the more dangerous you are!!!
If you exceed the speed limit you commit an offence - if caught, you get prosecuted. Simples!
The very reason I used to love my 1.1S Rover Metro. I could literally drive it at 90% all the time without ever going too fast, and it was great fun.
i got lead foot, i stay within the limits 98% of the time. most of the time i go for lower powered lightweight cars, the lightweight makes up for less power through the corners. my i20 1.2, even that if not careful can easy put u a tad over. driving like a nutter you get over 50 in 2nd, 3rd over 80. my question is, what happens if you are past point of no return when passing someone but they put there foot down. i had that the other day almost passed and they boot it so i had to keep power on to get back in before solid doubles. hard braking would left in stopped past the solid lines on a exit of blind but fast corner, so my only option was to use all of 3rd and very hard braking before corner. the only downside to low powered car as it took the whole straight to pass if someone puts foot down rather than quick kick down and passed
100% mate loved my 1.1 metro with manual choke lol , on village lanes it was amazing
I did one about 6 years ago for speeding in Wales. I did 57 in a 50 zone and got snapped by a camera car. The course was actually alright! I found it interesting and the lecturers were funny and clever so it wasn't a drag. The defensive driving they make you aware of I still do today and I really did stay aware of my speed for months quite happily. It's not a failure Ian; merely a reminder! 👍😅
It takes a real motorist to put their hands up and say "i was wrong", That is what is sadly missing on the roads these days.
no, he wasn't, he only broke the law and haven't done anything dangerous....
I think its very honest of you mention it.
Its a good word up to the rest of us that the cops are interested in catching motorists not corrupt politicians still.
I got caught 4 weeks ago, in a 1.6 Escort. Sadly here in Scotland we don’t have the option of the speed awareness course.
just keep a £50 note next to your licence
@@guth21776 can of iron bru would do it at the moment.
Or a can of petrol😜
I just learned this when I got caught speeding in England. Luckily I could do the course online. Otherwise I would have had to travel to Manchester. I might just do something I've never done before, and write to my MSP. To ask why these courses are not available in Scotland. I assume this is a Holyrood decision.
@@grahamlive just think of the money you save on prescriptions and free dental work.
As you say Ian speeding can lead to serious consequences, but there can't be any driver who has never breached the limit, even by accident (eg. missing a 30 sign when the road before was 40), interesting the course teaches about dealing with tailgating because that is exactly what happens when you do 30 in a 30 zone! 😆
Since the lockups, I've seen many more signs indicating a reduction in speed covered in foliage. If you didn't know the road, it would be all to easy to breaking the limit.
Easily done. I "thought" I'd been caught after 35 years motoring.... only realise that I'd dropped back into a 70 zone. Completely missed a national speed limit sign that saved me, because I was shattered and just wanted to get home. Lesson learnt without doing a course!
I had to attend one of them some years ago I will admit mine was down to lack of concentration on speed limit I was looking for a turn off while pacing the car infront. I think everyone should attend these every few years as part of your driving career we learnt about being a driving inspector ie look for tell tale signs wet wheel marks on country roads. The guys running ours were very good I learned a lot
Getting rid of repeater signs on lamp posts was a bad idea. They were getting nicked for scrap and amusement value, apparently. So street lighting means 30mph, except where it doesn't. If you missed the 40mph sign the first you know is a tailgater with a purple face mouthing obscenities.
I attended a speed awareness course about 6 years ago when I was 50. I'm my case I was driving down a road that I thought was a 40, however it had lamp posts and they had recently removed the 40mph signs, I didn't notice, hence 30mph speed limit! I was under the mistaken conceited impression that mainly boy racers speed with impunity, and I was very much embarrassed to find that most of the audience were blokes of my age! And, like you, I did find it informative.
When I first started driving on the road, many years ago, my only experience other than taking the test and learning to drive in a car was racing motorcycles and I was still racing on short circuits at the time. My Motocross skills, although I do credit them for me not having any serious accidents or injuries unlike many of my contemporaries, didn't translate into a speed limit friendly riding style 😊 I rapidly became a ticket collector! Working in the motorcycle industry did change the way I thought about speeding, seeing the aftermath of some very serious accidents made an impression.
Nowadays I really like the 'driving/riding experience in/on much slower cars and bikes. A big change from my time living in Germany and regularly riding at close to 200mph.
a retired traffic policeman i know once told me it's a speed LIMIT not a TARGET.....
