Fish1

Too late for me Ive just been dome on the M6, doing average speed 98mph. ****!!!!!! But I totally agree with you all, especially when I got caught doing that speed at 05.40 in the bloody morning, I mean its just pathetic this country, they just want more easy revenue to pay them lasy layabout MP,s etc...... Winds me up something cronic. Oh well!!!

ANDY330

whereabouts on the M6 fish1? by gun, camera or copper?

pacenote

The 70 limit was imposed on motorways 'cos when the M1 opened people began testing various performance cars on it eg AC Cobra at speeds well over 100 MPH ! - not that the 70 limit affected my dad's MK2 Cortina Estate much.
I certainly think the limit should be amended but poor lane discipline will always be the main problem.

Goldfinger

What about this one, do you think there should be a minimum speed on the Queen's Highways? I for one do as sometimes somebody going too slow can be more of a hazard than somebody going very quickly IMHO. I think a mimimum of 60mph would do nicely assuming weather is OK and no congestion ... anyone else agree?

Phil

Richard Simpson

I was talking with a colleague from Belgium about this yesterday. In Belgium, they have cameras overhead to catch people travelling too close - what a great idea. IMHO if you are travelling at 70 with a muppet on your tail, it is far more dangerous than travelling at 90 with plenty of room to observe what is going on, also you will be more relaxed as you are not being pressured so much.

AS ever it goes back to the it's not speed that kills but people driving dabngerously at speed that kills. I really think that in Britain people do not have the right attitude to drive safely at speed (on the whole)
- reps who have to be faster than anyone else
- women/men who think I am in a BMW/Merc/Audi/New car!!! which means I am invincible - whatever the conditions
- generally people who don't look in their rear view mirror and think that I am holding people up/causing a problem (sep in the outside lane)

tiggers

As far as I am concerned the motorway speed limit should be abolished. It was introduced when the most popular car was a Ford Anglia and it is fair to say that there is no car on the road today that handles as badly or takes as long to stop as an Anglia (except the Land Rover Discovery of course!!).

Having said that before the limit is abolished the police/government need to change tack compleately reagrding traffic policing. The police should concentrate on enforcing lane discipline, stopping tailgating and generally enforcing sensible use of the motorways rather than concenrating on speeding.

I also think that the government should launch an advertising campaign regarding lane discipline, tailgating and correct use of the motorways in general. This should include TV ads, public information films in cinemas and billboard advertising as well as leaflet posting. If people are educated about the motorwways and the rules are enforced by the police/courts then we can eventually raise the speed limits.

I have driven a lot in Europe and on the whole their general standard of driving is much better than ours. Until the average British citizen is educated properly though things are not going to change.

Regards,

tiggers.

robski

I think they should be left at 70 sorry.

If we the general public want a higher limit we need to reduce road deaths first. There is NO way the government are going to increase the limits as they are trying to reduce road deaths.

Increasing the speed limit to say 90 on motorways will increase the legal speed differential between the classes of vehicles which will Im sure increase the number of accidents. Why? because inexperienced and low skilled drivers who currently do 75-85ish will start going 95-105, and will NOT have time to react to the 100 year old biddie who decides to change into the outside lane at 55 because shes bored or got confused.

If we want faster limits we have to reduce the deaths at current speeds by better driver training and then look to increase limits.

I would favour a progression to the following :

Heavy Residential 10mph (your typical backstreet with cars parked each side)

Normal Residential 20mph (more modern areas, and basically most roads other than above)

Main City/Town arteries 30 or 40 depending on width, and individual road conditions

Country lanes 70 max but with improved warnings of hazards, or more restrictions for extreme blind corners etc (i.e. a special sign for a limited speed round an obstacle as its blind or restricted, or has an entrance the other side etc...)

The following types of roads should have target speeds, anyone/thing not capable of maintaining these speeds cannot travel them during peak times

Single Carriageway 60 (allowed 50-75)

Dual Carraigeway inside target 60, outside target 70 (allowed inside 55 minimum, outside 65 minimum, 80 maximum)

Motorway inside target 60 (55 minimum), middle target 70 (65 minimum), outside 80 (75 minimum, 85 maximum)

K you can flame me now

robski

Richard Simpson

How often do you see Police on the motorways apart from sat on bridges/slip roads with a speed gun. People regularly drive at 95mph - 105mph as there is nothing to say not to (either between there ears or police). Over the last 2 years I could have driven to work at 120mph every day and not got caught! It is the same on the streets - I only see a policeman when there is football on!

