Revenue or Safety?

[st13phil]

I've seen such signs on UK motorways.

In the last couple of years so have I - at least ones regarding time to next junction. What I was suggesting is that they extend to indicating the reason for a reduced speed limit, too.

 

[st13phil]

Strikes me as a very simple concept that all too many fail to comprehend.

While there are some who don't comprehend it, there are many more that don't trust that it's the reason for the limit reduction.

 

[Stratman]

I've come across a couple of traffic management techniques in France that I haven't seen anywhere else.

On the main road between Lyon and Alpe d'Huez there is a roundabout which, if traffic were allowed to approach normally, would grind to a halt on Saturdays (ski transfer day) and prevent the locals going about their business. To regulate flow and generate gaps there are shortish (about 30 seconds) sequence traffic lights around three hundred metres before the roundabout and the system works well, as do the five second lights on the way in to Moutiers (I think, it may be Bourg St. Maurice), again to spread out ski traffic through the town to allow the residents a chance of getting around.

 

[Deleted member 6183]

While there are some who don't comprehend it, there are many more that don't trust that it's the reason for the limit reduction.

I don't see a motive for anything else.

 

[st13phil]

I don't see a motive for anything else.

You're not looking very hard, then

The problem is that there is now a massive industry that takes revenue from, and applies sanction points to the drivers' licence of, vast numbers of people for minor infractions. This has resulted in speeding fines and points becoming so commonplace that someone without any is seen as the exception rather than the norm (and before you ask, I'm one of the exceptions). This has precisely the opposite effect to that which is presumably desired, i.e. to associate speeding with unacceptable behaviour. It's a bit like the ASBO scheme which failed dismally because it became a badge of honour rather than a badge of shame, and is the root of the distrust regarding speed enforcement.

 

[Deleted member 6183]

You're not looking very hard, then

The problem is that there is now a massive industry that takes revenue from, and applies sanction points to the drivers' licence of, vast numbers of people for minor infractions.

I genuinely find that mindset depressing.

I hope that you are in the minority.

 

[tbourner]

My one and only ever speeding ticket was a 50 variable limit on the M25, caught doing 67.
On the plus side the driver awareness course was actually quite good (I seemed to be among about 25% of the people there who thought so )

 

[Deleted member 65149]

I genuinely find that mindset depressing.

I hope that you are in the minority.

Not as depressing as it is for me to find myself agreeing with you again

 

[Deleted member 6183]

Not as depressing as it is for me to find myself agreeing with you again

Don't worry, normal service must resume eventually!

 

[Eddy77]

I have a novel suggestion. Just adhere to the limit if you want to avoid the fines! It is not for the driver to decide what the limit should be. If the limit says 50 and the road is clear, then drive at 50. If you want to go faster, by all means go ahead but don’t moan if you get caught.

I don’t get it. Why are we all in such a rush that doing 50 for a few miles when we could be doing 70 is such an issue. What does it add to the journey? 5 minutes?

I don’t get what all the fuss is about. Either stick to the limit, or go faster and risk the fine. I don’t care which you do as long as you take the fine without moaning should you get caught.

I regularly exceed the limit on clear motorways. Not by much, but I do so on the understanding that if I get caught I’ll take it on the chin. Nobody forces anyone to break the rules!

 

[clk320x]

I don’t get it. Why are we all in such a rush that doing 50 for a few miles when we could be doing 70 is such an issue. What does it add to the journey? 5 minutes?

A distance of say 3 miles at 50mph would take 3 mins 36 secs.

The same at 70mph would take 2 mins 34 secs.

That’s a whole 1 min and 2 seconds more you could be down the pub

 

[E53AMG]

There may be heavy traffic 2 miles ahead, slowing traffic further behind down will mean traffic ahead has a chance to clear.

Afraid not clear road ahead, I think either set on a timer or spotty teenager [emoji6]

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[tbourner]

I have a novel suggestion. Just adhere to the limit if you want to avoid the fines! It is not for the driver to decide what the limit should be. If the limit says 50 and the road is clear, then drive at 50. If you want to go faster, by all means go ahead but don’t moan if you get caught.

I don’t get it. Why are we all in such a rush that doing 50 for a few miles when we could be doing 70 is such an issue. What does it add to the journey? 5 minutes?

I don’t get what all the fuss is about. Either stick to the limit, or go faster and risk the fine. I don’t care which you do as long as you take the fine without moaning should you get caught.

I regularly exceed the limit on clear motorways. Not by much, but I do so on the understanding that if I get caught I’ll take it on the chin. Nobody forces anyone to break the rules!

Not sure if this was aimed at me or not, but I should clarify - I didn't see the signs, I was doing a normal speed (67 - indicated probably 71/72), it was my first time in a variable limit area, I was in the work pool car with no cruise control, yada yada more excuses - I actually accepted the NIP straight away as I knew it was completely my fault for not seeing the signs and not paying attention. I don't moan about getting caught.

 

[Deleted member 6183]

Afraid not clear road ahead, I think either set on a timer or spotty teenager [emoji6]

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That's the third time that you have mentioned teenagers on this thread alone.

 

[E53AMG]

The key to all this is that, given good information, most (although not all) drivers will cooperate. It is the apparent irrelevance of the limits that causes people to get hot under the collar, probably exacerbated by the fact that they have no trust in the general motorway signalling system that operators "forget" to cancel restrictions on, long after the need for the restriction has gone.

I remember driving on the Paris Peripherique many years ago and thinking what an excellent idea the real-time signage was that told you how long it would take to get to each of the next few exits. Instead of sitting in a queue of stationary traffic wondering if it extended for the next 400m or 4km, and not knowing whether you were going to take minutes or hours to get to your exit, you knew. Perhaps there should be similar real-time information posted on "Smart" motorways when speed limits are set lower than the default 70mph?

Perhaps it's time we did away with speed limits on Motorways altogether and have UK Autobahns. Better still limit their use to V6 engines and above (runs for the nearest exit);-).

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[E53AMG]

2 miles maybe but 35 miles??

Strikes me as a very simple concept that all too many fail to comprehend.

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[E53AMG]

Revenue?

I don't see a motive for anything else.

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[clk320x]

Perhaps it's time we did away with speed limits on Motorways altogether and have UK Autobahns. Better still limit their use to V6 engines and above (runs for the nearest exit);-).

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Derestricted yes please!

 

[Deleted member 6183]

Revenue?

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Are you serious?

Do you really believe that smart motorways are purely designed to raise cash rather than ease congestion?

I used to have a pal that actually believed that the Salvation Army were funding arms in the Middle East.

 

[clk320x]

Are you serious?

Do you really believe that smart motorways are purely designed to raise cash rather than ease congestion?

To be fair to the OP, there have been local sections of motorway to be where there has never been any congestion issues. (I travelled daily and all sorts of times) and they still converted it to SMART. Fitting 1 million speed cameras & causing months of traffic jams in the process