It strikes me every driver should do this sort of course regularly, whether they need to or not.
A clean driving licence for twenty-six years is a great achievement in this day and age of the speed camera. I think you can be forgiven for a first offence. Respect to you for sharing this. Relevant to note that the condition under which you were caught speeding was stress and not casual everyday driving. By the way, I think you'd be great at actually presenting the course.
You are right, 26 years without a ticket is good, but really it should be much more commonplace. Speeding is something many do habitually, without thinking about it. It's only when they see speed cameras that they notice and adjust their speed. Speeding has become the 'default' behaviour. Of course we all go over the limit occasionally, if only for a moment, but paying a bit more attention to your surroundings and checking your own speed is actually a very simple habit to pick up.
It was a camera that got me. First driving fine in 31 years I've been on the road.
I dont think ian would be a good fit for speed awareness lecturer as he does tend to digress a bit. it'll be dark outside before he's finished.
Totally agree with you on this one. Modern cars are so rapid today; even my own Honda CR-V has a theoretical top speed of over 100 miles per hour. Just as an aside, I was told of a gentleman who went on a speed awareness course (before Covid). He waited and waited..... was then informed that the instructor was no longer fit, as he had just been caught speeding! Happens to anyone it appears! Take care.
Thanks for sharing this. I believe a lack of patience is exactly my problem when I am driving, too. Good to be reminded of the impact of speeding and why speed limits are not just randomly chosen numbers, as some might think.
Over the last 3 years I've been done twice. I wouldn't mind if I had known I was speeding - I don't beleive in it, but we have moments where things get the better of us and we get let the needle creep slightly.
My first was on a 'dual carriageway' with a posted limit of 30. I thought it was 40 on account of A) not driving for 7months, and B) forgetting it was 30.
Oh well, lesson learned and speed awarenenss for me.
My second was about 2 years later through some very extensive roadworks to put a bridge up over a roundabout on the A19. As a result, the contraflow was changing weekly etc. Coming home from a night away in Durham one Sunday morning and I get flagged at 49 in a 40. I had totally missed the limit change from 50. And honestly, to this day I strongly believe that it hadn't been posted - but by the time the fine came through my dashcam had been overwritten and I couldn't argue. So points and fine for that occasion.
Live and learn. I try and be a good driver, I'm not perfect, but I try.
I had a similar experience a few years back. All genders and ages were there, bike and car drivers. 6 to a table, we all had to introduce ourselves. This revealed I was a lorry driver so the ex-policeman running the course made a beeline for me on most quizzing occasions. I was staggered how little knowledge most of the others there had about limits, road types, general highway codes etc. I came away quite chuffed with myself. It didn't, however, make me think that speed was a killer even though there was another lady there with a few real life horror stories she'd experienced. It obviously is, stats back that up, but on it's own, it's just a number. Unfortunately, it's a number that greatly amplifies lack of concentration, poor road sense, emotional driving etc. before the inevitable accident. Like you said, the vehicles themselves are doing most of the thinking for us and almost isolating us from the realisation that we are actually in control of a very fast and heavy killing machine with their increasing safety measures, build quality and crash resistance. I think autonomous cars are coming at about the right time as I see the standard and pride in driving a vehicle diminish over the years on our roads. You've only got to sit in a supermarket car park for a few minutes to see the lack of care some drivers have in controlling their vehicle and parking it correctly to worry how that worsens at speed.
If Jimmy Carr managed to take a door off a Tesla, after it was left open, in a carpark, not sure I would trust its computer's decisions on the open road.
As more aids come in, the sillier the accidents will become. I have seen a number of crashes where the driver has engaged in a fight with their stability system by totally forgetting where straight ahead is on the steering wheel... This is only the start.
I got done in exactly the same way Ian. Stuck behind a cement lorry at 30 in a 60 limit in Gloucestershire. I was in a modern MINI Cooper S and on the day in question, was trying to get to a meeting with a potential client. I'd had no work in months, early days of a new business and wasn't thinking straight.
I got annoyed, floored it through three gears and once well clear of the lorry, hit the cruise to drop back to 60mph. Trouble was, I was doing 89mph and there was a camera van on the verge that I didn't see.
