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mark occomore · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 9955 Location: UK

The Government is going to take a consultation about whether the speed limit should be raised by 80mph. The new limit could be introduced by 2013. The 70mph limit was set back in 1965, but cars have got safer since then - with a 75% fall in road traffic accidents. 49% of drivers are currently breaking the speed limit, so wonder if the speed limit was raised whether people would drive at 90mph? Hopefully the Government will reduce speed limits in villages and around schools to 20mph?

What does everyone think?

ruddlescat · Joined: 16 Sep 2010 Posts: 18010 Location: Near Chester

I can see your point Mark but of course your point about safer cars with better brakes and ABS etc equally applies in places where lower limits apply

There is a valid argument to the effect that the 30MPH limit in built up areas should be raised because it was set in the 1930's when cars had poor drum brakes and could not stop anywhere near as quickly and safely as cars do today

I have my own views on the subject but I simply mention the point as I think that logically it must have some validity although how public reaction would be in respect of such a issue is an entirely different matter

I do believe that the limit on motorways should be raised to 80MPH in order to avoid problems with bunching which can make motorways unnecessarily dangerous places
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John W · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 3367 Location: Warwickshire, UK

I think the 80mph change is OK.

As a frequent motorway driver I regularly drive in the outside lane at 85mph because everyone else in the lane does, safely, and I find it more hazardous in inner lanes doing 70 when vehicles are jostling with vans and lorries.

So the increase could make things safer overall, and encourage the slow drivers to stay in the inside lane where they belong Razz

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MadeinSurrey · Posted: Fri Sep 30, 2011 7:32 am Post subject: Re: 80mph

The Government is going to take a consultation about whether the speed limit should be raised by 80mph.

Crikey, the new limit's going to be 150 mph??
Laughing

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nod · Joined: 24 Dec 2006 Posts: 3558

I think its a good idea BUT they should come clean about what speed they are going to prosecute for exceeding it and not vague like it is now.

Fed up of hearing those going on about the enviroment when cars have got so much better ove rthe last few years and are nearly doing 80mph now Rolling Eyes

ruddlescat · Joined: 16 Sep 2010 Posts: 18010 Location: Near Chester

Just to clarify Nod's point the current position is that they allow a margin for error of 3MPH plus 10% of the limit in any one place before prosecutions take place

So for example if you drive at 36MPH in a 30 limit you're OK but at 37MPH you are not

In a current 70 limit you can get away with 80MPH but not 81MPH

I would imagine that when the limit is raised the same will apply so in a 80MPH limit you'll be fine at 91MPH but not at 92MPH
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mark occomore · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 9955 Location: UK

With Variable speed limits around motorways like the M25 and M6 ( Birmingham ) at peak times drivers are sometimes unable to get upto 70mph, let alone 80mph. Brake won't be happy unless 40mph limit is introduced.....

John W · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 3367 Location: Warwickshire, UK

mark occomore · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 9955 Location: UK

littlepieces · Joined: 10 Jan 2010 Posts: 1098 Location: Lowestoft

Must admit never heard of brake but as was posted above there seems to be a lot of area's on motorways where you can only do 50...although most people do 60
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Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19334 Location: Cheshire

BRAKE have regularly had speakers on news/current affairs for many years whenever the speed limits come up.

I don't think the limit should be raised as people with any sense are driving more slowly to conserve fuel. It's noticeable on motorways, or it is to us. Also as most have said a lot drive at almost 80 anyway so why raise the limit?

H
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nod · Joined: 24 Dec 2006 Posts: 3558

nod · Joined: 24 Dec 2006 Posts: 3558

Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19334 Location: Cheshire

ruddlescat · Joined: 16 Sep 2010 Posts: 18010 Location: Near Chester

To address Nod's point I don't think there is any actual legal requirement for individual police forces to apply the error margins mentioned in my earlier post but I believe most if not all of them should do quite simply because it is recommended in Home Office guidelines based on data provided by the manufacturers of the equipment used in such cases

Otherwise you would have a situation where many more cases were challenged in court on the basis of lack of accuracy of readings obtained from speed cameras and related equipment which clogs up the system and creates lots of additional expense in processing cases
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mark occomore · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 9955 Location: UK

Trying to preserve fuel isn't going to help as it can put more strain on the car. Most cars are high powerful which effect the catalletic if they are not used to the correct way. Keep reducing speed on motorways, build up emissions too.

mark occomore · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 9955 Location: UK

How about this idea?

