Driver friendly policy move 60 rather than 50
Discussion
..... to protect absent workforce in roadworks.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/motorway-roadwo...
Switching off the cams when not needed would be better. 50 fine with me when blokes are working nearby.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/motorway-roadwo...
Switching off the cams when not needed would be better. 50 fine with me when blokes are working nearby.
I welcome the proposed increase to 60 for the following reasons:
1. 50 to "protect the workforce" is only a valid statement if there is a workforce present to protect. Driving 10 miles through an average 50 zone to see maybe one white van doing a patrol through the 'works does not constitute a workforce.
2. At 50 you're more likely to be sitting alongside HGVs for longer, who as we know have substantial blind spots and it's not uncommon for cars to be catapulted across the front of said lorries into whatever cones/crash barrier/other motorists happen to be sharing the space piece of road space at that time. Raise the limit, cars will interact less with HGVs.
3. During peak periods, 50mph is often unobtainable regardless of whether it's the posted limit or not, which leads into the next point...
4. During the night, say between 2300-0500, traffic levels are so light that there is very little advantage to limiting what vehicles are using the motorway to 50. Drivers will be in the WOCL (window of circadian low/at their sleepiest), so forcing them to sit at a lower than necessary speed on an otherwise utterly dull stretch of road is even more monotonous, increasing the risk of them nodding off and drifting through the cones.
5. The reduction of 70 to 50 causes more last minute panic braking than 70 to 60. Which in turn leads to phantom traffic jams ahead of the roadworks zone, increasing the risk of collisions, increasing emissions from vehicles accelerating back to speed and burns more fuel.
If I had it my way, it would be a minimum of 60 through the roadworks during rush hour and then standard speeds any other time.
1. 50 to "protect the workforce" is only a valid statement if there is a workforce present to protect. Driving 10 miles through an average 50 zone to see maybe one white van doing a patrol through the 'works does not constitute a workforce.
2. At 50 you're more likely to be sitting alongside HGVs for longer, who as we know have substantial blind spots and it's not uncommon for cars to be catapulted across the front of said lorries into whatever cones/crash barrier/other motorists happen to be sharing the space piece of road space at that time. Raise the limit, cars will interact less with HGVs.
3. During peak periods, 50mph is often unobtainable regardless of whether it's the posted limit or not, which leads into the next point...
4. During the night, say between 2300-0500, traffic levels are so light that there is very little advantage to limiting what vehicles are using the motorway to 50. Drivers will be in the WOCL (window of circadian low/at their sleepiest), so forcing them to sit at a lower than necessary speed on an otherwise utterly dull stretch of road is even more monotonous, increasing the risk of them nodding off and drifting through the cones.
5. The reduction of 70 to 50 causes more last minute panic braking than 70 to 60. Which in turn leads to phantom traffic jams ahead of the roadworks zone, increasing the risk of collisions, increasing emissions from vehicles accelerating back to speed and burns more fuel.
If I had it my way, it would be a minimum of 60 through the roadworks during rush hour and then standard speeds any other time.
Edited by Muddle238 on Sunday 22 October 12:21
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