I ended up in court and walked out with my tail between my legs. I was never the same driver again and to be honest, I think that's for the better.
Safety is not (solely) in the number on your speedometer. There is much more to it. I have been speeding for 35 years (on my motorbike, rarely in my car) and the only time I do NOT speed, is when I am actually rushed for time. Because the focus in that case is not on safety but on time, and that should not be the case because we are not alone on the road. (even when we think we are; we may not, and there lies a danger)
I'm pleased to have been a motorist for over 40 years with no points for anything. I quite often use my cruise control, despite having a Mercedes slk, I'm happy just to enjoy the drive, let the nutters wizz along.
Although now & again I let it loose.......
I agree with you Ian much like my own experience I did 34 in a 30 in Bromsgrove and got caught by a mobile van and it was going up hill so had accelerated but I went on the course and found it useful and a good refresher to be honest some were being silly in the session and they were told they would have points I had no points like you but was upset as I too had a clear driving record for over twenty years
My wife was caught doing 35 in a 30 in Rowley Regis on way to work and she had points and no course it must be different how different police forces work I was also told to go to Worcester for my course as was caught in west Mercia area
Its pretty much impossible to make up for lost time by increasing speed and probably impossible to do so legally. I watched an extremely interesting video about a railway electrification project that showed how avoiding low speeds was the key to reducing journey time instead of increasing top speed, and the inability to make up for lost time came out of that. The rest of the video covered things like making sure there was an alternative route before closing the line for electrification, and how do you maintain a safety gap for the power lines when going under existing bridges. I’ve no particular interest in trains but learned a lot, especially that you can’t make up for lost time.
One thing to consider is that speed limits were set when cars had drum brakes and did stop eventually!
a camera van got me a few years back it use to be 40 mph dual carriageway change to 30 mpg the ticket came a day before my birthday points on my license and a fine 5 mph over the limit now I have a speed camera app on my phone it works well l find it not worth spending you just cache up with the prison that pass you at the next traffic lights.on the motor way road works slow you down.also now I have retired i am in no rush
Another annoyance involving numpty drivers is those who think that the installation of a speed camera must mean the limit is 30mph. They unexpectedly brake hard from 40 or 50mph when they see the camera. The camera is there to enforce the applicable limit and is not an indication of a 30 limit!
Great video. I hardly ever speed knowingly these days but confess to letting loose sometimes driving my modified Triumph Stag. I thought I’d been caught on a local motorway when blue lights appeared and I realised I was up around 85. Turns out the officers just liked the noise it was making and stopped me to talk about the car. Then he just said “ thank you for stopping mad maybe keep an eye on your Speedo in future” and that was it.
I'm in Scotland where, as you said, these courses are not available. "Luckily" I got caught speeding in England. And online courses were available. So I was able to avoid the 3 points. I saved the fine but the course cost almost as much as the fine would have been. So only saved a couple of quid. Mine was a motorway awareness course rather than a speeding course. I found it interesting. I found out a few things I didn't know about how smart motorways in England work.
I don't generally speed, I just misread a variable speed limit sign. Thought it said 50 when it was actually 40. Done for doing 48mph. It was 4 o'clock in the morning on a rather empty M62 near Manchester. Boom! £80 for a motorway awareness course.
I have my online speed awareness test in 2 days time, I got caught doing 36 in a 30 limit, I am 63 and the 1st ever speeding notification. I class myself as careful as I am a carer in the community so need my car for work. nerves are getting the better of me, but wanted to say your video was very good
It took me 28 years to get 'done' (I was rushing to hospital) but it happens. I've done two SA courses in my time; I suppose that it has had to move online in these Covid times, mine were in person. My days of haring about are long behind me: now I drive to survive and also, I drive for economy now. The important thing is that you've learned something from it: in this month's "Railway Magazine" there is a photo of a black Audi A5/A7 driving alongside a railway track, with the driver holding his phone up filming "Flying Scotsman" at speed...
In regards to the point of no limits, if we had gone the way of the German Autobahns, I really don't think it would be as bad as most think.
I did a lot of miles on unrestricted autobahns last year and most just sit around 80-90mph, which isn't that much different from what most people do on motorways over here.
At least then you could actually relax while making decent progress on a long trip instead of watching the speed.
In every other environment though, especially built up areas, speeding is a bad idea and isn't punished enough in my opinion.
