speed on motorway

[mercedes lover]

Thay did that a few weeks back on the A1(M) forgot to turn the sign off was a pain in the back side. Gets everone confused

 

[glojo]

I think thats the best idea ive read so far. Its all about being flexible. Sadly i cant ever see it hapening. Think of all the revenue they would miss out on. And the cost of the technology, and even changing the max speed sign's all costs money.!!!!!!!! And at the end of the day, thats what its all about. The government like to tell us, and lie to us with stats, that its all about safety, bollocks!!! Its all about how much money they can fleese out of us!!!!!!!

Stu

Stu

Hi Stu,
I would also like to return the compliment.

I agree with your point about the improper use of speed cameras, a large number are indeed used solely for collecting revenue for central government and common sense practical suggestions usually get filed in a waste paper basket.

Take care,
John

 

[Shude]

Think of all the revenue they would miss out on.

They could enforce the variable speed limits with the cameras though, so no loss in revenue there!

They could use the overhead signs to say "Slow down A123 XYZ" as well, this technology already exists.

 

[kikkthecat]

I see we're doing the speed thing again and it seems no matter who you ask everyone feels they are too low.

My twopenn'orth for what it's worth is
Firstly, no matter what speed limit is set there will always be those who believe "My reactions are better than most" or "My car handles, performs, stops better than most" Or even "I'm a better judge than whoever decided these limits so I'll set my own" and proceed to break the limit no matter what it is.

Secondly, speed is not the issue on motorways, driver training is, because it's non existent. As it is not part of the driving test only questions on the theory test once someone passes they can go onto a motorway and drive as they see fit. Some get it right, some get it wrong but until the issue is addressed properly we'll all have to live with the consequences.

We could have no speed limits on motorways if the driving standard was good enough but unfortunately it's not. And as long as there are people out there who drive in the middle lane come hell or high water, or one wagon doing 55mph and another alongside doing 55.5 mph I wouldn't advocate a higher limit then the one we have now which is mostly ignored anyway.

 

[Guy]

I regularly travel from manchester to London and back; going down, I can generally avoid the busy times; coming home, i'm usually stuck in the heavy late afternoon, early evening traffic.

So here's my dilemma.

Do I - drive in the outside lane, in the hope that a gap might appear [ as if] so I can pass a few cars - and keep a sensible distance from the car in front?

If I do this, after about 15 minutes I begin to feel I'm going backwards, since people pass me on the inside, and pull out in front of me, pass a few cars in the middle lane, dive back in and undertake a few more, then back out again etc etc.

This weaving leads to heavy braking in the o/s lane, since people don't like leaving a space for the undertakers to get in - much braking, stress, cars flying past on the inside as the outside lane slows.

Alternatively, I can pull over - to middle or inside lane. Should I then undertake, or sit at a speed equivalent to or lower than the o/s lane - [except when they are all emergency braking, of course] in which case the undertakers get very mad, because I'm blocking their progress...

I don't mind pulling over, I don't mind being overtaken, I just resent the way people drive these days.

Is driving like that safer than doing 80mph or 90 mph? I think not.

 

[rirhill]

Guy
I understand your frustration. Now days nobody moves over. It is very dangerous as you rightly said cars bunch up to stop the undertaking but then you your driving too close to the car in front. Yoy could be driving along and there is nobody in the slow lane everyone in the middle. A good example is the M1 southbound on a sunday evening. If you wanna get to ahead just drive along in the slow lane.
The problem I think comes from the fact that there are not enough Police cars on the motorways as all the money goes into speed cameras. The police should focus their attention to these drivers that poodle along and don t move over as they lead to uneven traffic flow and avoidable accidents.


Thats me done with the moan.

