RE: Know your Limits
Wednesday 3rd September 2003
Know your Limits
Derbyshire safety camera partnership publishing duff info say ABD
Discussion
Just sent them this email to:
mailto:info@slowitdown.co.uk
I am disgusted and disappointed by the info your apparent "safety" partnership is providing to the general public.
This information is from the weblink:
www.slowitdown.co.uk/speed_info_2.asp
And contains the wrong maximum speeds for a Good Vehicle exceeding 7.5 tonne, you have published max speeds of 30,50,60,60 whereas if you refer to the Highway Code they are actually 30,40,50,60.
This comes as a surprise to me since your claim is all to do with road safety. I am also very surprised to read "If you are unsure of the speed limit then stick to 30mph". This guideline could be misleading and will cause accidents if road users feel that they can "stick to 30mph" even when driving past a school during the morning rush hour.
Can you please ensure you supply the correct information to the general public in the future.
Kind regards,
mailto:info@slowitdown.co.uk
I am disgusted and disappointed by the info your apparent "safety" partnership is providing to the general public.
This information is from the weblink:
www.slowitdown.co.uk/speed_info_2.asp
And contains the wrong maximum speeds for a Good Vehicle exceeding 7.5 tonne, you have published max speeds of 30,50,60,60 whereas if you refer to the Highway Code they are actually 30,40,50,60.
This comes as a surprise to me since your claim is all to do with road safety. I am also very surprised to read "If you are unsure of the speed limit then stick to 30mph". This guideline could be misleading and will cause accidents if road users feel that they can "stick to 30mph" even when driving past a school during the morning rush hour.
Can you please ensure you supply the correct information to the general public in the future.
Kind regards,
I have just sent this:
"
Sirs
On page www.slowitdown.co.uk/speed_info_2.asp you recommend that, if motorists are "unsure of the speed limit" that they "stick to 30mph".
This is patently a ridiculous recommendation to make, especially on a website that is apparently dedicated to informing drivers about 'appropriate speeds'.
For example, 30mph past a school during start and finish hours is wholly inappropriate, 30mph in a residental area where houses open directly onto the street is wholly inappropriate, 30mph where the limit is 20mph is not only wholly inappropriate it is also speeding. I am very surprised that you should advocate speeding.
Given other inaccuracies on the same page it is not surprising that you should make this recommendation.
You then go on to say, "When driving in a 30mph zone, put your vehicle in 3rd gear". I have just tried this and the 'natural speed of my vehicle' is sufficiently higher than 30mph as to be dangerous and illegal in a 30mph limit.
I stongly suggest that you cease promoting such idiocy on the motoring public.
"
Streaky
"
Sirs
On page www.slowitdown.co.uk/speed_info_2.asp you recommend that, if motorists are "unsure of the speed limit" that they "stick to 30mph".
This is patently a ridiculous recommendation to make, especially on a website that is apparently dedicated to informing drivers about 'appropriate speeds'.
For example, 30mph past a school during start and finish hours is wholly inappropriate, 30mph in a residental area where houses open directly onto the street is wholly inappropriate, 30mph where the limit is 20mph is not only wholly inappropriate it is also speeding. I am very surprised that you should advocate speeding.
Given other inaccuracies on the same page it is not surprising that you should make this recommendation.
You then go on to say, "When driving in a 30mph zone, put your vehicle in 3rd gear". I have just tried this and the 'natural speed of my vehicle' is sufficiently higher than 30mph as to be dangerous and illegal in a 30mph limit.
I stongly suggest that you cease promoting such idiocy on the motoring public.
"
Streaky
.
boxster said:I think they mean the speed of the vehicle in 3rd gear on the level with (probably) driver only and foot off the accelerator (ie. the speed in 3rd at engine idle. Of course, if your engine idles at a high speed ...
What do you mean by the natural speed?
It might be that, like 'terminal velocity' when a body is falling through atmosphere, there is a small range of speed - which they suggest is around 30mph - at which 'all' vehicles travel.
My question on what gear do people use in 30's comes from the experience that a lot of drivers moan " my car is so difficult to keep down at 30"
Yet when you see what gear they are actually in its 5th. WTF!
There seems to be an obsession about driving in as high a gear as possible. I just don't understand why people do this.
See the comment above suggesting the natural speed is the one where the engine is at tickover. What happens when you want to use acceleration sense to slow down FFS!
Its a lot easier to control speed by being in the correct gear, engine revs nicely in the torque band, so you can go or slow just by flexing the size 9 Doc Marten.
Yet when you see what gear they are actually in its 5th. WTF!
There seems to be an obsession about driving in as high a gear as possible. I just don't understand why people do this.
See the comment above suggesting the natural speed is the one where the engine is at tickover. What happens when you want to use acceleration sense to slow down FFS!
