40mph on M1

[colinrob]

I drive up the M1 once or twice a week get to the 40mph limits go through at 40 am I the only one everything and I mean everthing artics etc go flying past me, they will probably moaning about NIP's in the next few weeks!!!!!

[outlaw]

colinrob said:

I drive up the M1 once or twice a week get to the 40mph limits go through at 40 am I the only one everything and I mean everthing artics etc go flying past me, they will probably moaning about NIP's in the next few weeks!!!!!

The wont get a NIP because three not breaking the limet m8.
those 40 mile a hour amber matrix signs are just advisory. there not ainforsable limet

you dont have to drive at that speed m8

If it aint got a red ring around it its not a limet

dam I wish more peeps knew this.
and would get out of the midde and fast lane that there blocking up at 40

Just lately for some strange reson they seem to be on all the time.







>> Edited by outlaw on Saturday 1st November 01:26

[318ti]

colinrob said:

I drive up the M1 once or twice a week get to the 40mph limits go through at 40 am I the only one everything and I mean everthing artics etc go flying past me, they will probably moaning about NIP's in the next few weeks!!!!!

Good man colin.

>> Edited by 318ti on Saturday 1st November 02:01

[outlaw]

318ti said:

colinrob said: I drive up the M1 once or twice a week get to the 40mph limits go through at 40 am I the only one everything and I mean everthing artics etc go flying past me, they will probably moaning about NIP's in the next few weeks!!!!! Good man colin. >> Edited by 318ti on Saturday 1st November 02:01

WTF ?


>> Edited by outlaw on Saturday 1st November 03:13

[tonyrec]

Those advisory signs are in for a reason.

You will know how important they are when you work on the Motorways.
Theres nothing worse than when youre dealing with something thats blocking the road, its urgent and you are the only one on scene and you have requested these signals to be put in and then some numpty ignores them for the past mile or so thinking that they know better than everyone else.Then they see you or the resultant Traffic jam, they have to screech/swerve to avoid a collision.

99% of the time they are there for a reason...try to obey them.

[streaky]

tonyrec said:

Those advisory signs are in for a reason. You will know how important they are when you work on the Motorways. Theres nothing worse than when youre dealing with something thats blocking the road, its urgent and you are the only one on scene and you have requested these signals to be put in and then some numpty ignores them for the past mile or so thinking that they know better than everyone else.Then they see you or the resultant Traffic jam, they have to screech/swerve to avoid a collision. 99% of the time they are there for a reason...try to obey them.

tonyrec - if other PHer's experiences are similar to mine, your figure of 99% is way out! I would say that around 50% of the time there is no apparent reason (no accident, no debris, no coning-off, no workmen, no emergency services, no adverse weather conditions, no change is road surface quality, no UFOs ...) for the advisory speed limit. At this level of experience the tale of the goatherd who cried, "Wolf!" is very much in mind! Even at 1% of the time, the reaction is likely to be, "What the fk was that for?" and the next advisory speed limit might well not be observed.

I appreciate that the posting and removal of the limits cannot be instantaneous, but I have recently driven along several stretches of motorways where the advisory limit over 10 miles and more has been shown as either 40 or 50 and where the well-spaced traffic has driven (safely) at speeds of 65+ with no apparent reason for the limit posted.

When I see an advisory limit posted I evaluate the weather, road and traffic conditions, recall the latest traffic information I heard on the radio, look as far ahead as is possible and adjust my speed, road position and separation if I think it is necessary ... and I continue to do that for the duration of the posted limit. I imagine that fellow PHers do the same. Having attended a number of RTAs on fast roads and having worked as a marshal at motor racing tracks in my 'youth' I am acutely conscious of speeding cars in close proximity to my backside and of the potential for another accident to occur as a result of stupid rubber-neckers (on the road not the race-track!). I tend to slow down where I see workmen actually working at the roadside (except for chain-gangs in the US ... they're fair game ), increase my separation further and give them whatever additional room I can.

And this all started because I disagreed with your 99% figure - duh!

Streaky

>> Edited by streaky on Saturday 1st November 09:20

>> Edited by streaky on Sunday 2nd November 18:19

[SpudGunner]

In Florida they have double speeding fines if you are caught speeding by roadworks. Perhaps they should implement this and that would make people think more.

I certainly wouldnt fancy working on the road with cars/lorries thundering past and ignoring the reduced speed limits.

Give a thought to the workers and bib and not just yourselves perhaps for once....



>> Edited by SpudGunner on Saturday 1st November 09:53

[percy]

Er...I may be wrong here (shoot me if I am), but I think people are talking at cross-purposes. I assume that Colin was talking about the 40mph limit through the roadworks and NOT the amber matrix signs. Like Colin, I also try and stick to these limits but it's hard with a lorry trying to get in your boot!

[colinrob]

Yes it is the limits by the roadworks where the central barriers are not complete

[outlaw]

tonyrec said:

Those advisory signs are in for a reason. You will know how important they are when you work on the Motorways. Theres nothing worse than when youre dealing with something thats blocking the road, its urgent and you are the only one on scene and you have requested these signals to be put in and then some numpty ignores them for the past mile or so thinking that they know better than everyone else.Then they see you or the resultant Traffic jam, they have to screech/swerve to avoid a collision. 99% of the time they are there for a reason...try to obey them.

tony down my wany on the m1 they been on for the last 3 weeks ever time i been down it.

even seen em on at 3am when there hardly a car in site.

the one day there was a lane close and your lot had just fished clearing up they want on.

