78 replies to this topic

[minipete]

The whole idea is another load of Tory Crap!Its suppose to make the roads safer,******* if people were taught to drive properly instead of being taught to pass a test thing would be alot better.

Edited by minipete, 14 July 2012 - 08:10 PM.

[Alex_B]

The whole idea is another load of Tory Crap!Its suppose to make the roads safer,******* if people were taught to drive properly instead of being taught to pass a test thing would be alot better.

+1

I have recently passed my test, and am now looking into advanced driving lessons because I am paranoid that one day I will end up needing to get out of a situation and not knowing what to do to correct a slide or something, and it baffles me that I as never taught things like not to brake or lift off mid corner ect things that can really bite you in the bum if you dont know what you are doing.

[M J W J]

The justification appears to be about half the fatalities happen in 60 zones - but what proportion of road usage is that?

That's where people pull out onto main roads without paying attention. One road near me has had quite a few accidents so they decided to put in a 30 mph limit. Most of the accidents happen where the road joins the main road. The accidents are caused by bikers speeding along the road. They come over the crest of the hill too fast and slam into the back or side of someone pulling out who hasn't seen them. The 30 mph limit stops 50 yards before the junction.

Speed doesn't kill. Mass deceleration kills and cars decelerate too quickly when they hit stuff. Cars hit stuff because people aren't paying attention. We should increase all speed limits so we can loose some of the stupid and careless people in our society. Formally know as natural selection.

I tend to ignore the 30 mph limit on my road. For years it was 60. They put it in around the school and then extended it to the full length of the road. When I drive back at 10:30 pm the 30 mph limit seems a little pointless.

[AVV IT]

The justification appears to be about half the fatalities happen in 60 zones - but what proportion of road usage is that?

That's where people pull out onto main roads without paying attention.

I deal with road traffic collisions on a daily basis, and in my experience fatalities in national speed limit zones actually tend to be as a result of "head on" collisions (often as a result of dangerous overtaking), or where vehicles leave the road at speed and collide with trees at the roadside. Lateral or "T-Bone" collisions (where vehicles on major roads collide with vehicles accessing from side roads) actually tend to be more common in urban/ built up areas and speed restricted zones.

Speed doesn't kill. Mass deceleration kills and cars decelerate too quickly when they hit stuff. Cars hit stuff because people aren't paying attention. We should increase all speed limits so we can loose some of the stupid and careless people in our society. Formally know as natural selection.

Only problem with that theory is that serious collisions very often involve a second vehicle/innocent party. Also as the slower of the two vehicles tends to absorb more of the energy of the impact, it's very often the innocent party that is seriously/fatally injured. Therefore increasing speed limits probably wouldn't actually kill off the stupid and careless people in our society, it would just kill off more of the people that they crash in to!!

Edited by AVV IT, 14 July 2012 - 08:52 PM.

[mini-luke]

I live in a very windy 50 rural zone and have seen a fair few crashes in my time here. All involved teenagers leaving the road after loosing it on a corner, would they have still done it if the limit were 60? Almost certainly.

[The_Mistro]

the goverment are just a load of contradictive plonkers! they make all these tax rises in the name of the environment, but lowering the speed limit from 30 to 20 is just going to increase emmissions from vehicles!

Edited by The_Mistro, 14 July 2012 - 09:25 PM.

[Cooperman]

The big problem with low 'blanket' speeds, as they found out in the USA, is that they are widely and almost totally ignored. This is because they are unnecessary and un-policeable. Then there is the issue that as more limits are seen as unreasonable the ones which may well be necessary are also ignored. It's like the 'calling wolf' syndrome.
It won't have much effect on the enjoyment of driving a Mini because the interesting ones are out in the country and simply can't and won't be policed any more than they are now.
It seems likely that this is a bit of government 'spin'.

[1984mini25]

The big problem with low 'blanket' speeds, as they found out in the USA, is that they are widely and almost totally ignored.

It's not like anyone takes a blind bit of notice of the current speed limits. It doesn't matter if you're doing 30mph in a 30 or 60mph in a 60. There is always someone behind that either tailgates or can't wait to overtake and speed off, as doing the speed limit isn't fast enough for them.

[Cooperman]

The big problem with low 'blanket' speeds, as they found out in the USA, is that they are widely and almost totally ignored.

It's not like anyone takes a blind bit of notice of the current speed limits. It doesn't matter if you're doing 30mph in a 30 or 60mph in a 60. There is always someone behind that either tailgates or can't wait to overtake and speed off, as doing the speed limit isn't fast enough for them.

