Safe Speed Forums

..between the latest news of ‘use by’ foods and speed?

After being force fed, (no pun intended), that you must stick to the date on the package we are suddenly being told no no! It’s a guideline and we need to change it! Let’s educate or U-Turn what we always said to ‘best before’ instead.

After being brainwashed that you must stick to the speed on ‘the package’ we may find next that we are suddenly being told no no! It’s a guideline and we need to change it, educate or U-Turn to 'best stick to a sensible speed'. (Often slower, maybe quicker where circumstances allow).

I live in hope that the Government won’t turn “stupidity into an art” or “act like stupidity is a virtue”. (I watched The Flight of the Phoenix the other day).

When it comes to politics it looks like anything can happen. I enjoy yoghurt a week or two weeks after the 'eat by' date. (Speeding). I treat speed in a similar fashion - "is it safe?" (Marathon Man)

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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.

I like the association ,Tone. Just like use by dates, speed limit signs, are ignored by the sensible majority, who can still think for themselves and still manage to stay alive...

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My views do not represent Safespeed but those of a driver who has driven for 39 yrs, in all conditions, at all times of the day & night on every type of road and covered well over a million miles, so knows a bit about what makes for safety on the road,what is really dangerous and needs to be observed when driving and quite frankly, the speedo is way down on my list of things to observe to negotiate Britain's roads safely, but I don't expect some fool who sits behind a desk all day to appreciate that.

Hmm, I suppose people throwing perfectly good food away is a little like wasting time by driving slower than you need to.

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Driving fast is for a particular time and place, I can do it I just only do it occasionally because I am a gentleman.
- James May

And realise that a speed limit is not something to be attained but a guide, (in essence, best before but not necessarily going to kill you after, however you could get killed before the recommendation if not used/refrigerated properly).

Limits, shlimits.. black and white. That’s all ‘they’ know.

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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.

Excellent analogy Tone I likes it ... nice one

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You only need two tools - WD40 and duct tape. If it doesn't move and it should, use WD40. If it moves and it shouldn't, use duct tape. :0)

The analogy is a good one, but sadly I can't see the government ever adopting the position that limits are guidelines. I view them as such, personally. Yet the reality is they earn far too much money from rigid enforcement. We have limits set artificially low on many roads which tells you what the powers that be think of sensible limits never mind letting people view them as guidelines, There are no 'sell by date pressure groups' akin to Brake who would ban yoghurt for being too dangerous and have us all eat muesli instead. Muesli that must be of no more than 1 day old and, to comply with guidelines, must be spoon fed by an official appointed by the government to ensure we don't cut our mouth with the spoon or bang it off our teeth or eat in a manner contradictory to safe eating practice guidlines.

Sell by dates are not political. Limits are set by local councils/officials. These people often look to make a mark. Either by lowering limits and visible enforcement (scameras, etc.) so they can be seen as someone who cares about the young and elderly in their community and persumably progress politically/career-wise. Or they are afraid should they raise limits or relax enforcement to sensible levels that if there were a spate of accidents or deaths that they would get the blame.

There is also the fact that government generally views us all as erant children in need of authority, strict monitoring and control. To suddenly reverse that and admit that the vast majority of us can think for ourselves would go against everything they stand for. Besides, if limits were relaxed and some kid got killed by some berk doing 95mph in a 20 mph limit outside a school then limits would immediately be enforced once more to the letter. The fear of one person dying as a result of any of their policies or relaxing limits is what keeps this health and safety obsessed, nannying culture alive. I remember the debate about lowering NSL to 50 mph (a policy a lot of councils seem to have adopted anyway ) and how it would save 250 lives a year. Well, that is great, I for one do not want to see 250 people dead. I am not a callous, uncaring individual. Yet it was pure speculation and I am sure a lot more people would die in road rage incidents, lack of observation or just plain shoot themselves from boredom.

Look at our death tool. In 2009 it was 2538 - which, according to my calculations, is 0.0041% of the population. Assuming the population is 61 mil and my maths isn't as dodgy as it was when I was at school. Yet it becomes an international issue where Britian seeks to compete against other countries to see who has the safest roads in the world and one death is too many. I doubt we will compete with people like the Swedes on yoghurts.

With respect, Tone my friend, your analogy is lousy. The point about food is that there are three different dates used at random - display until, sell by and use by - which is somewhat confusing. Now if speed limit signs came in three varieties, say: legal limit, brake preferred speed and maximum safe speed, your analogy would be perfect.

Also the use by date on food is often "see bottom of pack", a date which doesn't appear on my calendar.

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When I see an adult on a bicycle, I do not despair for the future of the human race. H.G. Wells
When I see a youth in a motor car I do d.c.brown

If your analogy were a good one then groups of locals could get together and lobby the local council to shorten the "use by" date on persishable goods sold in their village. No actual evidence of danger would be required for the Council to enact a byelaw. They could then set up Community DateWatch and report the village shopkeeper to the police for selling goods just over the date limit (but still perfectly safe).

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Malcolm W.
The views expressed in this post are personal opinions and do not represent the views of Safespeed.

What amazes me is why all these speedwatch volunteers don't go and volunteer for MRSA watch in hospitals. It would make more sense for the following reasons;
(a) Nice warm environment to "work" in.
(b) save more lives of the thousands dying from MRSA, than they would "saving lives" on the roads.
(c) doing something beneficial for the community and helping to actually save lives, for the benefit someone they might actually know and love.
(d) Might actually have an inkling about what they are actually fighting for and know more about cleanliness and infection than "road safety".

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My views do not represent Safespeed but those of a driver who has driven for 39 yrs, in all conditions, at all times of the day & night on every type of road and covered well over a million miles, so knows a bit about what makes for safety on the road,what is really dangerous and needs to be observed when driving and quite frankly, the speedo is way down on my list of things to observe to negotiate Britain's roads safely, but I don't expect some fool who sits behind a desk all day to appreciate that.

I wasn't trying to say they are the same, just that the government rules have been relaxed on a cast-in-stone issue. That issue has gone all quiet now, just my luck, but on the news and after elf an' safety telling us how food has an expiry date, (UPPER limit), which should be adhered to, I saw a similarity between this and how a similar elf an' safety is doing the same with speed.

Meanwhile some of us step back and think, hang on a minute! I eat food which you tell me I shouldn't and the 'limit' is printed for all to see and I also see a posted speed 'limit' elsewhere which is printed for all to see which is equally ignored by many or most, including police.

That was my analogy. I'm looking at the similarities between a rabid dog and a feral cat, in that we are told they are both dangerous to approach whereas you are saying that they are different animals. We are both right but I like to think that I am more right than you this time.

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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.

Conceded. But I am less wrong

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When I see an adult on a bicycle, I do not despair for the future of the human race. H.G. Wells
When I see a youth in a motor car I do d.c.brown

And with a bit of luck -they might just catch it .
What amazes me about HMG \2guidelines " is that in some cases they are just that ( just guidelines) ,whilst in other cases they are rules set in stone .

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lets bring sanity back to speed limits.
Drivers are like donkeys -they respond best to a carrot, not a stick .Road safety experts are like Asses - best kept covered up ,or sat on