Im begining to think someone taking there piss with em

[gh0st]

Only twice out of countless times I have seen an advisory limit has there been a reason.

If they started using them properly then maybe people would respect them more....

[colinrob]

Iwas'nt talking about advisory limits it was compulsary ones by the roadworks

[gavyn]

streaky said:

I appreciate that the posting and removal of the limits cannot be instantaneous, but I have recently driven along several stretches of motorways where the advisory limit over 10 miles and more has been shown as either 40 or 50 and where the well-spaced traffic has driven (safely) at speeds of 65+ with no apparent reason for the limit posted.

I agree with you totally on this Streaky and have many times passed several signs advising 40 and there was no incident and not even a hint that the traffic is still heavy following an incident. I do think the signs are updated too infrequently and, are spaced too infrequently as well.

The same seems true of the variable limit signs on the M25 too. I am actually a fan of the variable limit generally and see it as definitely helping but, there are many times that the sign says 50 and it's clearly a leftover because the sign is the only reason there is to do 50, the traffic/conditions certainly don't warrant it.

Having said all this, I do sometimes wonder with the matrix signs whether they set them intentionally low. Next time you pass a sign saying 40 in traffic moving smoothly at 65+, wonder whether the traffic might still be moving smoothly if the signs weren't on and people were trying to do 75+ (or more)?

[Zod]

streaky said:

tonyrec - if other PHer's experiences are similar to mine, your figure of 99% is way out! I would say that around 50% of the time there is no apparent reason (no accident, no debris, no coning-off, no workmen, no emergency services, no adverse weather conditions, no change is road surface quality, no UFOs ...) for the advisory speed limit.

That is my experience too. The silliest example was about 6pm on the M4 on a bright sunny evening in late August when some of the signs were saying "fog" and others "50".

[Peter Ward]

The most dangerous matrix signs are those which indicate a lane closure, and then there's nothing there. Everyone slows down, moves over, traffic is delayed, etc, etc, but for no reason. This seems to happen quite regularly. Stuff like this devalues the signs.

I'm sure it would be useful to train CCTV on matrix signs, so "they" could see what messages were being displayed. Perhaps the ones earmarked for Gatsos?!

PS. When will the big new motorway signs start being used? It seems like a year since they were installed but many still have "not in use" stickers on them. We've paid for them -- when will they be useful for us? And not just "don't drive tired" rubbish, but real traffic info.

[streaky]

Zod said:

streaky said: tonyrec - if other PHer's experiences are similar to mine, your figure of 99% is way out! I would say that around 50% of the time there is no apparent reason (no accident, no debris, no coning-off, no workmen, no emergency services, no adverse weather conditions, no change is road surface quality, no UFOs ...) for the advisory speed limit. That is my experience too. The silliest example was about 6pm on the M4 on a bright sunny evening in late August when some of the signs were saying "fog" and others "50".

Zod - if they were the new signs either side of the A34, that might have been when they were testing them. I did see this myself and noted that the Highways Agency's website (www.highways.gov.uk/news/m25_rt/index.htm) also showed "Fog" for that area - Streaky

[streaky]

SpudGunner said:

In Florida they have double speeding fines if you are caught speeding by roadworks. Perhaps they should implement this and that would make people think more. ...

In fact they do in most states (maybe all). The general rule seens to be "Traffic fines doubled in construction areas" ... so not just speeding - Streaky

[streaky]

gavyn said:

... The same seems true of the variable limit signs on the M25 too. I am actually a fan of the variable limit generally and see it as definitely helping but, there are many times that the sign says 50 and it's clearly a leftover because the sign is the only reason there is to do 50, the traffic/conditions certainly don't warrant it. ...

Have you also noticed the occasional "sneaky 50" among the 60s signs in the variable limit ... usually where there are three signs close together (around the A30 exit clockwise?).

BTW - have just checked the HA website and they are showing the M25 variable limit signs as displaying 40|60|60|40 in one place ... so that must be leading to a few lane changes .

Streaky

[Richard C]

[quote=tonyrec]
Those advisory signs are in for a reason [quote]

Maybe keeping to the advisories whehn the workforce is actually present ( rarely more than 8 hours in 24 ) is a good idea to avoid stressing them but.... the ridiculous and misleading advisories here in N Wales just generate contempt.

It is always possible to take bends quite safely in a non-performance car at exactly double the ASL shoved in your face. So who TF works these out and why ????

[streaky]

Now here's an example

I've just driven from Swindon to reading along the M4.

Either side of 11:00 today, Eastbound between J13 (A34) and J12 (A4) the new matrix signs were showing "50" (all except one about 2/3rds along that was blank). The "End" sign was 1 mile short of the A4 junction.

Traffic was light and mainly well-spaced. Road conditions were dry (surprisingly). Weather was fine and sunny (again surprisingly). There were two breakdowns on the hard shoulder, neither yet attended. There was nothing anywhere to indicate the need for a 50 limit that stretched over 12 miles.

BTW - the matrix signs on the Westbound carriageway were dark, yet there were maintenance vehicles operating on the hard-shoulder of that carriageway.

WTF?

Streaky

Edited 'cos I confused my East and West - sorry

>> Edited by streaky on Monday 3rd November 19:31

>> Edited by streaky on Monday 3rd November 19:31