Fun on the drive to work

[scaryjim]

Try crashing into a wall at 30mph, 60mph and 90mph. See which does the most damage

I won't argue that on a completely empty, straight road, in a modern card, 100mph is probably perfectly safe. But this thread is talking about people doing 90 - 100mph on a busy motorway where people who are driving at 70mph need to pull into the outside lane to overtake, because all inner lanes are travelling slower than that. In those circumstances, I'd say that was inappropriate speed...

[finlay666]

To be fair, I don't think that driving too slow is responsible for nearly as many accidents as driving too fast; and certainly not as many serious ones. Just look at the insurance rates for young drivers; do you think they are the highest risk because they go too slow? No, they go too fast for the circumstances; and this is very, very rarely on motorways; after all, they are designed for high speed! Local roads, however...

No their rates are higher because they are less experienced and more likely to write off an expensive vehicle that isn't theirs. It's more down to not being able to control the car, not knowing how to react in a situation (sliding out of control, brakes locking etc)

Driving too slow doesn't cause accidents? Next time you go past a speed camera watch the number of people in front that slam the brakes on because they weren't paying attention. If you go into them it's still a speed related accident.

scaryjim: I would avoid the wall by leaving a suitable braking distance in front of me to react and take an evasive manoeuvre if required.

[Flash477]

People seem to think that the speed limit on the Motorway is a "guideline" and think that it is perfectly acceptable to do whatever speed they like - even when warning signs, or roadwork speed limits are telling them differently. The fact is that you don't have that right, and quite frankly you're arrogant if you think you do. I you need to travel at 90mph to get where you're going, then you left too late - leave earlier!

60 | 65 | 70

Now imageine that this is the speed that the traffic is traveling at - it is very easy for cars to move between lanes as the traffic is traveling at speed very close to one another.

60 | 65 | 90

Now imagine that the traffic is traveling like so - the accident here is going to be caused when someone tries to overtake the car in the middle lane - why? because they have to try and increase their speed very quickly (an additional 25mph, as opposed to an additional 5) in order to try and match the traffic - it also works the other way around when people decide to leave exiting for their junction at the last minute - having to decelerate 25mph (most likely causing cars behind to the same), in order to join the flow of the middle lane. It also means that if someone pulls out in front of you, instead of having to slow down a bit, you have to slow down a lot, quickly! Which has a far higher chance of you losing control.

[Flash477]

Driving too slow doesn't cause accidents? Next time you go past a speed camera watch the number of people in front that slam the brakes on because they weren't paying attention. If you go into them it's still a speed related accident.

Sorry, that's caused by people driving too fast and then smacking on their brakes at the last moment when they spot the speed camera - that's the kind of thing that causes accidents! If they were doing the right speed they would have no need to brake

[Kata]

No their rates are higher because they are less experienced and more likely to write off an expensive vehicle that isn't theirs. It's more down to not being able to control the car, not knowing how to react in a situation (sliding out of control, brakes locking etc)

Driving too slow doesn't cause accidents? Next time you go past a speed camera watch the number of people in front that slam the brakes on because they weren't paying attention. If you go into them it's still a speed related accident.

scaryjim: I would avoid the wall by leaving a suitable braking distance in front of me to react and take an evasive manoeuvre if required.

Dude, learn to read. I said driving slow doesn't cause as many accidents as driving fast inappropriately. You even quoted my words!

Road Casualties Great Britain: 2003 Annual Report

In Great Britain, data collected about road traffic accidents in 1999 to 2002 examined the factors involved in each accident. Excessive speed was the most common contributory factor in fatal accidents, playing a part in 28% of all fatal accidents examined in the trial. Careless, thoughtless or reckless behaviour was next, being a contributory factor in 21% of all fatal accidents examined.

Going too slow was not mentioned.

I think we largely agree, that simple speed is not the main issue; it's inappropriate speed for the conditions.

[finlay666]

Dude, learn to read. I said driving slow doesn't cause as many accidents as driving fast inappropriately. You even quoted my words!

