There are other viewpoints...

[Rapscallion]

Uncle Rapscallion was careless earlier this year and was caught by a portable roadside camera, one that took rather a natty action shot of Bastardmobile II in action going a little faster than the law would prefer. I held my hands up and they offered me the chance to go on a Speed Awareness Course as this is the first time in over two decades they've had any reason to be interested in me. Means I avoid getting points on the licence.

Went for that this morning. It's a pretty good course and I would recommend it to anyone, but it's only available if you get nicked, by which time it's too late.

It had the obligatory person who jumped in on everything first, whereas the woman running the course wanted everyone to be involved. She managed to shut her down until she got the idea.

However, there was D. That could stand for his real name, or Douche, whatever you prefer.

Major congratulations to the lady (Jo) running things, as she dealt with him effortlessly. Fine, we were all in the room (about twenty of us) because we got caught going a little faster than the law wanted us to.

Suck it up. I did. The alternative is points on your licence, and that increases insurance premiums. It also means if you have too many points, you can't drive.

What Jo was unable to tell him was why the stretch of road he was caught on was of a certain limit. This didn't stop him rambling on about at quite some length. She handled it well, mostly by letting him get his main rant out and then cutting him off, but he tried to come back to it twice.

Sure, you can be angry if you like, but it's the wrong people to talk to. I almost told him to take it to Fratching.

Rapscallion

[lupo pazzesco]

I would have loved to see the look on his face if you had said take it to Fratching.

I had to take a similar course once, also to avoid upping insurance when I did actually drive. Apparently, there's a douche in every class, as the guy in my class would not shut up about how it wasn't fair he was ticketed for going 20 miles over the speed limit and blowing through a stop sign. Sadly, our instructor didn't deal with him nearly as well as yours did.

[Rapscallion]

One of the best tales Jo had was when a class contained a husband and wife team, neither of whom had told the other that they'd been hit by this. They went through the same course together.

The course was good, I will repeat that, though it tended towards, "Other drivers are bastards and you have to think for them."

Good advice, really.

Rapscallion

[lupo pazzesco]

Exquisitely good advice. Similar to what my grandpa told me when I first got my license, actually.

Advice I still try to follow even when I don't drive, since drivers here don't really put much store in little things like pedestrians...

[jedimaster91]

The course was good, I will repeat that, though it tended towards, "Other drivers are bastards and you have to think for them."

Good advice, really.

Rapscallion

The way Mama Jedi always says it is "I'm not worried about you; I'm worried about all the other idiots out there" but same sentement.

I went through one of those classes through AAA before I got my license so my parents could save a few bucks on their insurance. Lamest class ever. But then again, I consider myself a safe driver (mostly) and the whole thing was common sense to me. But we all know how common that is these days.

[Shalom]

"Other drivers are bastards and you have to think for them."

Good advice, really.

I didn't get a chance to take driver's ed in high school, which is the preferred method in NYC, so I had to get it through one of these storefront driving schools. The first thing the elderly gent who ran the place told me as I was getting in his car was, "Always bear in mind that everyone else on the road is totally insane."

[KiaKat]

Including those storefront driver's ed teachers.

I've had them pull some things on me that make me boggle at their audacity. Mid-block U-turns, blowing red lights, blowing stop signs...

I love watching people get caught when they're blatantly violating the laws of the road. It makes me giggle.

[MoonCat]

My brother used to say you should always drive as though everyone else on the road is an idiot. He was a good driver. My father used to say, "Don't drive the way I drive, do it the way I'm teaching you." He did OK, too, even though he drove for nearly 30 years with only one eye!

[Andara Bledin]

The course was good, I will repeat that, though it tended towards, "Other drivers are bastards and you have to think for them."

My high school driver's ed teacher mentioned something along these lines, as well.

I actually sat through a driving course with a friend when I was about 12 or so.

The other people were actually all well-behaved. I raised my hand when the question came to what a green light meant, because everybody knows what green means, right? The instructor called on me and I told her that "green meant go." She shook her head and told the class that "green means look, then go." I've kept that with me for over 15 years, now, and it's served me well.

^-.-^

[NorthernZel]

I've experienced something similar at every friggin' Unemployment Insurance meeting I have attended (when one is unemployed one is required to attend such a meeting 1 month after you filed for unemployment + approx. every 3 months. The meetings are for getting informations about new legislation + the unemployment agency has to check up on one's jobseeking activity.)

Every single time there was one or two grumpy guys/gals who simply HAD to rant "why are we here", "this is a waste of time", "I have better things to do" etc. for at least half an hour.

Hey, breaking news, jackass - you are ordered to attend by LAW, and NOONE in here (agency workers included) wants to be here longer than necessary, so shut up and get it over with! Grrr!

[wraiths_crono]

I got caught once for a non well marked construction site but was pulled over by a cop whom showed me the markers i missed, thus i took to school option, once guy showed up 5 min after it started, began a rant that the JUDGE that was running the class refused to let him in, dude started saying it was the law, Judge laughed and then the 2nd class idiot stood up and said it was unfair for us to all have speeding tickets, Judge again laughed and quoted "If you break the law, and get caught why is it unfair if you can convince me I will let the entire class go right now and pass them ALL." Idiot turned red and sat down, oh so fun.

[PepperElf]

"Other drivers are bastards and you have to think for them."

though it sounds like perhaps one of your classmates was trying to prove that he was the bastard that quote is about...