Maybe that confirms that there are an awful lot of inappropriately low speed limits these days. We have a big wide by-pass which was NSL and in fact would be OK at 70+, but there is a badly designed junction at which there was a fatality. TRhere was then a petition for traffic lights and in order for the lights to work safely the entire road is now 50. It's inappropriate except near the traffic lights, so it is very largely ingored. The real solution would have been to have sealed off the side road and removed the junction. The re-route would have been 1/2 a mile longer and would have brought the low volume of traffic on this back road to a roundabout. Hey, that's too obvious for the local council who can only think more speed limits. So no, doing an artificially low speed is not fast enough for a lot of people who have to be somewhare on time and who need to make efficient and safe progress on their journeys.

[1984mini25]

The big problem with low 'blanket' speeds, as they found out in the USA, is that they are widely and almost totally ignored.

It's not like anyone takes a blind bit of notice of the current speed limits. It doesn't matter if you're doing 30mph in a 30 or 60mph in a 60. There is always someone behind that either tailgates or can't wait to overtake and speed off, as doing the speed limit isn't fast enough for them.

Maybe that confirms that there are an awful lot of inappropriately low speed limits these days. We have a big wide by-pass which was NSL and in fact would be OK at 70+, but there is a badly designed junction at which there was a fatality. TRhere was then a petition for traffic lights and in order for the lights to work safely the entire road is now 50. It's inappropriate except near the traffic lights, so it is very largely ingored. The real solution would have been to have sealed off the side road and removed the junction. The re-route would have been 1/2 a mile longer and would have brought the low volume of traffic on this back road to a roundabout. Hey, that's too obvious for the local council who can only think more speed limits. So no, doing an artificially low speed is not fast enough for a lot of people who have to be somewhare on time and who need to make efficient and safe progress on their journeys.

I can't really comment on if there's an awful lot of inappropriate low speed limits, but I have nocied a recent rise in the lowering of some limits by 10mpg.
But then then I'd also say the standard of driving has fallen recently. I'd say i've had more near misses in 30 limits from other drivers dangerously pulling out or have been too lasy to give way at roundabouts.

[benb12]

I have had one accident which was in a rural village. I was driving a mini down a country lane, I had all the time in the world, then I woke up in a twisted mini on a crossroads. After the accident the policeman dealing with the incident put it down to a badly maintained junction. The give way signs were buried in the hedge, the STOP markings on the road had all worn away and the give way line was virtually non existant. About a year after my accident the council finally got round to painting the lines again. It winds me up because so much time and effort is put into making sure everyone drives within the speed limit yet I don't think doing 35 in a 30 is ever the cause of an accident. If some time, effort and some of my hard earned road tax was put into maintaining that junction, I would still have the best mini I've ever owned, I wouldn't have broken any bones and my insurance would be a lot cheaper.

[matthewrussell]

Yes !!!! For once it gives a reason for my mini to be going so slow !!!! Hate it when I get on the dual carriage way and everyone zooms off I'm left thinking need vtec mini (dribble) :)

[Big Man]

I serioulsy doubt that under current legisltaion that any reduction in the speed limit can be effectivly resourced! Unless speed cameras or average spped cameras are used on every inch of the road!


Unless they do change the legislation allowing contractors (G4s) to enforce speed limits...PCSO's ....HATO..etc...mmmmm how much MORE money could the goverment rake in from the "Speeding tax" !!!

[matty...]

I drive about 1000miles a week and the most frustrating thing in the world is people driving at 40/50 in a 60mph limit, on a straight open road on a nice sunny day. I drive for a living and being constantly held up by inconsiderate people on the roads p*ss*s me off!

I can see why people take risks to overtake as I do to, at the end of the day its not the people driving at 60 that cause accidents, its the ones driving too slowly causing tailbacks, refusing to pull over and let people by. The effect of this is causing people to get annoyed and try and over take, people trying to overtake the people following the slow vehicle with a possible collision if the cars in front don't use their mirrors before pulling out. Cars in junctions further up seeing the tailback of cars, and then pulling out in front not wanting to get caught up in the tailback.

Another pet hate...people that do 40mph on a slip road to a motorway!! Im not sure what goes through their mind, they know the slowest vehicle is going to be travelling at 50/55mph so why do 40? Its quicker to slow down to 55mph from 70 than it is speed up from 40 to 55.

With the limits being reduced this will just make things worse, along with most speedos now over reading, people will actually be driving in 40 limits at about 36mph if they go by the speedo and limits....just plain crazy!

[konyo]

Yes !!!! For once it gives a reason for my mini to be going so slow !!!! Hate it when I get on the dual carriage way and everyone zooms off I'm left thinking need vtec mini (dribble) :)

Just boot it