Consultation on Speed Limit changes

[TW]Fox · 8 Aug 2006 at 20:17

Suprised there is no 8 page thread on this:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/5254926.stm

What do we think?

Morba · 8 Aug 2006 at 20:20

i agree that there should be set guidlines and more consistency on some roads limits, i also agree on the dropping of certain b roads limits from 60, i used to drive a few that were excellent drivers roads, but equally dangerous at the wrong time of day!

PMKeates · 8 Aug 2006 at 20:20

Let me decide the speed limits? I think that's fair tbh.

I also think speed limits should only be set for the safety of those around the road and not for the driver. If a 2CV can't go round x corner at 30mph safely, doesn't mean that I can't and so I should be able to go as fast as I want, until I impede the safety of others.

OllyM · 8 Aug 2006 at 20:22

They were talking about it on Radio 2 earlier...

If they start putting stupidly low speed limits on roads that don't need them, that's when I'll get annoyed.

PMKeates · 8 Aug 2006 at 20:23

OllyM said:
They were talking about it on Radio 2 earlier...

If they start putting stupidly low speed limits on roads that don't need them, that's when I'll get annoyed.

When? I think most roads have stupidly low speed limits!

MrMatteh · 8 Aug 2006 at 20:23

i hope they can be unbiased in doing this

some NSL roads should blatently be reduced whilst certain 30/40/50mph roads should clearly be NSL

hopefully this rethink will sort that.

hooooooowever, we all know that it wont. Most limits will be decreased and cameras added

:edit

someone on another forum put it quite well

That is the thing unfortunately, and the govt and councils shoot themselves in the foot. If we forget the speed limit and money making exercise element of it, they are catering for the mr below average or mr average who thinks that 40 in a 60 is fine and 40 in a 30 is fine, and who pays no attention to road/weather conditions, or traffic, or conditions as a whole. The reason they're having to drop to this average driver's level is because the standard of driving on the roads is poor in England in my opinion, and this stems from a poor system for learning to drive and testing appropriately.

Alu_ATC · 8 Aug 2006 at 20:41

I'm just fed up of the motorists constantly being mucked with, it just becomes irritating. Yes, there are some NSL roads that shouldn't be, but so what? Do you need a speed limit to tell you that? There are plenty of ridiculous speed limits elsewhere that should be NSL as well.

All of this, coupled with the idea of reducing speed limits on motorways, increased tax, increased petrol prices, more toll roads and the black box idea makes motoring of the future look very depressing. Sorry for the cliché, but this really does all feel a bit 'big brother' or 'nanny state'.

I hope Ladyman speeds sometime soon and gets a nice ban, he's only 3 points away.

beamer · 8 Aug 2006 at 20:42

MrMatteh said:
i hope they can be unbiased in doing this

some NSL roads should blatently be reduced whilst certain 30/40/50mph roads should clearly be NSL

hopefully this rethink will sort that.

hooooooowever, we all know that it wont. Most limits will be decreased and cameras added

:edit

someone on another forum put it quite well

Agree completely. I would prefer to see mandatory re-testing every 5 years or so. Anyone failing can retake as many times as they want, but throughout that time they are required by law to display L plates.

Foghorn Leghorn · 8 Aug 2006 at 20:52

beamer said:
Agree completely. I would prefer to see mandatory re-testing every 5 years or so. Anyone failing can retake as many times as they want, but throughout that time they are required by law to display L plates.

I agree with the mandatory retest, but I think there should be a 3 strikes and your out. If you cant pass your test in 3 attempts then you are clearly and incompetent dork where driving is concerned and should not be allowed to retake your test for 5 years or so. There is a country who does/did this, can't remember where though.

Fog

spaz · 8 Aug 2006 at 20:54

I don't think many limits will be changed, possibly only the ones where there is significant risk e.g. schools, or obviously low limits e.g. 30mph dual carriageways (not that I know of any around here!).

PMKeates · 8 Aug 2006 at 20:55

Foghorn Leghorn said:
I agree with the mandatory retest, but I think there should be a 3 strikes and your out. If you cant pass your test in 3 attempts then you are clearly and incompetent dork where driving is concerned and should not be allowed to retake your test for 5 years or so. There is a country who does/did this, can't remember where though.