I did a face to face one 4 years ago and it was surprisingly good fun. It was nice to meet new people, most of the participants were in good humour and the ones intent on scowling through the whole thing were used as comedy props. If you can shop around I recommend Stafford. Engaging presenters, decent venue, free tea, coffee and biscuits and ample free parking. 5 stars.
Fair play Ian. We all mess up at some time or other, the main thing is realising it and being big enough to admit it 👍
Quality humbling video. Thanks for sharing Ian. 👍
I too have fallen victim to my own left foot. A real man owns up to it. Ian is such a man.
His humility is an example.
You driving a modelT or something? Left foot?
Very honest update Ian. That PT Cruiser did have a useful 2 litre engine with plenty of poke. Being caught behind slower vehicles always becomes frustrating but the trouble with dispensing with them in a blast of acceleration is that 5 miles on you usually get caught behind something else anyway, so progress is never really much better.
The way to look at it is that the truck doing 40 mph will usually cover 40 miles every hour.
In normal driving it is good going to cover much more than 40 miles in an hour on average in most normal cars in normal conditions.
Bless ya, l got caught speeding about 20 years ago, had 3 points and fine, watching you talking about your experience and speed awareness corse did ring home with some of the facts you said about,
A very good point made in this speed versus enjoyment debate.
Perhaps car manufacturers will build more 'feeble' cars to enjoy,
in a safe and sustainable manner, having fun on the road. On the
other hand, some roads in Germany are high speed traverses and
that appears to be going well because of the highway and driving
discipline. With that said, thank you for your honest account Sir.
I recently had to go on a speed awareness course and what struck me was aside from one person everyone on the course was like me, someone who doesn't habitually speed but got caught out. The repeat offenders don't end up being offered the course. For me I was relaxing, I was on holiday, I was just driving down an A road in Norfolk at about 50mph and I missed the change in limit from 60 to 40 because apparently I was so relaxed and switched off from the normal stress of London driving I wasn't paying attention. So lesson learned there was to bring my A game every time and don't let my mind wander.
Driving home after completing my 'Speed awareness course', a co-attendee Female pulled up alongside me at a large roundabout. She then turned Right, and went the wrong way around, turning off half way round, just missing a Container Truck.
Well said. I’ve just booked mine 34 in a 30. I knew I was speeding too. Running late for an appointment because of jams on A road and had to go through the city. As it happened I made it to my appointment with 10 minutes to spare so there was clearly no need, no excuse and no gain. I’d like to become a much more patient driver too, I’m mostly calm and considerate but definitely fallible. 👍🏼
To be honest Ian I am the same. I get wound up something bad behind trucks, buses and people not going fast enough for me and in certain cases I've overtaken them at licence revoking speeds (in the city) and that point you make with "the brakes will save me" is very true. Even I've learned something here.
Great video as always, and thank you for sharing your experience. Nobody can say they don't speed, it is down to luck!
Did a course back in February. Totally agree,it's a good refresher course. First ticket in 44 years but if they'd had those cameras back in 1977 I'd have probably got one within a fortnight! Mk1 Escort van is a rally car isn't it?
Great thing to talk about this.
For some people that course is the only additional driver training they have ever had once they had passed there driving test.
I got caught speeding by unmarked police on a DCW some years ago riding home from work on my Fireblade. I was polite to the copper and held my hands up to my crimes, and somehow managed to get a course (despite speed being a bit on the high side for one). However when I turned up it was not just for speeding, but was actually targeted at "anti-social motorcycling". Apart from me there were a couple of other older guys who'd been done for speeding, but the majority of the people were gobby chavs who'd been caught terrorising housing estates, pulling wheelies down the high street, riding with no insurance etc. The chavs all felt hard done by, and couldn't admit they done anything wrong
Same for me Ian. 30 years clean record and I got zapped. I have to say I enjoyed the course and it made me consider my driving habits.
I did one a couple of years ago.
The most annoying thing about the process was that at no point was I given the chance to say why I had broken the limit ! (I feel that I had a genuine reason, arguable before a judge, but I am not going to go into it here !)
I did learn from the course, as things have altered since I gained my license (pre theory test) 38 years ago. Plus I had forgotten some stuff so overall it was a positive experience.
