40mph limit on the M1 in the rain????
Discussion
Travelling up a relatively quiet M1 yesterday when it started raining. Warning boards immediately warned "DANGER FROM SPRAY - 40MPH", or words to that effect.
Can anyone tell me whether this is an advisory limit, or legally enforced?
I have never seen this before, and was utterly bewildered. I don't want to appear flash, but I have two devices fitted to my car which wipe any water from the windscreen in the event of a downpour. They even have variable settings for different levels of severity.
At one point I cut my speed to 40 and got overtaken by trucks sounding their horns, the traffic flow naturally sat at about 68MPH.
I did wonder whether this was a Babylon ploy to nick hundreds of people at once to help pay for anti terror costs. Does anyone know anything about this?
Can anyone tell me whether this is an advisory limit, or legally enforced?
I have never seen this before, and was utterly bewildered. I don't want to appear flash, but I have two devices fitted to my car which wipe any water from the windscreen in the event of a downpour. They even have variable settings for different levels of severity.
At one point I cut my speed to 40 and got overtaken by trucks sounding their horns, the traffic flow naturally sat at about 68MPH.
I did wonder whether this was a Babylon ploy to nick hundreds of people at once to help pay for anti terror costs. Does anyone know anything about this?
V8 Archie said:Almost correct.
As far as I'm aware any speed "limit" displayed on a digital sign (either over the carriageway or on the central reservation) is purely advisory.
The only speed limits displayed on M-way signs which are enforcable are those surrounded by a red circle.
AFAIK, these only exist on the Heathrow stretch of the M25, and imminently on the middle-bit of the M42...both are/will be enforceable by gantry-mounted GATSO's.
simonharrod911 said:
Travelling up a relatively quiet M1 yesterday when it started raining. Warning boards immediately warned "DANGER FROM SPRAY - 40MPH", or words to that effect.
Can anyone tell me whether this is an advisory limit, or legally enforced?
I have never seen this before, and was utterly bewildered. I don't want to appear flash, but I have two devices fitted to my car which wipe any water from the windscreen in the event of a downpour. They even have variable settings for different levels of severity.
At one point I cut my speed to 40 and got overtaken by trucks sounding their horns, the traffic flow naturally sat at about 68MPH.
I did wonder whether this was a Babylon ploy to nick hundreds of people at once to help pay for anti terror costs. Does anyone know anything about this?
If you are referring to the matrix signs, I believe the message they show is advisory only.
Wet weather conditions inevitably produce some anomalies though. Two examples from my travels yesterday:
Early in the day I found 110 mph in light rain on a DC section of the A66 was perfectly OK. There was virtually no other traffic, visibility was good and the road was free from standing water. Done with suitable care, that is not a problem.
Later in the day on the A1/A1M in North Yorkshire I saw a lot of drivers pressing on at what looked like about 80-90 mph in fairly heavy rain. This time there was a fair amount of traffic and too many people were diving into dense clouds of spray rather recklessly I felt. That could very easily have produced extremely serious problems.
It was two very different situations.
Best wishes all,
Dave.
I was driving from Northants to Nottingham yesterday morning through the spray - no spray warnings on the signs. Then passed J24 onto nice new pourous asphalt - barely any spray and all the matrix signs lit up like Blackpool Illuminations warning of spray and an advisory speed limit of 40! 
Considering the number of drivers who managed to rear end the stationary queues ahead yesterday on the M1 its no wonder they put 40 limit signs up. I was stuck in the queue too.
Funny how if you slow down you dont meet the queue ahead is'nt it? though this seems to impossible for 99% of all those "executives" to work out whilst carrying on at 80 odd into the queue ahead.
If you need to brake on the motorway your either going too fast, not looking ahead or following too close simple as that.
Funny how if you slow down you dont meet the queue ahead is'nt it? though this seems to impossible for 99% of all those "executives" to work out whilst carrying on at 80 odd into the queue ahead.
If you need to brake on the motorway your either going too fast, not looking ahead or following too close simple as that.
cptsideways said:
If you need to brake on the motorway your either going too fast, not looking ahead or following too close simple as that.
A lot of cars have very little engine braking these days so can't avoid braking.
I tend to flash my brake lights at the first sign of slowing traffic, especially if I've got someone close behind me, who's probably looking no further ahead than my bumper. A lot of drivers leave braking until they're rapidly closing on the traffic ahead and then they're suddenly trying to brake to a stop from 70-90MPH. In the conditions we've got now (rain on top of well oiled and rubbered road surfaces) it's not surprising there are a lot of rear-end shunts.
V8 Archie said:Ignoring an advisory limit is not an offense in itself, but (iirc) it can be a contributory factor towards a careless/dangerous driving type charge if you were to cause an accident.
