RedRobin Posted August 1, 2006 Report Share Posted August 1, 2006 Have just caught a news item about plans to restrict speed on rural roads, specifically looking at Devon. Sorry the info is patchy but don't be surprised if we see 50 limits on ALL B-roads before long . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patently Posted August 1, 2006 Report Share Posted August 1, 2006 [ QUOTE ] Sorry the info is patchy but don't be surprised if we see 50 limits on ALL B-roads before long . [/ QUOTE ] Try Buckinghamshire. Almost there already. Has it helped the accident rate? Ha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarMad Posted August 1, 2006 Report Share Posted August 1, 2006 This has been in the pipeline for years. The powers that be don't want engaged drivers they want switched off zombies. Its about time us 'real' drivers started to stand our ground. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snail Posted August 1, 2006 Report Share Posted August 1, 2006 That seems to be the usual response to roads these days, just reduce the speed limit The government dont seem to realise that reducing speed limits increases the amount of time on the road, thus increasing congestion, polution, etc etc. Then add to the fact that theres more and more people on the roads, this country is heading for transportation meltdown Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarMad Posted August 1, 2006 Report Share Posted August 1, 2006 [ QUOTE ] The government dont seem to realise that reducing speed limits increases the amount of time on the road, thus increasing congestion, polution, etc etc. [/ QUOTE ] This isnt' quite true. The slower traffic is, the more stable it is and as a result the more traffic can flow through a given lane. Also as the cars aren't braking / accelerating to such a large extent then fuel is also saved, and because the maximum speeds are reduced again so is the fuel. The reason speed restriction schemes like the one on the M25 and M40 work is that they don't allow the yo yo effect by making all drivers travel at a constant speed. Result is less damage to the environment and also smaller queues as a result of people stopping to a crawl and speeding up again every half a mile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patently Posted August 1, 2006 Report Share Posted August 1, 2006 This is actually more dangerous. I mean it. The A404 through Bucks is a classic example. It used to be NSL 60 mph, and it didn't have a great safety record. There are plenty of interesting bends, only a few safe overtaking places, and one place that looks like a safe overtake until someone turns left out of the invisible side road and find you heading towards them. So they plastered the roads with those "623 people died here yesterday" signs and dropped the limit to 50. Since then, the numbers on the signs have been rising gently. Why? Because half the drivers are now so scared of the road that they trundle along at 35-40. After all, speed kills. Then you get a little tailback. At the back of the tail is an idiot in a Saxo (or the like) who doesn't want to wait at 35 and reckons he can get past all of them. Cue one mad overtake.... As I said, this is actually more dangerous. It's the difference beween engaged drivers and switched off zombies - nicely put, Carmad. What really upsets me is that all they had to do was cut back a few hedges. Better visibility is what is needed, on that road at least. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie_d Posted August 1, 2006 Report Share Posted August 1, 2006 I keep having this argument with friends, some of whom have NO idea about how to drive safely. The government is basically instilling the notion that driving at or under the speed limit is the only way to drive safely and by doing so it's impossible to crash. WRONG WRONG WRONG. I forget the amount of times I've had to slam my brakes on because a car has pulled out and then proceeded to do 40mph in a NSL or the lovely one when a car decides to pull into the fast lane of a motorway without looking...then spending the next 5 minutes overtaking two lorries. I like that little Carmad phrase mate I'm always "switched on" whilst driving and am constantly looking for dangers ahead. Some of my friends who drive asked me to do a running commentary, when I said something like "car at junction, driver hasn't seen me, brake lights no longer lit, maybe pulling out"...they asked me why I bothered looking at stuff like that? The evasive action that I had to take about a second later gave them a rough idea We don't need lower speed limits, we need at LEAST % of the drivers off the fecking roads! Testing should be done every ten years (just ask people down the pub what the NSL speed limit is, most won't know) and make the sodding tests harder. We've got to stop this nonsense of blaming speed for everything, most accidents are caused by driver error and that includes excessive speed, which doens't necessarily mean speeding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRobin Posted August 1, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 1, 2006 I just know that this TSN Performance Car Community totally understands and 99% 'walk the talk' re driving safely. The situation is getting serious - How can we join together with others to make authorities understand. It's really scary that they simply don't understand that it's not speed that kills. Grrrrrrrrr!! You would think that the Police, having done advanced driving training, would understand. It's at times like this that bring out the worst in me and I detest the comfortably numb Average Joe! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Golfer Posted August 1, 2006 Report Share Posted August 1, 2006 Yup before long all powerfull cars will be unsaleable due to two many speed restrictions I for one do not concentrate on low speed roads and crawling along, when the green light is on I switch on. To many speed scamera partnerships ( and expanding) just screwing us for more cash and saying accidents are being reduced: WHO ARE THEY KIDDING. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shao_khan Posted August 1, 2006 Report Share Posted August 1, 2006 Milton Keynes is a great example of this kind of legislation. Mostly now its dual carriageways - all 70, with fast curves (I think some call them roundabouts) and chicanes (turning right at roundabouts). Most accidents are caused by a complete ignorance of the highway code and a total disregard for other road users. People turning onto main roads make no attempt to accelerate to a safe speed, they pull out giving drivers on the main carriageway no chance to slow or avoid. Now we are seeing several 40 and 50 limit roads appearing - too many accidents. The fact these are cause by people pulling out of side roads who have no respect for other road users is irrelevent. It has happened to me - head on into the side of a car at 60mph because they 'thought they could nip in front of me' - no action taken by police, I couldnt walk for 3 months, that piece of road is now 50 - but that wouldnt have prevented my accident - my accident would have been less painful maybe - but they allowed the moron to stay on the road with no action. Sorry for the rant, but until they enforce careful driving then accidents will not reduce - well maybe they will when the speedlimit is 11mph....