RE: Speed Limits Ignored

[james_j]

robert farago said:

Do you really think these stats throw a spanner into the efforts of anti-speeding campaigners? Get real. The news will simply make them re-double their efforts! More cameras! More cameras AND more traffic cops! The supporters of the anti-speeding status quo are zealots who believe that speeders are sinners that need to be punished, and punished, and punished, until they're either driven off the road or crawling down it like a half-blind pensioner. Face facts: you'd have an easier time trying to deprogram a Jehovah's Witness at your doorstep than convince the cops and government to relenquish their no-armed bandits. Listen up! The only way you're going to get rid of the UK's fatwa against motorists is to either A) take direct action against the cameras and/or the administrative system supporting them or B) throw the bums out. To do THAT you'll have to reform a political system run for and by the Oxbridge elite. Good luck.

Agree, however, on one point, I would say that the anti-motorist brigade is comprised mainly of grey liberals and those further to the "left" with not much else to occupy their lives.

[black s2k]

Many good points (sorry!) raised here, unfortunately no-one has mentioned the most salient point:

Where are "they" gonna get all those lovely £££££££s from, if "they" take notice of the 85 percentile rule and raise limits?

[cptsideways]

I just make up for lost time "elsewhere" where I'm less likely to get caught, I'd say I drive far faster on some roads than I used to.


Anyone wondering where they got these stats from???


>> Edited by cptsideways on Friday 21st May 09:23

[towman]

"The survey also reveals a high incidence of speeding by heavy goods vehicles on built-up 30 mph roads: 53 per cent of 2-axle heavy goods vehicles exceeded the speed limit, 21 per cent by more than 5 mph." - Once again I make the point - are these genuine HGVs or white van man on steroids in his 7.5 tonner?!

As for artics exceeding the 40mph on single carriageway NSL roads - what the to they expect - it`s called "making progress".

[bluepolarbear]

robert farago said:

or B) throw the bums out. To do THAT you'll have to reform a political system run for and by the Oxbridge elite. Good luck.

Still wouldn't work as the majority of people in a position of power aren't electable.

[Radracer]

Well, to WoodyTVR I'd say "What comes around goes around." If you call in about somebody a little over the limit who hasn't hurt anyone maybe the next time you're speeding some busybody might just risk a ticket to call in about you. I Hope they do too! Also hope you get a ticket for using your phone while driving; would serve you right. Moral indignance is just jealousy with a halo.

[Radracer]

In the early 90's the American government buried a study study done by the Federal highway association on 202 roads with the result that it found that drivers pretty much drove whatever speeds they found acceptable and that the limits were 8-15 mph too low. What the study could not have revealed is just how fast the drivers would have been driving if fear of speeding tickets was not on their minds! It also went on to say that most (85%) of fatal accidents occurred in areas rated at 45 mph or less, (because these areas had intersections whereas drivers on highways are all going the same direction). ONLY the remaining 15% occurred on the highways rated at 50mph or more! See a short summary here: www.ibiblio.org/rdu/sl-irre0.txt It further stated that: Only about 1 in 10 speed zones has better than 50-percent compliance. The posted speeds make technical violators out of motorists driving at reasonable and safe speeds.

Driver Speed Behavior on U.S. Streets and Highways
Samuel C. Tignor, Ph.D., and Davey Warren
The Federal Highway Administration sponsored a number of studies to establish a better understanding of travel speeds and speed limits on various types of roads. The study of the speed-zoning problem was prompted in part by concern about widespread violations and the seemingly arbitrary level of many posted speeds.
Read this study, which the government buried when it didn't support their agendas.

[Radracer]

I'm with ian_d and Robert Farango. Throw the anti-speed zealots out and change the obsolete speed laws.
They were created what, 30-40 years ago? Remember what kind of performance cars had then? Cars today are far superior in performance and can manuever around or stop for obstacles much better now than then. What we need is a worldwide drivers association capable of taking the fight to these skum. There is one in America that helped defeat the terrible National 55mph speed limit in 1995. The National Motorists Association, www.motorists.org/ and the Aussie version, www.aussiemotorists.com/ fight for motorists’ rights in those two countries. Libertarian government, www.lp.org or see http://libertariannation.org/
(IF available in the UK) however would fix these problems and others regarding hypocritical laws. That way you COULD ACTUALLY throw the bums out!