If you could change UK speed limits..

mattyprice4004 · 23 May 2012 at 11:50

[TW]Fox;21978695 said:
Err the divider is what dictates that its a dual carriageway. No divider = not a dual carriageway.

The 'dual' does not relate to the number of lanes in each direction. It relates to the fact there are two carriageways seperated by a central reservation.

I genuine did not know that, thanks.

Unrelated: There's a speed limit on motorways?

Conscript · 23 May 2012 at 13:10

Linkex said:
Have I missed anything?

The point?

The thread title was "If you could change UK speed limits.." not "What should UK speed limits be?". The OP even explicitly stated he was "just interested in opinions.", so why come and berate everyone for posting their thoughts borne out their own driving experience in a thread where that's the question?

daisycutter · 23 May 2012 at 13:19

Schools = 20mph at at all times, its only a small area so no hassle
Motorways = 80mph/ 50mph minimum

Most speed limts are fine as they are, obviously stupid limts are scattered round in strange and stupid areas.

Janesy B · 23 May 2012 at 13:20

daisycutter said:
Schools = 20mph at at all times, its only a small area so no hassle
Motorways = 80mph/ 50mph minimum

Most speed limts are fine as they are, obviously stupid limts are scattered round in strange and stupid areas.

That would be an interesting one.

Howard · 23 May 2012 at 13:52

I genuinely don't have a problem with the 70mph speed limit on motorways. It's a good, economical speed for getting places. Most of the time I sit at 70, those who want to go a bit slower can do so, and those who want to steam along at 90 do so, realising they're at the mercy of whatever police officer they drive past. If we raise it to 80, what changes? People still drive slowly if they want to conserve fuel or are too scared, and carpet salesmen in white Audis will still tool along at 90+.

Other areas of road design and driver tuition need much more urgent attention, really, such as random speed limit reductions followed by a speed camera. Or speed cameras in general. And traffic 'calming' measures. And teaching pupils a bit more about lane discipline, making decent progress and other practical areas of driving.

Linkex · 23 May 2012 at 16:00

Conscript said:
The point?

The thread title was "If you could change UK speed limits.." not "What should UK speed limits be?". The OP even explicitly stated he was "just interested in opinions.", so why come and berate everyone for posting their thoughts borne out their own driving experience in a thread where that's the question?

It was a comment on the way the government deals with this kind of question, not the posts in this thread...

As to research - again it was a comment on the government. They should do some kind of research to support thier position, rather than setting arbritrary speed limits pulled out of some politicians arse....

Tute · 23 May 2012 at 16:22

Janesy B said:
That would be an interesting one.

It's too hard to enforce a minimum but personally I think if you're going slower than HGVs (thereby forcing them to have to overtake you) without good reason it should be a standard 3 points on your licence.

jaybee · 23 May 2012 at 16:29

I think the problem with speed limits is it's so dependant on the type of road, location, traffic and road surface. There are areas I travel on regularly where you can do 180mph. I say "can" in that I know people that have with no drama at the crack of dawn. There are also sections I travel on that are 70mph, that will never ever allow for vehicles to obtain that speed due to traffic and/or road surface being terrible.

I notice it a lot more these days...road surfaces are just diabolical even in wallowing barges like our family hatch. Crash crash crash thump just going down the shop at 30.

Burnsy2023 · 23 May 2012 at 16:43

Tute said:
It's too hard to enforce a minimum but personally I think if you're going slower than HGVs (thereby forcing them to have to overtake you) without good reason it should be a standard 3 points on your licence.

Indeed, what about fog and rain? Still 50mph limit?

Janesy B · 23 May 2012 at 16:49

Burnsy2023 said:
Indeed, what about fog and rain? Still 50mph limit?

You shouldn't have enforceable minimum limits, I've been on the motorway when either the fog is so bad or the rain is so heavy, it's only safe to do 40 - and what about snow too? You'll just have idiots barrelling along when it's not safe because it's the law. Silly idea.

Rroff · 23 May 2012 at 16:56

Captain Planet said:
I like the German speed limits: towns and villages tend to have a limit of 30kph (18mph), I'd happily have 20mph speed limits in all built up areas and then like their autobahns no real limit, just recommended speeds. I guess that would only work though if British driver mentality changed i.e. **** wits hogging the outer and middle lanes.