In 52 years of motoring I've had 2 speeding tickets, both of them in circumstances that caused my inner Viking to emerge. I've found it best to pull over for a while and calm down when that starts to happen. FWIW after the nice policemen had done their duty, I caught both foul miscreants in just the right spot and blew past them before they could pull any more shenanigans....
Been done once myself Ian......1997 going through Carnaby near Bridlington. I was bloody annoyed at my own stupidity. I try not to speed but I think none of us can say we don't exceed the speed limit but its trying to take car and be responsible that is the responsible thing to do - anyway 3 points and fine paid - not bad for 30 years of driving and around one million miles driven I think.
Hard luck Ian but your response is sensible and admirable. For me the most difficult speed limits to adhere to are those in urban areas, e.g. 30 mph in the UK generally and in some areas of London the even more testing 20 mph. It's not that I have an urge to go faster if I'm alone on the road, but sometimes the pressure as other traffic builds up behind and the cars in front draw away requires a lot of self control to not respond by speeding up. Even more galling though is when the limit comes off and you find the lot in front now don't want to go at more than 40!
Kinetic Energy is 1/2mV2. The energy of the vehicle is the square of the speed. 90 units at 30mph, 160 units at 40mph, 250 units at 50mph, 360 units at 60mph, 490 units at 70mph. In other words at 70mph the vehicle has about 5 times the energy than at 30mph.
respect to you for being totally honest
The stopping distances on the back of the Highway Code were done using a Ford Anglia with disc brakes and no servo. This has not been updated since 1968.
We've all done it, haven't we.. Thanks for sharing your experiences, Ian.👍
Wonderful vlog! Stuff we all probably know, but don’t consciously think about as we drive. About the car insulating the driver: the newest technologies now in cars, such as accident avoidance braking, provide an unrealistic sense of security and “safety” which tends to induce an aura of indestructability around the driver.
Indeed; I've watched quite a number of those "dashcam" videos of car crashes, and the commentary on one (a Tesla, but not to impugn all Tesla drivers) was something like, "Good thing I was alert, and my automatic collision-avoidance (lane-change) took over." For me, the most-recent cars we've had have the "lane-change warning" (I turned this off, preferring mirrors, and checking my blind-spots before lane-changing), and the auto-brake (anti-tailgate) functions (I set ours to the maximum distance, since it cannot be switched off, as far as I know). We all do make mistakes, but I try to remain as "situationally aware" as I can, and, as the old Driver's Ed. class I took in 1973 (!!) cautioned, "Always leave yourself an 'out'," rather like in aviation, always be aware of an alternative landing site if the engine should quit, and you find yourself in a glider.
I did a speed awareness course about 11 years ago at 18. I was the youngest there by atleast 20 years. Young drivers get the rap for speeding but we all do it. One woman was caught doing 31 in a 30 and got the course. Even the course tutor said that was wrong and should argue it. with people picking speed I don't think people would go mad it's because you can't do it you do it. It's like smoking if it was healthy kids wouldn't do it. I went down autobahn few years back and everyone was driving around the 70/80 mark. We was going by far the fastest in a 1.6 diesel rental car.
Very well put, and very well taken on the chin……FairPlay HubNut👍🇮🇲 ps never had a pull in 38 years, 23 as a HGV driver, it’s all about treating driving as a professional pursuit, wether nipping to the shops, or delivering 22 tonnes of sand…..👍🇮🇲😀
The last time I was caught speeding was in 1987 on the A17 in Norfolk. It is a very busy and laboriously tedious single track road.I was in an Astra GTE and was being, what felt like, hunted down by a gold SD1. All I could see in my rear view mirror was his windscreen. I decided to get a few cars between me and him. An inviting gap in the oncoming traffic opened up. Needless to say, the GTE picked up it's skirts and I managed to put five cars between me and the SD1. The next thing I noticed was a white, unmarked Sierra XR4i come hurtling from a side road to intercept the traffic. Needless to say it was the local hooligan prevention squad and they stopped me about five miles later. Being asked if I knew what speed I was doing, I quickly realised that either answer was wrong, so I declined to answer. The nice but predictably patronising officer informed me that it was 97mph in a 60 mph zone. I then replied with "Good job you didn't get me a bit further back, as I am sure the needle had passed 120 mph." The ensuing silence was deafening. The look on his face prompted me to add. "It was a Joke." Luckily I only incurred a £60 fine and 3 points on my licence. Never had a speeding infringement since. Lesson learned. Keep up the good work, I also had a Fiat X19, but that is another story.
