Minimum speed/power requirement on Motorways

muon · 3 Nov 2019 at 22:57

I had a conversation with someone from Italy and I was surprised to hear they have minimum power rules for vehicles on motorways.

Whilst I've never come across a seriously underpowered car before. Should we have one?

This article just made me think it's worthy of a discussion.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-surrey-50281989

Armageus · 3 Nov 2019 at 22:59

No

Be much better just to enforce indicator use, lane etiquette and common sense.

mjt · 3 Nov 2019 at 23:00

muon said:
I had a conversation with someone from Italy and I was surprised to hear they have minimum power rules for vehicles on motorways.

Whilst I've never come across a seriously underpowered car before. Should we have one?

This article just made me think it's worthy of a discussion.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-surrey-50281989

Many countries have minimum speed limits on motorways rather than minimum power. Surprised there is no legal minimum limit on motorways in the UK!

muon · 3 Nov 2019 at 23:02

Armageus said:
No

Be much better just to enforce indicator use, lane etiquette and common sense.

Should cars like this simply not get a valid MOT then

https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/20498/lot/406/

Also common sense doesn't stop someone being strictly within the rules, getting themselves and others hurt.

Nasher · 3 Nov 2019 at 23:05

Well there kind of is. You can't take a 50cc on to a motorway

You can be pulled over and fined if you're a hazard due to being way to slow though.

mjt · 3 Nov 2019 at 23:12

Nasher said:
Well there kind of is. You can't take a 50cc on to a motorway

You can be pulled over and fined if you're a hazard due to being way to slow though.

Yes you can.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/motorways-253-to-273

Are you EVER correct about anything?

Nasher · 3 Nov 2019 at 23:15

mjt said:
Yes you can.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/motorways-253-to-273

Are you EVER correct about anything?

50cc bikes are slightly under 50cc. It has to be 50cc or over...

muon · 3 Nov 2019 at 23:20

In the case in the article (and the rally) it does look like the official route tries to avoid fast moving A roads (although it doesn't completely avoid them) and obviously doesn't touch a motorway.

HangTime · 4 Nov 2019 at 01:23

Can't really find anything about this Italian restriction online, just for motorbikes which have a 120cc minimum

muon · 4 Nov 2019 at 01:29

HangTime said:
Can't really find anything about this Italian restriction online, just for motorbikes which have a 120cc minimum

So the conversation was regarding the recent reduction from 150cc to 120cc which obviously only really affects scooters/motorcycles. However, the impression I got was that it covered all forms of vehicles and isn't specific to scooters/motorcycles (unless you have found something?).

Scania · 4 Nov 2019 at 07:15

Can’t see how a minimum power requirement would be enforced or even enforceable in the first place.

BHP per Ton? If for example it was set to say 15 BHP per Ton you’d at a stroke make the vast majority of HGV’s illegal

[QUOTE="mjt, post: 33131639, member]Surprised there is no legal minimum limit on motorways in the UK![/QUOTE]
Can you imagine the mayhem that would unleash? Never mind it’s not feasible if you think about it.

We’ve already got drivers who can’t fathom variable speed limits, lane discipline, driving to ambient conditions etc, all a minimum limit would bring would be increased pileups due to drivers not wanting to get a fine every time the traffic flow slows.

Rroff · 4 Nov 2019 at 07:26

Talking about minimums a first for me today - got 3-4 cars back behind a queue forming because what I think was an old couple were doing ~18mph through 30-40 limits - after several driving irregularities the driver behind got fed up and gave them a burst of horn which resulted in them slamming the brakes on and/or going very slow for no reason several times in a row and ended when we finally got to overtake with both drivers laying on the horn until separated by distance.

mccarf · 4 Nov 2019 at 08:33

I think a minimum top speed would be a decent way to do it. The car in question has a top speed of 30mph which is obviously ridiculous on a motorway. A car should need to be capable of doing at least the speed that HGVs are governed to imo (~60ish?)

200sols · 4 Nov 2019 at 08:35

Armageus said:
No

Be much better just to enforce indicator use, lane etiquette and common sense.

I disagree, driving so slow on the motorway is more dangerous than anything you listed.

Dis86 · 4 Nov 2019 at 13:35

200sols said:
I disagree, driving so slow on the motorway is more dangerous than anything you listed.

Agreed. Woman near me was killed over the weekend. Speaking to officers who were at the scene they think she pulled out of a slip road at about 25mph in to the path of a wagon.

Nasher · 4 Nov 2019 at 14:25

Seen people almost stop at the end of sliproads before. I blasted past them on the inside as its far less dangerous.

Conscript · 4 Nov 2019 at 14:32

Anyone caught joining motorways or dual carriageways at less than 65mph without good reason should be given a mandatory demonstration of proper acceleration by being fired out of a ****ing cannon into a sharpened metal grid :mad:

I don't think I'd last long as transport minister.

Semple · 4 Nov 2019 at 14:35

Dis86 said:
Agreed. Woman near me was killed over the weekend. Speaking to officers who were at the scene they think she pulled out of a slip road at about 25mph in to the path of a wagon.

I see so many people struggling to join motorways as they almost think that it's a give-way and that people on the inside lane should stop to let them out.

Most sensible drivers if they're unable to move out will vary their speed if they feel that a car coming on can pull on safely into a gap. It's those that don't put their foot down that then almost force you to slow down/stop to prevent them from crashing into you.

kurosagi01 · 4 Nov 2019 at 15:40

My greatest fear are sliproads as i've had my first accident on small slip road entering a dual carriage way with 50mph speed limit, this was my own error though crashing into a busy traffic with cars lining up to get onto the dual carriage way.
But I use this slip road everyday and I always get tensed up, not because I can't reach the 50mph speed on slip road and then enter the dual carriage way but because I can't see if its clear enough to enter the road as the sliproad is on a hill and the grass covers the dual carriage way slightly so your view is slightly obstructed by it. So I approach it at 30ish to make sure I can enter safely without causing people to slow down and gives me enough time to brake if I can't..but people behind me don't really think that.

Anyway in my opinion it depends on the commute, a 60bhp car might be fine to do short commutes but doing anything longer than 2 hours it will start to struggle a little to keep the car at the national speed.
A 1.6 or car with 90 bhp would be minimum to get to any speed or travel on motorways without any problems in my opinion.

snips86x · 4 Nov 2019 at 15:44

Armageus said:
No

Be much better just to enforce indicator use, lane etiquette and common sense.

I drive to Redhill every weekend to see the Mrs and while it doesn't come as a surprise, I still get annoyed at the idiots on the road. Absolute lack of lane etiquette and the M25 is the worst.

Drove there Friday and drove past 3 accidents, M3 just down from M25 to Gatwick junction, Slip onto M25 (accident clockwise) and then stuck on the M25 anticlockwise for 1hr 20 due to a 3 car smash.

Honestly, people just need to pay more attention!