Safe Speed Forums

Please tell us about your own driving experience.

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Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

I've taken advanced driver training & skid pan.... but I'm 17 and wouldn't call myself experienced per se, although having driven in london a fair bit has probably toughened me up...

If by experienced, you mean have driven for a number of years, and/or high(ish) mileage... then that's me. I've been driving for 24 years and drive about 16,000 miles a year.


Kaz

I have 27 years driving experience. I currently I drive about 55,000 miles per year. This breaks down to:-
22,000 business miles in the UK nationwide (Company car)
18,000 private miles in the UK (includes 76 mile round trip to work)
3,000 business miles in Europe in own car
4,000 business miles in the USA in (Rental)

in addition
5,000 private miles in the UK on a motorcycle
3,000 private miles in the USA on a motorcycle (rental) mainly helmet free states

This year I will have done my one millionth mile as a driver/rider

I have had 6 penalty points in total, 3 in 1978 and 3 in 1986. Nothing pending. I have never dropped a bike (touch wood!)
I have not had an accident which invilved more than exchanging bumper paint.

So you could say I get around a bit.

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Speed camera policy Kills

Passed driving Test In 1988. Do a fair few miles per year In a company Vehicle. Hoping to take RoSPA Test later this year after having my sessions.

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RoADA Member -GOLD 2008
If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there.

Passed driving test in 1982, was then further trained in Police Roadcraft with the Royal Military Police. Drove many miles a year as a Military Police Driver and even more (upto 90,000 a year) since leaving and becoming a salesman.


Passed Motorcycle test in 1991 but since I forgot to send of the test certificate and licence I re-did the test in 2003. Chopped in the company car for a Motorbike and am now doing 50,000 a year on the bike.

Currently working on passing the IAM motorcycle test. Discussion already about me training to be an observer once that has been done.

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Former Military Police Officer and accident investigator

Been driving for just about a year. But that doesn't make me 'experienced', so I've gone for the second option.

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-mike[F]
Caught in the rush of the crowd, lost in a wall of sound..

Driving since 1987, drive 12k a year, passed IAM test in 1992 and have just joined local ROSPA group with view to taking test soon.

Been on skid pan, but a long time ago, and last year had half day assessment with ex Hendon instructor which led me to get some more training and try ROSPA.

Passed motorbike test in September.

And did Cycling Profiency at primary school!

Driving, and anything with wheels & an engine is my passion in life.

Bike test 1st, and used to race LEGALLY, had to give up, was getting too old for bruises.

Just have the Sports cruiser's as of this year, BMW K12 LT, hence the name.

Car test, which led me to Hackney Licence, and 4 years driving cabs.

Then class 2 & Class 1 Test passed & CPC.

12 years at Vaux, car develepment & production.

Have built my own car, 3 ltr Turbo Dax Rush (caterham chassis style Kit), it is scary

Too many miles to keep track of.

Feel i have a good amount of experiance, never had a even a scratch to date, other than the Bike racing, which supplied scratches & broken bones, and the removal by gravel of my knee's.

Have only just managed to keep hold of my license, for a number of years, 3 come off, 3 go on, all low speed penalty's.

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Steve

Passed licence test 1974 - lost licence 1975 (speeding)
Passed licence test 1975 - lost licence 1976 (speeding)
Passed licence test 1976 - lost licence 1977 (speeding)
Passed licence test 1977 - lost licence 1978 (speeding
Passed licence test 1978
1 month suspension for 20mph over the limit 1992
3 months suspension for accumulated points 1997

As you can see I was a bit of a problem between 18 & 22 and did not finally attain a "full" licence until I was 25. During the period I was on probation (1974-1981) the law was that you actually lost your licence and had to redo the driving test to get it back again for a SINGLE offence. Each loss of licence was for a month or so until I was retested and then the 3 year probation started all over again.

In every case except for 1992 the amount over the limit was less than 20mph over the limit and one for turning against a red light (4am, no traffic, right turn, traffic cop hidden behind bushes).

So much for the bad stuff....

3 basic car control courses
5 high performance courses
1 race craft course
All three levels of the BMW courses (in Australia, not sure how it works elsewhere)
Too many track days to count

Several crashes but with the exception of dropping my Yamaha 750 when I was 25, NONE were my fault with the majority occurring at under 10mph (my speed) and one at 35mph into a car turning right across my path when I was about 22.

