Further proof that speed is not the problem...

Dolph

Dolph

Dolph

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http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyId=20890

An experiment to raise speed limits to 80mph in Utah has been declared a success in road safety terms.


Limits can go up, as well as down...
Since 2008, the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) has been allowed to raise posted limits to 80mph from 75mph, but because motorists were already driving at speeds greater than the original limit the effect has been simply to bring drivers within the law, rather than worsen highway safety.


That’s the official view of the UDOT which has been studying the move closely, as described by the department’s deputy director Carlos Braceras:

“"Overall we saw speeds increase between two and three miles per hour," he says. "The speed differentials did increase and we saw no change in accident history, while the number of vehicles exceeding the speed limit decreased 20 percent."

According to thenewspaper.com which has reported the story, when the speed limit was 75mph, 85th percentile speeds measured between 81 and 85mph - a barely perceptible change from the 83 to 85mph speeds recorded when the 80mph limit was introduced.

The 85th percentile speed represents the speed at which 85 percent of free-flowing traffic feels is the safest, and according to the report engineers have determined that the best safety is achieved when speed limits match that 85th percentile speed.
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Which all makes perfect sense, given that the 85th percentile speed used to be the basis of speed limits in the UK originally until some people decided, without any evidence, to ignore the idea that drivers know what is safe and to create random, arbitary limits with no factual basis...

Will we see similar sensible policies in the UK? Or will the speed facists carry on their campaign of FUD to prevent it from happening?
 
The government will continue its campaign of hate against the motorists as long as they are able to hold onto power. Using such restrictive laws without considering relaxing them is just another example of how out of touch they are with the real world.
 
but 50mph is SOOOOOOOOOO much better for the C02 emissions....

come on guys, get with the Fascist control-freakery official Government programme will ya? :rolleyes:
 
Evidence will never matter to this government who prefer to meat out the same punishment to the motorist and the terrorist, treating both with equal distain (though recognising the human rights of the terrorist more than the motorist).

The government cars about the money it makes, not about making things safer. IF it was about road safety, we'd have MORE coppers on the road, looking for dangerous drivers, uninsured chavs in cars that are not roadworthy, not an army of GATSO's and SPECs waiting for grandma to do 34 in a 30 zone before nailing her and getting a 100% clear-up rate.
 
naefeart said:
Didn't the Government introduce the speed limit on motorways to curb fuel consuption during the oil crisis in the 70s?

n
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No, they introduced them in the 60's as a result of panic driven hysteria about fast cars with no evidential basis...
 
naefeart said:
Didn't the Government introduce the speed limit on motorways to curb fuel consuption during the oil crisis in the 70s?

n
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No, I think it was because people were using the M1 as a test track and an AC cobra left a mahooosive set of skid marks:cool:

Speed restrictions as we know them today came into force over 60 years ago in 1934 when a 30mph limit was brought in for roads considered to be in 'built-up' areas. Other roads had no limits, until 1965 when the Minister for Transport introduced a 70mph restriction for all roads, which included highways and motorways.

In 1977 the speed limit for cars and motorbikes on dual carriageways was set at 70mph with single carriageways carrying a 60mph limit.
 
Dolph said:
No, they introduced them in the 60's as a result of panic driven hysteria about fast cars with no evidential basis...
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Well when you consider the ford anglia was the car of the time and how pant wettingly scary it was to brake from just 50mph, you could probably understand why
 
matt_fsr said:
but 50mph is SOOOOOOOOOO much better for the C02 emissions....

come on guys, get with the Fascist control-freakery official Government programme will ya? :rolleyes:
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Unfortunatley it'll be this.

Don't Chinese cows give off more CO2 in a day than the entire of the United Kingdom do in a year or something? :p
 
Speed bumps are my gripe. Yes driving at 20mph / 30mph gives off less pollution. But not when I have to slow down to 10mph then accelerate and repeat every few yards for half a mile. I can't see any effect other than negative? Why can't I just be allowed to drive at a steady speed without having to slow down and speed up without good reason, hurt my back and damaging my car?
 
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Kitchster_uk said:
IF it was about road safety, we'd have MORE coppers on the road, looking for ... uninsured chavs
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I think you'll find that if it was *purely* about road saety then insurance wouldn't even be a legal requirement ;)

Having insurance doesn't make you safer, it just ensures that victims of your bad driving are recompensed for your cockups.
 
mejinks said:
Well when you consider the ford anglia was the car of the time and how pant wettingly scary it was to brake from just 50mph, you could probably understand why
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well, that wasn't the problem, so much as people in e types and cobras on the then new and unrestricted m1. the fact that there were no accidents attributed to it or that those cars were miles ahead of things like the anglia was completely forgotten...
 
Taking environmental policies from places like china and america isn't exactly a brilliant idea is it, seeing as they just waste and pollute everywhere for capitalist gain with no restriction. You can't have a completely unhinged country, we're not animals.

I reckon we could do with a few roads higher speed limits though, a few 90's or something, I hate doing long drives, i'll be doing like 80 - 90, then get a speed camera warning on the satnav and have to slow down to 70, i'm just waiting for a mobile van to get me.
 
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I get around said:
Taking environmental policies from china isn't exactly a brilliant idea is it, seeing as they just waste and pollute everywhere for capitalist gain.

I reckon we could do with a few roads higher speed limits though, a few 90's or something.
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Ideas from China? You do know where Utah is don't you?
 
It's worked in Germany for years, in France it's been at 130kph for as long as I can remember (but 110kph in the wet, very sensible). Whilst the French drive badly, and have had a lot of crashes, it was nothing to do with speed, but to do with lack of care when driving.
 
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