What level of training does panda car plod have?

[kambites]

Regardless of the fact that it was a policeman, I find it mildly disturbing that anyone with a British driving license doesn't know what the national speed limit is... how did he pass his driving test?

[Philbes]

Many drivers seem to think that the speed limit on dual carraigeways is 60mph. I have had a number of 'discussions' about it. Some time ago, at a a party, I asked over 30 people to state the speed limit on a dual carraige way and over a third said 60. I am obviously an absolute riot at parties!
Although they were wrong you must admit there is some logic in assuming it is 60 - afterall a DC has junctions, roundabouts, etc. and a motorway doesn't and the limit is 70 - so a DC limit must be less than a motorway, surely?

[vonhosen]

Philbes said:

Many drivers seem to think that the speed limit on dual carraigeways is 60mph. I have had a number of 'discussions' about it. Some time ago, at a a party, I asked over 30 people to state the speed limit on a dual carraige way and over a third said 60. I am obviously an absolute riot at parties!
Although they were wrong you must admit there is some logic in assuming it is 60 - afterall a DC has junctions, roundabouts, etc. and a motorway doesn't and the limit is 70 - so a DC limit must be less than a motorway, surely?

The motorway doesn't have junctions

[EmmaP]

Philbes said:

Although they were wrong you must admit there is some logic in assuming it is 60 - afterall a DC has junctions, roundabouts, etc. and a motorway doesn't and the limit is 70 - so a DC limit must be less than a motorway, surely?

Not at all. Never 'assume' what the speed limit is on any road. Some dual carriageways have 40MPH, 50MPH and 60MPH restrictions.

[cupra-r rob]

Isnt a "national speed limit duel carrageway" only a 70 if it has a central barrier?

[vonhosen]

cupra-r rob said:

Isnt a "national speed limit duel carrageway" only a 70 if it has a central barrier?

If it's dual carriageway it's 70.

For it to be dual carriageway there must be physical seperation of opposing traffic, but it doesn't have to be an armco barrier type arrangement, a grass verge would do.

Edited by vonhosen on Wednesday 2nd May 18:37

[cupra-r rob]

I see, knew it was something along those lines, think its one of the rules people are most unsure about.

[EmmaP]

A dual carriageway on the outskirts of Nottingham has a 40MPH speed restriction (it used to be NSL). This has a grass verge separating the opposing traffic. The limit was imposed because it was deemed to be unsafe to travel along it at 70MPH because of the absence of an armco.

Edited by EmmaP on Wednesday 2nd May 22:01

[vonhosen]

EmmaP said:

A dual carriageway on the outskirts of Nottingham has a 40MPH speed restriction (it used to be NSL). This has a grass verge separating the opposing traffic. The limit was imposed because it was deemed to be unsafe to travel along it at 70MPH because of the absence of an armco.

Edited by EmmaP on Wednesday 2nd May 22:01

There are dual carriageway 30 limits that still have armco (& were previously NSL)

[EmmaP]

vonhosen said:

EmmaP said:

A dual carriageway on the outskirts of Nottingham has a 40MPH speed restriction (it used to be NSL). This has a grass verge separating the opposing traffic. The limit was imposed because it was deemed to be unsafe to travel along it at 70MPH because of the absence of an armco.

There are dual carriageway 30 limits that still have armco (& were previously NSL)

I know, but - dare I say it - your post insinuated otherwise (either that or I've misread what you said).

Edited by EmmaP on Wednesday 2nd May 22:21

[vonhosen]

Quinny said:

vonhosen said:

Philbes said:

Many drivers seem to think that the speed limit on dual carraigeways is 60mph. I have had a number of 'discussions' about it. Some time ago, at a a party, I asked over 30 people to state the speed limit on a dual carraige way and over a third said 60. I am obviously an absolute riot at parties!
Although they were wrong you must admit there is some logic in assuming it is 60 - afterall a DC has junctions, roundabouts, etc. and a motorway doesn't and the limit is 70 - so a DC limit must be less than a motorway, surely?