I have raced in Targa Tasmania 3 times (3rd, DNF & 10th outright) and Targa New Zealand (4th outright) once. Other than the second Targa I have never damaged a car while racing.

I drive a BMW M3R, hence my sig, and a highly modified Subaru MY99 WRX/STI and love high performance driving.

My fondest memories of driving were in Europe where I spent a fair bit amount of time driving at speeds in excess 130mph and lots of time driving on wonderful twisty mountain roads in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and of course Italy. The best part of my time in Europe and England was the courtesy I received while driving, something sadly lacking in Australia. My attitude while driving on public roads changed dramatically and I became much more courteous to other road users.

My greatest hate on the roads is Speed Cameras and nothing would make me happier than seeing the current Victorian government thrown out of office and all revenue raising speed cameras destroyed. I am in favour of cameras in situations where the placement is directly related to a blackspot and then only if the tolerance is reasonable (not 2mph as currently set by the Victorian government)

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Ross

Yes I'm a hoon, but only on the track!!!!

I have been driving 29 years. Passed test 1974 about 3 months after 17th birthday.

Since then, probably averaged 20k miles p.a.

I have taken some advanced driver training (coaching may be better description because not structured) and have contemplated IAM and RoSPA but not sure if I would stomach the piety. If not IAM/RoSPA, I will take more coaching.

I use Roadcraft as a manual and try to drive to it.

Similar to Observer - although I needed two goes to get my test - spanning the 74/75 year turn I think - almost 18 then.

Although I have had no advanced training, thanks to very serendipitous employment during school years and uni years at weekends, I have had the honour and priviledge of sitting along side and in the back seat of cars driven by ex Hendon Class 1 drivers. This taught me a sh1t10ad about driving. Above all itr taught me to learn learn learn from any and every situation. I still do this wherever possible.

Driving 19 years, biking for 12. Spent a couple of those car-driving years driving a private hire (read minicab) and can say, hand on heart, that 40,000 miles a year in city traffic really helps your hazard awareness. I don't really drive that much since I got the bike - haven't been without one since I passed my test

My own view of my own driving/riding? Still got lots to learn. I started teaching CBT about 2 years ago and the training I received to allow me to teach to DSA standards improved my riding and driving no end. All the things I had forgotten from my own learner days were reintroduced. It's amazing what simple things you forget which can change your riding out of all recognition.

I now try to think about each drive and see what I can learn from it. Hoping to do IAM motorcycle this year too.

(oh, in case we are counting, 3 points for speeding Nov 2001. Cop agreed that my riding was safe and that I had adopted a safe position so I could stop in the distance I could see to be clear, but, in his own words, "we've been sent here to catch people speeding", so there you go Never mind, it was a fair cop, and all that )

HI

I said experianced, but onyl kinda.
Am 28 and passed my test when i was 17. But i never had a car then or even now actually.
I drove 3.5 tons vans for 2 years all over the south and London though doing about 25000-30000 miles a year. Did mosdt of my silly things then, like driving into a lamppost, well reversing, very funny afterwards though.
I know i used to drive to fast and close, but have realxed a lot.
I find the best driving aid is my girl friend who tells me off ifi get to close or go to fast.
I took part in a driving competiton, on road and i got through to the thrid round, out of 5!! I was happy.
Excuse the spelling, watching England lose the rugby amkes me drink.

Regards

Andrew

Wdited to say i still dpon't own a car as i cycle every where but i have access to TDCI fords at work Focus and Mondeos, quick cars they are to.

Passed car test in 1985 and the bike test in 1988.

Own 1100 sports tourer and 250 enduro bikes as well as the car. All weather biker.

Passed Class 2 in the car in 1991 and then for last four years have completed yearly bike courses. August 2004 spent a weekend on a BikeSafe course with West Midlands Police - excellent, worth every penny for the lectures on vehicle control, observations and first on scene of RTA. Also had 1 to 1 assessment with officer.

If you ride a bike go to www.bikesafe.co.uk and book a course with your local constabulary or contact your local traffic unit. Most that participate in BikeSafe will take you on an assessed ride for free.

