I went on a Speed Choice course on thursday. It was that or get 3 points on my licence so i jumped at it. I was a bit fed up about having to take the afternoon off work and I expected it to be boring. This impression was confirmed when the two geeky blokes who were running it - Mick and Gordon - handed out our name stickers and fiddled with their powerpoint projector. Even though they were a bit irritating and cliched - they managed to cram loads of useful stuff into the three hour session. It reminded of what bollocks a lot of the training I go to at work is - wasting time with brainstorms and flip-chart paper; long breaks and lunches; trainers trying to be your mate by letting you go early - while its them whose getting away with a six hour day.

Before going on the course I had felt a little powerless about my ability to stay below the speed limit on a reguilar basis. Its not that I'm some top gear watching speed king - its just that I'm easily distracted and can never remember where speed cameras are. Similarly - I felt powerless about my ability not to cause an accident one day. This is particularly poignant as my partners son nearly died last year when hit by a car.

The course not only drove (sic) home the difference a few extra mph can make, it also gave some handy hints for being a safer driver e.g. drive in 3rd gear in most 30mph zones. I have been trying this out and it makes it much easier to stick to 30. The one i failed to stick to was the thing about alcohol being in your system the next day. I went out this morning at 11 when I might have been over the limit until about 6pm. Got away with it this time though.