Scottish Drivers!!
Author
Discussion

jezzaaa

Original Poster:

1,951 posts

289 months

Saturday 11th March 2006
quotequote all
Hey all,

Now can I just say that this isn't about Scot bashing!

I've recently moved up to Edinburgh from the M4 corridor. Decided I'd take my motor up there as a fair bit of good scenery and twisty roads were reputed. Anyway, I've been up there for about amonth now, and love it. However, am very curious as to why 90% of drivers drive at 65-70mph on the M8/M9, in perfectly good conditions. Down here, at least 50% drive well over 70 on m-ways, and alot of us do upwards of 85-90mph.

Have the police/pratnerships all taken the resistance out of them all? What's the deal? How bad are the West Lothian police going to treat me if they catch me at, say, 90mph? Advice would be very much appreciated!

Cheers,
J.

tvrgit

8,489 posts

282 months

Saturday 11th March 2006
quotequote all
The M8 / M9 are 2-lane motorways, not the 3-lanes down south. The M8 especially is busy so you find that you end up following elephant races while two lorries pass. Even without lorries, lane discipline is so poor that you get looooong queues behind slow overtakers. Sometimes it's not worth the grief.

Generally, though, mid-80-ish is not unusual. If you do press on faster, you stick out like a sore thumb...

The West Lothian police are of course wonderful fellows, although I can't remember the last time I saw a patrol on the M8 or M9.

pcwilson

1,259 posts

266 months

Saturday 11th March 2006
quotequote all
jezzaaa said:
Hey all,

Now can I just say that this isn't about Scot bashing!

I've recently moved up to Edinburgh from the M4 corridor. Decided I'd take my motor up there as a fair bit of good scenery and twisty roads were reputed. Anyway, I've been up there for about amonth now, and love it. However, am very curious as to why 90% of drivers drive at 65-70mph on the M8/M9, in perfectly good conditions. Down here, at least 50% drive well over 70 on m-ways, and alot of us do upwards of 85-90mph.

Have the police/pratnerships all taken the resistance out of them all? What's the deal? How bad are the West Lothian police going to treat me if they catch me at, say, 90mph? Advice would be very much appreciated!

Cheers,
J.


I work in Glasgow, Perth and Edinburgh so know the M8 and M9 well. I also have family in Yorkshire and Essex so spend quite a bit of time driving down South. In fact I drove from Glasgow to Southend via Halifax and back over the last two days for a funeral. Can't say I've noticed any difference between the M8/M9 and M6/M1.

I imagine the police in West Lothian will treat you exactly the same as any other force in the UK if they catch you at 90mph.

P.S. Glad to hear you're loving Scotland.

F.M

5,816 posts

250 months

Saturday 11th March 2006
quotequote all
We in Scotland havn`t got it too bad...the motorways aren`t swamped with cameras like Birmingham...Up North you have the roads to yourself...

puggit

49,820 posts

278 months

Saturday 11th March 2006
quotequote all
pcwilson said:
I imagine the police in West Lothian will treat you exactly the same as any other force in the UK if they catch you at 90mph
90 is quite normal on the M4 in Berkshire, we don't have Talivans on the motorways in the Thames Valley - and it shows!

Almost 0 percent chance of being caught (touch wood)

Hangabout

40 posts

248 months

Saturday 11th March 2006
quotequote all
pcwilson said:

I imagine the police in West Lothian will treat you exactly the same as any other force in the UK if they catch you at 90mph.


The police will normally not bother with anyone unless they are doing over 95mph, if you are south of the midlands.

I guess that is the difference.

8Pack

5,182 posts

270 months

Sunday 12th March 2006
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Hey L.A....Whilst towing the caravan up Shap, I was stalked, and then overtaken by trafpol when doing 75mph .........he passed by at a......er......leisurely pace!

Good man!.............

streaky

19,311 posts

279 months

Sunday 12th March 2006
quotequote all
Is this part of the "West Lothian question" that has led the (Scottish) Lord Chancellor to refuse the English their own Parliament while BLiar relies on the votes of his Scottish cronies in Westminster to pass laws that don't affect them? - Streaky

jezzaaa

Original Poster:

1,951 posts

289 months

Sunday 19th March 2006
quotequote all
Thanks for all the replies guys. Sorry it's taken so long to respond!!

And another thing.....just sat down to watch Best of Top Gear.....and NOOOOOO....BBC2 Scotland is showing something about Buddhism!! What's that all about??!

:-(

J.

streaky

19,311 posts

279 months

Monday 20th March 2006
quotequote all
jezzaaa said:
BBC2 Scotland is showing something about Buddhism!! What's that all about??!
"Buddhism is a path of practice and spiritual development leading to Insight into the true nature of life. Buddhist practices such as meditation are means of changing oneself in order to develop the qualities of awareness, kindness, and wisdom. The experience developed within the Buddhist tradition over thousands of years has created an incomparable resource for all those who wish to follow a path — a path which ultimately culminates in Enlightenment or Buddhahood."

Does that help? - Streaky

jezzaaa

Original Poster:

1,951 posts

289 months

Monday 20th March 2006
quotequote all
Ha-bloody-ha!! :-)

Cheers fellas......
J.

cj_eds

1,567 posts

251 months

Monday 20th March 2006
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los angeles said:
Fife police are among the most draconian. 38 mph in a 30 zone is enough to get you booked. There are so many great roads in that region, including sports car friendly country "B" roads, drivers tend to give it welly. Enjoy the fine scenery, don't push your luck.



TBH I think 38 in a 30 should be enough to get you booked. (unless its a completely unnessecary 30 zone, which is known to happen).

Regarding the original post, where on the M8 or M9 do you manage to clear 70mph? I spend quite a bit of time between the two of them and 90% of the time someone is blocking the fast lane doing 60!

Raffles

1,931 posts

260 months

Tuesday 21st March 2006
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jezzaaa said:
...BBC2 Scotland is showing something...


I know what you mean. Too often you'll sit down to watch something interesting only to find out it's some amaturish Galic presentation instead. Grrrr.

I think the general low speed around here is 'cos of the general more laid-back way of life? And lane discipline is bad here. although I recently drove from Glasgow to Reading and back, and didn't notice much of a difference.

R

Tonto

2,983 posts

278 months

Tuesday 21st March 2006
quotequote all
Often drive from Yorkshire to Renfrew. Great drive until you reach the M8. Going through the centre of Glasgow is a pain as it clogs up very quickly. Outside of the busy times, a lot of the locals totally ignore the speeed limits through the centre, so its a case of overtake and then get our of their way asap!