Are Speed Limits too Vintage?

[fredT]

i dont know why anyone (other then 18yr olds without thinking) would advokate higher speed limits in this in this country. its absolute carnage as it is.

the argument that the speedlimits where set based on cars from the 60s dont hold up. it's just a bad argument. my sister in law is driving a 2002 seat ibiza and at 70 it fairly good 80-90 it handles ok but its starting to become a bit of a handful anything over that its pretty twitchy and certainly not adviseable. if it was wet it would be plain dangerous.

thats a pretty decent car though and the thought of all old bangers, (now im talking 90's cars) with the lax MOT system where you can buy your way through for 50 quid without even turning up, beeing allowed to legally travel at speeds over 70 is pretty scary
motorways are 80-90 as it is, so upping the limit and people would obviously go even faster. i know i would.

i also think there should be a lower speed limit on motorways. though i dont mind people driving at 60 in a sensible manner (get over in the left lan for gods sake!!) there are way too many people driving to slow in the middle or even right hand lane.

if you are not comfortable at driving in the left lane and just have to stay in the middle lane at 55-60 no matter what is happening around you, you shouldnt be on a motorway at all

this is not aimed at you at all JUmbo as im sure with your experience you are driving slow because it makes sense to you and in a sensible manner, but at people that do it because they are nervous and incapable

 

[PXW]

One interesting fact I forgot to mention (well I found it interesting) ....

If you have two drivers in identical cars, same weather, road conditions etc etc...

One driver is doing 70mph & at a given point brakes hard & comes to a standstill.
The other driver is doing 100mph & at the same point brakes hard. When this driver passes the point at which the other vehicle has stopped, it may surprise you to know that you'd still be travelling at 70 (yes seventy) mph.

Interesting.....

I've heard this too but have never seen any mathematics/real-life testing to prove it; are you able to point me to something? Wouldn't matter for my 90mph proposal anyway becasue the limit would only go up that far if the roads were very clear

 

[grober]

I think PWX has the right idea about variable speed limits. The obvious one is 20mph beside schools which could be safely raised to 30 mph outwith a "schooltime" corridor and during holidays. Motorway speed limits could be increased according to traffic density, visibility, road condition even vehicle age/type etc and reduced under certain circumstances! However this poses a massive driver education problem and would require some form of "active" speed limit readout in the vehicle to remind drivers of the current speed limits to which they are driving. -variable road signs would not be enough imho My own feeling is that part of the answer is to increase the use of sophisticated driver aids/information systems to facilitate/remind drivers of the speed limit they are expected to adhere to. Cruise control is but one example of the type of technology available. Car information systems need to be linked to roadside warning systems in an integrated manner.

 

[fredT]

I prefer to drive fast (80/90) and if only some drivers would check their mirrors more often and consider the speed of others approaching before pulling in front of them, more people would not get irate which in my opinion this issue is all about.
Once the fast person is past you he/she poses you no further danger.

spot on. it beyond me how many people have no clue whats going on around them

 

[wemorgan]

I've said this in previous 'speed' related threads, so I'll bore you again with it

Say you travel 10% faster and arrive at your destination 10% sooner. What will you do with those precious minutes you've saved? It all seems rather pointless to me, unless you have a 1000 mile journey ahead of you. But in that case driver fatigue, fuel efficiency and toilet breaks are the limiting factor

More relaxed wafting is the future of motoring.

 

[PXW]

i dont know why anyone (other then 18yr olds without thinking) would advokate higher speed limits in this in this country. its absolute carnage as it is.

the argument that the speedlimits where set based on cars from the 60s dont hold up. it's just a bad argument. my sister in law is driving a 2002 seat ibiza and at 70 it fairly good 80-90 it handles ok but its starting to become a bit of a handful anything over that its pretty twitchy and certainly not adviseable. if it was wet it would be plain dangerous.

thats a pretty decent car though and the thought of all old bangers, (now im talking 90's cars) with the lax MOT system where you can buy your way through for 50 quid without even turning up, beeing allowed to legally travel at speeds over 70 is pretty scary
motorways are 80-90 as it is, so upping the limit and people would obviously go even faster. i know i would.

Motorways aren't carnage - mile per mile, the safest roads we have. The 1960s argument is not a bad one - you are simply comparing a 2002 car to a 1990s car - not a 1960s one. And re the wet conditions - yes, just slow down - it's a limit not a target as people say, and I still don't see a problem with using the existing variable speed limit technology to raise the limit as and when appropriate. To risk a political point, it might even improve motorists attitude towards technology if they see that it is being used in their favour occasionally rather than just to crack down ever harder.

