Wrong 50 small speed limit sign in 40 zone

[Lgfst]

Good morning, a few weeks ago I was travelling along a stretch of road which dropped to 40 with large 40 signs.

A short distance later there was a small 50 repeater sign on a lamp post in the central reservation.

Went through the tunnel and then there were large 50 signs the other side.

The limit was supposed to be 40 all the way through the tunnel but where would you stand legally (say there was a camera in the tunnel) for doing 50? I didn't notice other 40mph repeater signs either.

I saved the footage on the dash cam, just because it intrigued me a little. And I wasnt speeding anyway.

The road sign reader on the car also picked up the 50 sign

Here's the footage. The small sign can be seen about 16/17 seconds in on the central lamp post
https://youtu.be/SvYtJc45llU

Edited by Lgfst on Sunday 1st May 09:21

[sim72]

Yup. A 50 repeater that was probably forgotten. In that case, you couldn't be nicked for 46 (or whatever) until the next 40 sign.

[rockford22]

A similar spot on the A37 and has always made me wonder where a motorist would stand.

On the A37 south of Bristol there is a 30mph repeater in the middle of an NSL just before Pensford, travelling in the opposite direction the sign states NSL and the repeater sign has clearly been removed. I have always assumed they forgot to take down the final 30mph repeater and that any enforcement would be unlikely?

[Lgfst]

sim72 said:

Yup. A 50 repeater that was probably forgotten. In that case, you couldn't be nicked for 46 (or whatever) until the next 40 sign.

Thanks, I thought as much but wasn't sure.

[Dr Jekyll]

Lgfst said:

sim72 said:

Yup. A 50 repeater that was probably forgotten. In that case, you couldn't be nicked for 46 (or whatever) until the next 40 sign.

Thanks, I thought as much but wasn't sure.

It would certainly render the 40 limit unenforceable but it would not reinstate the 50 limit. So I doubt they could nick you for 56 either. In fact it's debatable whether you could be nicked for speeding at any speed.

[Tony1963]

National speed limit, as a maximum, surely?

[TooMany2cvs]

Dr Jekyll said:

Lgfst said:

sim72 said:

Yup. A 50 repeater that was probably forgotten. In that case, you couldn't be nicked for 46 (or whatever) until the next 40 sign.

Thanks, I thought as much but wasn't sure.

It would certainly render the 40 limit unenforceable but it would not reinstate the 50 limit. So I doubt they could nick you for 56 either. In fact it's debatable whether you could be nicked for speeding at any speed.

Wouldn't the default apply? So if there's street lights, 30.

[Dr Jekyll]

TooMany2cvs said:

Dr Jekyll said:

Lgfst said:

sim72 said:

Yup. A 50 repeater that was probably forgotten. In that case, you couldn't be nicked for 46 (or whatever) until the next 40 sign.

Thanks, I thought as much but wasn't sure.

It would certainly render the 40 limit unenforceable but it would not reinstate the 50 limit. So I doubt they could nick you for 56 either. In fact it's debatable whether you could be nicked for speeding at any speed.

Wouldn't the default apply? So if there's street lights, 30.

The national speed limit and default speed limit apply in the absence of other limits. If you do 45 in a 40 limit with streetlamps you get nicked for breaking the 40 limit but not for breaking the 30 simultaneously because it's a 40 limit. Similarly of you do 65 in a 40 without streetlamps you only get booked for breaking the 40.

If the limit isn't signed properly that means it isn't enforceable, but there is a strong argument that the limit (providing the paperwork was done properly) still exists. So the national or default doesn't. This was the view of a traffic lawyer I spoke to (though not one I've been inclined to test for myself).

So the guy who does 55 in the 40 limit signed as 50 certainly can't be booked for breaking the 40 because it isn't signed, or for breaking a 50 limit because there isn't one there.

[princealbert23]

Lgfst said:

Good morning, a few weeks ago I was travelling along a stretch of road which dropped to 40 with large 40 signs.

A short distance later there was a small 50 repeater sign on a lamp post in the central reservation.

Went through the tunnel and then there were large 50 signs the other side.

The limit was supposed to be 40 all the way through the tunnel but where would you stand legally (say there was a camera in the tunnel) for doing 50? I didn't notice other 40mph repeater signs either.

I saved the footage on the dash cam, just because it intrigued me a little. And I wasnt speeding anyway.

The road sign reader on the car also picked up the 50 sign

Here's the footage. The small sign can be seen about 16/17 seconds in on the central lamp post
https://youtu.be/SvYtJc45llU

Edited by Lgfst on Sunday 1st May 09:21

could I ask what is a road sign reader?

[blongs]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traffic_sign_recogni...