Are Speed Limits too Vintage?

[The Boss]

Article today about Speeding... We all have gone over the limit at some time, but are they incorrect or out dated.

Driving: Motorists Admit To Breaking Speeding Laws On A Regular Basis | UK News | Sky News

I agree, that in school and built up areas speed limits should be 20 MPH for schools and small roads, and 30 for inner roads, but dual carriageways could safely be 70, and motorways pushed to 90.

Cars today are very capable machines, more so than 30,40 or even 50 years ago..

I respect the Govts push on side roads and inner roads, but should Motorway speed limits be increased?

 

[renault12ts]

Dual carriageways are 70 unless stated otherwise!!

 

[Sp!ke]

No , they used to be 70 and more recently they are otherwise stated.

 

[renault12ts]

Have you got a copy of the highway code? They are still 70 unless a lower speed limit is posted.

http://www.abd.org.uk/know_your_speed_limits.htm

 

[The Boss]

Have you got a copy of the highway code? They are still 70 unless a lower speed limit is posted.

ABD - Know Your Speed Limits

hi.. i dunno.. i remember them being 50 or 60 unless otherwise stated.. i could be wrong..

LOL.. thats a great start for me.. i dont even know the bloody limits lol.. How i have no points on my license i will never know lol

 

[renault12ts]

70 70 70 70 70 70 70 70 70 70 70 70 70 70 70 70 70 70...

 

[renault12ts]

From the Highway Code to-day:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycode/DG_070304

 

[JumboBeef]

It is 70, and has been forever.

OK, cars have improved since the speed limits were set years ago but:

1/ the roads are now much more crowded.
2/ the car might be better, but the driver isn't. Reaction time hasn't improved and most drivers would be an accident waiting to happen travelling at 90mph.

 

[JumboBeef]

From the Highway Code to-day:

National speed limits for vans : Directgov - Motoring

That's for vans: for cars it is 70!

 

[renault12ts]

That's for vans: for cars it is 70!

You are supposed to read the whole thing. I have said 70 all along!! Anyway I found a clearer link. It constantly amazes me that people do not know this. Listen to the answers on a phone in show where this question is posed, even police don't always know the answer.

 

[Dryce]

LOL.. thats a great start for me.. i dont even know the bloody limits lol.. How i have no points on my license i will never know lol

LOL.

A surprising number of people don't know the NSL.

In answer to your previous question. I don't think there's any need to change the current situation. People ignore 70 on the motorway. If you raise it to 80 or 90 then a significant number will ignore that too. An additional problem on the m'ways is that if more traffic travels closer to a new higher limit we still have trucks on their limiters. I think the flow on the motorway will become more dangerous as a result of the speed differentials.

The 20 limits already in urban/suburban areas don't actually work IMHO. I've yet to see almost any car keep to 20 unless there are traffic calming measures in place. The 20 limit does reduce traffic speeds but only in that it tends to pull speeds down nearer to or just below 30. Better to enforce 30 IMHO.

 

[renault12ts]

^ agreed

 

[Stratman]

The performance of cars may have improved, but has the performance of drivers?

We saw Hammond on Top Gear trying to drive the Renault F1, which no doubt has superb perfromance, handling, roadholding and brakes. He still dropped it off the track.

 

[KillerHERTZ]

The stopping distances used in the Highway code are based upon late 60's cars and do not reflect model cars braking.

 

[PXW]

The stopping distances used in the Highway code are based upon late 60's cars and do not reflect model cars braking.

True, though drivers' reaction times probably haven't changed too much! But I agree that once you hit the brakes you stop much quicker than in the 60's. It's not just about speed and braking capability though; modern cars are much more stable at higher speeds and repsond better to corrective input.

I'd like to see the variable limits on the M42/M25 etc used both ways; at 2.00am with virtually no traffic they could safely up the limit to 90mph.

 

[SilverSaloon]

modern cars are much more stable at higher speeds and repsond better to corrective input.

if you raise it to 90mph, people will just do 110mph as the bar will of changed and the amount people risk will raise.

ok, you say modern cars brake better - maybe mercs etc but i have a Y reg focus at the moment and its not brillant in wet conditoons at all. all down to tyres i suspect but the car is still out there, along with many others.

keep the limits the way they are.

 

[MPG]

I don't have a problem with motorway limits being raised to 80 or maybe 90mph. As many of you have already stated, vehicles are more stable & able to brake in far shorter distances than was the case when the limit was introduced by Barbara Castle in the late 1960's. You may also remember Clarkson braking from 140mph to 0 in less distance than the highway code states is required to brake fom 70mph - admittedly he was in an Aston Martin with brakes discs the size of dinner plates at the time.

I also belive that raising the limit to (say) 90mph wouldn't lead a large number of drivers to speed at 100+. Quite simply the majority of cars on the road whilst supremely capable at speeds of 80-90mph, struggle when the speed is pushed a little higher. Wind noise increases dramatically, the car becomes more susceptible to crosswinds & revs go through the roof, which greatly increases fuel consumption. For these reasons I think the majority of road users would adhere to these higher limits.

 

[renault12ts]

Cars may have improved, but drivers reaction times have not. At 90 you will travel a lot further before reacting to a given situation.

 

[buccal]

Cars may have improved, but drivers reaction times have not. At 90 you will travel a lot further before reacting to a given situation.

Spot on. Car's have improved but the standard of driving is woeful

 

[lynall]

Cars are more than capable, unfortunately most people are not and then some
Plus for some reason everyone seems to be driving under the speed limit on the motorways?
Not sure if its financial or people are sheep.



Lynall