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Realist
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19-07-2018, 09:01 AM
11

Re: The Multi Million Pound Speeding Business

Originally Posted by Missy ->
I was done for 47 in a 40 and never had a ticket before
You should have been offered an NSAC assuming you've not been on a previous one.

The limits run along the lines in this link:

https://www.lancashire.police.uk/med...holds-0516.pdf

NSACs are offered for :

36 to 42 in a 30mph zone
47 to 53 in a 40mph zone
58 to 64 in a 50mph zone
69 to 75 in a 60mph zone
80 to 86 in a 70mph zone
Realist
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19-07-2018, 09:15 AM
12

Re: The Multi Million Pound Speeding Business

The business issue that these parasites are facing is simple. The police are getting their lucrative cut of the profits, they get £35 of every £90 course, so that's over £35m a year funding the police which they badly need.

Because of that the police force is very happy to cooperate and offer NSACs rather than prosecute people.

Note that if you just accept a fine and points then the money goes into the Treasury, rather than directly into the police force. So you can see straight away why the police are in league with these private firms.

The problem however is that the insurance companies are NOT getting a slice of that action. By stopping people getting convictions, the insurance companies are not able to load your premiums. They are losing out.

Which is why they are now starting to ask the addition question of whether you have attended any correction courses. Once that becomes widespread it's Game Over for these private firms.

Note also that there are more than just Speed Awareness Courses. There are also specific courses for people caught using a mobile phone whilst driving and for not wearing seat belts and drink driving etc.

If the govenment were the least bit interested in educating drivers then it would offer all these courses freely to people.
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19-07-2018, 09:20 AM
13

Re: The Multi Million Pound Speeding Business

Originally Posted by Realist ->
It's quite possible it HAS changed. What might have started out as an initiative to educate drivers is now just a multi million pound business.

It's a clear colaboration between ruthless private firms running courses and the police forces who get their nice cut of the profits.

It's in both their interests to keep that gravy train running as long as possible. It has nothing whatsoever to do with driver re education.
I agree.
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19-07-2018, 09:24 AM
14

Re: The Multi Million Pound Speeding Business

Motorist = cash cow.
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19-07-2018, 09:28 AM
15

Re: The Multi Million Pound Speeding Business

Originally Posted by Bruce ->
Cruise control is your best friend.

No excuse for speeding especially at our age when speed limits are no longer the challenge they once were.
I don't understand what that means.

'No excuse for speeding' is what people say until they are caught speeding. I was caught years ago for doing 35 in a 30 zone and that was because the speed limit had literally changed over night. They had put up new signs and placed a camera van in position. The course was not available then so I just had to pay the fine and take the points like the other hundred or so that got stitched up that morning.

These days I always use speed control where possible but it's not possible to use it around British towns or country roads.
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19-07-2018, 10:52 AM
16

Re: The Multi Million Pound Speeding Business

My wife and I have both been on speed awareness courses. In each case, it was about 37 mph in a 30 limit, though in different locations.

I have several conflicting opinions about this.

Firstly, in fairness, the course was interesting and quite lighthearted rather than dictatorial.

On the other hand, knowing that profits are made by both the course providers and the police tends to grate a little. I think I'd be happier if all profits from both speed awareness courses and speeding fines went, for example, to charities or the NHS.

Another annoyance is the many examples I have seen on motorways and elsewhere, where sudden speed limits are imposed for no apparent reason - no road works, for example. Suddenly, driving along at 70 mph, mandatory 50 mph signs appear on an overhead gantry. Why? Are they testing our observational skills? It's the same with bus lanes which suddenly appear and disappear. Money-raising tactics, surely.
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19-07-2018, 11:26 AM
17

Re: The Multi Million Pound Speeding Business

I got busted last year for driving at 38mph in a thirty zone. I have driven the road thousands of times and it was always a 40mph speed limit with no camera van. It changed virtually overnight to 30mph and a camera van was added. I believe the 30mph signs were obscured, and if it wasn't so far from home I would have gone out a studied the route and contested the conviction. I consider it as 'Entrapment' a deliberate attempt to penalise drivers under the pretence of 'Road Safety'...

They being my first three points, I couldn't be arsed with attending the course. Double whammy though, my insurance premium also increased a few quid...
What about the real speeders though? The ones who have no regard for pedestrians or other road users, and speed through our housing estate (30mph) at over fifty miles an hour. Where are the bloody camera vans then?
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19-07-2018, 01:31 PM
18

Re: The Multi Million Pound Speeding Business

Originally Posted by OldGreyFox ->
I got busted last year for driving at 38mph in a thirty zone. I have driven the road thousands of times and it was always a 40mph speed limit with no camera van. It changed virtually overnight to 30mph and a camera van was added. I believe the 30mph signs were obscured, and if it wasn't so far from home I would have gone out a studied the route and contested the conviction. I consider it as 'Entrapment' a deliberate attempt to penalise drivers under the pretence of 'Road Safety'...

They being my first three points, I couldn't be arsed with attending the course. Double whammy though, my insurance premium also increased a few quid...
What about the real speeders though? The ones who have no regard for pedestrians or other road users, and speed through our housing estate (30mph) at over fifty miles an hour. Where are the bloody camera vans then?
My thoughts exactly. We are easy targets.
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19-07-2018, 01:51 PM
19

Re: The Multi Million Pound Speeding Business

Of course, the obvious answer is not to speed.

That's easy to say, though, and it's also easy to creep over the speed limit too - by a little. We have speed limit signs, yes, but we also have a plethora of other road signs most of which are totally unnecessary and distracting. At the same time, we must try to keep an eye on our speedometer.

Yes, 'speed control' has been mentioned. I have that but, to be honest, find it completely impractical on our roads so never use it. No sooner do I switch it on than there's a queue up ahead and I have to slow down anyway, even on motorways!
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19-07-2018, 03:36 PM
20

Re: The Multi Million Pound Speeding Business

I don't have cruise control, and even the cars I have had that did have it, Id never use it

Totally impractical on single lane country roads
 
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