Zero points again. Now I'll be safer.

[Fallout]

Just looked at my license and noticed my last speeding fine was 11/2008. So while the points will be on there for another year, for "totting up" purposes, I am now totally points free.

This made me think about my theory: I have been a more dangerous driver and rider since I was given points. Sounds weird right, but I'm sure it's true.

I used to drive my car (where I got all the points) fast on open roads. I always kept to 30 and 40 zones religiously, as I didn't want to hit any pedestrians, kids etc. I label this responsible speeding. :rolleyes: Anyway, after I got 6 points in a few months (3 doing 63mph on a 50mph dual carriage way and the other 3 on the motorway) I got really paranoid about speed traps. Since then, I have religiously watched my speedo and spent a lot of time checking my mirrors. I'm sure this has been to the detriment of safety, because it hasn't really slowed me down.

Whenever I am in a 30/40 zone, I am glancing at the speedo non-stop, paranoid about cops with speed guns, even though I'm doing the limit. The amount of time I spend with my eyes off the road is scary, when I think about it. My mate says you should be able to 'feel' 30mph from the engine rpm, and yeah ... I can get close, but when you've got points, you don't want to trust your jump to 9 points to the sensation of vibration. Also I've developed this bad habit of checking every potential cop car I overtake thoroughly in my mirrors, deciding if it could be a cop, and seeing if it'll try to follow me etc. This is obviously really dangerous, because when I'm in the over taking mood, I should be looking dead ahead with just occasional mirror checks.

So basically, now I'm back down to zero, I don't have to worry so much. That dreaded 9 point, high insurance threshold, one offence away from a ban, point score is over with. And all I can think is, those points did nothing to make me a safer rider/driver? Yes, they slowed me down a bit, but they took away a lot of my road/hazard concentration and funnelled into into cop rear mirror cop paranoia.

Dunno what the conclusion of my rant is. Can't suggest a better system. All I can say is, now I know I can look in front of me all the time, I will feel a lot safer and see a lot more kiddies and grannies and pot holes and braking cars etc etc. :)

Anyone else feel the same? Anyone feel the point system reined them in or made them a worse rider/driver?

[m1tch_1987]

I feel the same, its usually quite dangerous around some speed cameras as some motorists only notice the bright yellow boxes at the last second and slam on their brakes etc, I don't speed though, theres no point, especially on motorways, if you speed all you are doing is getting to the traffic jam/roadworks sooner lol

[Fallout]

Agreed. I don't speed in the car any more. Pointless when it's no fun to drive and you can't get past anyone! I used to have an awesome car though which rewarded a led foot. Ahhhhh :( .... thank god for the SV, else there would be tears now.

[Dicky Ticker]

That is the problem with high performance,you can be doing twice the legal speed limit and no wind trying to rip your head off------guess who no longer has a Porsche.

I agree that it is hardly worth speeding on the motorway as you only gain about 4 or 5 car lengths and the truck you overtook 3 miles back is back alongside you

[metalangel]

IMHO no point going fast anywhere. Even at about 5am when I go to work, people go screaming past while I do the speed limit (30) and two miles later I find myself right behind them at the traffic lights (this is Gabalfa to Cardiff Castle, if anyone's wondering). All you get from going fast, apart from risking getting caught (stressful) is two weeks of stress wondering if you actually did or not, waiting to see if that scamera saw you in time to send you a NIP.

Motorways are slightly different. It's 150 miles to my parents, the difference between the the two journeys (almost entirely motorway) at 70 or 80mph is 15 minutes, something traffic will have a far greater influence on anyway.

Not boring or old yet, I hope, I just like have no points and don't see the potential benefits outweighing the risk.

[Ed]

Can't say mine made any difference, it's just money grabbing. And as UK plc is £1tn in debt as of today boy don't they need your £60.

[DJFridge]

I used to drive my car (where I got all the points) fast on open roads. I always kept to 30 and 40 zones religiously, as I didn't want to hit any pedestrians, kids etc. I label this responsible speeding. :rolleyes:

Like that term and thoroughly agree with it. As I have posted in the past on this site, the NSL is a completely arbitrary construct, totally out of touch with modern vehicles. I treat it with all the respect due it.

Anyway, after I got 6 points in a few months (3 doing 63mph on a 50mph dual carriage way and the other 3 on the motorway) I got really paranoid about speed traps. Since then, I have religiously watched my speedo and spent a lot of time checking my mirrors. I'm sure this has been to the detriment of safety, because it hasn't really slowed me down.

Whenever I am in a 30/40 zone, I am glancing at the speedo non-stop, paranoid about cops with speed guns, even though I'm doing the limit. The amount of time I spend with my eyes off the road is scary, when I think about it. My mate says you should be able to 'feel' 30mph from the engine rpm, and yeah ... I can get close, but when you've got points, you don't want to trust your jump to 9 points to the sensation of vibration. Also I've developed this bad habit of checking every potential cop car I overtake thoroughly in my mirrors, deciding if it could be a cop, and seeing if it'll try to follow me etc. This is obviously really dangerous, because when I'm in the over taking mood, I should be looking dead ahead with just occasional mirror checks.

So basically, now I'm back down to zero, I don't have to worry so much. That dreaded 9 point, high insurance threshold, one offence away from a ban, point score is over with. And all I can think is, those points did nothing to make me a safer rider/driver? Yes, they slowed me down a bit, but they took away a lot of my road/hazard concentration and funnelled into into cop rear mirror cop paranoia.

Dunno what the conclusion of my rant is. Can't suggest a better system. All I can say is, now I know I can look in front of me all the time, I will feel a lot safer and see a lot more kiddies and grannies and pot holes and braking cars etc etc. :)

Anyone else feel the same? Anyone feel the point system reined them in or made them a worse rider/driver?

I find much the same in the car, although, interestingly, not on the bike. I think the radio and/or passengers to chat to distract me from the engine note and feel, which doesn't happen on the bike.

[Fallout]

Like that term and thoroughly agree with it. As I have posted in the past on this site, the NSL is a completely arbitrary construct, totally out of touch with modern vehicles. I treat it with all the respect due it.

Totally agree. I personally consider speed limits a guideline, advising me of a suitable speed, and suggestive of the potential risks on the road. They're for the stupid who can't see the risks themselves, and we all blindly follow them like sheep, either because we're scared of losing our licenses, or we think someone who did a quick assessment knows better how fast we should go then ourselves.

They don't take into account the condition of the vehicle, the skill of the driver, the time of day, the weather conditions, visibility, if it's school kicking out time, if the surface of the road has degraded, if one bit of the road is straight with high visibility, or if a bit is on a blind bend. They're only suitability is as a rough guideline and reminder.

For example, I live near a 50mph zone which is on a quiet dual carriageway. The reason it's 50mph is because there are a few junctions where accidents have happened, so taking extra care at those junctions is all I need to do. Then I'll do whatever speed I choose.

Don't get me wrong, there are so many plebs out there that need to be told what speed to drive, because they can't understand the hazards and risks by themselves and work it out. But, wouldn't it be cool if you could get a "I understand the risk. I am a good driver. I can go a bit faster" qualification, so that you can rag it around in a safe manner and the cops will leave you alone, because they know you'll drive to the conditions? I want that qualification. :smt033