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterb Posted August 1, 2006 Report Share Posted August 1, 2006 [ QUOTE ] How can we join together with others to make authorities understand. [/ QUOTE ] Join, or affiliate with, the ABD? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRobin Posted August 1, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 1, 2006 Good idea, Peter - Looks useful . I wasn't previously aware of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roy32 Posted August 1, 2006 Report Share Posted August 1, 2006 [ QUOTE ] What really upsets me is that all they had to do was cut back a few hedges. Better visibility is what is needed, on that road at least. [/ QUOTE ] Grass and hedge trimming on highways is what I do for a living, your completely right, when we actually get to cut back full lengths of road it makes such a difference to visibility into corners and for road signs that sometimes havent been seen for years. We usaully get lots of compliments from passing drivers but as usuall the highways department just let them get out of control rather than keeping the verges and hedges maintianed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRobin Posted August 1, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 1, 2006 Hedge trimming in places like West Dorset and Devon with deep cut lanes and small hillsides would be a very major task and also, unfortunately, upset wildlife and probably farmers. Why can't the authorities realise that the key to better road safety is through better education and testing of drivers. We may as well catch a train but, oh, we can't cos they took away half the railway network! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian_C Posted August 1, 2006 Report Share Posted August 1, 2006 [ QUOTE ] Milton Keynes is.... Mostly now its dual carriageways - all 70, with fast curves (I think some call them roundabouts) and chicanes (turning right at roundabouts) [/ QUOTE ] Have never forgotten you saying 'the speed limit is 70mph on the roundabouts'. So true, and so fun! The roundabouts aren't the problem though. Exactly as you mention Shao, it is the turnings across the dual carriageways which are the problem. I almost had a monumental one last November, pretty much right outside the Caldicotte. A car was sat in the cutting through the central reservation - the same cutting Nik and others use when leaving the MK to hit the A5. A bit late I thought as he pulled out, crossing the carriageway in front of me. Close, but I wouldn't need to take any action. Or so I thought. Imagine my horror when the car carried on turning, completing a U turn, meaning I was bearing down at 70mph on this smoking Renault 19, pulling away from a standstill in my lane. No chance to look in my mirrors, survival instinct took over and I snicked the car into an emergency lane change, elk test style. No point in touching the brakes, didn't want to risk unsettling the car. Wouldn't have made much difference hitting it at 60 rather than 70.... Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorburn Posted August 1, 2006 Report Share Posted August 1, 2006 Can bet, as you shot past him, that he thought you were the twat too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr_Watson Posted August 1, 2006 Report Share Posted August 1, 2006 Here the limit on A roads is 50mph, and usually less on B Roads. You really have to get used to following people at 45 to 50, you need to stay calm and not get stressed or else your nerves wouldn`t last an hour. I see all sorts of crap going on and I take no notice of it, it would just make driving too stressfull. Sometimes there is a stretch you can pass, then you need to watch you dont go faster than 60 or the hidden lasers will have a speeding ticket thru the post within 1 week asking for upto 300 quid!!!! Just money, no points unless you go really crazy. Now you can understand why I travel to Germany shopping once a week and give the car a good blast! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidicks Posted August 2, 2006 Report Share Posted August 2, 2006 [ QUOTE ] Join, or affiliate with, the ABD? [/ QUOTE ] Nice one PeterB ! I've been a member for 5 or 6 years now, I think sidicks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sayerbloke Posted August 2, 2006 Report Share Posted August 2, 2006 Another article on the subject Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRobin Posted August 3, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2006 ....Quoting from the linked article: "When approaching a blind corner a driver should imagine that a cyclist has fallen round the bend" - So that means 20mph in many cases then! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garcon magnifique Posted August 3, 2006 Report Share Posted August 3, 2006 Quoting from the Highway Code (I think) and certainly any decent driving manual: [ QUOTE ] You should always be able to pull up in the distance you can see to be clear. [/ QUOTE ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRobin Posted August 3, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2006 Hi garcon, I can't argue with that but would only point out that some cars (and drivers) are able to pull up in much shorter distances than others. Imo what's wrong with any proposal to put 50 limits on all rural B-roads is that it creates trains of slow vehicles all bunched up and potentially more accidents whether fatal or not. Right or wrong, I shall be using my common sense if such limits become law, as I do now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garcon magnifique Posted August 3, 2006 Report Share Posted August 3, 2006 [ QUOTE ] some cars (and drivers) are able to pull up in much shorter distances than others [/ QUOTE ] You're absolutely right there. I guess I was just reinforcing what you'd read - and the point that if many drivers followed it they'd be travelling alot slower round bends on country roads! [ QUOTE ] Right or wrong, I shall be using my common sense if such limits become law, as I do now. [/ QUOTE ] Same here. Let's face it, how enforceable would this be without a rash of cameras? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
v15ben Posted August 3, 2006 Report Share Posted August 3, 2006 [ QUOTE ] a rash of cameras? [/ QUOTE ] Sadly I can see the authorities giving us just that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarMad Posted August 3, 2006 Report Share Posted August 3, 2006 [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] a rash of cameras? [/ QUOTE ] Sadly I can see the authorities giving us just that! [/ QUOTE ] Yep there is talk about deploying more specs cameras on stretches of A roads to ensure more people drive like zombies only watching the speedo's or sleeping. Oh how I'm wanting a track car more as each day goes by. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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