Sorry

In the first two verses of Psalm 51 , David cried out for forgiveness to God for his sin and calls that he to be cleansed, to wash away his iniquity.

Sorry is a word uttered from many lips but is it a genuine cry or just said to appease, accommodate for convenience whom we have offended. Politicians say it often for their continued selfish strategy or those in Public owned business to placate the populous. ‘ Can we say sorry and still get away with it ? ‘ this is a question that they ask.

Now , the Government have found a way for people to say sorry, pay a price of consequence yet at the same time give a lesson going forward. It comes in the form of the Driver Awareness Course. Caught driving on a speed camera in my case 43mph in a 40mph limit I was given the choice to either attend the Course at a cost of £94 and three hours of my time or take the stain of points on my licence which in turn affects the costs of Insurance and could lead to a ban if repeated again and again.

As irritating as it felt on the morning of the Course I duly attended online and after my three hours not only felt the wiser but wondered why this invaluable teaching was not a part of getting a licence to drive in the first place. On average 5 people die on the roads in Britain each week with over 125,000 seriously injured each year. Driving that extra 1 mph over the limit can be devastating. The Police have of course heard every excuse under the sun as to why one speeds but the reality is that we are only kidding ourselves. The 11 others on the Course with me were all by being there guilty of speeding yet our sin was washed away and at the same time we learned the invaluable. Speed kills.

Our Motorways are our safest roads , our country roads most dangerous whilst our urban roads provide a threat of intensity as there are more goings on around us. The Driver Awareness Course is the opportunity to admit guilt within a boundary of banishment yet at the same time a replenishment of life skill. I recommend it to anyone and a road to take out of town when captured.

In our Penal system there must be more scope to provide similar schemes than just locking people away. After all the prospect of an offender returning to prison is 73% so why don’t we adopt lessons for life’s wrong turns rather than iron bars in concrete. If the offender pays and learns it’s a cost saver and a win for all. For those that opt for the stain on their life or licence then so be it and as irritating as it all may be ultimately it’s for our benefit. Let’s all wake up and smell the coffee, there’s a Starbucks 5 miles ahead and slowly does it we will be there soon and on time.