Drive the M4?

[schmunk]

Right so if you get in your car now and drive down a road doing what your speedo says is 30mph and you get pulled by a copper and fined then your incompetent and you don't give a toss?

If you are driving a car at an indicated 30mph and you keep finding yourself up the back of others, you should get your speedo checked.

[Agent]

Theres no signs allowing drivers to use extra speed in good coditions though are there?

70 is the top rate speed, so travelling at it would be the ‘extra’ speed over more hazardous conditions where a slower speed is required.
No matter what the limit, id say its fairly safe to say that you will be able to travel up to that speed, unless conditions don’t allow it, as opposed to ‘travel at this speed, unless its “ideal driving conditions”, then you can go up to this amount’. That leaves far too much of a subjective condition for the driver. What one person thinks is fine, another may not.

Just Like its only safe travelling at 70mph aslong as its not in an accident,

Because a Series 5 in a crash at 155mph is sure as hell going to raise the risks of a fatality occurring. Its only ‘safe’ travelling at 155mph provided its not in an accident....
But providing a speed limit that is a good compromise between safety and commuting is a must...
Every speed you can think of is safe, until someone has an accident.

But do you disagree that a crash at 155 compared to 70, isn’t going to have a significantly higher chance of causing serious injury and / or fatality’s ?

the fact is that not only are cars safer in collisions than they were when the NSL was imposed but the are also more stable at higher speeds and have many safety features (ABS, Traction Control, Smart Cruise Control etc.etc.) they'd never of dreamed of back in the 60's when the A/C Cobra made the govt. Knee jerk their way into a speed limit on motorways

Im not saying that the speed limit shouldn’t be reassessed to see if its suitable for today’s cars and driving conditions. Infact, Id prefer something like this being done as it would either reaffirm people that 70 is enough, or that todays cars are suitable for higher speeds with less chance of a fatality / serious accident, instead of people making this decisions for themselves.

This hasn't (to my knowledge at least) been tested properly though and if it has the results have not been widely released into the public domain.

Which is exactly what i was saying . I think this needs to be done, either to confirm that 70 is enough, or, if suitable, raise the limit.

Many of our laws and legal practices are imo outdated and hardly in line with the rest of the countries in the european union, a union I may not agree with but one we are part of none the less.

It doesnt make it any more legal to driver over the speed limit though, because somone doesnt agree with it.

[Zak33]

Knoxxy can you please answer my question. What, exactly, do you want the law changed to?

At last, a question to answer.

I want Camera's to be abolished, and more Policemen in cars to be around. A lot more.

I want to KNOW when my wrist has been slapped. I've been nicked twice by actual police and once by camera. In both cases of human interaction I have been a lot more humble and lot more "legal" on the rest of my journey and for months afterwards.

I simply want lots more white Omega's and Volvo's and BMW 5 Series....lots more of them.

NOT UNMARKED ONES. I want to see them on the side of the motorway, and if need be, over the bridges. But I want them to stop me then and there, lights and everything.

I want camera's gone. They are underhand and wrong. Every person deserves to know ON THE SPOT when they're done wrong, not 10 days later.

If we're looking at that graph posted. we'll see its 1990. Now back in 1990 the Cavalier 1.6 L was £9995 and was company car favourite, and a few Sierra 1.8's were selling too.

I have one of those cars now. A Cavalier 1.7 D in my case. I drive it to work everyday.

In 1990 the speed limit was 70 mph, as it was in 1980, and was back in 1970 too, when I'll remind everybody that Allegro's and Marina's were in force

I can gaurantee you that my Cavalier, pauper specification, really should only be doing about 70 mph on a motorway, because even with Michelin tyres on, new shocks and in fine fettle, it skids all over the place under braking. Its how they were, even when brand new. But they are still on our roads and must be considered.