Its a lot easier to control speed by being in the correct gear, engine revs nicely in the torque band, so you can go or slow just by flexing the size 9 Doc Marten.
Flat in Fifth said:
My question on what gear do people use in 30's comes from the experience that a lot of drivers moan " my car is so difficult to keep down at 30"
This is why I tend to stick mine in 2nd in a 30. That way, if I do start to drift up, I can hear the change in engine note. If I'm in 3rd, the change in engine note between 30 and 35 is barely audible.
As I know the engine note of my car at 30 in 2nd and can tell when it changes, I can keep my eyes on the road more instead of the speedo. Seems to be a little safer to my, don't you think?
LexSport said:
My question on what gear do people use in 30's comes from the experience that a lot of drivers moan " my car is so difficult to keep down at 30"
This is why I tend to stick mine in 2nd in a 30. That way, if I do start to drift up, I can hear the change in engine note. If I'm in 3rd, the change in engine note between 30 and 35 is barely audible.
As I know the engine note of my car at 30 in 2nd and can tell when it changes, I can keep my eyes on the road more instead of the speedo. Seems to be a little safer to my, don't you think?
Exactly!
I got a reply!!! Here it is:
Dear Lucozade,
The incorrect infomation has now been changed, we apologise for the error.
The advice on keeping to 30mph is based on the fact that 30MPH zones do not have repeater signs, all other speed limit zones are well signed and do have repeaters. The advice is given that drivers should not drive over 30MPH until they are aware of the speed limit in that area.
Thank you for you comments.
Derbyshire Safety Camera Partnership
***********************************
I have replied saying:
Many thanks for your reply.
I understand the situation with repeater signs and 30mph limits although I do feel that your website is misleading the general public into having a target of 30mph to reach even when it could be considered unsafe to be travelling at that speed, as said, past schools, parked cars, etc.
Best wishes and drive safely.
Dear Lucozade,
The incorrect infomation has now been changed, we apologise for the error.
The advice on keeping to 30mph is based on the fact that 30MPH zones do not have repeater signs, all other speed limit zones are well signed and do have repeaters. The advice is given that drivers should not drive over 30MPH until they are aware of the speed limit in that area.
Thank you for you comments.
Derbyshire Safety Camera Partnership
***********************************
I have replied saying:
Many thanks for your reply.
I understand the situation with repeater signs and 30mph limits although I do feel that your website is misleading the general public into having a target of 30mph to reach even when it could be considered unsafe to be travelling at that speed, as said, past schools, parked cars, etc.
Best wishes and drive safely.
I got a reply too. I reads:
"
Dear Sir,
The advice given on our website in regards to using third gear, is given as a tip to assist drivers in keeping to the speed limit. We have never claimed that it does kep [sic] you at 30MPH, but it certainly can help.
The advice given about staying at 30MPH, if you are unsure about the speed limits, again is guidence to help drivers. All speed limit zones other that 30MPH are well signed and use repeater signs. This advice is given people who are unaware of the speed limits to stick to 30MPH or below until they know what the speed limit is.
Thank you for your comments.
Derbyshire Safety Camera Partnership
"
I have pointed out to them that the website advises the driver to, "stick to 30mph" ... it does NOT say "or below".
Streaky
"
Dear Sir,
The advice given on our website in regards to using third gear, is given as a tip to assist drivers in keeping to the speed limit. We have never claimed that it does kep [sic] you at 30MPH, but it certainly can help.
The advice given about staying at 30MPH, if you are unsure about the speed limits, again is guidence to help drivers. All speed limit zones other that 30MPH are well signed and use repeater signs. This advice is given people who are unaware of the speed limits to stick to 30MPH or below until they know what the speed limit is.
Thank you for your comments.
Derbyshire Safety Camera Partnership
"
I have pointed out to them that the website advises the driver to, "stick to 30mph" ... it does NOT say "or below".
Streaky
Flat in Fifth said:
Yet when you see what gear they are actually in its 5th. WTF!
There seems to be an obsession about driving in as high a gear as possible. I just don't understand why people do this.
I think this is what people were taught. I certainly was -- "accelerate through the gears and get into top gear as quickly as possible". That was 25 years ago, so perhaps things have changed. But I think there's a feeling that lower gears are less robust than top so you're wearing your gearbox out. Remember all those old Fords with 3rd gear gone?
>> Edited by Peter Ward on Friday 5th September 10:34
If the engine is turning at higher revs that it needs to for the road speed and its own efficiency it will use more petrol.
Now, despite that this will contribute to the faster depletion of non-renewable fussil fuels (in the vast majority of cases) it will also contribute to additional tax income for the Exchequer.
So now they've hit on another money-making idea!
Streaky
Now, despite that this will contribute to the faster depletion of non-renewable fussil fuels (in the vast majority of cases) it will also contribute to additional tax income for the Exchequer.
So now they've hit on another money-making idea!
Streaky
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