Fair play - everyone does it at some point. Just not everyone gets caught. I’m embarrassed to say it took 4 speeding tickets over just under 3 years, 12 points in total and a ban under the totting up procedure some years ago before I finally realised that speeding was a bad (and costly) thing. Having now seen the light all those years ago I tend to take things much easier and live by the words of my old driving instructor - “It’s a speed limit, not a target.”
Been on 2 speed awareness courses. Not as preachy and boring as I thought although they could condense them down to a couple of hours I think.
I also got 3 points on license for speeding. I do around 20k miles a year so I’m on the road a lot. Every time I got caught I felt I was just keeping up with flow of traffic
A very interesting insight Ian. Thank you for sharing
Well admitted Sir! Do you think its something that should be a scheduled refresher for drivers or would it lose its impact if it became routine? This is part of the reason the E350 is going, the noise and shove is addictive but its too tempting and easy to get up to silly speeds and not notice! (When on my own I might add + also I now need to fit 2 more car seats in! 😳)
When i got my one and only speeding ticket (also overtaking a truck) i didnt realise that you could take the course locally 🤡 so at least i got a pleasant short break in Cornwall out of the experience !
Another interesting vlog. My 4 penny worth is this. Speed awareness courses are very good for revitalising performance, to bring information to the front of ones mind, operation and awareness skills are essential for safe travel. Secondly it is recognition by police that the "carrot is better than the stick". As a former driving instructor and instructor trainer I have been amazed at how a fantastic skill as driving is how it fades by negligence, not deliberately but when it becomes a chore and I include myself. When training potential instructors the levels of focus becomes intense in trainees, a similar focus appears on Speed Awareness Courses to most. My final point is the locations of mobile speed camera vehicles, I would be interested in the accident reports for that section of road, if it is a frequent "Black spot" it is totally justified, I suspect as a road I have used many times with large commercial vehicles labouring uphill the camera has been placed there for maximum revenue, better they are used in concentrated traffic areas to prevent and protect from injury.
Thanks for the update on the course Ian, I've got one next week and now I'm not too daunted by the nature of it.
In the USA, at least the state where I live, you still have to pay the fine even if you take the course. My daughter got an 'excessive speed' ticket for doing 40mph in a 45mph zone. The notation said it was 'unsafe for the conditions' since it was in a road construction zone.
Someone’s perception of a safe speed can and will be different to someone else’s. Unfortunately, in my view, your daughter has been hard done by there
***USE CRUISE CONTROL*** at every opportunity, saves a lot of headaches.
It does if your car has it...
Z should be mandatory in every car then no excuses
Though I generally agree with sticking to the rules, I think there is too much emphasis on speeding because it is the easiest to check. What about using smartphones, not indicating, antisocial merging (in front of a truck preferably)? Some limits are beyond reasonable and are only there for the revenues. This makes all the other speed limits less credible. Lower speeds are safer: lets drive at zero mph!
Good man Ian, my speeding days are over I was naughty when i was younger. Got caught doing 40 on a 30 when the 30 zone was approximately 100 metres and jumped back up to 40 again. That was annoying and I complained but no I got 3 points. 2 years later when they came off my licence (is it 2 years they stay on? I can't remember as I have been living in NZ for the past 15 years. I got caught speeding again this time i was in a rush to pick my sis up from the airport but I was well over the drink driving limit (night before). I was so lucky that I didn't get breathilsed but I got the 3 points fair and square. Since then I'm a safe driver and no wreckllessness. There were no speed awareness courses back then so you got the points and that was it. The annoying thing was the day I got the additional 3 points that was the exact day my previous 3 points came off my license. Didn't last long having a clean licence haha By the drivers in NZ are shocking, where I live I saw a man doing a u turn at a T intersection and crossed a footpath nearly running over a pedestrian. Need more education here....
Lol a speeding ticket in twc would be an achievement!! Like the parking ticket I got in the cap d’adge for my smart 4/2 …
I remember one of those Think! PSA adverts many years ago showing a car screeching to a halt because a child had run out in front of it, with the voiceover going, "This car was travelling at 35mph. Had it been travelling at 30, it would have stopped...here." (Car goes on to hit the child some distance past that point). It's always stuck with me for some reason.