If they did raise the speed limit on motorways to say 90 and then were much stricter on both speeding and poor driving - tailgating, hogging the outside lane/middle lane etc. It would make a hell of a difference as people would more likely not exceed the 90mph limit. Those that do speed will probably do so any way because, they don't care and should therefore bee dealt with more severely.

I don't neccesarily see any point in raising the speed limits on country roads though, but better sign posting would help.

Elvis Presley

So what about my ideas on tests?

HELLOM8

Increasing the speed limit has it advantages, but this would never be possible in England due to the lack of lane discipline.
Upping the speed limit doesn’t necessarily relive congestion, sometimes reducing the speed limit to bunch the cars up and create more space on the motorway is the only option, 8 lane motorways could well be the answer.
Cheers.
Ian.

boomer

robski,

Sadly, the only way that we/i can help reduce roads deaths (on motorways) is to physically stop all the "centre lane owners group" and "tailgaters" and "lane wanderers" etc. and kill them (er, or seriously maim them, otherwise there would be _more_ road deaths )

Until something can be done about the brainless ***** who drive on our motorways (indeed all of our roads), then the "speed kills" mantra will continue, and true road safety will not improve!!!

mb

scooby_si

a lot of valid points but the fact is we all, ok mayb sum not, push our cars as far as we feel we can get away with & we're pissed if we get caught going OTT. I agree thou that most deaths r on the small roads & as such i dont c y a faster top speed on M-ways aint possible but in reality i no wot the govt r doing£££. Truth is we all think we no wot we can get away with till it goes **** up so top speed in such situation is always OTT but giving a general level is always guna cause objections but such is life!
Hey ho lets play avoid the camera
Si

stephen30

Speaking of those lovely cameras, they do on occasion seem to be more dangerous than help safety. Just driven up from London to the Midlands tonight on the A1. Most of the way ther are speed cameras about but everyone just goes along at their normal speed and then slams the anchors on so they don't get caught. Madness!
The funny thing is, one part of the A1 which is motorway up to Peterborough is 4 lanes and everone sticks to the two insode lanes andf traffic flows marvellopusly. 20 mins up the road, the non mototrway section of the same road and there is a mile long queue for a round about in the middle of the road. They need to sort the roads out first. If I had been doing more than 70 ish at the time, I don't like my chances of stopping as I came over the hill to see stationary traffic!

Steve

ajw

Does anyone else get sick of the " speed kills " notion. I think Britain has the lowest road mortality rate in Europe - yet still the speed kills is rammed down are throats. yes its true that if a pedestrian is hit at 35mph he is twice as likely to be killed as a t 30mph - so why dont we reduce the speed limit to 25mph or even better 10mph - then the death rate soars even lower - you see my point. The fact is peolple are always going to die on the roads - we have the lowest death rates in Europe - yet while every country increases their speed limits - we are intent are lowering ours. I say increase the motorway speed limits to 110mph - and if we really want to stop peole dying - ban smoking - that would save millions. A bit of a immature and niave view - but theres truth in it.

RB5SCOTT

Lets face it, if you've got to drive 200miles on a motorway, what speed would keep you alert and awake as opposed to bored and sleepy

A: 100mph
or
B: 70mph

Which do you think is the safest

[Edited by RB5SCOTT - 2/7/2002 6:30:15 PM]

Elvis Presley

My suggestion.

Single A road - 60mph.
Dual carriageway - 80mph.
Motorway - 100mph.

Introduce very strict testing in two parts. Part one would cover standard test stuff, but restricts drivers to single and dual carriageways and a speed of 60mph.

Part two test taken after a year and covers motorway driving and driving in adverse conditions (skid pan etc). Similar to advanced test but with defensive driving and more skills.

Passing each test allows you to buy a 3 year license at £300. This would replace road tax.

After three years you would have to be retested and buy another license. Upon failing a test you would have to wait (or go back to part one license) for 6 months before another test.

This would get rid of all the **** drivers within 3 years. The roads would be empty and would require less maintainence.

The public transport systems would improve greatly due to all the extra money they would generate. (People would be forced to use them because they can't drive, not because they can't afford to drive, which is how the government are currently making it).

The police could use their in car video cameras to pull people for what they consider "dangerous driving". This would include tailgating, lane hoggin, unsafe speeds for conditions etc and the footage would be evidence. People would be given heavy fines for these offences, NOT points!

Any problems with these suggestions?

[Edited by Elvis Presley - 2/8/2002 12:11:50 PM]