I'm a filmstar

I had a letter recently telling me I had won a -prize in some competition or other. I didnt realise I had entered but apparently some organisation (I am not sure if it was TV or other film crew) took a picture of me driving Lenny in Northampton shire. At first I was quite pleased to be recognised - fame at last. Name in lights, own TV chat show possibly ? No such luck the prize is a speed awareness workshop run by the Northants Police. I haven't accepted their generous offer yet, has anyone had any experience of these? It seems a better alternative to 3 points but given the drive to Northampton and the 3 hour course it is a pain. Advice welcome - the last time I was stopped for speeding was 1976 (or nearly 1,000,000 miles ago) so building up points is not too frightening.

tut tut

No, but I did get dirty looks for using the roadside Happy/Sad matrix speed display thing (being guarded by two people impersonating police officers (CSO's)) to test my speedo on Thursday.
1st pass: Generic "I wish I were a real copper" look of dispair,
2nd pass: "If I were a copper, I'd do him for driving at 31mph in a 30 zone" look, and
3rd pass: "He's been past twice already ... TERRORIST SCUM! I wish I had the authority to make a note of his number plate! Quick! Call the police incase he comes back!"

You mean Plastic Plod? Inadvertently they pose a danger on motorways 'cause of all the numpty's that slam on their anchors at 75 mph as they think PP can nick them for speeding. Got news for you idiots - they can't! However, go past them doing a ton and they are likely to radio up the line to the real McCoy.

Tell you what is disgusting ... how the Highways Agency or whoever employs PP can go out and buy Mitsubishi Shoguns when there is a British factory employing British workers producing British Land Rover Discovery vehicles more than capable of doing the same job (profits go to Tata I realise, but hey you can't have everything). Makes my blood boil.

But the real plod do get to drive 70 grand range rovers

I've just completed my "re-education" following being caught by a roadside flasher. For those who have'nt had the pleasure I would recommend it over 3 points but it still costs £60 and you need at least an afternoon off work. The course content was fairly predictable but not "in your face" judgemental propaganda, mostly a refresher on the highway code, how to spot national speed limits etc. Stuff I am sure like me you mostly know. The scary thing was that a good 50% of my fellow convicts didn't know what the NSL was and most couldnt work it out from random photos !! Perhaps the most important statement they made was that you know nothing about the other people you share the road with - I now have met some of them and it is a bit worrying If you find yourself being selected its worth trawling the internet to find the course guidance notes - published for some reason by ACPO and intended for the police, but it doesn't half make you feel good when you know what they are going to show you next, and have the exact answers to the questions !

Keith Johnson wrote:

Perhaps the most important statement they made was that you know nothing about the other people you share the road with - I now have met some of them and it is a bit worrying

The most important part of the motorcycle CBT is "Assume everyone else on the road is an idiot that can't drive and 95% of the time you'll be spot on".