There is a parody version of that which shows what happened if the car had been travelling at 50 mph. The presenter says it would have been past before the child ran out so claims speeding saves lives
Learned my lesson at the tender age of 21 where I got banned for 6 months on totting up policy.Due to still having to go to court after for other speeding offences not included in the totting up ban my liscence finally came back still carrying 9 points.I slowed down and grew up.
I had this when I moved from a starlet with its low sound deadning and engine sound there you know you going fast, to a rover 75, you just don't feel the pace and sound as much as you rightly say it's easy to go over the limit without noticing right away, thats what i found when I first started driving it and scarily its a big heavy car and the brakes are not particularly over assisted so stopping is not as quick as some.
Also like you the one time I got caught and took the course I was caught two mph over in a 30 zone as I was in a happy mood as my car had just passed an mot I may have gone over.
The guy doing the course was fine, but one thing stuck in my mind that day - he said that driving in a 40 zone you should drive in 3rd gear so the revs act as engine braking, or second at a 30 zone to help keep speed down. he said staying in lower gears at higher rpm also saved fuel, which just isn't true, anything over 30mph I'm straight up into top.
Thank you Ian for sharing your story with us online. I will certainly be keeping a close eye on the speeds that I travel at especially on Dual Carriageways & Motorways.
With the overzealous policing of speed limits (in talking to you Victoria Police Australia), people spend more time looking at their speedo rather than the road.
Some years ago we had a campaign here in Denmark saying something along the lines of "60km/t = 44km/t". The science behind those numbers: Normal speed limit in danish cities is 50km/t. Many drive 60, because "10km/t more doesn't matter", but the campaign said that if you drive 60 instead of 50, the point where the 50km/t car stopped, the 60km/t car was still doing 44km/t. That is quite the eye opener.
Last time i got done for speeding was in 1990. I got chased by the fuzz for 8 miles completely unaware as he was that far behind me in his Carlton jam sarnie, he eventually caught up and gave me an on the spot fine for doing 68 mph in a 60 limit, he said i was lucky as he knew but couldn't prove I'd gone much faster and he was right as I'd been doing 145 mph in places. I hasten to say i wasn't driving a car, I was riding a Kawasaki Gpz900r. 3 points and a £36 fine, never been done since, my days of speeding are a long way behind me now.
I must admit I've got a ticket in my 1969 Daimler V8-250 ... but the speediest car I've had was a 1976 Daimler Sovereign/XJ6 that was a loaner from my mechanic. So smooth and quiet and very, very easy to go way above Australia's 110kmh (70mph) limit
I sometimes borrow cars from either my employer or a co-worker of mine and I use the cruise control all whenever it makes sense... Did get a parking ticket in my employer car because it has a electronic parking disc - that had a flat battery..
No excuses! Off to the naughty step immediately Ian :-)
when i got done years ago i was 5mph over , soon as i realised i slowed down, but still got done, i refused to do the course , said give me the points , not being lectured by people younger than me and who have been driving 5 minutes over my 26 years. if it was online then i might of done it, but this was in a class room . stubborn? yep but i dont care.
if i was reckless then fair enough, was a genuine mistake tho, i never speed or drive reckless. in 19 cars only had a few over a 1.4 , currently a 1.0 litre ! so many lunatics on the road get away with it all the time, i thought i was doing 35 in a 40, when it was actually a 30 zone, like i said soon as i did realise i was back at 30
@7:55 "Pick your own speed" is pretty much the situation in Poland and the result is actual carnage. 13.5 deaths per 100k inhabitants compared to 5.7 for the UK. I try to stick to the speed limit but with a line of 6 trucks up one's arse in a 50kph zone it require balls of steel to not let it creep up a bit. Things have improved over the last 10n years but the bodies continue to stack up.
Hear hear. Recently I've started using our car's cruise control on Poland's endless long, straight roads and urban dual carriageways to stop the speed creeping up as the traffic rushes past. It really reduces the stress and lets me concentrate on the road properly.
