Neil F

There is always a post of some sort on here about speed traps, injustice and inconsistencies in the law, outdated regulations and law enforcement out of context with real world driving.
And I know that I’m not alone in being sick of the treatment that motorists receive and the way that the anti car lobby’s misinformed arguments are so publicly supported.
Of course it is easy for the authorities to clamp down and enjoy the profits from dogmatic fines compared to having to put some effort in to bringing an outdated system into the modern world and “educating out” the appalling road habits of a large body of “social” drivers.

So if you were offered the chance to put forward proposals to re-vamp the road system, what would you do and how would you justify it to the authorities?

I guess I’d better kick off with some ideas, and who knows, if the responses are good enough, maybe we could get Tony Blair to do something? (yeah right, some chance!!).

I think we need to shatter the myth about cars being a dangerous menace and the scourge of the earth. Many people just don’t enjoy cars and see them merely as a utility, at the same time refusing to believe that “other” people should be allowed to enjoy the experience. (Some people like houses and spend oodles of cash on them, but I think they are just for living in personally!)
If we were therefore willing to make certain concessions to show that motoring enthusiasts are a responsible bunch, I think we would be better received. So...

1. A grading system to split the classes of cars and reflect their capabilities.
In the same way that a car under 1000cc is acknowledged as being “environmentally pleasing” and therefore enjoys lower tax, I think cars capable of cruising at higher speeds with surer handling and superior stopping abilites should be categorised differently (they sort of are already for insurance purposes).
Different speed limits (on suitable roads) could then be applied these classes (and there need only be a couple).

2. A restriction on brake horse power for younger drivers.
I can’t understand why this hasn’t been implemented already. They do it for motorbikes/mopeds (and employ varied speed restrictions as per above idea).
Is it not a fact that drivers between 17 and 21 are 60% more likely to have an accident (or something like that)?

3. Advanced licensing.
Cars within a certain category (high performance) would require the driver to have an advanced license.
This would not only provide a source of income in test fees (to appease the greed factor), but would show a hightened commitment to ownership when someone considers a performance vehicle. A casual buyer on a whim of owning a performance car may just be put off by the hassle of extra tests.

4. Improved driver education.
Instead of decrying road rage as an appalling act from irresponsible drivers, why not deal with the root problems? Lane arrogance and disregard (or lack of understanding) of some of the basic highway code requirements can be addressed at any time in an advertising campaign. Something along the lines of the old “give cyclists a wide berth” adverts of (quite a few!) years back for example would be a start.

Points 2 and 3 could also have other knock on benefits.
Insurance should benefit, as rich kids in performance cars would no longer be able to add to the accident rate for performance vehicles.
The Police would be aided in their identification of joyriders and prosecution of “unlicensed” drivers would be more clean cut.

This has gone on a bit I know, but I am interested in your views (or if you think my ideas are stupid!)

Neil.

BOB.T

This should be an interesting thread!

I think there should be more emphahsis on actually driving the car rather than parking up when you learn to drive. Perhaps this could involve a track session, skid pan or both.

There should be retests, say every 5 years or so to eliminate bad habits/ pick up on bad drivers.

I definately agree with the BHP limits and extra license ideas.

Bob

JohnM

It sounds weird, and I dont know whether cost would prohibit it, but I think people should learn to drive earlier.

When I was younger I used to do 'Earlydrive' at Brands Hatch. The only requirement was that you had to be able to reach the peddles. They had a mini road system with traffic lights and junctions, and depending on whether there was a meet or not you went on part of the track.

Not only did you get to drive a car when you were young (when I was 15/16 I couldnt wait to drive!). but it was also in a safe enivironment (did not endanger people on the roads).

By the time I got onto the roads I pretty much knew how to drive - I just had to learn how to put this into practice on the road - I didnt have to worry about biting points etc.....

I think BHP limits would be very sensible, but at the same time a lot of them problem is that young driver drive their 1.0 cars as if they had 200BHP +!

I do think there should be regular tests - everyone knows that a lot of people would fail their test if they were to take it again tomorrow - whether they were a 'good' driver or not....

There are plenty of other ideas, but the problem is money - can you imaging how much we would have to pay for fuel etc.. if the govt brought in any schemes!! Anything that the public had to pay for wouldnt be that successful because a lot of people wouldnt/couldnt pay for it....

Jerome

The single best thing any motorist can do to is to vote non-labour. They are so anti-motorist it defies belief. I can't believe any motorist would vote for labour - a complete bunch of anti-motorist to$$ers!

Jerome

Further to my first post, The Telegraph on Saturday had an excellent article on transport in the Motoring section with loads of sensible ideas for improving the roads.

The article is too long to type in here so here is the URL:

GazP

How about putting all the speed limits outside schools to 20 MPH for a start. Next, put speed camera in accident black spots. Renew all the road surfaces, as that is what the road tax is for, not paying for immigrants to sit on their bums. I would also consider raising the speed limit on the motorways to the german autobahns, EG unlimited unless the signs say so, and then I would deal with engine and BHP restrictions for the under 21s. The driving test should be changed so that people have motorway lessons after they pass their test, and people should also be taught how to drive in the wet properly. I would scrap bus lanes, in todays PC envirnment they aren't PC by descriminating against the motorist, and I would halve the tax on petrol, making SUL about 41.9P

I think the above is common sense. If any major political party did this they would get a lot of votes.

GranTurismo

I support lower speed limits in many residential areas.

Also CCTV road surveylence that targets BAD driving like dangerous overtakes, wayward pedestrians and driving too close. not simple drving x mph over a preset limit.

If you stand at a roundabout in a town for about 3 mins (while I wait to cross a road, I dont watch roundabouts for fun you understand) you see at least 1 near miss due to crap driving, this is at speeds of less than 15mph.

Neil F

Jerome.
I almost certainly won't be voting Labour for that reason alone!

JohnM.
I agree these things would cost money, but surely that's what all the speeding fines are for isn't it?
They must have pots of cash from fines and what excuse can they have for not spending it on improving road safety?

Any more thoughts anyone?

Neil.

DominicA

Top Point 1.

Had that very same thought on the motorway last night. Why should my speed be limited by an out-of-date speed limit drawn up when the current cars had drum brakes and took 4 times as long to stop??
Dom

Markus

Biggest improvement should be compulsory driver re-education if you're banned.

The governement/police like speed cameras coz they are a cash cow, pure and simple, look at the nottingham SPECS trial, they openely said it was a failure due to very little revenue being gathered from it!

OK, not all speed cameras are cash cows, I'll give you that, but most are.

Driver re-education may not be the complete answer but it might help. I've picked up many bad habbits in the 8 or so years i've been driving, and re education might help in that score.

Plus there is the situation of ever changing traffic density. In my town, since I passed, one way systems have cropped up, new speed limits, speed cameras, and lots, and lots more traffic. I thought my town was fairly quiet 8 years ago, now there is a lot more hussle and bussle, therefore the changing conditions of driving in even the past 5 years have to be taken into account.

The older you get the bigger the change, my granddad, great geezer that he is, has seen a 400 percent increase if not more, in traffic since he passed his test (if he did past a test, I'm not sure on this one !) therefore he has a lot to comprehend when he's just driving to town and back.

astraboy

I would be more than willing to put up with a 20mph limit in urban areas if the motorways were unlimited.
me straight up the a1(m) to that 8 mile straight. 5th gear foot on floor. you know the score.
astraboy.