[Fin]

I thought it would be an interesting thread to see what you all think of our current speed limits. I agree with most of our speed limits on our roads, but when on a clear motorway, with good visibility and good conditions, I find it hard to stick to 70mph. Especially if I am driving a long distance!

So, please vote, and give reasons as to why. I have only kept it simple, with optional speeds we could increase it to. I think our cars nowadays could safely handle higher speeds but there are many arguments against. There are a lot of people who can't seem to drive safely at 70mph, never mind faster. Plus now at 70mph, many people speed. But if it was legal to drive at 100mph, you'd have people pushing 110-120mph more regularly. Also there's the environmental factor, with increased drag at higher speeds we'll burn more petrol maintaining them. Could our 3 lane motorways handle higher speeds?

Maybe a more flexible speed limit, automatically changed and shown by overhead signs dependent on weather, number of cars proximity to major junctions, and enforced by speed cameras?

Anyhoo, that's all conjecture. I think it should be increased to 90mph.

[CC07ERS]

its not going to happen so dream on

[Morri7]

I think that the speed limit could be increased but to no more than 90. Like you say, just now most people will do 80-85 without thinking twice about it I'm not sure if plod would even stop you for doing 80. If the limit was 90 then we'd all be doing a ton! The flexible speed limit has to be the way forward though. I think the French have different speed limits on their motorways depending on the weather.

[BUTTONMUSH]

Make it 90 and really cut the balls off anyone breaking it. Cushion of 5 therefore 95 cut-off but 7 points+ to stop multiple convictions.
The limit should definately go up as if you could make up time on the roads designed for speed we might not need to hammer through built up areas to make up lost time.
We are constantly told by council muppets & politicians that speeding is not socially acceptable, however if the majority of society do something then i'm afraid by defintion..it is accepted.

[wheyaye2]

It should be quicker than it is, 80 would be a good start as a trial to judge if there is a related increase in accidents etc.

However, it's just not going to happen. The government is pushing hard to reduce CO2 emissions and even a 10mph increase would, on paper, have a massive increase on pollution statistics.

[JG.26]

Increasing speeds............don't make me larf............the speed limit is already too high for all the maniacs on our roads and besides speed kills.

I'm not sure if the awful coach crash on the M4 yesterday was speed ralated but I always feel your surviveability is increased at lower speeds.

Sorry if it that sounds like a Road Safety campaign.

[Rakey]

It should be a free for all, with over taking and under taking, and those that lane hog taken out to the hard shoulder and hung from those useless signs

[Pobsey]

Rakey for Prime Minster!
you should get well done points for extracting a higher top speed from your vehicle compared to the manufacturers top speed

[Rakey]

Quote: Originally Posted by Pobsey (original)

Rakey for Prime Minster!
you should get well done points for extracting a higher top speed from your vehicle compared to the manufacturers top speed

and tax relief on burning more fuel for keeping the revs higher than your oponent in the other lane

[Fin]

Quote: Originally Posted by JG.26 (original)

Increasing speeds............don't make me larf............the speed limit is already too high for all the maniacs on our roads and besides speed kills.

I'm not sure if the awful coach crash on the M4 yesterday was speed ralated but I always feel your surviveability is increased at lower speeds.

Sorry if it that sounds like a Road Safety campaign.

I'm more of the opinion that is the inappropriate use of speed that kills, rather than speed itself. Doing 100mph at 2am on an empty motorway, in good conditions with a modern, well maintained car to me is relatively safe. Travelling at 85mph in rain, on a busy motorway in the outside lane is more dangerous to me.

By all means introduce much tougher penalties for dangerous drivers or 'maniacs'.

With regard to the recent coach crash on the M4; from reading the reports it was a horrific incident. But if the reports are true, the driver was travelling too fast on a slip road. This illustrates the point that his bad driving ie inappropriate use of speed caused the tradgedy, and as I said if true, he should be punished accordingly.

Despite all our different views on this topic of motorway speed limits, I'm sure we all feel sympathy for those involved in the recent crash.

[JG.26]

Quote: Originally Posted by Fin (original)

I'm more of the opinion that is the inappropriate use of speed that kills, rather than speed itself. Doing 100mph at 2am on an empty motorway, in good conditions with a modern, well maintained car to me is relatively safe. Travelling at 85mph in rain, on a busy motorway in the outside lane is more dangerous to me.

By all means introduce much tougher penalties for dangerous drivers or 'maniacs'.

With regard to the recent coach crash on the M4; from reading the reports it was a horrific incident. But if the reports are true, the driver was travelling too fast on a slip road. This illustrates the point that his bad driving ie inappropriate use of speed caused the tradgedy, and as I said if true, he should be punished accordingly.

Despite all our different views on this topic of motorway speed limits, I'm sure we all feel sympathy for those involved in the recent crash.

