Fazer Owners Club - Unofficial
General => General => Topic started by: Frosties on 10 July 2015, 08:04:28 am
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Right then fellas ........... more advice needed
Got nabbed doing 54 in a variable 40 on the M25 and been lucky enough to get an awareness course for the bargain price if £95 (robbing bastards).
The thing is, my natural character always leans towards having a laugh and a bit of banter (literally can't help it), so am at odds as to how to approach this course (need to have a bit of fun eh)
Options are
a) Act like a total fuckwit who hasn't the faintest clue about anything and ask stupid questions.....
b) Totally disagree with everything the "expert" *cough* explains to us just to try to get him to blow.....
c) Sit still and shut up with zero input.....
d) Hang head in shame and totally agree with everything......
Any advice as always appreciated...........especially anyone who knows of any really awkward questions to ask or scenarios to present which will totally screw the head of the "expert" who is just running his script.
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d) Hang head in shame and totally agree with everything......
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My Mum went to one of these things a little while back. 35 in a 30! Police bike sitting in a side road. Her first time caught speeding in nearly 50 years of driving! At (almost) 70 years old, she said she was one of the younger ones there!
From what she told me about it the 'experts' don't really care if you respect them or not. But the decent thing will be to behave out of respect to the others that are there.
d) Hang head in shame and totally agree with everything...... (especially as you don't know their background, maybe the 'expert' is an ex police motorcycle rider? You never know.)
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Stop over thinking it, when I did mine it was two women taking it, both were advanced hgv trainers or somethjng like that.
It was very relaxed and a bit of humour and plain talking was encouraged even though it did have its serious moments.
Just play it by ear, see how the it goes, the "experts" might be knobheads or you could be lucky like me and get two who actually live in the real world.
One of the questions I was asked was why did I speed and my answer was because I thought that it was safe enough at that moment to do so, they were ok with that as it was an honest answer.
The only time I felt they were running to a script was when one guy asked them what they thought was most dangerous, someone doing 5 mph over the limit and paying attention or someone doing 5 mph under the limit and using their phone at the same time, their answer was the speeder to which everyone else disagreed.
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From what she told me about it the 'experts' don't really care if you respect them or not. But the decent thing will be to behave out of respect to the others that are there.
d) Hang head in shame and totally agree with everything...... (especially as you don't know their background, maybe the 'expert' is an ex police motorcycle rider? You never know.)
Got to admit you're right - hadn't thought about their particular background.
Not over thinking it Slappy - just fancied a light hearted session. But a bloody good point re speeding vs using the phone.
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The only time I felt they were running to a script was when one guy asked them what they thought was most dangerous, someone doing 5 mph over the limit and paying attention or someone doing 5 mph under the limit and using their phone at the same time, their answer was the speeder to which everyone else disagreed.
How exactly did they justify that? Kind of curious as I would also have said that the mobile phone user was a much larger danger
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i did one back in may. (had to drive to carlisle from perth and back in one day. was not fun) It was rather relaxed. They set the rule of phones off and not to be seen or your out, but then said there was free coffee at the back help yourself s whenever. It was quite relaxed, fun, and got the candidates involved. There was also a couple things to do as a table. (5 -6 people a table) The 2 guys running were ROSPA driving instructors. I did learn a little bit, never really felt bored. (apart from the ride there and back)
All this to say, they can be abit of fun, you might learn something and your points disappear at the end of it. :D
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I'm a bit like you, love a laugh and like a bit of piss taking banter to relieve the boredom. Never been on one of these courses. Daft question but can you fail them? Just be a bit of a kiss arse to get through it. It's nowt to do with safety anyway. It's merely a money making tool for the government.
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I'm a bit like you, love a laugh and like a bit of piss taking banter to relieve the boredom. Never been on one of these courses. Daft question but can you fail them? Just be a bit of a kiss arse to get through it. It's nowt to do with safety anyway. It's merely a money making tool for the government.
Can you fail them - hadn't thought about that. Suppose you could if you walked out without completing the course. Anyone?
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when I did mine they did say that they need to feel you give a contribution to the course with input in order for them to sign you off (as mentioned there are exercises to do per table/group and they asked questions for groups and individuals to answer).
Not sure if that was just to get you to listen or an actual criteria for "passing", I have never heard of anyone failing it.