The motorway doesn't have junctions

Off ramps and on ramps, hardly what could be called a junction surley

So what do they call those on & off ramps then ?

ie
Junction 10 ?

[vonhosen]

EmmaP said:

vonhosen said:

EmmaP said:

A dual carriageway on the outskirts of Nottingham has a 40MPH speed restriction (it used to be NSL). This has a grass verge separating the opposing traffic. The limit was imposed because it was deemed to be unsafe to travel along it at 70MPH because of the absence of an armco.

There are dual carriageway 30 limits that still have armco (& were previously NSL)

I know, but - dare I say it - your post insinuated otherwise (either that or I've misread what you said).

Edited by EmmaP on Wednesday 2nd May 22:21

I think you've misunderstood.
The question was posed with regard to 'NSL' dual carriageways being a 70 limit.
I was merely talking in regard to 'NSL' dual carriageway roads being 70 (although of course that will vary depending on the vehicle).
Dual carriageways can be lower posted limits though, as can motorways.

[EmmaP]

Maybe Quinny is referring to the vantage point used by the Police Someone once told me that some visitors to the UK thought that this was an ideal spot for a picnic. (I think they were having a laugh.) I really want to present this idea to a comedy show as It would make a wonderful sketch, complete with picnic hamper basket, sausage rolls and a couple of disgruntled PCs.

[EmmaP]

Quinny said:

You know as well as I do that Philbes was trying to point out that a DC has roundabouts and junctions as in "T" junctions, where vehicles can cross a DC at 90 degrees to the flow of traffic. Very different to sliproad type junctions as on a motorway.

But that argument doesn't hold any water though does it. As I said earlier, you cannot assume anything whilst driving or doing pretty much most things in life if you don't want to get caught out. I'm not being deliberately argumentative, it's just that he didn't put forward a reasoned argument.

[vonhosen]

Quinny said:

You know as well as I do that Philbes was trying to point out that a DC has roundabouts and junctions as in "T" junctions, where vehicles can cross a DC at 90 degrees to the flow of traffic. Very different to sliproad type junctions as on a motorway.

That depends on how modern the DC is.
The more modern purpose built DCs tend to not have cross flow traffic etc & only have motorway style on & off ramps.
It's the older roads which didn't start out as DCs but have grown over the years that have 90 degree left turns & cross flow traffic.

[Vaux]

Quinny said:

Whereas MW's don't have these hazards, but the speed limit can be the same for both.

I can see you're being more pedantic than usual tonight, so I'll say now, yes motorways have roundabouts, but they're usually at the beginning, end, or at the end of a sliproad. (not in the flow of traffic)

And yes they have junctions, but they're usually slip roads on and off, and traffic is usually joining or leaving at matched speed ideally.

Which is why most normal people think the limit on a motorway should be at least 80 m.p.h. Even the RAC?

[vonhosen]

Vaux said:

Quinny said:

Whereas MW's don't have these hazards, but the speed limit can be the same for both.

I can see you're being more pedantic than usual tonight, so I'll say now, yes motorways have roundabouts, but they're usually at the beginning, end, or at the end of a sliproad. (not in the flow of traffic)

And yes they have junctions, but they're usually slip roads on and off, and traffic is usually joining or leaving at matched speed ideally.

Which is why most normal people think the limit on a motorway should be at least 80 m.p.h. Even the RAC?

It would appear though that the more likely tack is to lower the limit on the riskier of the two roads (Dual carriageways) where needed, rather than raise the limit on motorways.

Edited by vonhosen on Thursday 3rd May 07:02

[sdws]

It would appear though that the more likely tack is to lower the limit on the riskier of the two roads (Dual carriageways) where needed, rather than raise the limit on motorways.

That is certainly common practice in other parts of the world.

[Vaux]

vonhosen said:

It would appear though that the more likely tack is to lower the limit on the riskier of the two roads (Dual carriageways) where needed, rather than raise the limit on motorways.