Cheers
Ian

 

[Benzowner]

after reading the posts on the gps tracking in thread (the end of motoring as we know it.) as that was a really good topic, could i ask you for your views on, what speed you think we should be able to drive at on the motorway in a modern car ! (by modern i mean a car with abs and in good condition) and with good driving conditions (dry,clear weather.)
thanks all.cheers

I normally drive on motorways at an indicated speed of 80 to 85 mph. This to me is within the laws as they are at present. 70mph + 10% cause I know the speedo is that far out up to 77, plus another 10% cause thats what most patrol cars allow. Touch wood, I have not been pulled yet.

Now, modern cars with ABS, we do agree that ABS brakes take longer to stop than non ABS, all that ABS does is give you the control over the car under heavy braking. Unfortunately, in emergency braking, most people slap the anchors on and hope for the best with the usuall consequences. I prefer to drive with total control over braking, but thats another topic.

 

[guydewdney]

the thing i experianced in germany was that people actually adhered to the posted limits - so that during a contraflow / roadworks people slowed gently - none of the panic braking / cutting in that we see here.. thus little to no traffic jams (esp phantom ones)....

 

[scotth_uk]

Whilst I could offer some wonderful figures here based on my preference, the unfortunate fact is that most people got their licenses from cornflake packets and will continue to drive like sheep/geese.

Part of raising the limits would surely have to include mandatory repeat driver assessment every few years to keep morons off the road. In the last week I have been witness to the worst driving I have seen anywhere in the world (and I have spent a lot of time in India!).


PLEASE introduce driver testing on a regular basis, where if you fail - you lose your license.

 

[Shude]

If you wanna get to ahead just drive along in the slow lane.

In the evenings and the weekends (when there is less traffic) I'm afraid that I no-longer pull out to overtake cars when I am in the inside lane and they are in the middle (overtaking nothing). I used to pull all the way out 2 lanes and then all the way back in again, sometimes giving them a flash of the headlamps to let them know they're going nowhere, that's sometimes enough to get them to pull in. These days I just power past them on the inside, sometimes going probably 20mph faster than them (still about 80ish). As far as I'm concerned I'm not "overtaking on the inside" or "undertaking" because I've not changed lane, I'm simply going faster than them in a different lane. This kind of driving doesn't work in anything like heavy traffic though!

I tried driving at (indicated) 70mph and no faster a couple of weeks ago, was very interesting! I was going 10-15mph faster than the outside lane while still on the inside lane with the trucks, it's like two different worlds.

 

[glojo]

In the evenings and the weekends (when there is less traffic) I'm afraid that I no-longer pull out to overtake cars when I am in the inside lane and they are in the middle (overtaking nothing).

Morning Shude
I understand what you are saying and see where you are coming from, it is extremely frustrating having drivers 'park' in the middle lane. BUT what you are doing is sadly very WRONG I say this with the greatest of respect and understanding, however two wrongs have never made one right!

If this ignorant driver in the middle lane suddenly wakes up and decides that they are driving without reasonable consideration for other road users right at the instant you decide to 'power past on the inside' then it will be you that is in the wrong.

Your brilliant car that you have spent hundreds of hours making into a very personal item is going to get badly and expensively damaged.

We are talking about drivers that have no regard for other road users, drivers that do not use their rear view mirrors, but think they own the road and can do what they want. By all means 'flash' your lights at them (indicate your presence) or indeed sound your horn (indicate your presence), but please do not overtake on the inside. Why risk prosecution because of the ignorance of another road user?

Take care,
John

 

[mark.t]

i don;t think the traffic would reach 50.mph anyway at the times i mentioned for useing the hard shoulder its just a idear .... we all know its shear volume of traffic verses not enough lanes and add the fact that 60% of the drivers on the motorway just havent got a clue about lane discipline or driving at speed....I do more miles than most in a year and the quality of driving is deteriorating rapidly we do a driving assessment every year and if we don;t make the grade we are sent on driving courses ...although some of us fail on purpose to have a easy week.. .....the most important aspect of driving is your ability to drive safely and be able to predict what the car + driver in front or behind or the side is going to do to look at situations and try to read them correctly .....dangerous drivers should be taken off the road and tested again I personally would have no problem with being tested if a patrol spotted me making a dangerous manoeuvre as i am tested every year..those who would complain about being tested are obviously not up to it

 

[Shude]

Morning Shude

Morning!