 

[wemorgan]

I've heard this too but have never seen any mathematics/real-life testing to prove it; are you able to point me to something?

This looks interesting:

http://www.volvoclub.org.uk/pdf/SpeedStoppingDistances.pdf

 

[davidbilyk]

I think that variable limits would be a good idea as previously mentioned, after a 500 mile round trip up the A50 and M6 and seeing how little attention people pay to whats happening in front of them, an increase during normal times would be very dangerous!! Maybe say after 8pm till 6am up to 100mph? With very high punishments for those exceeding would be fair?

Think of all the times you have been on a motorway and got stuck in a phantom traffic jam because people don't pay enough attention to what's happening up ahead, or they are desperate not to "lose" the position they have "fought" for!

 

[JumboBeef]

As most people can't even drive safely (two second rule, clear indication, good obs, aware of all hazards around them) at 70, they have no hope at 90!

Put the speed limit up to 90, and you'll get sales reps in their Audis driving two inches behind another car "because they were only doing 85". I can see it now

Why is everyone is such a damn rush to get to where they are going? Slow down, save you licence, save your fuel, save your car and (if you care about it) save the planet!

I guess I get at least an extra 5mpg by going 10mph slower, and at £5 per gallon over 20,000 miles per year, that's................a lot saved!

 

[JumboBeef]

Maybe say after 8pm till 6am up to 100mph?

Brillant idea. Put the speed limit up at the most dangerous time of day.

YOUNG NIGHT-TIME DRIVERS AT DOUBLE THE RISK OF DEATH OR SERIOUS INJURY
40 per cent of young driver accidents between 11.00pm and 6.00am result in death or serious injury, compared to 20 per cent at all other times.

Young Night-time Drivers At Double The Risk Of Death Or Serious Injury | MORE TH>N Newsroom


Edit to add:

Only a quarter of all travel by car drivers is undertaken between the hours of 19.00 and 08.00, but it is in this period that 40 percent of fatal and serious injuries are sustained by drivers. This indicates that car travel at night carries a greater risk of being killed or seriously injured than does travel during the day.

IAM (pdf)

 

[davidbilyk]

Brillant idea. Put the speed limit up at the most dangerous time of day.

Young Night-time Drivers At Double The Risk Of Death Or Serious Injury | MORE TH>N Newsroom

How many of these young drivers would be on the motorway? I would've thought that these accidents would most likely be on local roads or dual carriage ways?

 

[JumboBeef]

Read the second link I edited my post to add in..........

 

[davidbilyk]

"Only a quarter of all travel by car drivers is undertaken between the hours of 19.00 and 08.00, but it is in this period that 40 percent of fatal and serious injuries are sustained by drivers. This indicates that car travel at night carries a greater risk of being killed or seriously injured than does travel during the day. "

That is shocking!!

 

[davidbilyk]

Any thoughts on making young drivers take advanced lessons?

 

[JumboBeef]

Any thoughts on making young drivers take advanced lessons?

Why just young drivers? Some of the worst drivers I have seen are in their 30s and 40s.

 

[davidbilyk]

It would be more difficult to "police" IMO At least with the younger/new drivers you could deal with the problem before it arises, as for the older generation.... I wouldn't know where to start! I would quite happily re-take my driving test every 12 months or whatever the DVLA suggested! My Dad is a driving examiner in Leicester and he feels the same way, the only way to cut accidents and fatalities is through ongoing training.

 

[d w124]

Why just young drivers? Some of the worst drivers I have seen are in their 30s and 40s.

+1 about that mate.

 

[fredT]

The 1960s argument is not a bad one

i disagree.

im not comparing any cars im just saying that many 'modern' cars are incapable of speeds exceeding 70 driven by the average driver. so saying that just because its better then the average 60's car doesnt make it any safer, does it??

so i'd say not only is it a bad argument i think it's completely invalid, andd taken out of thin air. Who said that speed limits in the 60's was based purely on the cars, at the time, performance?

also you have to look around you. just because you are capable doesnt mean the rest of the people on the roads are.

 

[renault12ts]

Fred I think you mean many drivers are not capable of 70, I think all cars are...

 

[Dryce]

Why just young drivers? Some of the worst drivers I have seen are in their 30s and 40s.

I would like to see retesting of drivers every 5 or 7 years. Fail the retest and you have to put on a P badge and have 6 months to pass before losing your licence completely.

And I'd inflict a minor infringements system on everybody that would cover stuff that doesn't quite merit a due care and attention but deserves a bit more than a verbal. Three of these in a period - eg. two or three years, and your retest is brought forward. Police would issue these based on video evidence.