Highway code cost

Like Simon Sweeney, I also attended a speed awareness seminar not so long ago (Letters, August 9).

Unfortunately, I was just 1mph over the regular speed limit for that particular stretch of road at midnight and had carelessly missed a temporary speed limit sign advising of a 10mph reduction.

Out of the 50 people on the course, only those who had recently passed their tests could admit to having read the Highway Code within any memorable timescale.

The officer who conducted the course explained how certain rules etc had changed and the speeds of various different vehicles on the road, etc, which was all quite interesting.

He showed us a big pile of Highway Code booklets and briefed us of the changes over the years.

We were told that you could buy one for a couple of pounds.

As the course, although obviously a punishment to all who offended, was referred to as a seminar, ie a training course, would it not have been useful from an educational point of view, to hand one out as we left, thereby encouraging people to take more notice?

Handouts and notes are given at most training courses I have been on, and since we paid £95 to attend, that cost could easily have been absorbed within the fine.

Angela Brader, Wetwang, York.

Comments(11)

Yorkborneinbse says...
1:52pm Sat 11 Aug 12

Tut! No doubt you,due be happy enough to pay for cook books to impress your diners, but to drive within the Law and prevent accidents or death, you want it given. Priorities in order springs to mind.

Yorkborneinbse says...
1:55pm Sat 11 Aug 12

Dam you spell checker !

Buzz Light-year says...
1:57pm Sat 11 Aug 12

Well.
Fresh from stirring up the hornet's nest of ill-feeling towards cyclists, winding up the vigilante mentality and putting me and anyone else who might occasionally ride a bike in danger of attack, here we have an almost imperceptibly contrite Angela Brader *admitting she broke traffic law and was caught speeding*

Still at least she didn't have the gall to take up all the road or swear at someone, that would have been unspeakably heinous and despicable.


Anyway, with this letter she has a good point. When I did my speed awareness course we were all given a copy of the HC to take away. I can't for the life of me understand why that wouldn't be a standard.

The course itself was a waste of time. Most people there took the sulky "this is detention and I don't want to be here" approach and the bloke who took the course was spectactularly dull.

Yorkborneinbse says...
5:17pm Sat 11 Aug 12

Why not take some personal responsibility and purchase the highway code before you commit an offence? Gate and Horse...

E=MC^2 says...
9:49am Sun 12 Aug 12

Having admitted not seeing the speed limit signage at night she should be charged with driving without due care and attention. And required to take a sight test. The police should to reopen the case. If you can fail to notice that sign would you fail to notice a cyclist?

Dennis.Dart says...
10:22am Sun 12 Aug 12

' Unfortunately, I was just 1mph over the regular speed limit for that particular stretch of road at midnight and had carelessly missed a temporary speed limit sign advising of a 10mph reduction. ' just over 1 but then misses a sign of a reduction of 10 so is that not 'just over' 11mph.
IE Oh I was only doing 41.5Mph in a 30Mph, !!!!
the tolerance in our area is around 10%+1 this is to give a margin of error with in calibration of each vehicles speedo.
so in the lack of evidence by your own addmition you were 11.5 Mph over the SPEED LIMIT,
you should have been delt with by FPN or NIP.
not a slap on tghe hand and a day in the class room

peter123456 says...
11:01am Sun 12 Aug 12

E=MC^2 wrote:
Having admitted not seeing the speed limit signage at night she should be charged with driving without due care and attention. And required to take a sight test. The police should to reopen the case. If you can fail to notice that sign would you fail to notice a cyclist?
On average each motorist commits a grand total of 80,000 traffic offences per year you been one of them. So now you maybe able to see how easy it is for the police to catch anyone committing an offence. I am not saying people should not be punished. But the police and the government know what a wonderful cash cow this is. So watch out you maybe charged with driving without care and attention next time.

Buzz Light-year says...
11:44am Sun 12 Aug 12

peter123456 wrote:
E=MC^2 wrote: Having admitted not seeing the speed limit signage at night she should be charged with driving without due care and attention. And required to take a sight test. The police should to reopen the case. If you can fail to notice that sign would you fail to notice a cyclist?
On average each motorist commits a grand total of 80,000 traffic offences per year you been one of them. So now you maybe able to see how easy it is for the police to catch anyone committing an offence. I am not saying people should not be punished. But the police and the government know what a wonderful cash cow this is. So watch out you maybe charged with driving without care and attention next time.
Preposterous!

Each motorist on average commits 80,000 offences a year?

That's over 200 a day if you drive every day.

The average car does 10,000 miles a year so that's 8 offences every mile.

There are 30 or 40 million motorists in the UK that's 3,200,000,000,000 traffic offences every day.

Nice one Statto!

nowthen says...
3:50pm Sun 12 Aug 12

E=MC^2 wrote:
Having admitted not seeing the speed limit signage at night she should be charged with driving without due care and attention. And required to take a sight test. The police should to reopen the case. If you can fail to notice that sign would you fail to notice a cyclist?
If the only people allowed to comment on this letter were those who had never ever committed a traffic offence there would be zero posts on here.

J-Dawg says...
12:54pm Mon 13 Aug 12

E=MC^2 wrote:
Having admitted not seeing the speed limit signage at night she should be charged with driving without due care and attention. And required to take a sight test. The police should to reopen the case. If you can fail to notice that sign would you fail to notice a cyclist?
Missing one stationery sign which has been temporarily erected to the side of your route is a lot easier to miss than a cycling who is weaving in front of you. You'll spot the cyclist from a distance if they're wearing the correct night attire.

Buzz Light-year says...
4:40pm Mon 27 Aug 12

J-Dawg wrote:
E=MC^2 wrote: Having admitted not seeing the speed limit signage at night she should be charged with driving without due care and attention. And required to take a sight test. The police should to reopen the case. If you can fail to notice that sign would you fail to notice a cyclist?
Missing one stationery sign which has been temporarily erected to the side of your route is a lot easier to miss than a cycling who is weaving in front of you. You'll spot the cyclist from a distance if they're wearing the correct night attire.
Paisley patterned pyjamas and one of those funny long bed hats?

click2find

About cookies

We want you to enjoy your visit to our website. That's why we use cookies to enhance your experience. By staying on our website you agree to our use of cookies. Find out more about the cookies we use.

I agree