Sorry I was quoting your part to summarise what had been said by others already in the thread and only addressing the part of insurance premiums, should probably have snipped it.... but I couldn't be bothered

I was posting without due care and attention

[Kata]

I was posting without due care and attention

[Rave]

I never drive at 70. If I'm not late then I do 60 to save fuel. If I am late I do 90+ (where road and traffic conditions allow, obviously), on the basis that if I'm going to speed I might as well go fast enough for it to make a noticeable difference. In the latter case I am usually slowed down considerably by middle lane hogging prats causing people who want to do 70 to stay in the outside lane for extended periods. I do not flash or tailgate these people as I can see it's not their fault, but the fault of the knob in the middle lane.

IMO the police should make a real effort to stop and re-educate MLHers, it would save everyone else so much aggro. When I overtake one on an empty motorway I make a point of swooping over to the inside lane in one move before proceeding on my merry way. Very few of them get the hint, although it has been known.

[mikerr]

I drive at 50mph, as the M6 seems to be full of 50mph zones at the moment

[kalniel]

Well my commute today was blighted by the '40-everywhere' brigade :/

[caveman-jim]

Having moved from Portsmouth, UK to Birmingham, AL. USA, I don't miss UK motorways one bit. Nice wide roads, hardly anybody does 90mph... and its legal to pass on either side!

[kalniel]

Having moved from Portsmouth, UK to Birmingham, AL. USA, I don't miss UK motorways one bit. Nice wide roads, hardly anybody does 90mph... and its legal to pass on either side!

Hah.. when I was working in the states it was the opposite - the M25 was like childsplay compared to the gridlock on the I5 out of San Diego. Undertaking was illegal still, but everyone did it anyway, not that it makes any difference when all 5 lanes are solid.

[Madafwo]

IMO the police should make a real effort to stop and re-educate MLHers, it would save everyone else so much aggro. When I overtake one on an empty motorway I make a point of swooping over to the inside lane in one move before proceeding on my merry way. Very few of them get the hint, although it has been known.

QFT. Have done this a number of times, espcially when coming up from Brighton to Manchester late at night/early morning.

Plenty of people doing 60/65 in the middle lane on an empty motorway for me to then have to pull out from the inside lane right over to the outside lane and then back into the inside lane, all while leaving a nice big gap between the car I am over taking and travelling at the speed limit. Middle lane Marys* need to be shot. Pulled out of the car and executed on the side of the road, that should solve the problem in a jiffy. IMHO.

*I apologise to anyone who is called Mary, or knows anyone with this name. It seems to fit with the whole concept of middle lane dwellers. Nor am I stating that all people who choose to sit in the middle lane regardless of other vehicles on the road are female, this is not the case.

[scaryjim]

... have to pull out from the inside lane right over to the outside lane and then back into the inside lane ...

Naah, just go up the inside of them, then enjoy the entertainment in your rear view mirror as they have an apoplexy at you for daring to undertake them...

EDIT: or you could just wait until you're a couple of car length's behind them then blast your horn...?

[DeludedGuy]

People seem to think that the speed limit on the Motorway is a "guideline" and think that it is perfectly acceptable to do whatever speed they like - even when warning signs, or roadwork speed limits are telling them differently. The fact is that you don't have that right, and quite frankly you're arrogant if you think you do. I you need to travel at 90mph to get where you're going, then you left too late - leave earlier!

You can not use the "leave earlier" solution for most cases simply because there is always the unexpected such as traffic, road works, wrong turn, kids throwing up, etc which can always make you late.

People know how long it takes to get from A to B. In the case I made earlier in this thread, I had left a whole hour earlier.

So what we all agree on are that MLH doing 60mph should all be shot, leaving the third lane under police supervision for overtaking or speeding when your late for a funeral/wedding/hospital.

Perfect.

[Zak33]

I only do 70mph max on the motorway. cos the friction on the sidewalls of the tyres won't let it go sideways any damn faster.