What planet are they on?

[Dieter]

Hi,

An article in this weeks Auto Express says that (some) MP's want to 'slash' speed limits and that the most cost effective way of doing this is by changing 'mph' to 'kph'.

Under this (crackpot) scheme M-way speed limit would be reduced to 43 mph (=70 kph) and suburban speed limit to 20 mph (=30 kph).

I'm flabbergasted . Journey times will soon be measured in days, not hours .

Comments (printable only )?

Cheers,

 

[Parrot of Doom]

Won't ever happen.

 

[Swiss Toni]

But it fills column inches.

 

[Fandango]

Auto Express....it's the paper equivalent of Vroom Vroom.

 

[Dieter]

Hi Karl,

What's 'Vroom Vroom' ? Is it a noise kids make?

The same story is also here:

http://www.pistonheads.com/speed/default.asp?storyId=15332

I agree with PoD, it could never happen, .........could it

Cheers,

 

[Brett]

Parrot of Doom says "Won't ever happen."

Where's the Doom in that?

 

[Fandango]

Hi Karl,

What's 'Vroom Vroom' ? Is it a noise kids make?
...

Cheers,

Dieter,
Vroom Vroom is the worst imaginable supposedly motoring related programme a Murdoch channel is able to broadcast.

 

[davidH]

This is typical politition tosh. They make these ludicrous statements without any proof to back them up. If the Auto Express reported Mr Griffith accurately he said" A national speed limit of 50mph would make roads safer" and "Few people realise how much of an economy they can make by travelling more slowly etc." He is also suggesting 30kph instead of 30 mph and 40kph instead of 40mph

He should be challenged to produce evidence to back up these ridiculous statements.

Why this obsession that speed causes accidents. What about tailgating, drugs, mobile phones etc. Speed is easy to target. The others need police on the road in cars. A rare sight!!!

Most cars would surely be less economic driving at the speeds he suggests as limits. I know mine would, an E270cdi. I wonder how many miles he drives a year if any?

 

[GazCaff]

How can they use fuel economy as a reason for this claptrap? My car wont shift into fifth gear untill 35 mph so any speed lower than that is uneconomical for me.

 

[Dryce]

Most cars would surely be less economic driving at the speeds he suggests as limits. I know mine would, an E270cdi. I wonder how many miles he drives a year if any?

A bit of non-scientific trial and error over the years leads me to believe
that autos in particular tend to do their best around 55 to 65.

My guess is that it's a combination of gearing and use of lockup.

That's not to say that if the speed limits were changed the manufacturers
wouldn't change the setup on new models to reoptimise them.

 

[wallingd]

The old mpg testing was done @ 56mph because that is the most harmonious + stress-free speed is it not?

 

[Dryce]

The old mpg testing was done @ 56mph because that is the most harmonious + stress-free speed is it not?

More likely because it's 90km/h and somebody worked out that
it was close to some sort of average extra-urban speed back in
the 70s.

 

[Parrot of Doom]

55mph probably because thats the old US speed limit.

Economy has nothing to do with 55mph, but everything to do with design.

 

[Dryce]

55mph probably because thats the old US speed limit.

Economy has nothing to do with 55mph, but everything to do with design.

Doubt that US limit had anything to do with a Euro standard. I seem to recall there is/was also another standard measurement for 75mph (120km).

Physics type issues such as rolling resistance and drag tend to limit what design can actually achieve. And then there's the compromise of making the vehicle go at more than one speed and deal with different conditions.

However I suspect that you're right that achieving a 'result' for 56mph is a design objective for the official figures so that skews things regardless of how people actually drive.

 

[miro]

Hi,

An article in this weeks Auto Express says that (some) MP's want to 'slash' speed limits and that the most cost effective way of doing this is by changing 'mph' to 'kph'.

Under this (crackpot) scheme M-way speed limit would be reduced to 43 mph (=70 kph) and suburban speed limit to 20 mph (=30 kph).

I'm flabbergasted . Journey times will soon be measured in days, not hours .

Comments (printable only )?

Cheers,

Dont worry, when people start to die from the fatigue of driving for hours longer the policy will change.

 

[Dieter]

"Quote:
Originally Posted by Dieter
Hi Karl,

What's 'Vroom Vroom' ? Is it a noise kids make?
...
Cheers,

Dieter,
Vroom Vroom is the worst imaginable supposedly motoring related programme a Murdoch channel is able to broadcast"

Hi Karl,

Caught 10 min of 'Vroom Vroom' on Channel 5 the other night. It is rather 'odd' but they appear to have been (sort of) road testing Lexus rx400h and it was so exciting/watchable that I can't remember any of it .

Cheers,