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i did one back in may. (had to drive to carlisle from perth and back in one day. was not fun) It was rather relaxed. They set the rule of phones off and not to be seen or your out, but then said there was free coffee at the back help yourself s whenever. It was quite relaxed, fun, and got the candidates involved. There was also a couple things to do as a table. (5 -6 people a table) The 2 guys running were ROSPA driving instructors. I did learn a little bit, never really felt bored. (apart from the ride there and back)
All this to say, they can be abit of fun, you might learn something and your points disappear at the end of it. :D
exactly what I did on mine 3 years ago (except ride there & back!!)
thought i'd be bored rigid but you can be as involved or not as you like.. most interesting point for me was the 2 people that didn't attend and they would automatically get prosecuted! lol
it was only half a day and a good way to take my mind off my wedding which was the next day :lol
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its more money than a ticket
nod sagely for most of it but if you want to put yer 2p in they wont mind
banter will happen
boils down to who you get doing the presentation
as robbie there were a few didnt show and they ripped the piss about about receiving the law :D
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Don't be late, they will not let you in, have a laugh - I did!
'you see that wheelie bin in the picture?'
'that's not really a bin'
'it is a bin, look'
My job here is done!
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Don't be late, they will not let you in, have a laugh - I did!
'you see that wheelie bin in the picture?'
'that's not really a bin'
'it is a bin, look'
My job here is done!
:lol :lol
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I thought I was pretty good with the highway code type stuff...since I passed my test in 2000 ive done car+trailer, LGV, HGV, blue lights and finally my bike test so I had refreshed from time to time.....but when I went on the speed awareness course I could see that I was a bit rusty so from that perspective it is useful.
also there are some good points on it about identifying speed limits in the absence of actual signs and stuff like when is a dual carriageway actually a dual carriageway etc.....no Im not telling you the answers :b
some folks on the course maybe haven't done any refresher since they passed their tests 40 years ago so for them it is even more useful....and you may have useful life experience or some influence as a biker that you can pass to them during the discussions and that could be someone else that you save in future.
it certainly wasn't as bad as I thought it would be anyway.
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Was talking to a friend a few months back who attended and he said the same as Punkstig, do not be late.
He said they just shut the door and put you down as not turning up, which then obviously goes against you.
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You could always test the vibes by maybe turning up dressed as a funny clown, which on a positive note may add a bit of colour to the room as well.
I doubt very much there's a dress code, so certainly worth a go. :thumbup
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have a bit of banter but not too much you don't want to be there all day, I was asked to draw a give way and stop sign, and the speed thing, if theres street lights its ?? nearly 3 years since I did mine, think is cost £75 in west Yorkshire and £89 in North Yorkshire, the fine was £60 think it's £100 now and if you compleat the course (you only have to be there and listen) then no points.
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I had to go to naughty class a couple of year ago. It was quite good fun and the guy running the course had a sense of humour that he used to get his message across. He was realistic that speeding isn't always the worse thing you can do and didn't preach too much.
Cheers
John
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I had to go to naughty class a couple of year ago. It was quite good fun and the guy running the course had a sense of humour that he used to get his message across. He was realistic that speeding isn't always the worse thing you can do and didn't preach too much.
Cheers
John
Bloody hope he has a sense of humour or i'll be asleep :lol
have a bit of banter but not too much you don't want to be there all day, I was asked to draw a give way and stop sign, and the speed thing, if theres street lights its ?? nearly 3 years since I did mine, think is cost £75 in west Yorkshire and £89 in North Yorkshire, the fine was £60 think it's £100 now and if you compleat the course (you only have to be there and listen) then no points.
Errrr street lights = 30mph :o
Banter....can't help it to be honest and have to wind it in sometimes with the boring people who don't understand "taking the piss." :rolleyes
Was talking to a friend a few months back who attended and he said the same as Punkstig, do not be late.
He said they just shut the door and put you down as not turning up, which then obviously goes against you.
No worries there - I hate being late. Orrrrrrrrr even waiting for lazy shits who can't read feckin clocks or be bothered that i'm waiting :grumble :lol
You could always test the vibes by maybe turning up dressed as a funny clown, which on a positive note may add a bit of colour to the room as well.
I doubt very much there's a dress code, so certainly worth a go. :thumbup
Darrsi - you've no idea how tempted I am now you've mentioned it :b. Vicky Pollard outfit would be easy :lol. Damm you Darrsi.............. :D
Noggy - a dual carriageway I think is when you have a central reservation :\ Might have a read up before I go..