Would be good imo to have more stretches of road in the UK that were more like the autobahn - dual carrigeway runs between major cities with advisory limits along long stretches between connecting roads, lorries, caravans, etc. banned. But dropping back to lower limits around junctions, etc. (but leaving the current motorways as they are for mass transit).

Basher · 23 May 2012 at 16:57

Tute said:
It's too hard to enforce a minimum but personally I think if you're going slower than HGVs (thereby forcing them to have to overtake you) without good reason it should be a standard 3 points on your licence.

3 points for going slower than an HGV? What would be the justification for that?

3 points for hogging the middle lane is a better idea

Lord-Jaffa · 23 May 2012 at 17:12

Rroff said:
For the most part I wouldn't change them - I think they are mostly fine as is the odd place where I'd upgrade or downgrade the limit.

This tbh, our roads are too congested for a vast increase in speeds.

I don't see why motorways couldn't be increased to 80 in off-peak hours though. I think the vast majority of drivers on our roads are incapable of driving faster than 80 safely, I know many people think they can, but in reality they drive beyond the limits of their cars and their own ability. 80+ in a 15 year old Corsa by a 17 year old is not safe at all.

Brookert · 23 May 2012 at 17:23

Janesy B said:
You shouldn't have enforceable minimum limits, I've been on the motorway when either the fog is so bad or the rain is so heavy, it's only safe to do 40 - and what about snow too? You'll just have idiots barrelling along when it's not safe because it's the law. Silly idea.

I reckon the way to go about it would be to make slow driving on the motorway chargeable along the lines of dangerous driving. Obviously taking into consideration the conditions.

Nothing should go slower than the lorries on the motorway.

Overlag · 23 May 2012 at 17:31

Rroff said:
For the most part I wouldn't change them - I think they are mostly fine as is the odd place where I'd upgrade or downgrade the limit.

agreed. Limits are fine, the problem is where some are positioned. Like country lanes with no residence or anything along them having 40 or 50mph limits because they fall in TFL limits and TFL hates speed.

Some of the quieter and better quality motorways could have 80-90mph limits easy.

Phemo · 23 May 2012 at 17:31

Brookert said:
Nothing should go slower than the lorries on the motorway.

Indeed, the only exceptions I can think of are obviously when the weather doesn't permit and also those situations where someone's had to put a space saver wheel on that may only permit them to travel at 50mph.

Conscript · 23 May 2012 at 22:27

Linkex said:
It was a comment on the way the government deals with this kind of question, not the posts in this thread...

As to research - again it was a comment on the government. They should do some kind of research to support thier position, rather than setting arbritrary speed limits pulled out of some politicians arse....

I took you're reply more to heart than I should have done, I've had quite a bad day. Apologies.

Tute · 23 May 2012 at 22:39

Basher said:
3 points for going slower than an HGV? What would be the justification for that?

The justification is that if you're so scared of the motorway that you need to drive that slowly you shouldn't be on it as you're clearly a liability.

Burnsy2023 said:
Indeed, what about fog and rain? Still 50mph limit?

It's too hard to enforce a minimum but personally I think if you're going slower than HGVs (thereby forcing them to have to overtake you) without good reason it should be a standard 3 points on your licence.

Come on Burnsy, you're not normally one to comment on a post without reading it.

[TW]Fox · 23 May 2012 at 23:06

I honestly cannot remember the last time I saw somebody doing 40 on the motorway. It seems daft to legislate against something that isnt really a problem.

Simon · 23 May 2012 at 23:14

SarGara said:
This.

Germany hasnt spontaneously combusted due to the Autobahns having no limit so im unsure why so many people assume that a similar system here would result in CERTAIN DEATH (well according to Brake at least...)

Only some Autobahns are unlimited and only away from Junctions.

Still though - Ive been to Germany many times due to work and I've been in more near misses on Autobahns than the entire 13years of driving in the UK.

People often pull out on high speed driving as(although I was in a Panamera S being driven by a Porsche Engineer )