Fast driving on public roads

[Cyclone]

In effect, we are talking about motorways at present, as far as variable speeds are concerned (the only other areas where I've heard mention of variable speeds is in the case of 20 limits outside schools at particular times of day). I don't know of any other trunk type roads with variable speed limits (but there may be some for all I know).

 

In the case of motorways, I agree that it should be up as well. Maybe 80 would be acceptable. I'm not in favour of the German system of some "no limit" areas, mainly because it is likely to attract too many people with more money than sense who would feel the need to use it as a test facility (instead of using their money to take part in track days).

 

I don't know how much of a lobby there is in favour of increasing beyond the current 70, but I doubt it would ever happen. It would need a clear cost/benefit analysis and I cannot imagine that any measurable "cost" in terms of an increase in deaths or serious injury would ever be seen as acceptable.

 

Changes seem to be one way only.

 

The conservatives had said they would increase the limit to 80 and then caved under pressure from environmental groups.

 

I see no reason why it couldn't go up to 100 at the quietest times when conditions were good.

 

(And yes, I'm only talking about motorways).

 

---------- Post added 26-02-2016 at 12:56 ----------

 

I thought it was "only" 2000 caught doing over 100mph, in a whole year.

I say only because it just proves they aren`t very good at catching speeding motorists if only 2000 were caught in a whole year. It`s common to see drivers doing that sort of speed.

This is with your magic "eyeball" measurement device I assume.

[Eater Sundae]

I thought it was "only" 2000 caught doing over 100mph, in a whole year.

I say only because it just proves they aren`t very good at catching speeding motorists if only 2000 were caught in a whole year. It`s common to see drivers doing that sort of speed.

 

I don`t know whether anyone heard the article on Radio 5 yesterday morning about speeding. I couldn`t help laughing. A guy on there "ANDY" was saying he "only ever does high speeds when there`s no other cars on the road". He then admitted he got stopped (but not prosecuted, incredibly) by the police when he was doing 110mph. But if he got stopped by a Police car he was not the only car on the road was he ? He didn`t seem to realise he was contradicting himself, plus admitting he couldn`t have been concentrating as well as these speeders seem to think they do, getting stopped by a police car........

 

When you see situations on the police interceptor type shows on TV, where the police follow for mile after mile in police cars that look like police cars (as opposed to "plain clothes" police cars), then I think that the obvious lack of observation is often worse than the actual speeding. For anyone to think they are a good driver and to not to at least see and recognize a police car in their mirrors is particularly poor.

[Cyclone]

They thought about increasing it to 80, but it was generally accepted that most people who can drive and regularly use the motorways were doing 85 anyway, without any interference from the police for speed alone. Obviously if they were driving stupidly, carelessly, recklessly or sitting in a lane being a numpty, holding up the traffic unnecessarily they would be spoken to at the least.

I don't see a need for change.

 

 

The reason the 70 limit was brought in IIRC was following one of the oil shocks in the 70's to reduce fuel consumption. It wasnt about some sort of "think of the children" safety stuff.

 

Some average cameras (M62 for example) are now being used to enforce 70 though. Can't have it both ways, if they think it's okay for people to generally do 80/85, then they should change the limit, but tell everyone that it will be enforced. Not leave it as a guessing game with random enforcement.

[WalkleyIan]

The reason the 70 limit was brought in IIRC was following one of the oil shocks in the 70's to reduce fuel consumption. It wasnt about some sort of "think of the children" safety stuff.

 

You're thinking of the 50mph limit introduced in 1974 during the Arab states oil embargo of the US? This was after the 73 Arab - Israeli war when oil prices went through the roof.

 

Dad made a sticker for the speedo on the old Austin Maxi to remind him not to go over 50 (yes believe it or not the 1750 Maxi could top 70mph)

 

Just a thought though, what's to stop plod getting the IP addresses and user names from this thread and "paying a visit" to 100 up crew?

 

Its exactly the kind of thing I warn our students not too post in a open forum when we teach digital skills and digital footprint

[RonJeremy]

I thought it was earlier than that, by Barbara Castle in the Wilson government, in the 60s, and it was as a safety measure. The oil crisis speed reduction in the 70s was just a temporary measure, before reverting back to 70 for the basic NSL

I stand corrected.

