Sir, – Speed awareness courses are now part and parcel of the life for motorists here in the UK ("Training proposed for first-time speed offenders", August 15th).
Leaving aside the view that many consider such courses to be nothing more than an income generating exercise focused on penalising the average driver who will inevitably drift slightly over the limit, the simple fact is that the British motorist is normally a compliant sort of individual who takes it on the chin if caught speeding.
However this compliance can be compromised if the perception of unfairness comes into play, for example being reported for marginally drifting over the limit in ideal motoring conditions. Speed cameras do not take into account extraneous factors such as weather, volume of traffic or population density.
Speeding traffic is the bane of modern life and if speed awareness training gets us all to take our foot off the gas then it gets my vote. Not a popular opinion I suspect, but one I believe should head the in-tray for action for the Minister for Transport. – Yours, etc,
FRANK GREANEY
Liverpool.