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Speed Awareness Course at Withdean Sports Complex



Windows

New member
Feb 8, 2013
53
Hove
Has anyone been on this Speed Awareness Course at the training room at Withdean Sports Complex?

I got done by a camera doing 72mph on a 60mph carriageway recently & took the option to attend the course at this venue & avoid the points on my licence.

My course is this Tuesday afternoon, but I've no idea where to park (there are possibly 2 car parks & the course is in a training room next to the complex?) or where to go and the info provided is sparse! :eek:

Can anyone answer my question please?
 


Chicken Runner61

We stand where we want!
May 20, 2007
4,609
Park in the car park or in one of the side roads

The course is in the old directors boardroom - well it was when I went
 


Windows

New member
Feb 8, 2013
53
Hove
Park in the car park or in one of the side roads

The course is in the old directors boardroom - well it was when I went

How long ago did you go, and where is this room? In the actual complex or in a seperate building next door etc..??

Is it signposted?
 


Chicken Runner61

We stand where we want!
May 20, 2007
4,609
Last year - pretty sure it was easy to find mind u they are building there so it might be busy.

Its the building right in front of the car park entrance
 


Windows

New member
Feb 8, 2013
53
Hove
Thx.

Can you drive all the way down Tongdean Lane (where the venue is) as there is a sign that says access only (if you want to approach from that end of the road as I would) ?
 




Dec 29, 2011
8,014
Have been to one before a few years back. You're basically swapping three points and a higher insurance premium for a day of relative awkwardness. Well worth it :thumbsup:
 


Jul 7, 2003
8,574
Has anyone been on this Speed Awareness Course at the training room at Withdean Sports Complex?

I got done by a camera doing 72mph on a 60mph carriageway recently & took the option to attend the course at this venue & avoid the points on my licence.

My course is this Tuesday afternoon, but I've no idea where to park (there are possibly 2 car parks & the course is in a training room next to the complex?) or where to go and the info provided is sparse! :eek:

Can anyone answer my question please?

Did the course at Withdean last month. Just follow the P&R signs and drive into the main car park - there is usually a sign directing you to the course which is in a small building to the left of the Sportsman. You can usually get out into the old North Stand in your breaks - it seems a little surreal looking at the place now.

Course is quite interesting and not too preachy.
 


Windows

New member
Feb 8, 2013
53
Hove
Did the course at Withdean last month. Just follow the P&R signs and drive into the main car park - there is usually a sign directing you to the course which is in a small building to the left of the Sportsman. You can usually get out into the old North Stand in your breaks - it seems a little surreal looking at the place now.

Course is quite interesting and not too preachy.
Thanks...

Sorry for all the questions, but I'm dreading it.
Nobody is going to want to be there, so I can't imagine the atmosphere will be great.

Is it about 25 people sitting in a classroom layout with the talker at the front, or is the layout something different?
 




Mackenzie

Old Brightonian
Nov 7, 2003
33,508
East Wales
Thanks...

Sorry for all the questions, but I'm dreading it.
Nobody is going to want to be there, so I can't imagine the atmosphere will be great.

Is it about 25 people sitting in a classroom layout with the talker at the front, or is the layout something different?
Nothing to dread about it. The course is very interesting.
 


Arthur

Well-known member
Jul 8, 2003
8,537
Buxted Harbour
Thanks...

Sorry for all the questions, but I'm dreading it.
Nobody is going to want to be there, so I can't imagine the atmosphere will be great.

Is it about 25 people sitting in a classroom layout with the talker at the front, or is the layout something different?

I posted about this on a thread yesterday. I've recently done the course up at the race course. There were probably about 30-40 people. Course is split into three sections. First section very useful, goes over stopping distances, shows you a couple of videos and goes over several bits and bobs from the highway code you instantly forget as soon as you pass your test.

The second half you'll be right to dread. Its basically an hour and half of them telling you how you are going to die and kill everyone else and lose your job, your house, your family etc etc. I took very little from it other than the presenter was like an Alan Partridge clone and was probably the last person in the world you'd want to have a drink with. Final hour is the scare tactics where they show you TV ads from over years from around the world.

I doubt you'll take allot from the course to be honest, I certainly didn't. It probably won't change the way you drive but for 4 hours of your life its probably worth doing to save your insurance going up.
 


The Merry Prankster

Pactum serva
Aug 19, 2006
5,576
Shoreham Beach
Thanks...

Sorry for all the questions, but I'm dreading it.
Nobody is going to want to be there, so I can't imagine the atmosphere will be great.

Is it about 25 people sitting in a classroom layout with the talker at the front, or is the layout something different?

Nothing to dread about it. The course is very interesting.

I thought it was a very good course. One or two " it's not fair, I never done nuffin, Police conspiracy" morons but most people got something out of it.
 






