45 mph national speed limit?

[TransverseTight]

Did this get changed in the last few years?

You know the sign white circle with the black diagonal line through it.

It's just that everyone seems to not know it means you can legally do 60mph so they tootle along at 45.

I overtook someone about 2 weeks ago, and they then proceeded to tail gate me for 3 miles and honked me when I slowed down to turn off (after it had dropped back to 40).

I am contemplating going round my town and putting up arrow signs pointing up at the national speed limit sign saying "This means you can do 60! (in a car)" So when I go somewhere I can get there quicker.

Either that or they have their cruise stuck at 45, because when they come back into a 30, they still do 45. WTF?

Am I missing something? Is this the optimum speed for fuel economy or something and I've just not realised?

Maybe we should petition no 10 to replace the (/) sign with (60) and where relevant (50) with a picture of a van next to it and (40) with a picture of a lorry next to it. like this from romania...

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thum...

[TransverseTight]

Pixelpeep said:

Drop back, wait for a good open stretch of road, drop down 2 gears, pass safely.

That's my issue - a good open stretch doesn't come up as they are too busy.

The roads in question - if you can't drive at 60, you shouldn't be driving.

The guy who decided to tail gate I just didn't get. I was in second gear when I started my overtake - he was doing 38!? As soon as I went past and up to 60 - he suddenly saw red. He was driving a white 63 plate 3 series. Maybe he was just getting used to a new car, but still no reason to drive like a nob after I over took. Whatever. He's the least of my problems.

Everytime I go down the said roads, I just know I'll get stuck behind someone doing 45. That's what I don't get. It's not 51, or 34, but always 45. I think they don't know the speed limit either end has changed from 40 on the suburbs, to 60 in the sticks. I.e. its just poor recognition of what the national speed limit sign means. So I suppose I really should start a petition to get them replaced with numbers and maybe sell car stickers for PHers that says (/) means (60).

[TransverseTight]

servantleader said:

I too find people that drive 40/50MPH in a NSL incredibly annoying (if in a car of course). If they cannot give their driving more concentration then they should not be on the roads. I will always overtake these people when safe to do so, sometimes I can overtake 4-5 cars on a particular stretch of road.

I have a feeling that a lot of 'older' (those being 40+) people think the NSL sign means 50Mph? I'd love to find out if that was true.

You hit the nail on the head with this. I have over the years asked members of family, people who I'm getting a lift off and colleagues at work. And it seems there's some confusion. A lot of people think it's 50. Which is what leads me to conclude we need to petition No 10 to replace the (/) with a number.

It's really just poor knowledge of the signs, and poor observation of them. Take the case of the road I hate to drive most often, there's a 40 either end before coming back into the 30, national speed limit for 5 miles in between, with a short stretch of 30 in the middle that goes round a roundabout. People slow down for the 30, and speed back up again, but only to 40. They know the speed limit has changed, but obviously not that it's 60. I guess they don't know what the (/) means and assume it means pick a random speed, close to the last sign you saw.

Sadly there's only 3 points on the road to which over take, it's fairly straight, only 2 corners, but a bit hilly with hidden dips, and then a stretch with illuminated bollards. Actually this bit is interesting... it goes through a hamlet which has street lamps, but they have reposted the national speed limit sign to remind you that although there are streetlamps the national limit applies. Yet most numpties slow down to 30. AAAAARGH. I slow if there's a car waiting to pull out of the junctions, or someone with a dog looking like they might think about crossing (and could be deaf), but other than than there's no reason to fall below 50.

So if it wouldn't cost me an arm and a leg, I'd also petition for repeat testing of drivers every 10 years. There's a lot of people who have picked up bad habits over the years, and considering your driving a car, it is effectively as dangerous running down the swinging a carving knife above your head.

mybrainhurts said:

Yes, but what about all that global warming you'll be making?

I think you ought to walk.

Are you stalking me? ;-)

Edited by TransverseTight on Monday 13th January 17:41

[TransverseTight]

I was thinking today about why is it the speed that a lot of numpties drive at 45, not 40 or 50? It came into my mind when I was coming back up to the Midlands from Southampton towing a 10x6x5ft box trailer, completely full to the brim with the contents of a house I'd been renting while working away. Once on the A34 and, you won't believe this... once on the M40 I got a bit stuck behind you guess it... someone doing 45 (well 48 actually) On the M40 in rush hour! WTF. The X-TRail needed a bit of a run up to get back up from 45-55, so had to wait a few minutes for a big enough gap in traffic.

For once I actually drove 5 mph below the speed limit (60 when towing), was actually very relaxing, till I got stuck behind the 45 brigade again.

Call me mean, but if you can't do at least 60 on a major dual carriageway or motorway, you should not be driving. Guy on the M40 was a frickin danger to other road users.

On a compete off thread point... it was windy on the way down, trailer empty and used 3/4 of a tank to get there. Coming back it was full, so was the roof box and so was the boot. Only used 1/2 a tank. Didn't realise how much wind would affect the mpg when towing! So I'm now wondering, are all these people doing 45 because they found their mpg hits 75mpg or something? I guess it's still cheaper and quicker than the bus if you drive but if you are on a budget where fuel costs could tip you over the edge of the weekly spend, sticking to 45mph might just get you into top gear and be sipping at the tank. Think that's what I'll tell myself form now on, just to stop me going loopy. "Oh, look, some poor sod who can only just afford his fuel". I can then blame the government for high fuel duty and no feel so angry at the individual concerned.

Well, I'll try.