Views on variable speed limits on Motorways

[pmanson]

Personally I think 70mph on a motorway is too slow (others may disagree), however I also think that 70mph is too fast when conditions aren't good.

In France they use variable speed limits when it is wet. They also invest more in the road surfaces in Europe whicih absorb more water so there is less spray.

I'd quite happily have and stick to a 60mph limit in the wet and a 90mph limit in the dry.

Views Please.....

[alans]

yep, sounds good to me.

[WD*]

It isn't necessarily the speed limit that causes the problems n bad weather, its numptys not knowing how to react. I would guarantee that even if you lowered the speed limit in bad conditions you would stillg et numptys sitting on each others bumpers regardless!




But definitely a 90mph limit

[pmanson]

Tell me about it. Driving to back from uni in Bournemouth to home, pouring it down with rain, visability very low. In the fast lane doing about 50mph keeping pace with the car in front while leaving a safe gap. Car behind me almost in my boot, bloke on the phone (without handsfree) I had no where to go as there was a car alongside me so couldn't move over.
Ended up leaving an even bigger gap to the car in front so I wouldn't have to an slow down quickly, hopefully giving the bloke insistant of sitting so close time to react. Muppet

[pwig]

There should be no limits at all. Then it would MAKE people think what speed they should be doing.

[Wacky Racer]

pwig said:

There should be no limits at all. Then it would MAKE people think what speed they should be doing.

Well, your car will only go up to 50, so no problem there..........

[silverback mike]

Personally I think variable limits are a good idea.

[streaky]

silverback mike said:

Personally I think variable limits are a good idea.

Provided they make sense. Many PHers who use the M25 will from time to time have seen the matrix boards showing limits that EXCEED the traffic's then natural speed. I have seen them showing 60mph (over three sets of signs ahead) when the traffic has been stationary in all four lanes!

Yesterday, approaching the A34 junction on the M4 the advisory limits were 40mph ... yet traffic was travelling at around 5mph (estimated, my speed doesn't read that low).

Many of us will have seen advisory limits and mandatory variable limits that were set far lower than there was any need (light, well-spaced traffic with excellent visibility - on the M25 exceeding three sets of signs) ... but we've done that to death elsewhere.

Some of us might have also seen the 'popped in' 50 limit inbetween the 60 signs on the M25 ... where the only reason could be to trap speeders (50 looks a lot like 60 from a distance, and the 50 appears between two closely spaced 60 signs) ... but we've done that to death elsewhere also.

Streaky

>> Edited by streaky on Sunday 23 November 11:56

[DennisTheMenace]

silverback mike said:

Personally I think variable limits are a good idea.

There are parts of the M4 where 70 is too fast , too many cars in a small space , most of the M4 in wales is just dual carrageway , also 70+ round busy junctions on or off of motorways are bloody dangerous too

[grahambell]

Definitely think that they're a good idea, and not just on motorways but also in some other places, such as near schools, with say 20mph at 'school run' times but still 30mph at others.

That's why it's included in one of the points on the S.A.F.E.R. petition.

[nonegreen]

pwig said:

There should be no limits at all. Then it would MAKE people think what speed they should be doing.

Absolutely agree I often wonder what would happen if in an accident blackspot instead of lots of signs and safety aids we removed all the road markings and just left people to figure it out. As for variable speed limits, they are just the thin end of the wedge. Why do we have to continually direct numpties as to what they should be doing. The constand barage of bullshit media on what to drive how to drive it, what colour to paint your walls to sell your house. Why can't we just leave the tossers to figure it out? Why do we devote a whole TV program to this sort of rubbish? Some mad bitch with a 12 stone dog that pisses everywhere can't understand why all the pottential house buyers off before she gets chance to answer the door. Well its obvious, the house stinks of dog shit and your not going to sell it. The same applies to the roads. Why do we have to put up with frigging stupid signs everwhere. just rip out all the signs, the traffic jam lights, the junction markings and let the 3 weeks of utter chaos begin. At the end of it I will still be standing and so will most of us here, but an entirely useless bunch of w*nkers will have either been killed or given up driving (y'know thingy, with the steering wheel an everything) altogether. We could then be left to our own devices as the HASAW act would prevent the police from ever driving again either on the grounds of too dangerous. Rant over.....