consultation on 40mph and 20mph speed limits
Discussion
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18840110
I have responded to this to point out that statistics do no support the argument that speed is the cause of accidents- sleep deprivation, drink, drugs, inexperience, poor road layout, lack of separation between cars and cycles, no footpaths, etc etc are causes of accidents. Recently there have been several reported cases of people driving down the wrong lane/ direction on purpose or by accident. Some of the roads with highest casualties are used by European immigrants / US service people etc who are not familiar with our roads. Before they take such drastic steps on rural roads they need to consider the condition of highways, painting white lines on the edge of roads, repairs, hedge cutting etc and analyse the cause. Logically if we all go at 20mph there will be far fewer serious accidents but we can see (even government) that it does not make sense.
Do people observe 30mph in built up areas with school kids waiting on the road side when i travel in the morning? Many do not, and while i enjoy making progress when conditions are suitable it makes me angry when i see cars going 40mph plus in small villages with kids, bikes, etc on the edge of the road so how about focussing on what matters- speed appropriate to conditions which can change with traffic load, time of day, weather conditions and so on?
I have responded to this to point out that statistics do no support the argument that speed is the cause of accidents- sleep deprivation, drink, drugs, inexperience, poor road layout, lack of separation between cars and cycles, no footpaths, etc etc are causes of accidents. Recently there have been several reported cases of people driving down the wrong lane/ direction on purpose or by accident. Some of the roads with highest casualties are used by European immigrants / US service people etc who are not familiar with our roads. Before they take such drastic steps on rural roads they need to consider the condition of highways, painting white lines on the edge of roads, repairs, hedge cutting etc and analyse the cause. Logically if we all go at 20mph there will be far fewer serious accidents but we can see (even government) that it does not make sense.
Do people observe 30mph in built up areas with school kids waiting on the road side when i travel in the morning? Many do not, and while i enjoy making progress when conditions are suitable it makes me angry when i see cars going 40mph plus in small villages with kids, bikes, etc on the edge of the road so how about focussing on what matters- speed appropriate to conditions which can change with traffic load, time of day, weather conditions and so on?
"A reduction to 50mph would be considered for "lower quality A and B roads" with "a relatively high number" of bends or junctions and where mean speeds are already below 50mph."
A and B roads with 'a relatively high number of bends' are where driving in this country can still be considered fun. They're why I own a caterham. I can't help but wish politicians and, in this case, people from the campaign to preserve rural England would just f#*k off and do something useful with their time. If this became law it would have the effect of criminalising most members of Pistonheads. There is a puritanical sentiment in politics that is appalled at the notion that anyone should be allowed to enjoy driving. They feel driving is at best a necessary evil and anyone who actively enjoys it is not only a planet-vandal but a murderous lunatic.
I feel a petition should be put together to oppose this tedious piece of nannyism.
A and B roads with 'a relatively high number of bends' are where driving in this country can still be considered fun. They're why I own a caterham. I can't help but wish politicians and, in this case, people from the campaign to preserve rural England would just f#*k off and do something useful with their time. If this became law it would have the effect of criminalising most members of Pistonheads. There is a puritanical sentiment in politics that is appalled at the notion that anyone should be allowed to enjoy driving. They feel driving is at best a necessary evil and anyone who actively enjoys it is not only a planet-vandal but a murderous lunatic.
I feel a petition should be put together to oppose this tedious piece of nannyism.
I wonder who is going to enforce these wonderful new limits? There are barely any police on the roads and speed cameras are easily avoided with a modern sat nav system.
I live in an area that has a few 20mph zones dotted around at random , these are universally ignored except at school in/out times on a weekday. Those times the speed was rarely above 15mph anyway due to the inconsiderate parking around the schools.
Plenty of other areas around my way are 30mph zones that you cannot go above 15-20mph anyway due to the gigantic poorly maintained speed humps.
I thought the country was in the s
t with no money left to do anything and cutbacks galore, if this is truly the case can't we just leave things alone for a few years until we can afford to do it properly?
I live in an area that has a few 20mph zones dotted around at random , these are universally ignored except at school in/out times on a weekday. Those times the speed was rarely above 15mph anyway due to the inconsiderate parking around the schools.
Plenty of other areas around my way are 30mph zones that you cannot go above 15-20mph anyway due to the gigantic poorly maintained speed humps.
I thought the country was in the s
t with no money left to do anything and cutbacks galore, if this is truly the case can't we just leave things alone for a few years until we can afford to do it properly?articles in the press today- with added radar controlled distance measures, stablity program and parking assistance they have shown you are 25% less likey to be involved in an accident / injury (insurance costs reduced). If this technolgy can make so much difference imagine what can be achived with improvements to road markings and other physical changes (brakes, tyres). While it would be a shame to have too much technical intervention, it is amazingly impressive what it can do- far better than trying to change a law that in my expereience gets broken more often than any other, despite auomatic cameras. Remember the spate of camera vandalism recently? i can imagine that may happen again if they reduce speed limits to silly levels. I personally respond well to the advisory signs which flash when you are going a little too fast in built up areas- if speed is the main issue (which i do not accept save when conditions are very tough- snaow, fog, ice or people spilling off the pavements) then it needs a much more informed, balanced and researched approach.
As ever I feel like the focus on speed is all wrong and it's really more about driver education.
If people aren't expecting tractors or cows or whatever I think the answer isn't to tell them that they should be doing 60 instead of 70 the whole way round.
Look at these editors pick comments on the BBC site. Too many people now think sensible driving is measured soley in how fast people drive. This to my mind is the real problem.
If people aren't expecting tractors or cows or whatever I think the answer isn't to tell them that they should be doing 60 instead of 70 the whole way round.
Look at these editors pick comments on the BBC site. Too many people now think sensible driving is measured soley in how fast people drive. This to my mind is the real problem.
bad company said:
I have already written to my MP protesting about this proposal. I think if we all do this and an orchestrated campaign we just might win the day.
I agree...opposition to this must get further than this forum. There is an e-petition on the HM Government direct-gov website already;http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/36145
this or a similar petition needs to get signed by as many Pistonheads members as possible.
The alternative is allowing only road-safety campaigners and nincompoop luddites from the Campaign to Preserve Rural England to excercise any political leverage on the consultation process.
If this became law we'd be stuck with a system that put 3-6 points on your license for going 60 on your favourite B road and potentially banned you for going 70.
Hatchoo said:
I agree...opposition to this must get further than this forum. There is an e-petition on the HM Government direct-gov website already;
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/36145
Just signed but there are still only 24 signatures - PHers are you there? http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/36145
Now 149 signed. I'm amazed that there's such little interest in this...I wonder if the subject title had just been the original BBC headline "Speed limits: 40mph plan for country roads" more people might have taken a look. I expect most pistonheaders are law-abiding in 40mph limits and below...but not so much on derestricted roads.
More signatures are needed...
More signatures are needed...
Edited by Hatchoo on Wednesday 25th July 15:06
StealthSteve said:
The reason is simple, we elect people to represent our nation and when we actually petition to shout at them how we want the nation ran, they ignore it and do whatever the most suited agenda require them too, so people got tired of putting names on a list which is ignored.
Very true...but this, and writing to your MP, are the only means we have of stating our objection to a very depressing proposal. Statistics do get quoted when changes like this are debated and you can be sure that road safety campaigners will use the recent increase in road casualty figures to claim a reduction in rural speed limits is necessary. It would be useful to give the people who will argue against this change some satistics indicating just how unpopular it will be.
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