Speed may be restricted on rural roads.

[catso]

havoc said:

Has ANYONE with a performance car had a decent quote from D-L?!? I never have, so I'm sure they're pitching THEIR market at the mundane-mobiles. In which case this sort of enunciation won't hurt their business at all.

My wife's car used to be insured with them and I phoned them for a quote on a BMW 325, I was told something along the lines of "we don't insure 'performance' or prestige cars but our siter company Privelege do, we are looking to concentrate on family cars" now this was many years ago, not long after they first started, so they may now cover all sorts of cars, don't know about the link with Privelege though - maybe we should boycott them, I left them when they charged me a premium for 3 points.

[bond-007]

They tried this already over here in Ireland. They reduced the rural speedlimit from 60mph to 50mph. It has done nothing really as most people ignore it.

[Parrot of Doom]

iaint said:

Times Online said:

When approaching a blind corner a driver should imagine that a cyclist has fallen round the bend

I thought they were trying to encourage us to slow down?

[esselte]

flemke said:

apache said:

That's fine if this had come from the guvmnt, this came from an insurance company so what's in it for them? Cash, I can only believe they think lower speeds will result in fewer claims but that seems far too simple

I am not certain how things work in insurance/actuarial analysis, but I think that the insurers actually hope for more claims, not fewer.
You see this phenomenon when it comes to natural disasters - property and casualty insurers' shares rise after a particularly nasty storm.
The reason is that, although they will obviously lose money on a highly-destructive, one-off event, such an event will often give them the opportunity to re-rate their premia across the spectrum of similar risks.
The car insurers are looking to achieve a profit margin on their total revenue over an extended period of time. With a higher level of claims, the entire industry can and will raise its rates, and expect to earn the same % margin on more revenue.

To flip it 'round to the extreme, if there were never any accidents, they wouldn't sell a lot of insurance.

You have to buy it,there is no choice.

[sparkythecat]

One of the reasons why KSI figures in our area (North Lancs)are disproportionate on rural roads is motorbikes.
Accidents more often than not are not the bikers fault. Cars turning right across their path are one of the prime causes of collision. Trouble is that at speeds around the NSL the unfortunate airborne rider is unlikely to walk away.

I lost one good mate in exactly this sort of accident.

[flemke]

esselte said:

flemke said:

To flip it 'round to the extreme, if there were never any accidents, they wouldn't sell a lot of insurance.

You have to buy it,there is no choice.

Sure, you have to buy third party.
You don't have to buy comprehensive, yet the great majority of car owners do buy it.

[esselte]

flemke said:

esselte said:

flemke said:

To flip it 'round to the extreme, if there were never any accidents, they wouldn't sell a lot of insurance.

You have to buy it,there is no choice.

Sure, you have to buy third party.
You don't have to buy comprehensive, yet the great majority of car owners do buy it.

I suspect if everyone only bought third party then the price of that would increase dramatically as we are obliged to have it.I can't see the insurance cos.losing money on this.

[outnumbered]

Even if they do this, it's practically unenforceable. To most keen drivers/bikers, the NSL sign means "make safe progress at whatever speed you like" (or maybe just GLF!), and if the NSL was 50, the same would apply.

[TripleS]

flemke said:

esselte said:

flemke said:

To flip it 'round to the extreme, if there were never any accidents, they wouldn't sell a lot of insurance.

You have to buy it,there is no choice.

Sure, you have to buy third party.
You don't have to buy comprehensive, yet the great majority of car owners do buy it.

I know it sounds odd, but I have heard of cases where Third Party only cover has been more expensive than Comprehensive.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

[Don]

Fossil said:

3 in 4 "people" find the [National Speed Limit] limit too high [on country roads].

Yes. I'll bet they stood around in the town centre and asked that question. I am an IAM Observer - would you believe we get people coming on our course who start to shake with fear the moment there isn't a white line down the middle of the road!? They really do. I've had drivers (particularly young women) actualy say things like "I don't do country roads.

Its because they go there once a year on holiday and are so unused to having to think for themselves what an appropriate speed might be they are terrified.

No one passes an IAM course without being able to accurately judge an appropriate speed for a country road/lane/single track road.

I would love to see the statistics with respect to the origin of the drivers (rural or urban) involved in rural accidents. How many rural people are crashing? How many "townies" are going to the country for the first time, driving like numpties and crashing? How many people like ME are driving into the country for a damn good hoon and crashing? Got to be some of each - but the right thing to do depends on what the problem actually is.

A blanket 40mph is just going to be ignored.

[iaint]

Parrot of Doom said:

iaint said:

Times Online said:

When approaching a blind corner a driver should imagine that a cyclist has fallen round the bend

I thought they were trying to encourage us to slow down?

Nope, definately

[Flat in Fifth]

Don said:

Fossil said:

3 in 4 "people" find the [National Speed Limit] limit too high [on country roads].

Yes. I'll bet they stood around in the town centre and asked that question. I am an IAM Observer - would you believe we get people coming on our course who start to shake with fear the moment there isn't a white line down the middle of the road!? They really do. I've had drivers (particularly young women) actualy say things like "I don't do country roads.

Its because they go there once a year on holiday and are so unused to having to think for themselves what an appropriate speed might be they are terrified.

No one passes an IAM course without being able to accurately judge an appropriate speed for a country road/lane/single track road.