When you see situations on the police interceptor type shows on TV, where the police follow for mile after mile in police cars that look like police cars (as opposed to "plain clothes" police cars), then I think that the obvious lack of observation is often worse than the actual speeding. For anyone to think they are a good driver and to not to at least see and recognize a police car in their mirrors is particularly poor.

 

Quite - deserves to get done if they can't see a police car. Lack of observation

[L00b]

Just a thought though, what's to stop plod getting the IP addresses and user names from this thread and "paying a visit" to 100 up crew?

Actual evidence of the infraction in the first place: how does plod knows anyone of the SF "100 up crew" isn't simply making it up for bragging rights?

[WalkleyIan]

The original 70mph limit came in after somebody(Jack Sears) took an AC Cobra Daytona Coupe up the M1 at 190mph testing it for Le Mans. For any Americans out there its a Ford Cobra Datyona but they were built by AC cars in the UK.

 

Jaguar also had a habit of taking there mk1 E-types out for a no limit spin stopping of around Watford Gap in Northants. They would do that in the early hours.

 

---------- Post added 26-02-2016 at 13:19 ----------

 

Actual evidence of the infraction in the first place: how does plod knows anyone of the SF "100 up crew" isn't simply making it up for bragging rights?

 

Try posting it on twitter like that lady who said she wanted to run down cyclists and see how long it takes to get a response. In her case she lost a good job.

 

I'm not saying its right but that's the way the world has gone so that's what I have to tell the new student intake each year(they are prospective lawyers after all).

 

I've had to deal with Facebook posts where students have faced disciplinary action so it wise to play safe if boasting of law breaking

 

---------- Post added 26-02-2016 at 13:30 ----------

 

The original 70mph limit came in after somebody(Jack Sears) took an AC Cobra Daytona Coupe up the M1 at 190mph testing it for Le Mans. For any Americans out there its a Ford Cobra Datyona but they were built by AC cars in the UK.

 

My mistake the bodies for the cobra coupes were had made in Italy. The Cobra was quick with the 289ci engine, and monstrously fast accelerating with the big block 427ci but had the aerodynamics of a house brick so couldn't touch the Ferraris on the Mulsanne (itself a pubic road the rest of the year) so they had the aero coupes built for 200mph. Fords in house GT40 was then directly in competition with the Cobra so the project was shelved. All this because old Enzo wouldnt sell up to Ford USA

[DT Ralge]

And me. I just hope they are used sensibly to reduce congestion and to help manage incidents, and not as a default control just to slow traffic even though there's not a real reason.

 

Something I've not thought about before. I presume that a lower speed limit (or lane closure) is put on the gantries manually when there is an accident or breakdown in one or more of the lanes. What about congestion? Is it still a manual decision to reduce the speed limit, or are the cameras used to automatically monitor and record the number of vehicles using the road and use an algorithm to determine when to lower and raise the speed limits? Does anyone know?

 

It is eyes-on or a 999/112 call that causes an enforced reduction in limit - the managed/smart motorways have cctv cameras that aim to cover every inch of the carriageway.

Elsewhere MIDAS is a well-used (motorway incident detection automatic signalling) system that picks up (through buried wiring loops roughly every 500 metres in the road surface) slow and bunching traffic, initiating a lower advisory limit up to 2 miles behind the slowing/bunching traffic.

 

---------- Post added 27-02-2016 at 04:24 ----------

 

Some average cameras (M62 for example) are now being used to enforce 70 though. Can't have it both ways, if they think it's okay for people to generally do 80/85, then they should change the limit, but tell everyone that it will be enforced. Not leave it as a guessing game with random enforcement.

 

I think you'll find that the cameras that are enforcing 70 on the M62 are just cameras measuring your absolute speed rather than average speed.

You are right, though, about the variability and inconsistency of speed enforcement - not helpful at all.

[Guest]

Try posting it on twitter like that lady who said she wanted to run down cyclists and see how long it takes to get a response. In her case she lost a good job.

 

That's a little bit different to someone saying they may have driven at 100mph on a public road at some point in their life. She's threatening actual bodily harm to people.

 

To start with, motorway driving should be part of the driving test. I still find it ridiculous that it isn't since so many people seem to be unable to cope with 3 lanes.

[Resident]

I answered 170 but it was 166 & not a UK road & perfectly legal at the time.