|
If you have been reading
Call Sign for more than a few years, you will remember our
ongoing campaign to replace minor speeding offences with speed
awareness courses. It began in the May 2006, Call Sign when we published an astonishing article that had been passed onto us by Dial-a-Cab driver David Marks (R22). Originating from Motor Cycle News, we saw straightaway the benefit that drivers who had been caught speeding might gain from it. Of course Call Sign would never want to encourage drivers to break the speed limits, but we all knew that some limits – especially late at night - were ridiculous and how easy it was to creep up to 45mph in a 40mph zone or pass the yellow Gatso in East Smithfield that goes off at 34mph. Those "crimes" would have earned you three points on your licence and could have gone towards costing you your licence and with it, your livelihood. The article spotted a legal technicality claiming that when someone was questioned regarding any offence – beit in person or via a form – they should first have received a formal caution and, of course, a camera could not give any caution. Quite a number of Dial-a-Cab drivers benefited by sending off the letter we published to the prosecuting police force with the result that the three points were scrapped in favour of a half-day speeding awareness course. Even as late as 2009, some drivers were writing |
Is there a new points for speeding revolution on the way? POINTS OUT - AWARENESS COURSES IN! |
|
 David Marks first spotted the original article that went on to save many DaC drivers getting 3 points on their licence
into Call Sign telling us that the
letter still worked. Most police forces have now blocked the
technicality and the three points again went onto driver’s licenses. |
That now means that
the limit in 30mph areas would rise to 42mph, while on a motorway
and other major roads it would increase to 86mph. Caught at those
speeds means you may be asked to undertake a speed awareness course,
but you would avoid the dreaded 3 points on your licence. According to ACPO, the changes would allow more drivers to "undergo an invaluable educational experience, rather than receive driving licence penalty points and a fine." There are still 7 police forces that have not signed up to the new initiative, so drivers would have to make themselves aware of the forces that do agree with it. Those caught would only be allowed one course in three years. The courses, which cost £95, last half a day and contain lectures from outsourced companies (not the police) and assessment tests. There is no pass or failure but they are designed to show how well those attending judge speeds, distances and road hazards as well as to show the outcome of bad driving. ACPO added that the speed at which the awareness course could be offered was also a decision for individual forces, so there would be no real warning should any changes be brought in… |
|
|
Sorry but no Ferrari… |
 Sorry but it doesn’t exist except on April fool’s Day! drivers
phoned to enquire about the possibility of being a DaC Ferrari
driver, while two were quite abusive at the idea! |
|
| No, the majority of you sussed out Call Sign’s April Fool joke when this magazine informed readers that Dial-a-Cab was about to launch a Ferrari service for important passengers who were in a hurry. In addition, the eight supercars could be taken home each night by the selected drivers who would remain on | permanent
standby at the rate of £45 an hour! The clue came in the last sentence when interested drivers were told to contact Rapil Frist at DaC administration – who of course doesn’t exist other than on April First! However, Call Sign was told that at least twenty |
|
