Driving in the UK

The other day I received a speeding fine! Yes me!!! I mean, really!!! I have to be the most observant and conscientious motorist around when it comes to speeding (or rather lack of it!). Well my daughter was in the car with me and we were chatting so it’s all her fault that I didn’t notice the half dozen ‘30’ signs, Camera warning, slow down signs ....Now, not quite knowing the system and how many ‘points’ we’re allowed to receive I was terrified that I’d have a major black mark next to my name. So instead of paying the £60 and receiving 3 points I opted to do the Speed Awareness Course. So £102 (with no points), re-shuffling my day which is a major mission later, I arrived at the centre feeling like a criminal. 11:00 until 18:00 I ask you!!! So, together with 19 other guilty parties, I duly learned what I’d almost forgotten from when I originally did my driving test some 40 years ago!!! Two coffees and a lunch break made the day easier to handle.

After a morning session of ‘theory’ and learning how speed can actually kill and maim, how to be observant, etc, the afternoon session was getting into a car with a geriatric ‘instructor’ who did this work in order to add funds to his ailing pension.

Although I felt it was a waste of my hard earned cash and my precious time, I’m glad I did it for a number of reasons:

1. Road signs are really there to help and not to confuse drivers. Yeah right, you could have fooled me!!
2. I now know what the round white sign with the black diagonal line going through it means - normal drivers like you and I have one speed whilst buses and larger vehicles have their own slower speed – 60mph for normal size car drivers and 50 & 40mph for the larger guys.
3. I learned that ‘experienced’ drivers are allowed 12 points against their licence whereas newly qualified drivers have a limit of 6. If the fatal number is reached, it’s tickets for them (pardon the pun) for they have their licence removed. Am I glad I’m not reliant on public transport!!
4. Speed signs are there to inform of the limit - it’s NOT the target .... so, that’s where I’ve been going wrong all this time!!
5. If I did my licence all over again, it would be the case of ‘Do not pass. GO, straight to JAIL’.
6. I drove through some beautiful countryside, places I’d like to get back to.
7. I met some lovely people .... also some idiots!!