Do you speed ?

DickieG · Unread post by **DickieG** » 03 Sep 2010, 23:35

Sl4yer wrote:I'd start by getting traffic police back on the road - they're VERY rare around here.

Oh they are on the road and have been for years but their numbers are now very few and far between because motoring offences are 'victimless crimes' so politicians have reduced the number of Plod working in Traffic enforcement as the majority of of voters are alive

jgra1 · Unread post by **jgra1** » 03 Sep 2010, 23:38

my route to work changed 8 weeks ago, but in that time - since the election for some reason - I must admit I have noticed many more traffic cars out there... weird.. it used to be never ever, now it's 1-2 a day!

addo · Unread post by **addo** » 03 Sep 2010, 23:43

Around here, they (police) build up data for the later implementation of mobile cameras or enforcement operations.

As to speed - amost never in suburbia. You just don't have a decent enough view of what may happen involving another person or vehicle. On backroads I drive to the conditions, and in a well-sorted car on an empty road that may involve "speeding". It might also involve slowing to 60% of the posted limit because of bald patches in the paving, covered with rainwater.

jgra1 · Unread post by **jgra1** » 03 Sep 2010, 23:46

or roo's

addo · Unread post by **addo** » 04 Sep 2010, 04:29

I haven't hit anything larger than a flock of galahs - yet (and, ironically, at the time I wasn't "speeding").

Sure I'll get my quota of 'roos, wombats, wallabies and owls in due course.

dnsey · Unread post by **dnsey** » 04 Sep 2010, 07:47

I've often wondered what would happen if speed limits were abolished, and the onus was on drivers to determine a safe speed under prevailing conditions. In the event of an acident, they would then have to justify their speed to a court.

Xaccers · Unread post by **Xaccers** » 04 Sep 2010, 11:51

dnsey wrote:I've often wondered what would happen if speed limits were abolished, and the onus was on drivers to determine a safe speed under prevailing conditions. In the event of an acident, they would then have to justify their speed to a court.

Push specs out across all roads, have variable speed limits, properly assess each section for the safe maximum speed limit, reduce it in the rain/fog/ice etc, if someone speeds do them for dangerous driving (backed up by the tests done when assessing the road initially and it would be harder not to accept).
Of course this would be in a perfect world, as it would cost so much and take so long to bring in. Could be done on the motorways today though.

If you knew that a section of road had been properly tested for safe speed limit, and heard about someone driving faster than that limit and therefore getting done for dangerous driving through speed, you'd be more likely to think "they got what they deserved" wouldn't you? Compared to now where someone on a straight dual carriageway does 60 when there's a new limit of 50 brought in and it just seems like it's targetting motorists to make money.

THELABMAN · Unread post by **THELABMAN** » 04 Sep 2010, 20:14

Does anyone else on here have the ludicrous situation where a single carriageway has different speed limits depending on which side you are driving on.....We have one here in Newarthill where it's 30mph going one way but 20mph going the other way.

There used to be several others in a similar situation dotted through out North Lanarkshire, (they may have been sorted as I haven't been out passed them for a while) all brought about by the introduction of the new 20mph limit on urban roads .They have put new 20mph speed limit signs up but have neglected to remove the old 30mph signs furhter up/down the road........

MikeT · Unread post by **MikeT** » 06 Sep 2010, 11:49

We do have one side a dual-carriageway and the other single lane, being unrestricted that means 60 on the single and 70 on the dual (IIRC).

Perhaps there's hazards on one side that don't affect the other on your road, Labman?

Although I don't doubt anyone's sincerity when they say they don't speed, even accidentally, they must be few and far between IMO.

For instance, the A35 Christchurch Bypass is an unrestricted dual carriageway except the last few hundred metres of the west end, which is a 40mph zone. As I have to exit right, I occupy that 40mph stretch on the outside lane as I deccelerate but if I strictly observe the 40mph, I'll soon collect tailgaters and undertakers. The only drivers that seem to observe the limit are those that drove the whole length of the road at that speed.

Typically, I find brain-dead* rolling road blocks on "fast roads" where they cause a long tailback of frustrated drivers which can lead to some very dangerous overtakes - *presumably they don't have the mental capacity to alter speed according to conditions. They'll plod along at say 35-40mph seemingly oblivious to what's behind and, surprise surprise when the road enters a 30mph or 20mph - they carry on at 35-40mph!

With traffic congestion at an all time high I would also like to see the "Keep Left" and lane discipline concept are enforced as strongly as speeding limits as well as failing to indicate.

Xaccers · Unread post by **Xaccers** » 06 Sep 2010, 12:07

Dual carriageway means there's a central reservation between your side and the oncoming side of the road, although most people think it means 2 lanes on your side of the road (something the Police in Portsmouth use to their advantage when clocking speeders down the single carriageway Eastern Road).

Unread post by **myglaren** » 06 Sep 2010, 12:15

Also, the 60mph speed limit applies when there is no crash barrier on the central reservation.

Xaccers · Unread post by **Xaccers** » 06 Sep 2010, 12:31

myglaren wrote:Also, the 60mph speed limit applies when there is no crash barrier on the central reservation.

Not sure about that Steve, if it's a dual carriageway (ie two seperate carriageways) then it's 70mph for cars.
I've never seen any documentation stating a two carriageway road is only a dual carriageway if there's a crash barrier.

jgra1 · Unread post by **jgra1** » 06 Sep 2010, 12:34

i think the confusion is that there needs to be a central reservation, crash barrier or not.. 60mph no matter how many lanes there are, if there's nothing seperating the traffic in both directions

Unread post by **myglaren** » 06 Sep 2010, 12:40

Xac wrote:
myglaren wrote:Also, the 60mph speed limit applies when there is no crash barrier on the central reservation.
Not sure about that Steve, if it's a dual carriageway (ie two seperate carriageways) then it's 70mph for cars.
I've never seen any documentation stating a two carriageway road is only a dual carriageway if there's a crash barrier.

I wasn't aware until fairly recently but read it on an official sort of site, possibly Dervla or maybe even Highway Code, can't remember.

Xaccers · Unread post by **Xaccers** » 06 Sep 2010, 13:02

RTA 1984 defines it as:

“dual-carriageway road” means a road part of which consists of a central reservation to separate a carriageway to be used by vehicles proceeding in one direction from a carriageway to be used by vehicles proceeding in the opposite direction;