White Van Man, Caught Speeding 19mph on M1

[lbc]

A van driver was caught travelling at 19mph on the M1 in Hertfordshire, police said.

Road traffic officers spotted the vehicle near junction 8 for Hemel Hempstead at about 07:00 BST on Wednesday.

They tweeted a picture and said travelling at that speed on the motorway "isn't acceptable".

Police said they ruled out drink or drugs as a cause and reported the driver for driving without due care.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-he...

[rich888]

haha, I had to read the title several times before I realised it wasn't White Van man, caught speeding 91mph on M1.

I was under the impression that there is a legal lower limit for travelling on the motorway, so in this case, 19mph is well below it. Though not sure that 'speeding at 19mph' was the appropriate offence!

[Dr Mike Oxgreen]

There is no minimum speed limit on the motorway, but driving very slowly may constitute a hazard and could therefore trigger other offences such as driving without due care.

[Mound Dawg]

rich888 said:

haha, I had to read the title several times before I realised it wasn't White Van man, caught speeding 91mph on M1.

That wouldn't have been "news" though would it?

Just out of interest, what is considered the lower limit? A few dawdlers round my m-way commute although nothing as low as 19 yet!

[Pip1968]

I thought the lower limit was 30mph (or if not then possibly 40).

Pip

[Efbe]

Pip1968 said:

I thought the lower limit was 30mph (or if not then possibly 40).

Pip

there would have to be signs.

[Pip1968]

Are you sure? There are no signs saying 'No stopping in the outside lane' but there was a girl that did it a while ago when she broke down. She is of course now dead.

I thought it was in the Highway code.

Pip

[Johnnytheboy]

I would expect everyone was doing 19 mph at that time of day on the M1. Why did they pick on him?

[BigBob]

IIRC vehicles with a top speed of less than 30mph are one of the proscibed classes of vehicle allowed to use the motorway along with things like mopeds/etc.

I do remember that during the fuel protests a few years back South Wales Police told lorry drivers they had to do at least 40mph or risk prosecution - not quite sure what would have happened if they'd refused or there's been an accident, with the driver claiming it was speed at fault.

Ohhhh the irony of SWP telling motorists to drive faster

BB

[Efbe]

Pip1968 said:

Are you sure? There are no signs saying 'No stopping in the outside lane' but there was a girl that did it a while ago when she broke down. She is of course now dead.

I thought it was in the Highway code.

Pip

Not in the highway code anyhow, was going through it recently.

The only places with minimum speed limits are some roads outside prisons, military bases and such places. It's a round blue sign with a white number (usually30) in.

[funkyrobot]

A (lack of) speed kills.

[speedking31]

Efbe said:

The only places with minimum speed limits are some roads outside prisons, military bases and such places.

Tunnels.

[emmaT2014]

I travel for miles and miles on the motorways at average speeds of only a few mph...I better watch out!

[Efbe]

speedking31 said:

Efbe said:

The only places with minimum speed limits are some roads outside prisons, military bases and such places.

Tunnels.

and possibly some bridges?