Fog

A 3 strike method is poor, IMO. 3 mitigating factors to you failing could ruin your life if you needed to drive for an important career.

MrMatteh · 8 Aug 2006 at 20:56

there is a 30mph road in exeter that my brother was doing 60 down

he was absolutly amazed when i informed him that it was a 30!

v0n · 8 Aug 2006 at 20:58

I can promise you none of you would pass a retest.

Remember how not keeping hands ten to two and not checking all three mirrors every 30 seconds would cost you a retest? Now drop all of your habits and learn back all those weird, sixties, stuck up routines that make you not better but more erraticaly behaving driver.

Arc · 8 Aug 2006 at 20:58

Well the primary aim of this is to reduce deaths on country roads. If some peeps realised the dangers on these roads and drove appropriately we wouldnt be in this situation. Unfortunately some people dont understand the concept that NSL is a limit, not a target. Drive using appropriate speed for the conditions and everyone will be fine, small horses will dance in the fields, rabbits will bounce about the grass verges........

. (sarcasm mode off)

Ok, back in the real world, they want to reduce limits on certain NSL roads to whack in a large number of speed cameras and get some more income. The problem on most of these roads is not speed but its poor road design to sort out the mistakes when drivers mess up (which can happen at any speed). If you have large immovable objects (trees for example) at the roadside then your going to have some serious accidents when things go wrong.

Dont go for the cheap option of reducing speed limits, sort out the roads and make them properly fit for their purpose.

PMKeates · 8 Aug 2006 at 21:00

MrMatteh said:
there is a 30mph road in exeter that my brother was doing 60 down

he was absolutly amazed when i informed him that it was a 30!

I've been ferried along a 30 limit at 5 times that limit before, so it's definitely possible in places

Whereas it may not be possible of certain vehicles to navigate a certain NSL at more than 30mph, but I'd still rather it be an NSL for those who can

Foghorn Leghorn · 8 Aug 2006 at 21:01

PMKeates said:
A 3 strike method is poor, IMO. 3 mitigating factors to you failing could ruin your life if you needed to drive for an important career.

I'm not talking about at the initial test I'm talking about the mandatory retest, I'd make the initial test a 5 strike limit.

Fog

Morba · 8 Aug 2006 at 21:03

v0n said:
I can promise you none of you would pass a retest.

wrong.
i know of 2 people that would dispute that.
me and dangerous.
im sure plenty of others have had to retake tests after losing license for whatever reason, on this forum :]

PMKeates · 8 Aug 2006 at 21:03

Foghorn Leghorn said:
I'm not talking about at the initial test I'm talking about the mandatory retest, I'd make the initial test a 5 strike limit.

Fog

Nor was I. Imagine you have an important career that requires that you drive. You fail three times in a row to some unfortunate factors and you then have an effective ban for 5 years!

Being a good driver and passing a test are not the same thing. Otherwise all the "just passed" people on the road would be more observant and capable than the rest of us, which isn't the case.

Foghorn Leghorn · 8 Aug 2006 at 21:11

But "unfortunate factors" are part of the day to day driving experience. After five years plus driving you should be in a much better position to deal with the unexpected, if you can't on three seperate instances then I think a 5 year break from being incompetent is probably for the best

The just passed drivers may be more up to date with the rules and regulations but they lack experience in dealing with situations as they unfold infront of them.

This isn't aimed at you by the way, just my feelings on the driving public as a whole.

Fog

mattbrown91 · 8 Aug 2006 at 21:20

They are talking about reducing speed limits to cut down on polution.

This wont help much becuase people will be on the road longer.

If they want to cut down on polution they should put the £70bn which motorists pay to good use.
By helping companies make more fuel efficent cars and hydrogen powered cars.

Out of the 70bn that motorists pay only 6bn goes back into the roads.

I remember Gordon Brown saying that he wouldn't put any tax on hydrogen fuels. Whether he sticks to it is another matter :rolleyes: