Motorway Speed Limit Signs

[cpas]

I was travelling down the M1 today towards London, and twice there were reduced speed limits on a few gantries, with nothing on following gantries and no 'NSL' or 'End' signs. Once was just north of the Luton roadworks, where a 50 limit was indicated on several gantries, but a few miles before the roadwork 50 limit started, and another was just after the roadworks where the limit was indicated as 60. Am I wrong in thinking that, once you see a limit, then it applies until it changes, or does a 'blank' gantry imply no limit any more? Perhaps I should read the new highway code!!

Another gripe, since when did the Hard Shoulder become the Hardshoulder?!

[Bill]

If it's not in a red circle it's only advisory.

[cpas]

Bill said:

If it's not in a red circle it's only advisory.

They were in red circles

[Bill]

Ah. Stupid sodding signs. There are stretches of the M25 where you can see three or more and they'll all disagree.

[SmoothCriminal]

If they were in red circles then the end of the restriction should be marked with a gantry set to national speed limit sign

[Birdster]

I tend to stick the speed. Even if only advisory. Nearly got caught out once, so if I'm not already in lane one due to overtaking others I'll move over and let others fly past.

[hardcorehobbit]

Indeed, they're slightly unreliable, but like people have said, I stick to them.

Main reason for this is that some of them have speed cameras attached which activate when the sign is on.

[cpas]

SmoothCriminal said:

If they were in red circles then the end of the restriction should be marked with a gantry set to national speed limit sign

That's what I thought, but approaching the roadworks this morning, there were a few gantries showing 50, then a couple of miles where they were blank, then the roadworks' 50 limit started.

[cpas]

Bill said:

Ah. Stupid sodding signs. There are stretches of the M25 where you can see three or more and they'll all disagree.

I came across a 40 limit on a gantry round a 'blind' bend on the M25 a few weeks ago whilst doing 80 in the outside lane - everyone else obviously knew there wasn't a camera and seemed to ignore it, and I couldn't exactly 'slam on' down to 40 as this would have been quite dangerous, so spent the next 2 weeks convinced I was going to get a ticket!!

[simoid]

cpas said:

I came across a 40 limit on a gantry round a 'blind' bend on the M25 a few weeks ago whilst doing 80 in the outside lane - everyone else obviously knew there wasn't a camera and seemed to ignore it, and I couldn't exactly 'slam on' down to 40 as this would have been quite dangerous, so spent the next 2 weeks convinced I was going to get a ticket!!

You thought you were doing 80 in a 40, so ban territory past, a speed camera, and thought it better not to brake?

The mind boggles.

[4key]

simoid said:

You thought you were doing 80 in a 40, so ban territory past, a speed camera, and thought it better not to brake?

The mind boggles.

I dont quite understand the blind bend on a motorway but i can see his point, standing on your brakes and halving your speed when everyone else around you is sticking to 80 is a bad idea, its the reason that the m25 is at a standstill quite often.

I also find that its the ones with the cameras on that just randomly drop the speed limit over 3 gantrys for no reason at all, strange that

[simoid]

Not suggesting full anchors, but at least come down a bit so if it flashes, you're not going to lose your licence, shirley!?

Each to their own

[jamei303]

Speed limit signs (other than 30mph signs in places with regular lamposts) need to be repeated at a certain distance in order to be enforceable, so if you have travelled that distance and see no further signs then the speed limit is no longer in force until you do see signs. I can't recall what that distance is for motorway gantry signs, but it'll be on google somewhere.

[Cliftonite]

cpas said:

I came across a 40 limit on a gantry round a 'blind' bend on the M25 a few weeks ago whilst doing 80 in the outside lane - everyone else obviously knew there wasn't a camera and seemed to ignore it, and I couldn't exactly 'slam on' down to 40 as this would have been quite dangerous, so spent the next 2 weeks convinced I was going to get a ticket!!

If you weren't able to reduce speed from 80 to 40 when first seeing the limit on a gantry upon negotiating that bend, how would you have fared had it not been a sign you spotted, but the tail-end of a stationary queue?

[silverfoxcc]

IIRC, if there isn't a NSL sign after the roadworks then the 'End' roadworks sign means exactly the same

[Geekman]

simoid said:

You thought you were doing 80 in a 40, so ban territory past, a speed camera, and thought it better not to brake?

The mind boggles.

I'm not sure, but I believe these cases are not treated in the same way as if you were caught doing 80 in a permanent 40 limit: you still get points/fine etc, but not as severe as you'd expect. Although if anyone can prove me wrong please feel free!

[oldcynic]

cpas said:

SmoothCriminal said:

If they were in red circles then the end of the restriction should be marked with a gantry set to national speed limit sign

That's what I thought, but approaching the roadworks this morning, there were a few gantries showing 50, then a couple of miles where they were blank, then the roadworks' 50 limit started.

This happens most mornings on the northbound side - there's never a NSL terminating the limit before the roadworks.

Possibly travelling southbound the gantries nearest the roadworks aren't active yet, but the roadworks bring everything down to 50 anyway so it's not really a discrepency. A couple of miles sounds odd though.

[FisiP1]

Cliftonite said:

cpas said:

I came across a 40 limit on a gantry round a 'blind' bend on the M25 a few weeks ago whilst doing 80 in the outside lane - everyone else obviously knew there wasn't a camera and seemed to ignore it, and I couldn't exactly 'slam on' down to 40 as this would have been quite dangerous, so spent the next 2 weeks convinced I was going to get a ticket!!

If you weren't able to reduce speed from 80 to 40 when first seeing the limit on a gantry upon negotiating that bend, how would you have fared had it not been a sign you spotted, but the tail-end of a stationary queue?

Indeed, and a blind bend on a motorway? what?

[BriC175]

FisiP1 said:

Cliftonite said:

cpas said:

I came across a 40 limit on a gantry round a 'blind' bend on the M25 a few weeks ago whilst doing 80 in the outside lane - everyone else obviously knew there wasn't a camera and seemed to ignore it, and I couldn't exactly 'slam on' down to 40 as this would have been quite dangerous, so spent the next 2 weeks convinced I was going to get a ticket!!

If you weren't able to reduce speed from 80 to 40 when first seeing the limit on a gantry upon negotiating that bend, how would you have fared had it not been a sign you spotted, but the tail-end of a stationary queue?

Indeed, and a blind bend on a motorway? what?

Indeed. Chances are, he's exaggerating somewhat. Highways and especially motorways are designed to strict standards so that they don't just have blind bends.

[cpas]

simoid said:

cpas said:

I came across a 40 limit on a gantry round a 'blind' bend on the M25 a few weeks ago whilst doing 80 in the outside lane - everyone else obviously knew there wasn't a camera and seemed to ignore it, and I couldn't exactly 'slam on' down to 40 as this would have been quite dangerous, so spent the next 2 weeks convinced I was going to get a ticket!!

You thought you were doing 80 in a 40, so ban territory past, a speed camera, and thought it better not to brake?

The mind boggles.

You were obviously there then!!! The 'I came across' bit suggests I was in NSL at the time, and entered a 40 limit I wasn't expecting whilst in the outside lane. Yes, I did ease off, but the traffic to the left of me continued at the same speed, rapidly undertaking me. Reducing to 40 for this gantry would have been suicidal!!!