@@cmjones01 Yes oddly enough I've taken the same approach with the cruise control. Good to know I'm not the only one. All the best 👍
And yet german motorways have no speed limit and not increase in death. Perhaps the issue is not speed
@@sim6699 Autobahns have unrestricted sections, yes, but much of the network has speed limits, sometimes as low as 80 kph. In the unrestricted sections the recommended maximum speed is something like 140 kph and if you have any kind of accident above that speed it can mean big trouble, legally and in terms of your health. Besides Autobahns/motorways are always the safest roads for many reasons, especially that there are no pedestrians or very slow moving vehicles. We're talking about urban and rural roads that were never intended for high speed traffic where speed limits exist for very good reasons. But you're partly right - the issue is not speed itself. The issue is the person behind the wheel and their willingness to follow basic instructions and rules.
EDIT: Got to admit I often enjoyed cruising along at 160 in the unrestricted sections! Until I realised how much extra fuel it takes...
Ultimately it’s the self disappointment that stops you doing it again, I understand how you feel, but don’t beat yourself up to much, it was just a mistake. It’s good you know what created it.
First of all, i find it brave of you to talk about it. Not that there's something strange about the subject, but since you are embarrassed about it, and no one really likes to talk about things like this, i think it takes some courage to do so in front of a camera.
Even though i don't want to discuss the subject of speeding, i'd just like to say that i am somewhat more confident in drivers today. I mean, there are a LOT of bad drivers, but i do find that most of them are driving way below the limit most of the time. Over here in NL you can only drive 100 km/h from 6 AM to 7 PM. Between 7 PM and 6 AM you can drive 130 km/h. I do so happely, but most people tend to drive around 100 km/h and that gices me the feeling i'm going pretty fast, haha! My younger self would disagree with the limits, but i do think the limits are there for a good reason now. Not everywhere, but most roads.
I found myself speeding all the time, getting faster and faster, 50 in a 40,
60 in a 50 and so on thinking that it wasn't hurting anyone etc but the speed awareness course that I did opened my eyes and now I'm. good boy again.
They're really worth doing imo.
Can see why they're offered, in my case and I'm sure many others it did the trick better than I'm sure 3 points would have done.
9 years ago for me, while on holiday. Came home to find the ticket on the doormat… I was surprised and alarmed at some of the answers given by my fellow Speed Awareness Course classmates… And I share the roads with these people. Alarming.
I was caught by a road camera back in 2017. Back then drivers had to go & attend an actual class. I said to the instructor, ''so we are here for the speed awareness course, is this where you teach us to go really fast, & when to get your foot down?. Do you show us the best local routes where we can really clog it?. He did laugh, but with a sullen frown!. 😁
My old car was a 2009 Ford Crown Victoria, a " retired " police car. After nearly 30+ years of driving since my last speeding ticket I was pulled over for doing 80mph in a 65mph zone on a " ring road " in Virginia. I should have realized that there was a reason why traffic had slowed from doing just over 70mph to just over 65mph, but being about 4 hours into a 9-10 hour drive I was in a hurry.
Luckily(?), the officer took pity on me because of my clean driving record, and I think he was amazed that someone who had a Commercial Truck driving license had a clean driving record going back several years, that he wrote the violation for a lower speed which meant a substantially lower fine.
I should and could have contested the ticket but my philosophy has always been: do the crime, do the time. Besides, I procrastinated past the deadline to enter a not guilty plea.
I totally agree on the modern sports scars! Also on speeding.
But in Belgium there are 30 km/h zones introduced on and around school zones, which I think is totally fair. The thing that is happening now, is that, after the creation of something like a "Bike street", where cyclists are king, and where you aren't allowed to pass them and the maximum speed is 30 as well. This is simply some way of abusing the zones where 30 can be put as a speed limit. And that I find a bit not okay.
Cheers
Thank you for that. Speed limits, by the nature of the case, are arbitrary, but NOT unnecessary. A further virtue of sticking to the limit is that people are mostly going at the same speed, which in itself makes life safer. I see the difference between driving in Adelaide in Australia, and Auckland. Adelaide has had a lot of enforcement for a long time, and they're fairly law abiding, so if the limit is 60kph, pretty much everybody is going at 59, and everything is serene. In Auckland it's still a bit hoony, everyone is going a little bit faster than the limit, but the danger is that there are a few people going a lot faster: so you see a car coming up, but on a quick glance in the mirror, you don't pick how much faster it's going, so it's on you earlier than expected. I've heard racing drivers (and riders) reported as saying that one of the biggest dangers is cars of different categories going at greatly different speeds.