Allegro's....Mark 2 Cortina's...Mini's....Polo Mk1 with no brake servo...all still out there, using the roads. Now if we are saying that we must keep the Speed Limit the same now as back then, because those cars still travel our roads, fair play. But surely a Policeman, stood by the worried motorist with his Blue and Two's on is in a better position to decide how to deal with the offender. Not a camera. A bloke or a bird with a dark blue suit on.

A Vectra 1.8 LS 04 04 plate will simple destroy the braking performance of my humble Cavalier with such alacrity, such monster stopping power, and with traffic lane changing skills, that surely, surely, it should be acceptable on an empty motorway, as 5:30 am, early summer, with a warm breeze, and dry roads, it could do 85 mph past a police car without them doing anything other than wave.

Surely, if we are HUMAN, and not a country run by robots, we have some compassion. Or do we expect our Traffic Police to act like robots too? Because if we have traffic police nicking everyone at 72mph because it is, after all, illegal, then we have no hope as a country to be run fairly, and diplomatically. Rules must flex, because if they didn't, we'd be in deep trouble.

A simple question to anyone who agrees with Speed Camera's and Rigid Enforcement of Speed Limits and resulting fines, I ask you one thing? Ever admited to speeding as a kid, but not handed yourself into the Police station?

Just a thought really. If you really do think it's bad, wrong and inhumane, surely now you are getting your coat on to go down to the local police station to admit to it? Surely.

No? Maybe you're not walking the walk, just talking the talk.

[Allen]

A Vectra 1.8 LS 04 04 plate will simple destroy the braking performance of my humble Cavalier with such alacrity, such monster stopping power, and with traffic lane changing skills, that surely, surely, it should be acceptable on an empty motorway, as 5:30 am, early summer, with a warm breeze, and dry roads, it could do 85 mph past a police car without them doing anything other than wave.

Surely, if we are HUMAN, and not a country run by robots, we have some compassion. Or do we expect our Traffic Police to act like robots too? Because if we have traffic police nicking everyone at 72mph because it is, after all, illegal, then we have no hope as a country to be run fairly, and diplomatically. Rules must flex, because if they didn't, we'd be in deep trouble.

OK, I agree with you that real people are better than cameras, after all, as you say a person can determin road conditions, but at the moment the law has set the speed limit to do 70, not "70 but you can do 85 if your car has ABS". Don't you also think that if the law was changed that some police people (is that politically correct enough) will pull you over anyway for doing 85, even if it is dry, warm, early morning with little traffic and you have a brand new car capable of stopping with 2 seconds?

A simple question to anyone who agrees with Speed Camera's and Rigid Enforcement of Speed Limits and resulting fines, I ask you one thing? Ever admited to speeding as a kid, but not handed yourself into the Police station?

Just a thought really. If you really do think it's bad, wrong and inhumane, surely now you are getting your coat on to go down to the local police station to admit to it? Surely.

No? Maybe you're not walking the walk, just talking the talk.

I think most police officers would tell you to "go away" if you walked in and admitted to going 33 in a 30 about 5-55 years ago depending on age!

[Zak33]

I think most police officers would tell you to "go away" if you walked in and admitted to going 33 in a 30 about 5-55 years ago depending on age!

Have you TRIED? If its such a heinous crime, surely you should try (not you personally)(well maybe you personally )

As to the Speed Limit being 70 and cops genuinely not pulling you until you'[re doing over 85 its a fact. Or has been anyway.

If the limit was raised to 85 and then you had the book thrown at you after that it'd make more sense tbh

[Howard]

So you're saying by sticking to the legal limits irritates you and other drivers and you have more chance of having an accident below 70 rather than above 70? Hmm, ok.

NO. For the love of God. That's not what I said

Read my posts properly please.

[DaBeeeenster]

Zak, can you just explain to me why cameras should be banned? Are you saying that people should be allowed to speed?

[Allen]

NO. For the love of God. That's not what I said

Read my posts properly please.

I can read properly thank you.

My post:

By slow, I take it you mean sticking to the legal limits?

