Members of the public putting up their own speed limits

[cashmax]

Near where I live there is a riding stables who have put a 30MPH sign up on the verge in a NSL road. Whilst the section of road near the stables is indeed unsuitable for doing 60, there are no repeaters and as such many drivers and indeed modern cars report the speed limit as 30MPH for the next 4 miles.

This has lead to many drivers doing 25-30 on a NSL road, causing traffic, risky overtaking and generally slowing things down, not to mention confusing some elderly drivers.

I assume it's not legal to put up your own speed limit signs, just because you fancy it?

[simon_harris]

only if you own the road

[Tim330]

Would the pretend sign cause a modern car to brake with adaptive cruise control or something like that. I can see that getting interesting if it lead to a collision.

[Gary C]

It is an offence under Section 132 of the Highways Act 1980

Fine upto £2500

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1980/66/secti...

[Simpo Two]

Not quite the same, but I posted a year or two ago about a very convincing fake Gatso that someone had erected by the road in their front garden. I pursued the matter with both council and police, but they said it wasn't breaking any rules so it's allowed.

[donkmeister]

Gary C said:

It is an offence under Section 132 of the Highways Act 1980

Fine upto £2500

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1980/66/secti...

I suppose the issue would be "prove who put the signs up".

Tim330 said:

Would the pretend sign cause a modern car to brake with adaptive cruise control or something like that. I can see that getting interesting if it lead to a collision.

Not really - if the car behind went into the back of it that would be (quite rightly) put down to the driver behind being too close and/or inattentive. All sorts can run out in front of you on a country lane.

[Wacky Racer]

[fooman]

Someone near us put obviously fake 30 signs outside their house where there was a 50 limit (only house on road) but they didn't last long

[beko1987]

If you drive an EV that self reads these signs the car slows down. On the Skoda Enyaq I drove anyway, was a 20 sign stuck on someone's bin (in a legal 30)

[Gary C]

beko1987 said:

If you drive an EV that self reads these signs the car slows down. On the Skoda Enyaq I drove anyway, was a 20 sign stuck on someone's bin (in a legal 30)

I want a 20mph sticker for my back bumper, that would be fun

[donkmeister]

Gary C said:

I want a 20mph sticker for my back bumper, that would be fun

Quite a few years ago now but I had a hirecar that read the signs, and on one occasion it must have read the speed limiter sticker on a van I had just passed. It started screaming at me for speeding, as it decided the limit was now 60.

More modern systems probably/hopefully reject vehicle-mounted stickers but you could have a lot of fun with a stabilised laser projector that can project speed limits onto signs and other roadside objects

[RizzoTheRat]

beko1987 said:

If you drive an EV that self reads these signs the car slows down. On the Skoda Enyaq I drove anyway, was a 20 sign stuck on someone's bin (in a legal 30)

Nothing to do with EV's. All cars sold in the last couple of years have to have a system to recognise speed limits and bong at you. Most cars with adaptive cruise control will have the capability to set it to the speed limit, either automatically or give you option to press a bitton and set it.

[cashmax]

Gary C said:

beko1987 said:

If you drive an EV that self reads these signs the car slows down. On the Skoda Enyaq I drove anyway, was a 20 sign stuck on someone's bin (in a legal 30)

I want a 20mph sticker for my back bumper, that would be fun

when my car in on the motorway in self drive and it passes a lorry with a 50MPH limit on the back, it jumps on the brakes.

[Deep Thought]

Someone put up 30mph signs on the entry / exit road of a village near to us. They seem to have decided that the 30MPH village boundary wasnt correct and it should apply to the road they lived on.

They didnt last long. Looked like fairly expensive ones too. Metal backed, proper mountings on to lamp posts, etc.

[SP_]

beko1987 said:

If you drive an EV that self reads these signs the car slows down. On the Skoda Enyaq I drove anyway, was a 20 sign stuck on someone's bin (in a legal 30)

You can usually turn that feature off, so it stays at the limit you have set