Could increasing speed limits make some roads safer?

[TW]Fox;25375892 said:
Same. I am not at all interested in what the Motorway speed limit is, I cruise at 70 for fuel consumption reasons just as I would do it if the limit was 100.
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I do exactly the same!

And here's me thinking it's because I'm getting on a bit! :D
 
matthab said:
Some people do remember speed limits are advisory not a target, so people showing pics of NSL country roads dont need to go and do 60mph.
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The problem is that driving on a single lane road at a speed one deems to be safe may result in others going for overtakes into oncoming traffic, I see it all the time at the speed limit never mind people doing less than the limit. Going under 55 in a 60 is like a red rag to a bull, they start twitching in and out waiting for an opportunity to charge. Even if they don't go for a risky overtake, some drivers may get intimidated/distracted by being tailgated etc.

On roads with multiple lanes it is much less of an issue because aside from the fact that such roads are typically bigger/easier, sooner or later a vehicle that wants to travel at a slower speed will have the opportunity to move into the inside lane if they aren't there already. Sure you will get situations where some idiot is trying to flash them out of the way in the outside lane because they aren't overtaking other cars fast enough, but it is only a temporary situation rather than potentially going on for miles.

In other words, the very roads where it can be prudent to drive more cautiously (in speed terms) are the ones where doing so can cause the most problems because not everyone has that mindset.
 
PMKeates said:
60 MPH limit:

http://goo.gl/maps/EDllR
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I like roads like that and a 60 limit is ok. Read the road and your limit point on corners and you'll be fine.
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Von Smallhausen said:
PMKeates said:
60 MPH limit:

http://goo.gl/maps/EDllR
fen.png


Read the road and your limit point on corners and you'll be fine.
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And there is the problem. Because a lot of drivers, especially younger ones, seem to base their driving speed on what their vehicle can do on said road, not what they can see and anticipate. The difference between those two speeds might be trivial on some sections, but on others it might be 30 versus 50mph.
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Managed motorways would work better, if the limit was raised to 100 but the variable limits were well managed to suit traffic and conditions.

Many sections of the M6 and A1-M you can easily achieve 100+ with no appreciable risk increase over 70mph. Good surface, visibility, width of road.
 
Perhaps for another thread, but the 40MPH limit on single carriageway roads for HGV's is way out of date and often leads to downright dangerous overtake attempts by car and truck drivers alike.
 
geekman said:
If they had changed the speed limit say 20 years ago, I'd agree with you. Nowadays however, I reckon people are so obsessed with economy that very few people would drive any faster than they currently do.

I tend to stay at around 90 on the motorway and I've driven hundreds of miles without anyone passing me. I do the south section of the m25 twice a week and I can only think of a few times in over a year when someone else has wanted to go faster than me.
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I'm not a regular motorway driver so I don't know. Do you never get caught doing 90mph? Aren't there cameras or patrol cars?

A lot of people claim to regularly sit at 80+...?

I realise an indicated 80 is more like 75 give or take and there's a 10% tolerance. But 85-90?
 
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