Safe Speed Forums

I'm worried about these proposals. It's that "most" word, mostly.

Everyone who's studiied the subject knows that speeds (average, 85th percentile) wouldn't change very much (if at all).

So why am I worried? It's those 5% or so of drivers who a) need the speed limit because they are inexperienced AND b) use the speed limit as a guide to the safe speed. They are the only ones ACTUALLY going faster, and yet they are exactly the ones we DON'T want to go faster. We don't want them to go faster because they weren't driving to the conditions in the first place.

The rest of us (~95% maybe) are at less risk of prosecution, which is good, but I don't think we should pay the price in blood.

In the future, I'd like to see speed limits set for the benefit of the group that needs them most, and enforced with intelligence and discretion against the rest of us.

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Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

Most people can cope with driving a car say for arguments sake 75% but that doesnt stop them being allowed on the road/passing there test, isnt that where we should concentrate instead or at least as well?

I'm really sorry, but I can't quite figure out what you're trying to say here.

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Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

Sorry, What I`m trying to say is we shouldn`t really raise the limit when so many people struggle to cope with driving on the whole, esspecially on the motorway, neverous and/orinexperienced drivers seem to go into shock when placed on high speed roads (or maybe unenducated drivers, if so we have only the test to blame), if the average speed raises and the difference in speed between slow moving HGV`s and cars is increased then these people are going to be much more of a problem.

Am I making sense or have I got the wrong end of the stick lol

Er, sorry Paul, but I don't have the foggiest idea what this is saying
You are saying the inxeperienced ones are the only ones going faster...than what? Their capabilities do you mean?

I think we'd actually see a net benefit. All the people (the majority?) who currently cruise at 80-90 could continue to do so but would now be free to pay more attention to their driving and less to worrying about being nicked for speeding.

And I'm sure that the people who "cruise" at 65mph would simply continue to do so. I don't think they'd speed up simply because the limit were higher.

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

Yep. You might well be right.

I was trying to say we should cautiously test the idea rather than suddenly change all motorway speed limits.

In the manifesto there's a proposal about setting an 80mph speed limit on the middle third of a long haul motorway route. Then we culd compare the three sections and see what the effect really was.

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Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

I agree.

Speed limits are not the point, they need to be set for the lowest standard of driving.

A sensible driver at 80 mph, will make the allowances required:

Proper spacing behind vehicles in front.

Smooth lane changes, with good observation of other motorists.

Then the poor driver:

Drives too close, with eratic manouvres, that leave little time to correct for bad manuvres

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Steve

This is a pretty reasonable summary IMHO. Unfortunately on the M54 at least, this type of behaviour is exhibited by somewhat more than 5% of the drivers.

Ah - all about 5 mph then

Like the sentiment of the post, tho.

Perhaps a better statement would be:
Speed limits are not the point, they need to be set for the lowest acceptable standard of driving.

I understand Paul's point about the risks of setting a target speed for low-skilled or inexperienced drivers. However most drivers of reasonable competence can cope with 80 mph on a motorway, and I think it's important that posted speed limits are not too far out of line with the speeds that are generally tolerated by the police.

If anything, the 60 mph SC NSL (where it can still be found) is more of a challenge to the inexperienced. If you travel on a motorway at an indicated 70-75 mph you will still pass a lot of cars, and I doubt whether many of them would speed up significantly.

I would only envisage 80 mph being applied to rural motorways with well-spaced junctions - on most if not all of the M60, for example, it would not be appropriate and this should be left at 70.

Having said that, the 70 mph motorway limit bothers me less than a lot of other limits (in particular the 50 limits increasingly applied to major grade-separated dual carriageways near urban areas), as I know that if you're driving sensibly you're unlikely to be troubled by the police until you reach a genuine 85 or more - and there are no fixed cameras.

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"Show me someone who says that they have never exceeded a speed limit, and I'll show you a liar, or a menace." (Austin Williams - Director, Transport Research Group)

Any views expressed in this post are personal opinions and may not represent the views of Safe Speed

Do you eat crisps or chips


Sensible speed limits, with sensible enforcement.

A safe driver is just that, at any appropriate speed.

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Steve

Oops - sorry - my post missed out a big smiley - unintentionally.

Happy Crimbo - and apologies again....

and I eat both

80 mph limits? Bring it on, if not even higher limits, seriously. The small proportion of 'numpty' drivers will always drive badly, so for the sake of most normal drivers lets get moving...

Is it necessary to change the limit to get moving?

I remember an awful lot of 110mph work on the motorways 20 years ago. Sensible drivers were not much at any great risk of prosecution. Quality trafpol used their instincts to concentrate on the problem drivers.

I reckon we just need to make good use of that valuable asset "police discretion". A little common sense goes far further than any line in the sand...

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Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

This is the problem though isn't it Paul. When did you last see Trafpol, anywhere?

The greatest power i have as a Police Officer is DISCRETION! How much of that does a camera or civvie scamera operator have?

What are you doing up at this time anyway? You'd never guess i'm still in night-duty mode!!!.....

I agree about discretion.

I don't sleep much...

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Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

Ever thought about joining up for the Police Force (sorry, 'service'!!)

My father was in the job, but I never really thought of following in his footsteps. My problem is that I don't react well to being told what to do.

Not to mention that I'd find enforcing a law I didn't agree with to be, err, well, quite impossible actually.

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Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

As i said in one of my first posts Paul, i've never reported someone for speeding. That really is the field of the trafpol guys. I've got my hands far too full with all the other stuff that goes with 'the job' to worry about drivers!!

Signing off for tonight, all the best everyone.......