Gumbo

New member
Feb 18, 2009
105
I did one in bexhill recently which wasnt too bad really and does make you think about things more and slow down a bit too, so a decent experience. Funny how everyone there was male between about 35-50. Not a boy racer in sight..
 


Jul 7, 2003
8,574
Heard that a lot of insurance companies have to be told about the course and your insurance still goes up


According to the people who gave the course, the only big companies at the moment who request this are within the Admiral Group (Admiral, Sheila's Wheels, etc).
 




Jul 7, 2003
8,574
Thanks...

Sorry for all the questions, but I'm dreading it.
Nobody is going to want to be there, so I can't imagine the atmosphere will be great.

Is it about 25 people sitting in a classroom layout with the talker at the front, or is the layout something different?

Like anything of this type, it really depends on who is there. My group were okay, a decent mix of people. There was one older lady (who scarily was a lollipop lady) from Burgess Hill who thought that the only speed limites were 30mph in towns and 70mph on every other road!

There are four table of 6 spread across the room - probably best to sit at one of the tables at either end. There is some participation but nobody should feel uncomfortable.

Most of what you are told is common sense and stuff that as a driver you should know but have probably forgotten. There is some interesting information on braking distances - not just the boring tables that used to be on the back of the Highway Code. Having been on the course, while I wouldn't say I am driving much slower (I did an advanced driver assessment a few years ago and my style was described as 'progressive') I have noticed that I am leaving more space between me and the vehicle in front which gives you more time to respond to any problems ahead.
 


Windows

New member
Feb 8, 2013
53
Hove
I did the course this afternoon (Tuesday) at Withdean, and thought I'd post my comments for anyone who may read this in the future who is about to also do this course.

Some of the earlier comments are pretty spot on, but to reiterate, on my course there were 24 people ranging from about 35 to a lady who was 80+ with a total of 6 females of varying ages.

Stuart & Alison were the two speakers, taking it in turns to present a segment (3 in total) and Stuart in particular was very good indeed...I reckon he must have done some motivational speaking in the past as he came across very friendly, not speaking down to anyone and took the mickey out of himself & his colleague often.

It's presented in a really interesting, down to earth format with slideshows & videos at various points, plus everything was backed up with examples throughout....some poor guy walked out during a video with a teen's head getting squished because he wasn't wearing a seatbelt, killing his 3 friends in the process.... :facepalm:


The stuff about speed cameras & what you can get away with was my favourite part! I also didn't know that your speedometer is always 10% optimistic, meaning you are never going quite as fast as you think, plus you can legally go 10% + 3mph over any speed limit in Sussex without getting done...fact! punk:

The middle section was all about death, going to court & prison & the effect it would have on your life & family, with some personal examples thrown in for good measure....really lighthearted stuff...NOT. :moo:


The 4 hours flew past and I would have been quite happy to sit for another couple of hours if they hadn't run out of things to say!

It was SO much better than I'd been expecting...I really enjoyed it and thanked the speakers on the way out.

I'm now gagging for a go on a skidpan to test the theories that were put forward.... :thumbsup:
 


Seagull over Canaryland

Well-known member
Feb 8, 2011
3,549
Norfolk
I did the course this afternoon (Tuesday) at Withdean, and thought I'd post my comments for anyone who may read this in the future who is about to also do this course.

Some of the earlier comments are pretty spot on, but to reiterate, on my course there were 24 people ranging from about 35 to a lady who was 80+ with a total of 6 females of varying ages.

Stuart & Alison were the two speakers, taking it in turns to present a segment (3 in total) and Stuart in particular was very good indeed...I reckon he must have done some motivational speaking in the past as he came across very friendly, not speaking down to anyone and took the mickey out of himself & his colleague often.

It's presented in a really interesting, down to earth format with slideshows & videos at various points, plus everything was backed up with examples throughout....some poor guy walked out during a video with a teen's head getting squished because he wasn't wearing a seatbelt, killing his 3 friends in the process.... :facepalm:


The stuff about speed cameras & what you can get away with was my favourite part! I also didn't know that your speedometer is always 10% optimistic, meaning you are never going quite as fast as you think, plus you can legally go 10% + 3mph over any speed limit in Sussex without getting done...fact! punk:

The middle section was all about death, going to court & prison & the effect it would have on your life & family, with some personal examples thrown in for good measure....really lighthearted stuff...NOT. :moo:


The 4 hours flew past and I would have been quite happy to sit for another couple of hours if they hadn't run out of things to say!

It was SO much better than I'd been expecting...I really enjoyed it and thanked the speakers on the way out.

I'm now gagging for a go on a skidpan to test the theories that were put forward.... :thumbsup:

But will you now think twice before speeding................sadly it seems not as you admit your 'favourite part' was 'what you can get away with' :facepalm:
 



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