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So what if you have two lanes a central reservation and street lights.....
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So what if you have two lanes a central reservation and street lights.....
Errrrr, still a dual carriageway I think - but a Southern one :lol
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95 quid !!! did mine a few weeks back and sure I only paid £75 ish, wonder why their is such a difference?
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So what if you have two lanes a central reservation and street lights.....
Doesn't it also have something to do with the street light spacing?
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I had to go to naughty class a couple of year ago. It was quite good fun and the guy running the course had a sense of humour that he used to get his message across. He was realistic that speeding isn't always the worse thing you can do and didn't preach too much.
Cheers
John
Bloody hope he has a sense of humour or i'll be asleep :lol
have a bit of banter but not too much you don't want to be there all day, I was asked to draw a give way and stop sign, and the speed thing, if theres street lights its ?? nearly 3 years since I did mine, think is cost £75 in west Yorkshire and £89 in North Yorkshire, the fine was £60 think it's £100 now and if you compleat the course (you only have to be there and listen) then no points.
Errrr street lights = 30mph :o
Banter....can't help it to be honest and have to wind it in sometimes with the boring people who don't understand "taking the piss." :rolleyes
Was talking to a friend a few months back who attended and he said the same as Punkstig, do not be late.
He said they just shut the door and put you down as not turning up, which then obviously goes against you.
No worries there - I hate being late. Orrrrrrrrr even waiting for lazy shits who can't read feckin clocks or be bothered that i'm waiting :grumble :lol
You could always test the vibes by maybe turning up dressed as a funny clown, which on a positive note may add a bit of colour to the room as well.
I doubt very much there's a dress code, so certainly worth a go. :thumbup
Darrsi - you've no idea how tempted I am now you've mentioned it :b . Vicky Pollard outfit would be easy :lol . Damm you Darrsi.............. :D
Noggy - a dual carriageway I think is when you have a central reservation :\ Might have a read up before I go..
Smiley clown, not the evil looking nightmare type bastids.
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Not this one :lol
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When I went to one a few years ago there was one guy turned up late. He kicked off when they wouldn't let him in. He tried to hit one of them so they arrested him and the police took him away. The tutor said he smelt of drink too. It certainly made it interesting. I got a letter of apology in the post a few weeks later for the disruption to the course, lol.
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When I went to one a few years ago there was one guy turned up late. He kicked off when they wouldn't let him in. He tried to hit one of them so they arrested him and the police took him away. The tutor said he smelt of drink too. It certainly made it interesting. I got a letter of apology in the post a few weeks later for the disruption to the course, lol.
Probably left a bus full of passengers in limbo outside as well. :lol
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Not this one :lol
Why not............if you're going to do it. Was your bloody idea I can't get out of my head :lol
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So what if you have two lanes a central reservation and street lights.....
Doesn't it also have something to do with the street light spacing?
a central reservation makes it a dual carriageway. The central reservation can be as small as a curb.
Street lights mean 30 UNLESS there is a small repeater sign on them. For example on a motorway with street lights, you should see small 70 signs on them. If not then assume it's 30.
at least that's what I remember. ☺
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So what if you have two lanes a central reservation and street lights.....
Doesn't it also have something to do with the street light spacing?
a central reservation makes it a dual carriageway. The central reservation can be as small as a curb.
Street lights mean 30 UNLESS there is a small repeater sign on them. For example on a motorway with street lights, you should see small 70 signs on them. If not then assume it's 30.
at least that's what I remember. ☺
My memory is hazy but im pretty sure they said that the central reservation has to be solid so just a bit of grass between 2 lanes going one way and 2 the other way does not make it a dual carriageway..............so you could be doing 70mph thinking you are in the right when actually you are speeding.....maybe I need another refresher :eek
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Only a solid barrier makes it a Dual Carriageway and a 70 mph speed limit.
A grass verge or similar makes it a two lane road (not a dual carriageway) and a 60mph speed limit unless otherwise stated.
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Frosties, I will pay good money for you to take a video camera there, and pretend you have severe tourettes :evil
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Frosties, I will pay good money for you to take a video camera there, and pretend you have severe tourettes :evil
:lol :lol You don't know me Nick - how much we talking :lol :lol
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Speed Awareness Course is very nice. I am ashamed to admit I have been on two in the last few years :pokefun
Exactly the same case caught me with 54 in a 40 on my local road on a place with mobile speed camera which usually sits there Sunday which I know perfectly well. I have to say I do NOT ride like lunatic. This day the sun was shining and I was just admiring the skyline :sun
The second time the guy who led the course was a advanced police biker.
