Safe Speed Forums

So, I was driving down the A1(M) today, and there are roadworks between J8 and 7, with a 40 mph speed limit. Fair enough.

However, the 40 limit starts about a mile before the actual roadworks do. I slowed down to 40 but everyone else was completely ignoring the limit (understandable, since it was quite unnecessary at that point), and I have to say I've never felt in a more dangerous or vulnerable position in my life, with people shooting past at 70+, flashing and beeping at me, and so on.

In the end I just sped up for my own safety and ignored the limit like everyone else, but if there'd been a talivan in the area I'm guessing that they wouldn't accept that as an excuse.

Are there many other examples of blatantly dangerous speed limits like this?

A lot of the 'buffer' 40 zones that precede urban areas strike me as pointless. Similarily I can think of a couple of roads that are 50 when they could just as easily be NSL. No idea why.

_________________
-mike[F]
Caught in the rush of the crowd, lost in a wall of sound..

In the old days these were alweays treated as "slow down" zones. The cameras are the problem, not the limits.

In Somerset (usually the Mendip district) they have these "buffer" zones surrounding a lot of villages. Its not so bad when you approach a village - i.e. NSL>40>30. But then coming out of villages its totally unnecessary and needless to say, in these situations the completely legal driver causes a lot of frustration.

The motorway speed limit is dangerous full stop, way too slow, and some country lanes the limit is too high being a NSL.

Can't think of any specific examples like yours, but then I'm one of those drivers that would probably flout that temporary limit and maintain a similar speed to the rest of the traffic being as speed differential is more dangerous than the speed itself.

_________________
www.clubrwd.com - For all things rear wheel drive

The early speed limit reduction is relevant when volume of traffic causes a queue due to the bottleneck. Otherwise it is a largely pointless limit, and as Orange says, if it is ignored by some, (indeed some will continue at their 85\90mph or whatever the road suggests is safe), while others will adhere to the limit, it must increase danger.

It'd be nice if these pre roadwork buffer limits were advisory. They are unlikely to be enforced other than by trafpol, but some with three or six points on their licences will be loathe to take the chance.

_________________
Fixed ideas are like cramp, for instance in the foot, yet the best remedy is to step on them.

Ian

I've just returned from a week on the Norfolk Broads, and on the way there saw what I reckon must be the daftest one yet.

We stopped over in Cambridge on the way down, so we ended up approaching Norwich via the A11 dual carriageway, which is a pretty good quality modern road. Needless to say, as it is well graded, has good sight lines and is safe for high speeds it was of course cursed with several talivans parked up, but I digress...

Approaching Norwich, there were road works signs, followed by a mandatory 30 limit. After all the previous scamming activity I smelt a rat, so I thought I'd better make a point of following it. Fortunately there was nothing behind so whilst scouring the mirrors I anchored up right down to 30mph. It felt surreal, like you really could have got out and walked faster! But more importantly I felt terribly exposed, and my mind was working overtime to constantly check for traffic from the rear, and keep escape plans open should someone look like shunting us.

So what was the justification for this barmy limit? Was there a really tight chicane or a mega narrow lane, or a deceptive blind junction?

Well no. Actually they were just digging up the hard shoulder, and all the normal running carriageways were fully open.

_________________
CSCP Latin for beginners...
Ticketo ergo sum : I scam therefore I am!

To be fair, I actually agree of temporarily lowering a limit for work on a hard shoulder, however from what you describe, they took the piss a bit.

_________________
www.clubrwd.com - For all things rear wheel drive

I can sympathise, I was driving westbound down the M62 today towards Liverpool and they have opened up a 6 month long, 3-4 mile stretch of 50mph SPECS monitored roadworks. Nothing is happening yet, but the cameras are in use (why?).

It was so frustrating, there was a huge lorry in front of me doing about 35 all the way through. There was a wonderful concertina effect as people shoved the brakes on as they caught up with it. Some not so observant folks driving through perfectly safely at 70-80 in the outside lane, I'm sure the NIP is on its way already - and a 6 pointer no doubt given the speed limit.

I sent an FOI request to the Highways agency asking them to explain the justification for the system given the content of TRL595. I have had nothing back yet. I can only advise you to avoid the M62 here, especially in rush hour as it will be hell.

With the sheer volume of traffic that goes through this, it will be a cracking earner, and straight into government coffers too - no SCP to worry about - It is a safe bet the tolerances are set to the lowest possible ACPO margin as well.

We were riding south on the A1(M) yesterday, and I couldn't tell you what junction we were at, but there was a temporary 50 limit. I almost missed the sign at the start of the limit, but I'd seen the "50 limit in 3/4 mile" sign, so I was ready for it... passed it and NO repeaters for the entire length...come to think of it, I don't remember passing a NSL sign either. No cones, no sign of anything else either...?!

_________________
Science won over religion when they started installing lightning rods on churches.

I drove along there just over a week ago and there were "camera not in use" signs just before most (but not all) cameras. If they are now in use I assume they have removed these signs and put up warning signs. As to why, these people get paid for stuffing people up. It's a way of life for them.

IHTS the first one I saw gave me a bit of a fright, as I was doing around 85-90 at the time. I wonder how many rear end shunts occurred as people suddenly saw the camera (not advertised in advance) and slammed all on. Of course that would be pointless, as they don't measure your speed, only how long it takes you to travel between two points, but how many people know that?

Speaking of buffer zones I remember when they were doing roadworks on the A27 elevated sections at Shoreham near Brighton. Heading eastbound the NSL signs coming out of Worthing were covered up and the 40mph limit continued. Heading Westbound the 40mph limit started just after the merge of the old A27 (A270?). I stuck to the speed limit, and, no exaggeration, nobody else did. It felt really dangerous. All of that, and the workmen weren't on site (surprise surprise).

About the Worthing buffer zones. At Lancing the 40mph starts/ends really far out (further than the Autobahn garage!). heading into Worthing it feels slow, as 40mph is too slow up to the roundabout and starts too soon. Coming out of Worthing 40mph is again too slow for the dual-carriageway and continues for an eternity. People ignore it, because it is pointless.

Sadly the buffer zones at other locations on the A27 are being lengthened. What I am not looking forward to is when the Highways Agency upgrade the Chichester Bypass and reduce the speed limit at the same time to 50mph. I can see the restricted movement traffic-signal junctions being a hit with local residents (turn left only, unless you are a bus in which case you can go straight on).