See what your saying, but I value my personal safety, it doesn't matter if the road is empty with good conditions. If I'm doing 100mph I may think I have control and I'm safe but you never know, tire blow out, loose cow lol, anything so I guess I would rather leave the road doing 40mph less or decrease my beaking distance before I hit something. If you feel safe doing 100mph it's your luck call, and besides do you really get there any sooner doing 40 or 50mph more?

Think also I prefer to drive slower to allow for other peoples mistakes.

[JBA]

Can't get too bothered about speed on M-ways (except in fog, rain, ice and snow) but the standard of driving is too poor to give any more leeway. An 80 limit would mean 95 before BiB get interested, and there are so few capable of that speed safely, with traffic density the way it is, we'd have the German accident rate in no time.

[Lorri]

No... many do 10/ 20 miles over the limit anyway so speeds would just get higher & higher. I say keep it as it is but don't be harsh on those doing 80/ 90 mph when there's hardly anything on the motorway. Good drivers will adjust their driving/ speed to suit the conditions but you've always got to allow for other people's mistakes.

[mph999]

The problem is this ...

One reason 70 was chosen, it was the speed at which the average driver would remain reasonably safe.

The average driver is my opinion these days has about the skill of a peanut, until tailgating, undertaking etc .. are resolved (which ain't going to happen), then the limit should stay. The general driving standard is crap, accidents happen as people drive into "situations" too fast (I'm not by the way saying they're speeding), just imagine the carnage if we could do 80.

(oh, I would personally like an 80 limit ...)

Martin

[Jamesr022]

Quote: Originally Posted by mph999 (original)

The problem is this ...

The average driver is my opinion these days has about the skill of a peanut, until tailgating, undertaking etc .. are resolved (which ain't going to happen), then the limit should stay. The general driving standard is crap, accidents happen as people drive into "situations" too fast (I'm not by the way saying they're speeding), just imagine the carnage if we could do 80.

are people not forgetting at this current time the 70MPH limit does not include large vehicles like HGVs and vehicle towing which have lower speed limits, and with the recient accident on the M4 slip road i don't think we need to go any faster. could anybody imagine what would have happened if there were other vehicles involved, and anyway we have had the 70 speed limit for a long time why does it need to be changed now, is it cos vehicles are getting faster, or they can stop better. this they might be but i don't think i can say that people driving attitudes are getting better i would say that they have got worse, i see more bad drivers on the road now than i have ever done. And a good car don't make a person a good driver.

[Tigger, Eeyore & Roo]

Working on the basis that the police have effectively been enforcing an "80mph" speed limit for many years I've never had a problem with that. Any more than that and the speed differential between cars and slow moving HGVs / caravans etc becomes an accident waiting to happen.

I am concerned about the recent use of speed cameras on motorways, as they simply don't have the ability to make sensible judgements about someones speed that a police officer on the spot would. They also make it too easy to punish drivers for utterly irrelevant, very minor, transgressions of the limit.

I'm not meaning to turn this into an anti speed camera thread, I'm just saying that I was really happy with the 70mph limit having a little leeway and then enforced at 80mph and above. Unfortunately, there's no option for that on the poll.

Tigger.

[Martin F]

I find I am often lucky to get to 70mph because there are so many drivers who think they need to stick in the middle lane even if the inside lane is empty, turning the motorway into two lanes.

Why is nothing done about this? I watched a woman in an Astra join the M25 at Leatherhead last week and she promptly sat in the third lane at 65mph even though the two lanes inside her were empty. What can be done with idiots like that?

[kezman50]

Fin, the points you have made are very well sculptured and to me, make a lot of sense. I have to conclude to the same opinion though, as tigger above, for the reasons he's outlined

Ditch the cameras on motorways and have a sensible plod who applies the "unwitten rule" for a cushion, wave his finger when it's needed..... and to throw the book at "Jack the lad" no matter if he has a suit or a baseball cap on!!

[kezman50]

Quote: Originally Posted by Martin F (original)

I find I am often lucky to get to 70mph because there are so many drivers who think they need to stick in the middle lane even if the inside lane is empty, turning the motorway into two lanes.

Why is nothing done about this? I watched a woman in an Astra join the M25 at Leatherhead last week and she promptly sat in the third lane at 65mph even though the two lanes inside her were empty. What can be done with idiots like that?

And of course there's the myth that there is indeed a "middle" and a "fast" lane,,,,,just one cruise and two overtaking lanes. With the view of returning to the left lane as soon as it's safe to do so, after any overtaking maneuver has been executed.

[Tigger, Eeyore & Roo]

Please don't encourage people to start using the left hand lane.

If the motorway is crowded, everyone sits in lane 2 & 3, about 20 feet apart and I get to sit in lane 1, on my own, at exactly the same speed. I'd hate the left hand lane to start getting used by all the rabble

Tigger.