I understand what you are saying and see where you are coming from, it is extremely frustrating having drivers 'park' in the middle lane. BUT what you are doing is sadly very WRONG I say this with the greatest of respect and understanding, however two wrongs have never made one right!

Correct. I have justified it in my head anyway! If they can't be bothered to pull in 1 lane why should I bother to pull out 2 lanes then pull in 2 lanes?

If this ignorant driver in the middle lane suddenly wakes up and decides that they are driving without reasonable consideration for other road users right at the instant you decide to 'power past on the inside' then it will be you that is in the wrong.

Well, if they decided to change lanes and drive into me then it's their fault anyway for not driving with due care and attention etc. I don't want to cause any accidents but it feels like it's almost safer to sail past them on the inside rather than make several lane-changes myself!

We are talking about drivers that have no regard for other road users, drivers that do not use their rear view mirrors, but think they own the road and can do what they want. By all means 'flash' your lights at them (indicate your presence) or indeed sound your horn (indicate your presence), but please do not overtake on the inside. Why risk prosecution because of the ignorance of another road user?

There was no overtaking involved, in order to overtake I believe I have to change lane, go past and then change lane back again, that is an overtaking manoeuvre (might even check my mirrors while I'm at it or something! ). My lane is simply going faster than theirs.

 

[saorbust]

I don't understand the reduction in speed limit for "bad weather". The problem with bad weather is partially the visibility and mostly the stopping distance. Assuming the visibility is still pretty good then there is no reason that the speed limit should be lowered, but the distance between the cars should be at least doubled!

Thats precisely the reason why the limit is lowered - people don't increase the gap - they drive normally.

 

[Shude]

Thats precisely the reason why the limit is lowered - people don't increase the gap - they drive normally.

We need to have a device like parking sensors to go on the front bumper/grill area that can warn people that they are too close for their current speed. That thing bleeping away would probably reduce accidents in any conditions. Once again the technology already exists for this and some manufacturers (like MB - Distronic and Jaguar) have this as an option for their cruise control.

 

[saorbust]

We need to have a device like parking sensors to go on the front bumper/grill area that can warn people that they are too close for their current speed. That thing bleeping away would probably reduce accidents in any conditions. Once again the technology already exists for this and some manufacturers (like MB - Distronic and Jaguar) have this as an option for their cruise control.

Agree. Distronic is very good. Perhaps they should link the intelligence in the device to the wipers - and thus automatically increase the distance when its raining ?

Just a thought.

 

[glojo]

Agree. Distronic is very good. Perhaps they should link the intelligence in the device to the wipers - and thus automatically increase the distance when its raining ?

Just a thought.

And change lanes to the beat of the blades

Sorry Saorbust (blame the medication)
John The silly

 

[DITTRICH]

...we need a system that can see Shude's car creeping up in the inside lane - ie something that covers the rear blind spots - a sort of 'parktronic' on the go.
Les

 

[Shude]

...we need a system that can see Shude's car creeping up in the inside lane - ie something that covers the rear blind spots - a sort of 'parktronic' on the go.
Les

There is actually something you can get right now that does everything we've mentioned and more. It does satnav, maintains speed and distance, controls the brakes, automatically opens and closes the car doors and the boot, adjusts the cabin temperature etc, provides a basic level of communication with the occupants of the vehicle, can perform rudimentary vehicle maintenance and even keeps the car clean for you: it's called a chauffeur!

Sadly I think a gizmo stuck to the bumper would be cheaper

 

[glojo]

it's called a chauffeur!

Sadly I think a gizmo stuck to the bumper would be cheaper

My chauffeur has even more skills,
cooking, cleaning, ironing, nagging, spoiling me but satnav skill?? Oh well 9 out of ten is not too bad.

Regards,
John