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karTER
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Posted: Sat Oct 7th, 2006 01:29 pm |
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With all the new technology applied to all forms of motoring transport, be it better brakes, faster acceleration, greater safety features, superior tyres etc blah, isn't it about time the national speed limit was raised?
The Germans have stretches of Autobahn which have no speed limts and thereby have proved that fast driving/riding is not necessarily going to increase fatalities so why doesn't the UK realise with better machinery we might do the same? Or at least raise it by 10-20 mph?
On the subject, there are three countries which do not have an offical speed limit. Just mentioned the Krauts, the Isle of Man is another (in the montains) but where is the third? No Googling, mind!
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georgietheboy
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Posted: Sat Oct 7th, 2006 01:45 pm |
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| I think Montana used to be limit free, but not anymore. Wouldn't get me there anyway. They all eat children, like in Ballymena.
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becky at girlsbike2
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Posted: Sat Oct 7th, 2006 03:21 pm |
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We should have one day a week without speed limits! 1st few times let all the nutters out there kill themselves, then let us have our fun! Lock up your puppies...
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karTER
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Posted: Sat Oct 7th, 2006 03:28 pm |
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georgietheboy wrote: I think Montana used to be limit free...
Is that a country? 
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karTER
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Posted: Sat Oct 7th, 2006 03:28 pm |
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becky at girlsbike2 wrote: We should have one day a week without speed limits! 1st few times let all the nutters out there kill themselves, then let us have our fun! Lock up your puppies...
That is quite a thought. 
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georgietheboy
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Posted: Sat Oct 7th, 2006 05:04 pm |
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karTER wrote: georgietheboy wrote: I think Montana used to be limit free...
Is that a country?
Pedant.
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Suzibabs
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Posted: Sun Oct 8th, 2006 05:13 am |
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no idea but was interested in seeing that you can learn to drive at 16 in IOM.
70 mph is daft on motorways these days especially when it was introduced in the '60s, probably felt like light speed then, well it did in my Mums anglia!
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karTER
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Posted: Sun Oct 8th, 2006 06:29 am |
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georgietheboy wrote: karTER wrote: georgietheboy wrote: I think Montana used to be limit free...
Is that a country?
Pedant.
Absolutely. 
It's India- although I'm not sure if the traffic allows any speeding.
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Suzibabs
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Posted: Sun Oct 8th, 2006 06:34 am |
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http://www.tribuneindia.com/2002/20020126/haryana.htm#1
you sure?
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karTER
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Posted: Sun Oct 8th, 2006 06:37 am |
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Suzibabs wrote: http://www.tribuneindia.com/2002/20020126/haryana.htm#1
you sure?
Not anymore. That blinding bit of useless info was a few years old and is now defunct.
OK, so it's justthe Krauts and the IOM then. Bugger, we're running out of places to play.
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Mjollnir
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Posted: Mon Oct 9th, 2006 02:07 pm |
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I remember watching a program which discussed this, I think it was Top gear or fifth gear. They were arguing that the safety figures, such as stopping distances were completely out of touch, as they were all based on the figures taken from a 1960 ford anglia (I think), and most cars today handle considerably better than they did.
So they got a couple of cars, a completely standard Ford focus with no ABS, and a range rover, and repeated the tests themselves. The mass of the Range rover made its momentum harder to stop, but they both still comfortably stopped well within the stopping distances stated in the highway code.
Therefore, that combined with the fact that our motorways are the safest roads in Europe, and that most people already drive about 80mph on them. I would argue that the speed limit should be raised to 80 mph for motorways.
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karTER
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Posted: Tue Oct 10th, 2006 06:49 am |
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Mjollnir wrote: I remember watching a program which discussed this, I think it was Top gear or fifth gear. They were arguing that the safety figures, such as stopping distances were completely out of touch, as they were all based on the figures taken from a 1960 ford anglia (I think), and most cars today handle considerably better than they did.
So they got a couple of cars, a completely standard Ford focus with no ABS, and a range rover, and repeated the tests themselves. The mass of the Range rover made its momentum harder to stop, but they both still comfortably stopped well within the stopping distances stated in the highway code.
Therefore, that combined with the fact that our motorways are the safest roads in Europe, and that most people already drive about 80mph on them. I would argue that the speed limit should be raised to 80 mph for motorways.
Well put- but do the people who can make the changes listen to reason and logic? Do they bollocks. 
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kragbell
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Posted: Tue Oct 10th, 2006 08:45 am |
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Mjollnir wrote: I remember watching a program which discussed this, I think it was Top gear or fifth gear. They were arguing that the safety figures, such as stopping distances were completely out of touch, as they were all based on the figures taken from a 1960 ford anglia (I think), and most cars today handle considerably better than they did.
So they got a couple of cars, a completely standard Ford focus with no ABS, and a range rover, and repeated the tests themselves. The mass of the Range rover made its momentum harder to stop, but they both still comfortably stopped well within the stopping distances stated in the highway code.
Therefore, that combined with the fact that our motorways are the safest roads in Europe, and that most people already drive about 80mph on them. I would argue that the speed limit should be raised to 80 mph for motorways.