You're reply:

By slow I mean going slower than the legal limits, thus irritating other drivers and possibly causing an accident. It happens on any road you drive on.

You said, unless I have suddenly forgotten the Queen's English, that drivers who drive within the legal speed limits irritate other drivers and cause accidents, did you not? So are you therefore saying that everyone should drive over the legal speed limits and we'll all be happy and there'll be no accidents?

Please, correct me if I'm wrong, don't just try to insult me again.

[Howard]

No I said slower. I.e 50 or 60 in a 70MPh motorway for example. Or 20MPH in a 30MPH zone. It shows you don't have full control over your car, annoys other drivers and could cause an accident if all the following drivers decide to overtake out of exasperation.

Like I said, read my posts properly.

[Allen]

No I said slower. I.e 50 or 60 in a 70MPh motorway for example. Or 20MPH in a 30MPH zone. It shows you don't have full control over your car, annoys other drivers and could cause an accident if all the following drivers decide to overtake out of exasperation.

Is it illegal to drive at 50 or 60 on a motorway? No. Is it illegal to drive at 20 in a 30 zone? No. IMO, you'll have much more control over your car at those speeds, than at the faster speeds. If people driving at sensible speeds annoys you then you shouldn't be on the roads, or you should go on an anger management course. And to be fair, there are 3 lanes on a motorway, it shouldn't be a problem if someone is driving at 50 or 60, unless of course they were in the fast lane, but I've NEVER seen anyone going that slow in a fast lane except for the M25 when there's bad traffic!

Like I said, read my posts properly.

Like I said, don't play smart arse and try to undermine my reading abilities please. I know I sometimes lose my rag, but I don't insult people unnecessarily.

[Howard]

Is it illegal to drive at 50 or 60 on a motorway? No. Is it illegal to drive at 20 in a 30 zone? No.

Yes I believe it is. It most likely comes under the category of "Careless or inconsiderate driving."

And even if it wasn't, why should people drive at speeds they feel like? Selfishness tbh.

[DaBeeeenster]

And even if it wasn't, why should people drive at speeds they feel like? Selfishness tbh.

Erm, isn't that exactly what some people here are arguing about?

[Howard]

Eh?

[Zak33]

Zak, can you just explain to me why cameras should be banned? Are you saying that people should be allowed to speed?

Because I believe Policmen in cars, are a better and more cost effective deterent to speeding than flashing a light in my face, in the dark, on a dual carriageway, that was so bright and so suprised me, I lost proper vision for 3 to 4 seconds, and thats a bleedin long way in the dark.

I also believe that to personally berate someone AT THE TIME of the inncident has a more profound effect, than posting them a letter over a week later, that doesn't actually point out the error of the drivers ways, just nails them with an impersonal fine.

Also, there is a good chance that IF the speeding offense is a genuine mistake, a good policeman/woman will use their judgement to slap or not to slap a fine and penalty points on.

[Allen]

Yes I believe it is. It most likely comes under the category of "Careless or inconsiderate driving."

I really, really, really wanna see some evidence of people being fined and/or having points on their licence for driving at 50 or 60 on a motorway. Please.

And even if it wasn't, why should people drive at speeds they feel like? Selfishness tbh.

Hang on, are you now saying people shouldn't be able to drive at the speeds they like? So people shouldn't be able to drive faster than the speed limits?? Make your mind up!

The speed limit on motorways is 70mph. It's a legel limit. You don't have to drive at 70mph, but the law states you shouldn't drive above that. I would agree that driving seriously slow on a motorway is dangerous, but it doesn't mean you can't drive at a safe speed in the "slow" lane, and I would probably say that 50mph would be the slowest you could drive. But I very much doubt people would get more than just a slapped wrist for going lower than that. I await to be flamed and proved wrong though.

[Howard]

You don't have to be bang on the speed limit, no. But near enough would be nice.

Are you telling me you wouldn't be in the slgihtest bit annoyed if you were stuck behind someone doing 20 in a 30?