Speed awareness course....interesting but.....

[Moonhawk]

vonhosen said:

Things have moved on, limits are being imposed for other reasons.

Smart motorways reduce speeds in a bid to slow you before you get to an area that the driver could make an assessment for that imposed early reduction in limit (ideally the driver never sees the reason if it works properly).
Speed limits being introduced for air pollution reasons irrespective of what the driver may assess is a safe speed.
Limits not being increased because of the effects on noise pollution, irrespective of what the driver may assess as a safe speed.

But surely those things would stem from the other aspects - i.e. being evidence led.

Speed limits are often imposed due to things like NIMBYism, local anti-speed(/car) campaigns, for political point scoring etc - hence why people are becoming cynical of them.

Edited by Moonhawk on Monday 31st July 17:50

[vonhosen]

Moonhawk said:

vonhosen said:

Things have moved on, limits are being imposed for other reasons.

Smart motorways reduce speeds in a bid to slow you before you get to an area that the driver could make an assessment for that imposed early reduction in limit (ideally the driver never sees the reason if it works properly).
Speed limits being introduced for air pollution reasons irrespective of what the driver may assess is a safe speed.
Limits not being increased because of the effects on noise pollution, irrespective of what the driver may assess as a safe speed.

But surely those things would stem from the other aspects - i.e. being evidence led.

They aren't going to be supporting the driver's assessment as to what is a safe speed in the circumstances though, they are set at what they are for other reasons.

[Moonhawk]

vonhosen said:

.....they are set at what they are for other reasons.

And if those 'reasons' arent really valid - then what?

You know as well as I do that once a limit has been dropped - the chances of getting it raised again are next to nil. No politician is ever going to advocate raising a limit - because the first incident that occurs on that stretch of road after the limit is raised will be instantly be blamed on speed (and by implication - the politician) - even if it had no bearing.

[vonhosen]

Moonhawk said:

vonhosen said:

.....they are set at what they are for other reasons.

And if those 'reasons' arent really valid - then what?

Rather depends who is suggesting they aren't really valid & their reasoning to support that viewpoint.

Moonhawk said:

You know as well as I do that once a limit has been dropped - the chances of getting it raised again are next to nil. No politician is ever going to advocate raising a limit - because the first incident that occurs on that stretch of road after the limit is raised will be instantly be blamed on speed (and by implication - the politician) - even if it had no bearing.

The last national review saw some limit go down, some remain the same & some go up. Admittedly fewer went up than down, but nevertheless some did go up.

[Moonhawk]

vonhosen said:

Rather depends who is suggesting they aren't really valid & their reasoning to support that viewpoint.

Funny - the burden of proof/reasoning to get a limit lowered doesn't seem to be nearly that high (at least in my experience).

[Limpet]

swisstoni said:

Might have been someone on this thread

50-something chap in an X5 with a private plate, and just being a dick for the sake of it....

Don't get me wrong, I don't believe there was a person in the room who really wanted to be there, and who wouldn't rather have been doing something far more productive or enjoyable with their day. I used up a day's leave from work, and there were a couple of self employed people in the room losing a day's money. But there we were. Making sarcastic comments and being deliberately difficult just made it go so much slower for everyone. It was only when the instructor threatened to throw him out and refer his case back to the CPS that he shut up. And it wasn't as if the instructor was an officious know-all. She was perfectly happy to field questions, and to start a discussion around a topic if the group had any strong feelings or opinions.

If his aim was to alienate an entire room, and make himself look a bit silly, he nailed it.