For once it was nice to be invisible.

*they didn't even give you a complimentary coffee*

Excuse me? Presumably you were made to do this course because you’d been caught speeding? And you expect free tea and coffee?!

The dragon shirt www.miaprintspro.com/dragon-oldlady2-mistake-hhh-tl…

Miss Fancy Pants ...mmmm. Who were you ost annoyed with - the men who ignored you or the girl for being glamorous.

Lona

Once you've accepted that nobody's interested in you anymore, it's quite liberating

This with bells on! I actually love it!

Bbbface

they didn't even give you a complimentary coffee

Excuse me? Presumably you were made to do this course because you’d been caught speeding? And you expect free tea and coffee?!

Actually my DH did one he got complimentary coffee and biscuits.
It’s not supposed to be a punishment, it’s informative, to make you reflect on it and think when your in the road. He said it was actually very good and if ever he’s tempted to speed (he drives all day) it flashes through his mind and makes him mindful of possible consequences of gaining a minute or two, so job done.

@Bbbface - “You have to pay for the course, which typically costs around £100”

The men sound like the sort who aren't going to listen to any woman's comments or opinions. Life is full of those, I find. But hey, it was only half a day. Maybe another time, if you've got something to say, just chuck it in there, come out with it. Don't wait to be asked.

I did the Speed Awareness Course on a voluntary basis when I lived in Somerset. This was encouraged by the Police as a way of brushing up on our driving awareness, no cost involved, no free tea/coffee. There were only 4 of us who had requested to do the course bothered to turn up. I found it informative & it reinforced one or two things I'd forgotten about in 40+ years of driving. I have always held a clean licence & still drive 100s of miles often long journeys. Lady running the course said that under 25s are the worst as they see anything wrong with mobile use whilst driving even when faced with evidence from fatal accidents which are very graphic.

It's a course. It's voluntary and cost just under £100 so I don't think a cup of coffee is asking too much when you have to drive through rush hour traffic for nearly an hour to be there for 7.45am.

Newatthis, you're assuming I was annoyed. I wasn't!

BTW. Miss Fancy Pants volunteered to write down the answers in a group activity where we had to spot potential hazards. She was a good speed writer and our table won the task by 10points. When the man running the course praised our observation skills, Mr. Clever Dick said it was all because we had the best scribe. For a minute I thought being so ancient, I'd stumbled into an episode of 'Up Pompeii.'

Miss Fancy Pant's reply was, 'Wassa scribe?'

All you need now is a Sid Spanner (preferably a plumber)

Sounds like it has the makings of a sitcom!

I recall once being informed by the function organiser on arriving at a retirement function for one of H colleagues that I was to ' join ? the rest of the ladies' who were sitting in another side of the room, as obedient spouses do while husbands were around the bar.
I politely informed him that my day/s were spent amongst ladies ' and no disrespect' and if not a problem then I would join the men at the bar.Silence was golden.

Surely if you are going to sit and say nothing then people will think you have nothing g to say and no vows of your own. Hence, they don’t bother to speak to you.

Views not vows.

What is the point of a speed awareness course if after the first one the motorists end up going to another then another. How many are allowed before some effective sanction is imposed ie loss of license. Or, is it another money making scheme for some obscure government department. The driving standards on UK roads is rapidly deteriorating. Have driven on many European roads that I thought had poor safety standards (Portugal was the worst) in my estimation but UK is now top of the league for bad driving. That aside, haven't really experienced the 'invisible' effect yet when in a group even with those a good bit younger. Perhaps just luck or I have just switched off and never noticed.

merlotgran Wassa scribe? many lols!

In my case invisibility has reached new lows. Twice I have asked questions of male assistants. In one case about dash cams and the other about a new model of car. In both cases the young man turned to my partner who was standing beside me and directed his answers to him! It seems that if I am within a few feet of a man I disappear. Interestingly though when Im visiting my daughter in Paris I am usually made feel like the woman I am, and it seems to apply to all the other older ladies around....I've made a point of observing from a my seat outside one of the many cafes there. I often head home recharged.

Husband and I went into a car showroom to look for a new car for me.

The young salesman came up to us, greeted my husband, and invited him to come and see the range of cars.

I stood still and didn't follow them, then looked at his fellow salesman who looked very uncomfortable and said "well that's just cost him a shed load of commission" and walked out to the showroom and got in my car and drove home, leaving husband to make his own way home.

I was as furious with husband for going along with the salesman as I was with the sexist salesman

I admire your backbone HurdyGurdy. When I bought my new car they sent the details out in partners name, even though I had given my name & address which differs from his name & address. We have separate houses, separate finances. I had them correct it but only in a jokey way that made them feel uncomfortable.

I had the opposite experience. DH and I went to look at a new car for him. Salesman greeted us both and after a few minutes, directed his comments to me. DH sat smiling sweetly as I answered a couple of questions. When the salesman asked my opinion as to petrol or diesel engines, I shrugged my shoulders and told him to ask the man paying the bill.
DH, a skilled engineering buyer who loves a bargain then proceeded to hammer out a deal. Took a while but he got what he wanted. ?

I went to a motorbike display room with my OH yesterday. My husband went ahead and was greeted by one of two salesmen with a cheery “Good morning sir. Lovely weather!”

I followed and was TOTALLY ignored by both salesmen even though I was looking and trying to catch their eye. I bet if I’d tried to get a leg over one of the bikes they’d have took notice!

I don’t think this has anything to do with my age but being a ‘mere’ female. ( I am assertive and could have spoken up but I found this amusing)

Posters experiences in car showrooms made me smile. Many years ago, I decided to buy a black Fiat punto and the salesman kept pushing a red one at a reduced price to my DH, saying there was a long waiting list for a black one.

I left him my number telling him I was in no hurry and he promptly rang twice a week for a month trying to push every colour under the sun my way, to no avail. In desperation he rang my husband to tell him what an unreasonable woman I was! I did eventually get my black punto six weeks later but the salesman was nowhere on the scene- DH thinks I drove him mad!

I've quite got to like being an invisible old biddy since it dawned on me that I can practice in-depth observation of other people's foibles and twattishness practically without the risk of censure because my age renders me - quite literally - beneath their notice.

I like that.

@tiger

It absolutely is a punishment

Your dh was caught speeding. His punishment was awareness course and / or fine.

And the fact your dh got a cup of tea doesn’t mean that the OP was right to be indignant that she wasn’t served tea or coffee!

OP

So you weren’t caught speeding.
You just decided to sign up and pay for a speed awareness course. For £100?