I would love to see the statistics with respect to the origin of the drivers (rural or urban) involved in rural accidents. How many rural people are crashing? How many "townies" are going to the country for the first time, driving like numpties and crashing? How many people like ME are driving into the country for a damn good hoon and crashing? Got to be some of each - but the right thing to do depends on what the problem actually is.

A blanket 40mph is just going to be ignored.

Our local group had one lady who was terrified to go above 40, she claimed it was due to the experience of being in a collision.

Hubby had a Westfield, I don't recalle xactly which engine it was, but in the scheme of things that is irrelevant.

There was NO WAY this woman could be persuaded to drive it, or indeed any car properly, and especially where v>40mph. A mutual parting of the ways resulted. Sad end but to support what DOn says there are some utter rabbits frozen in the headlights out there.

I think any governemnt which put, or even attempted to put this through, should and would be consigned to the political wilderness as mass disobediance would result. Camera mfr shares would rocket whilst the economy would go to the dogs.

[apache]

Don said:

Fossil said:

3 in 4 "people" find the [National Speed Limit] limit too high [on country roads].

Yes. I'll bet they stood around in the town centre and asked that question. I am an IAM Observer - would you believe we get people coming on our course who start to shake with fear the moment there isn't a white line down the middle of the road!? A blanket 40mph is just going to be ignored.

do you not find it odd that the IAM etc are not consulted in anything to do with safety? very telling if you ask me

[TripleS]

Don said:

A blanket 40mph is just going to be ignored.

I sure hope so, as in many cases around here 40 mph is a jolly sight too fast. Alternatively there's plenty of other places where is appropriate.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

[jasandjules]

apache said:

do you not find it odd that the IAM etc are not consulted in anything to do with safety? very telling if you ask me

That is because the answer would result in more realistic policing of the roads (which would involve spending money but not making so much)..

I have a friend (youngish female) who won't drive if she has to turn right.. Oh, and won't drive anywhere she hasn't been before on her own. SO her boyfriend has passenger with her anytime she has to go somewhere new....But she passed her test first time.

[havoc]

We were chatting about this at road today, and one woman (who seems usually very sensible) said she thought it was a good idea. When I questioned her about it, she meant "only in certain places", but her first response was 'good idea', without thinking about the implications of that, apparently blanket, support.

Me and another colleague (IAM pass woman with an MX5...good girl!!!) both wade in about 'not dumbing down any further', and this woman did concede a few points.

But my point is that ordinary people DO now believe the 'speed kills' propaganda, and therefore this seems like a sensible suggestion. Believe me, we have a VERY uphill battle on our hands now, as most people in the UK don't really care enough about their driving to fight for it. Not until it's too late, anyway...

[apache]

A reply,

"Dear XXXXX

Thank you for your email and sorry to hear you are unhappy with our stance that speeding on country lanes can be dangerous.

The figures and opinions which have been quoted are not simply Direct Line's but rather based on research amongst UK motorists with three out of four saying they felt 60mph limit was set too high and in certain areas they would like it reduced plus figures from the Government itself on accidents and fatalities on country roads. Please be assured we are not taking the stance that speed is the only cause of accidents on the roads, and this is certainly not a guise to increase profits rather the warn motorists of the dangers.

I do hope you will reconsider and use Direct Line in the future.

Regards

Emma Holyer
PR Manager"

[Prof Beard]

apache said:

A reply,

"Dear XXXXX

Thank you for your email and sorry to hear you are unhappy with our stance that speeding on country lanes can be dangerous.

The figures and opinions which have been quoted are not simply Direct Line's but rather based on research amongst UK motorists with three out of four saying they felt 60mph limit was set too high and in certain areas they would like it reduced plus figures from the Government itself on accidents and fatalities on country roads. Please be assured we are not taking the stance that speed is the only cause of accidents on the roads, and this is certainly not a guise to increase profits rather the warn motorists of the dangers.

I do hope you will reconsider and use Direct Line in the future.

Regards

Emma Holyer
PR Manager"

Ask them how many people were involved in the research, how they were selected and what questions they were asked!

[apache]

Prof Beard said:

apache said:

A reply,

"Dear XXXXX

Thank you for your email and sorry to hear you are unhappy with our stance that speeding on country lanes can be dangerous.

The figures and opinions which have been quoted are not simply Direct Line's but rather based on research amongst UK motorists with three out of four saying they felt 60mph limit was set too high and in certain areas they would like it reduced plus figures from the Government itself on accidents and fatalities on country roads. Please be assured we are not taking the stance that speed is the only cause of accidents on the roads, and this is certainly not a guise to increase profits rather the warn motorists of the dangers.

I do hope you will reconsider and use Direct Line in the future.

Regards

Emma Holyer
PR Manager"

Ask them how many people were involved in the research, how they were selected and what questions they were asked!

I have

[Prof Beard]

apache said:

Prof Beard said:

apache said:

A reply,

"Dear XXXXX

Thank you for your email and sorry to hear you are unhappy with our stance that speeding on country lanes can be dangerous.

The figures and opinions which have been quoted are not simply Direct Line's but rather based on research amongst UK motorists with three out of four saying they felt 60mph limit was set too high and in certain areas they would like it reduced plus figures from the Government itself on accidents and fatalities on country roads. Please be assured we are not taking the stance that speed is the only cause of accidents on the roads, and this is certainly not a guise to increase profits rather the warn motorists of the dangers.

I do hope you will reconsider and use Direct Line in the future.

Regards

Emma Holyer
PR Manager"

Ask them how many people were involved in the research, how they were selected and what questions they were asked!

I have

Excellent - I look forward to their response!