We all know that speed doesn't kill ( ) so realistically there could be no speed limit whatsoever and we could all rely on the skills of the drivers to ensure everything runs smoothly (barring mechanical failure resulting in an out of control vehicle). But I suspect there are other factors at play.
Agreed that the motorway speed limits are way out of touch with what cars are capable of these days in terms of performance and safety. Reaction times remain the same and may even be worse due to other influences (see below).
Agreed that a lot of people drive at 80 (? maybe not most ) and some beyond. I think a lot of people look at the speed limit and think "I can get away with doing X% more than that) so increasing the limit might (worries he might start something ) simply mean drivers get away with doing 100mph rather than 85.
The world has changed a lot too though. That man in his Ford Anglia was *probabably* pootling to the seaside at 45-50 mph on a sunny Sunday morning (rose tinted glasses alert). He'd be in the inside lane with no other car within 1/2 mile of him. He *might* had a radio to listen to.
These days, leave a "2 second rule" gap between you 'n' the car in front and it'll immediately be filled by 2 other cars . Cars fill the lanes from the outside lane to the inside . You're constantly surrounded by drivers who are on mobile 'phones , reprogramming sat nav's , eating lunch, doing end of month figures for the boss, knackered at 8pm on the way home after starting out on the road at 5 am to meet that first client (and performance target) .
And the time saving don't really add up to much anyway. If the speed limit was increased to 80 then, even if you *could* average 80 mph for the length of a 100 mile journey you'd only get there 10 minutes earlier (consuming more fuel by the way). and you're not going to make that speed and presumable the journey would include town work at either end of the motorway.
Motorways are the safest roads in Britain with the greatest average speeds - but with geat speed comes great responsibility (phew - was hard working that in ). The perceived safety (all cars going same way, big barriers between you and the otherside, when you pass someone the difference in speed makes it look like you're crawling rather than they doing 75 and you doing 80) can make people complacent hence they fill their time with other peripheral tasks. When it all goes wrong though...
Because I AM a skilled rider & driver (like the rest of you ) I favour a means-tested limit whereby I can be authorised to make my own decision about the current maximum safe speed. Everyone can apply. Then lower the speed limit for everone else to 55pmh to save fuel.
Might have got carried away in the last paragraph  - must get to work.
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Norfolknchance
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Posted: Tue Oct 10th, 2006 08:55 am |
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| Can someone please tell about 70% of road users that, when there is a white circle with a black line through it on a normal road it means 60 not 40. As good as it makes me feel to pass long lines of cages, it gets a pain when it happens every 5 minutes.
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georgietheboy
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Posted: Tue Oct 10th, 2006 08:59 am |
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| The idea of different grades of licence, not just for classes of vehicle but for speed limits fascinates me. I'm not sure how it would be worked though, unless you had a numberplate that identified you rather than the vehicle, then let roadside ANPR sort it out. The idea of being instantly traceable is creepy, but we're headed that way anyway. Also, how much would they fleece us for our 'advanced' licences? It'd have to be a genuine test, to prevent rich, incompetent drivers just paying their way through.
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Mjollnir
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Posted: Tue Oct 10th, 2006 12:26 pm |
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kragbell wrote: Because I AM a skilled rider & driver (like the rest of you ) I favour a means-tested limit whereby I can be authorised to make my own decision about the current maximum safe speed. Everyone can apply. Then lower the speed limit for everone else to 55pmh to save fuel.
Might have got carried away in the last paragraph - must get to work.
I like that idea, now how can we progress it 
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Mjollnir
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Posted: Tue Oct 10th, 2006 12:31 pm |
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Norfolknchance wrote: Can someone please tell about 70% of road users that, when there is a white circle with a black line through it on a normal road it means 60 not 40. As good as it makes me feel to pass long lines of cages, it gets a pain when it happens every 5 minutes.
yeah but it is only 60 for category B vehicles not towing a trailer.
For transit vans it is 50, for heavy goods vehicles it is 40.
and as the average Joe is ignorant of everyone else on the road, and the rules they have to obey, they get confused. bless there little cotton socks. They start believing the speed limit is lower for them too.
What really gets my goat though is the car drivers turning out of a residential onto a national speed limit, and despite pulling out on you in a gap barely big enough, they cannot be bothered to put their foot down, and pootle along at the same 30/40mph, forcing you to slam the anchors on.
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karTER
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Posted: Tue Oct 10th, 2006 12:32 pm |
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I've always had a theory about speeds on the motorway and lane discipline.
Inside lane for all vehicles with more than four wheels
Middle lane only for four wheels
Outside lane- two wheels only.
Instant death ray for transgressors.
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Mjollnir
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Posted: Tue Oct 10th, 2006 12:39 pm |
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karTER wrote: Middle lane only for four wheels
so how do the bikes get to the outside lane?
and where do trikes go?
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georgietheboy
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Posted: Tue Oct 10th, 2006 12:40 pm |
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Norfolknchance wrote: Can someone please tell about 70% of road users that, when there is a white circle with a black line through it on a normal road it means 60 not 40. As good as it makes me feel to pass long lines of cages, it gets a pain when it happens every 5 minutes.
They believe it makes them safer. They then proceed at the same speed (40mph) past the primary school, flat cap pulled low and string back gloves clenched to the wheel of their Civic in a death like grip. Kill them all.
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