As far as I'm aware any speed "limit" displayed on a digital sign (either over the carriageway or on the central reservation) is purely advisory.
Sheepy
At a point on my way home the M62 eastbound last night was going 40mph in the slow and middle lanes. There must have been a good 2cm of standing water on the road!
Pretty bad conditions. Some people just don't realise how bad standing water and low tyre tread is
My workmate was going 70-80mph last night on way home and did a few 180's and 90's over-correcting down a dual -carriageway
Best to heed the notices in bad weather, both for your own safety, but so your going slower and hopefully near the hard shoulder for when some tit like my workmate skids past you/into you!
Worse the road gets, the worse the bad drivers get
Dave
>> Edited by Mr Whippy on Friday 29th July 13:48
Pretty bad conditions. Some people just don't realise how bad standing water and low tyre tread is
My workmate was going 70-80mph last night on way home and did a few 180's and 90's over-correcting down a dual -carriageway
Best to heed the notices in bad weather, both for your own safety, but so your going slower and hopefully near the hard shoulder for when some tit like my workmate skids past you/into you!
Worse the road gets, the worse the bad drivers get
Dave
>> Edited by Mr Whippy on Friday 29th July 13:48
Sheepy said:That's my understanding. It's a shame really as so many advisory speed limits (and enforceable ones too) are so rediculously low now that I find myself seeing just how fast I can take the bend that they are posted on.
Ignoring an advisory limit is not an offense in itself, but (iirc) it can be a contributory factor towards a careless/dangerous driving type charge if you were to cause an accident.
My current record is about 70mph for a bend signed 30mph! I also know of at least on sliproad that's signed 50mph that is comfortable at 90ish. Although one that's not stupidly low was quite exiting at about 30mph (signed 20).
Everyone I saw carried on doing "70"...
What worried me was the M69. Roadwork speed signs (on an easel, circular with a red outline) were all saying 10mph, and it was down from 2 lanes to 1. I thought they were enforcable, but didn't want to do 10mph along a fairly empty motorway. Are they?
What worried me was the M69. Roadwork speed signs (on an easel, circular with a red outline) were all saying 10mph, and it was down from 2 lanes to 1. I thought they were enforcable, but didn't want to do 10mph along a fairly empty motorway. Are they?
V8 Archie said:
That's my understanding. It's a shame really as so many advisory speed limits (and enforceable ones too) are so rediculously low now that I find myself seeing just how fast I can take the bend that they are posted on.
They're ridiculously low for you (and your car) but what about Ma & Pa in their 15yr old motorhome with the dishes still stacked on the drainer? Like all speed limits, they're set for the lowest common demominator. Beating them by wide margins doesn't make you a big guy.
V8 Archie said:
My current record is about 70mph for a bend signed 30mph! I also know of at least on sliproad that's signed 50mph that is comfortable at 90ish. Although one that's not stupidly low was quite exiting at about 30mph (signed 20).
I wish they'd bank more of them, like they frequently do in the 'States - although on a recent trip to California I scared myself by entering a 25MPH slip road a bit too quick in a Kia Amanti, a complete boat of a car.
deva link said:Granted (especially the "big guy" bit). However, the 30 corner I've done at 70 I have also done at about 55 in a 10 year old Clio in the wet. Not that that really matters too much, the point about speed limits (certainly enforceable one and therefore for consistency advisory ones) is that they should never be set for the lowest common denominator, but rather for the 85th percentile.
They're ridiculously low for you (and your car) but what about Ma & Pa in their 15yr old motorhome with the dishes still stacked on the drainer? Like all speed limits, they're set for the lowest common demominator. Beating them by wide margins doesn't make you a big guy.
The matrix signs would look great covered in graffit. Personally I never pay them any attention as they are by and large out of date, just plain wrong or really bad advice. Like road humps, cameras and speed limits, they are the tools of over zealous moralistic morons who will be first against the wall when the revolution comes.
Get a grip and drive to the conditions, if you can't then stay at home, simple really.
Get a grip and drive to the conditions, if you can't then stay at home, simple really.
Well, I take a more ...Pragmatic view, Last year I returned to Britain from Europe. Around 10 miles from home on the M62 I suddenly came upon a "CLOUDBURST" of rain which slowed me to less than 40 mph and I was STILL aquaplaning at that and I'm no chicken!
Now common folks, IF the weather authorities know about it shouldn't they warn you?.......of course they should........But!...They should NEVER...EVER......cry wolf! ...........That's all!
Now common folks, IF the weather authorities know about it shouldn't they warn you?.......of course they should........But!...They should NEVER...EVER......cry wolf! ...........That's all!
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