Safe Speed Forums

I saw this in the Bournemouth Echo:
http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/district/3951923.Speed_cut_on_A31_ruled_out/

I can't believe that the Highways Agency actually made a sensible decision.

Although there is talk of reducing the speed limit on the Spur Road from 50 to 30, because the reduction from 70 failed to reduce accidents, since that is in Dorset I suspect it will be approved.

Hmm, that is surpprisingly good news.
Well everyone ignores the other restriction they put on further along that road.

Yeah, restricting the wessex way to 30 would help loads.
That would be one way to ignore the fact that the problem is the slip roads aren't long enough for you to get up to speed before being able to see what speed you have to get up to.

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Andrew.

Amazing! Common sense!

Now get on and extend the M27 to Ringwood and dual the A31 to Bere Regis, post haste!

Wow. That would make the whole country so much more more... accessible.

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Andrew.

At last a sensible decision from the Highways Authority.

However, reading the comments from people to the article in the Echo, there are still a lot of people that think lower speed limits automatically means safer roads. I can never understand why people cannot see that a safe speed is relative to actual conditions and therefore a posted speed limit will not give, for the majority of the time, a correct speed for the conditions encountered. It seems to get overlooked that a speed too low for the actual conditions tends to reduce concentration, which more than negates any a perceived gain from the lower limit. So I would agree totally that a 50 mph speed limit on the A31 would not give any safety gains and could well make matters worse.

Whynot

Don't forget the junction at Rufus Stone, where traffic turning right has to cross the opposing 2 lanes. Much like Picket Post before the road was redesigned for safety.

I heard a guy from a campaigning group on the radio the other night, complaining that the limit had been rejected, his comment was:
"All it would take would be to put up some 50mph signs, how difficult is that?"

Interesting that at no point did he mention any safety benefits from a limit reduction.

Er excuse me..

"His comments echoed those of Hampshire Police, who say most of the accidents on the A31 are caused by people driving too close to the vehicle in front, braking too sharply and failing to judge the speed of other motorists."

Doesn't that just about sum up most accidents on every road?

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The views expressed in this post are personal opinions and do not necessarily represent the views of Safe Speed.
You will be branded a threat to society by going over a speed limit where it is safe to do so, and suffer the consequences of your actions in a way criminals do not, more so than someone who is a real threat to our society.

[whimsy]Of course lower speed limits mean safer roads! Every morning on my way to work, I eat breakfast and shave. If the speed limit was lower, I could eat and shave more easily. Plus, if I got in a crash, it wouldn't be as bad, right?[/whimsy]"Most people" don't look into the causes. They just use what passes for driver education, fill in the massive knowledge gaps with what their guts tell them, accept the collision as a foregone conclusion, and then confuse a predictor of severity with the main cause.
They haven't been taught any better. They fail to judge "speed" generally, because they were taught to.

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The Rules for ALL ROAD USERS:
1) No one gets hurt
2) Nothing gets hit, except to protect others; see Rule#1
3) The Laws of Physics are invincible and immutable - so-called 'laws' of men are not
4) You are always immediately and ultimately responsible for your safety first, then proximately responsible for everyone's
Do not let other road users' mistakes become yours, nor yours become others
5) The rest, including laws of the land, is thoughtful observation, prescience, etiquette, decorum, and cooperation