Actually the thing is not a course at all. It is more like presentation with Q&A and a breaks for tea and nice biscuits. Because you pay £95 usually the venue is nice and the tea with the biscuits are free.
You listen most of the time. Its fine to have few jokes around. If successful everybody are laughing. Sometimes there is a silence. You know the joke was bad or inappropriate or both :woot
All in all the best expereince you may have related to speeding :lol
Just go there and make sure you are not late, its fine.
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:pokefun @ frosties
Surely if you behaved in the first place you wouldn't be asking "How To Behave In a Speed Awareness Course"? :lol
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turned up to mine and the exhausts were still ticking when the inquisitor walked past 10 mins after i arrived.
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Only a solid barrier makes it a Dual Carriageway and a 70 mph speed limit.
A grass verge or similar makes it a two lane road (not a dual carriageway) and a 60mph speed limit unless otherwise stated.
Err, nope.
Any central reservation (solid or grass) makes it a Dual Carriageway.
"A dual carriageway is a road which has a central reservation to separate the carriageways" - Highway Code.
The speed limit for a standard car or bike on a Dual Carriageway is 70mph unless there are signs indicating a lower limit.
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My son turned up late for his, and got told it was none attendance. He was told also that he could pay for another course, or accept the fine/points.
Wife attended one in the car, and felt like she was in detention at school. The instructor continually patronized her and said she was driving wrong!
We also had a friend of mine who's a police advanced bike instructor attend the course, his blood was boiling by the time he got back from it. He said they were obnoxious tw@'s that didn't care what his qualifications were, and came out with a lot of bullshit about speed, and even some 'facts & figures' which were not entirely true. One being the mobile phone argument! Bell ends!
My local one looks like it's full of Hitler wannabe's! I'm sure they're not all like that though by the sound of it.
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My son turned up late for his, and got told it was none attendance. He was told also that he could pay for another course, or accept the fine/points.
Wife attended one in the car, and felt like she was in detention at school. The instructor continually patronized her and said she was driving wrong!
We also had a friend of mine who's a police advanced bike instructor attend the course, his blood was boiling by the time he got back from it. He said they were obnoxious tw@'s that didn't care what his qualifications were, and came out with a lot of bullshit about speed, and even some 'facts & figures' which were not entirely true. One being the mobile phone argument! Bell ends!
My local one looks like it's full of Hitler wannabe's! I'm sure they're not all like that though by the sound of it.
:lol
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That's one of the buggers! "I'll get you butler"
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Only a solid barrier makes it a Dual Carriageway and a 70 mph speed limit.
A grass verge or similar makes it a two lane road (not a dual carriageway) and a 60mph speed limit unless otherwise stated.
As Graham said - this is wrong.....
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Only a solid barrier makes it a Dual Carriageway and a 70 mph speed limit.
A grass verge or similar makes it a two lane road (not a dual carriageway) and a 60mph speed limit unless otherwise stated.
As Graham said - this is wrong.....
Well thanks for enlightening us with your full and frank explanation.
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so these instructors on the speed awareness course have been preaching lies about dual carriageways then....they really made a big dealt out of it.....said if it was grass then it didn't count......perhaps I should get my money back.
P.s - this has now become Frosties goal on the course to give them stick about the point
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this has now become Frosties goal on the course to give them stick about the point
Maybe, we should make up a list for him to ask, and he can report back :lol
I suggest asking how come foreign drivers never get pulled over for speeding and sent on these courses?
btw, we don't have such options in Scotland, we just get fined and points :groan!
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:agree Grahamm
The M1 only had grass between the carriage ways when it opened. Some of the M40 a couple of years ago was the same.
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this has now become Frosties goal on the course to give them stick about the point
Maybe, we should make up a list for him to ask, and he can report back :lol
I suggest asking how come foreign drivers never get pulled over for speeding and sent on these courses?
btw, we don't have such options in Scotland, we just get fined and points :groan!
Go on then, give me a list of questions seen as Nick is not putting up the cash for a tourettes sufferer :lol
Still planning a clown outfit though.......water flower spray, hand buzzer etc :D BLAME DARRSI !!