Over the years have ridden 24 different bikes 50cc to 1500cc (owned / loaned / hired / demonstrators), driven Passed car test in 1985 and the bike test in 1988.

Own 1100 sports tourer and 250 enduro bikes as well as the car. All weather biker.

Passed Class 2 in the car in 1991 and then for last four years have completed yearly bike courses. August 2004 spent a weekend on a BikeSafe course with West Midlands Police - excellent, worth every penny for the lectures on vehicle control, observations and first on scene of RTA. Also had 1 to 1 assessment with officer.

If you ride a bike go to www.bikesafe.co.uk and book a course with your local constabulary or contact your local traffic unit. Most that participate in BikeSafe will take you on an assessed ride for free.

Over the years have ridden 24 different bikes 50cc to 1500cc (owned / loaned / hired / demonstrators), driven several 300+ BHP supercars on road and single seaters on the track.

Driven and ridden through several European countries as well as the USA.


Driven and ridden through several European countries as well as the USA.

Passed driving test in September 1957 at first attempt. Since then I have covered something close to a million miles.

I had about four minor mishaps in my first few years, but two of these amounted to me being hit in the tail after I had stopped quite normally.

I hit a sheep on a moorland road in the dark on 22 December 1969 and I had a minor bump in low speed traffic about 1984 - my foot slipped off brake pedal, dammit!

Nothing to report since then apart from NSL transgressions, which are huge in number and very substantial in magnitude, but never any points etc. - so far.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

Thanks Triple S - was begining to feel lke Grandad, but catching up.
Passed test in 1966 in City after taking lessions with driving school.Then on single track roads in the highlands i learned to drive - fortunately i had teachers - my father and uncles.I can reccomend single track roads for teaching you about the width of your vehicle, anticipation,positioning and reflex action.
I often wondered what IG meant by COAST - when he explained it - lo and behold we drove by it on single track roads or a very similar idea.I've driven a multitude of vehicles in all sorts of weather in the wilds of Scotland, various 4x4 in all sorts of conditions in Africa, driven in almost every city /large town in the uk and on most M WAYS .
In the midlands i was a service engineer doing about 60k a year for about 5 years.
Ive driven taxis (mini cabs/8 seaters and black cabs) for years.
Now at work i pilot a transit .
Miles - gave up counting at the million mark.
Ambition - with Mrs B in passenger seat to be able to say " yes dear i saw that five minutes ago" as she has at least 750 thousand miles in the passenger seat. (and lets me know it). She acts as a second pair of eyes for me .Only ever had 3 points for speeding and only ever once had a lecture for going slightly overboard by a Trafpol, although i fly low , so i must do something right. On the other hand, limits set right , i obey or get below as the case might be.

started driving aged 12 on dads tractor.

Passed tractor test @16

Passed car test @ 17 at 3rd time of asking (arse)

Passed Class1 CDL in USA at, er 23 I think

Passed Bike test @ 26

SADA advance course @ 27

Rospa silver (poo) at 31

driven well over 100 tractors of all shapes, sizes, spec levels and colours, digger, combine harvester a forage harvester, sprayer. Driven the length and bredth of the US of Yank in a car and some peterbilts, pulling a combine on a trailer. Driven in NZ too.

Never had points, but have crashed, one bad one not so both my fault, but it had better not happen again, full no claims now.

Got my first bike at the age of 9 - BSA Bantam 150

Passed bike test in 1977

Passed car test in 1978

Currently do all technical back for the UK for my company and drive around 40,000 miles a year.

Caught speeding in 1983 - my fault

Again in 1984 - not my fault (Van was restricted to 40mph in NSL and I didn't know) OK it was my fault too lol.

Sold my last bike two years ago as I didn't have time to ride it any more and being a single dad, couldn't risk it.

July 2004 - wrongly of speeding, still fighting it.

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If you're right, did your heels in
If you're wrong, admit it!

Sink the scameraships
Give us back our Police Force

After many delays in getting test sorted i finally took RoSPA car test in June and passed with Gold! Now the challenge is to keep the standard up - examiner suggested i become an observer as he felt i had the right attitude and was enthusiastic about driving. Thinking of HPC when funds allow.

Currently preparing for IAM Bike test.