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As above really Frosties,
How come foreign drivers never get pulled over for speeding and sent on these courses?
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As above really Frosties,
How come foreign drivers never get pulled over for speeding and sent on these courses?
Well for a start the foreign drivers are a lot harder to track down, as UK don't have access to foreign driver databases, addresses, licence details etc....
The only way to catch them is to pull them over at the time of them speeding, then they just get prosecuted, no speed awareness for them.
Also, could you imagine going to france/italy/germany, and sitting in a speed awareness course in their language? Stuff that, giz the fine! :P
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Could you ask him why they say it's only speed that kills when there are plenty of other drugs out there that also kill, heroin for example, personally I think heroin is much more dangerous than speed :b
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personally I think heroin is much more dangerous than speed :b
:lol
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Well for a start the foreign drivers are a lot harder to track down
This is why it is illegal for a UK licence holder to drive a foreign registered vehicle in the UK. The only exception is if it is a company vehicle.
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As above really Frosties,
How come foreign drivers never get pulled over for speeding and sent on these courses?
Well for a start the foreign drivers are a lot harder to track down, as UK don't have access to foreign driver databases, addresses, licence details etc....
The only way to catch them is to pull them over at the time of them speeding, then they just get prosecuted, no speed awareness for them.
Also, could you imagine going to france/italy/germany, and sitting in a speed awareness course in their language? Stuff that, giz the fine! :P
Think you've missed the point stevierst, it was a list of questions to ask the people running the courses to get their take on it, although we probably know the answers it would of been fun to get their answers.
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This is why it is illegal for a UK licence holder to drive a foreign registered vehicle in the UK. The only exception is if it is a company vehicle.
You sure this is right?
I thought if you buy a foreign vehicle, you have a certain amount of time to transfer it onto a UK plate etc thus causing you to be driving a foreign vehicle on UK roads with a UK licence up to the time you change it?
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Sorry Sinto, I came back into the thread in 1/2 way through a bottle of Jamesons! :o
Yes I seem to have missed the point a bit, Damn my legal background!
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Sorry Sinto, I came back into the thread in 1/2 way through a bottle of Jamesons! :o
Yes I seem to have missed the point a bit, Damn my legal background!
Tut tut, I'll let you off this time, but next time, make sure you finish the bottle, it'd of been a whole lot more fun :b :rollin
And yes, jealous of the Jamesons :b
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you have a certain amount of time to transfer it onto a UK plate etc
sinto, that rule is for foreign licence holders.
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you have a certain amount of time to transfer it onto a UK plate etc
sinto, that rule is for foreign licence holders.
No, it's for UK licence holders, I know of a few people who have bought foreign vehicles for one reason or another and remember them having informed dvla, insurance companies etc they were advised that they'd need to change the plates / registration at dvla within 6months or something, but they deffinetly have UK licences.
Why would a foreign licence holder want to change their vehicle details to a UK registered car and still have a foreign licence? That really doesn't make sense, but then maybe that's where it gets done, cause it doesn't make sense! :eek
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https://www.gov.uk/importing-vehicles-into-the-uk/temporary-imports (https://www.gov.uk/importing-vehicles-into-the-uk/temporary-imports)
The important part - You must tax and register your vehicle in the UK if you become a resident or your stay is longer than 6 months.
If you are a UK resident, you should have a UK licence if you've been here long enough. If you have a UK licence, you canot drive a foreign plated vehicle in the UK.
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https://www.gov.uk/importing-vehicles-into-the-uk/temporary-imports (https://www.gov.uk/importing-vehicles-into-the-uk/temporary-imports)
The important part - You must tax and register your vehicle in the UK if you become a resident or your stay is longer than 6 months.
If you are a UK resident, you should have a UK licence if you've been here long enough. If you have a UK licence, you canot drive a foreign plated vehicle in the UK.
As normal, one rule says one thing, another says something else, but basically it's what I was saying :) and of what you were saying, just different interpretations of it :)
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I used to have the link to the DVLA website where this was all documented as I was looking at buying a cheap runabout for when I am in France and having it registered/insured there as we have a house there. The problem came in if I wanted to bring it back to the UK for the winter or whatever. As a UK resident and licence holder I couldn't drive it anywhere apart from the port to my house and then to DVLA to get it inspected/regisetered. As the car would be going back out to France I would not want to do this.