Drivers who fall foul to speed and other traffic offences should not just be fined. There licences should be removed until they have gone through an awarness test? Once they have completed this they get the licence back, and it goes on a national data base. If they are caught again they should be banned from driving until they have completed a full driving test again. It would remove idiots off the roads, but the problem with this there is just not enough police watching everyone.

iwarburton · Joined: 08 Dec 2006 Posts: 2133 Location: Northumberland

On the whole I support raising the motorway limit to 80, which almost everyone does anyway. Hate to tell you but I DID get done for going at 36 in a 30. I opted to go on a speed awareness course, rather than take the points, and it turned out to be very good.

Ian.

Number Six · Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 438 Location: In the village

I think it should be raised to 80mph but it should be rigorously enforced. Get more police out in unmarked cars nicking people. Get the real idiots like the bad overtakers, the ones who try and push in at the last minute. They're the ones who cause accidents
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ruddlescat · Joined: 16 Sep 2010 Posts: 18010 Location: Near Chester

I think you probably could have challenged the result in your case Ian but of course the problem is that to do so would involve lawyers and probably expert witnesses which all costs money so most people in that position tend to opt for what is probably the safer option and simply take the penalty
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John W · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 3367 Location: Warwickshire, UK

The motorway I drive on mostly is the M6 and as I said above the safest place to be is the outside lane and doing 85. Anywhere else you just get slow cars, vans and lorries continually braking and going in and out of the inside lane.

The outside lane at 85 is the only way to get away from trouble!
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nod · Joined: 24 Dec 2006 Posts: 3558

nod · Joined: 24 Dec 2006 Posts: 3558

nod · Joined: 24 Dec 2006 Posts: 3558

mark occomore · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 9955 Location: UK

Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19334 Location: Cheshire

ruddlescat · Joined: 16 Sep 2010 Posts: 18010 Location: Near Chester

Although I'm in favour of the proposed speed limit increase I can see what Helen is saying about matters of fuel economy

However I think the point needs to be made that some drivers are presently taking the matter of fuel saving to dangerous extremes

I know of many drivers who regularly get up to 70MPH or more and then coast down some quite steep inclines in an attempt to save fuel which is extremely dangerous because not only does the driver have no control over the car whilst coasting but the practice can cause the brakes to seriously overheat affecting efficiency and posing a possible fire risk

I think people can become too obsessed with saving money and of course driving at slow speeds in low gears also reduces fuel efficiency and can cause additional engine wear
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essexlady · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 348 Location: Essex

I can't see any justification for raising the speed limit to 80mph. The argument that it should be changed because everyone drives over 70mph anyway is silly - presumably this means that when the limit is 80mph then everyone will drive at 90?
Neither do I understand the argument that because it suits lots of people to break a law then the law should be changed.
Although of course cars these days are more efficient and safer I'm not at all sure that this is also true of the human part of the partnership. Judging by the idiocy seen on the roads everyday then the drivers are definitely not keeping up with the improvements of the cars e.g. it appears that lots of drivers don't even know that modern cars have indicators. Rolling Eyes

Sorry, rant over. Can you tell I've come across far too many idiots on the road today?

nod · Joined: 24 Dec 2006 Posts: 3558

Most idiots aren't even driving fast Rolling Eyes

ruddlescat · Joined: 16 Sep 2010 Posts: 18010 Location: Near Chester

Only today it was mentioned that accidents involving vehicles positioned in drivers blind spots are at record levels

It would seem that this may be partly because the EU regulations now require that cars have thicker side pillars supposedly for safety reasons but ironically this makes it much more difficult for drivers to see things in the areas not covered by the mirrors hence the increase in the numbers of blind spot crashes

Yet another reason for this country to leave the EU in my view Rolling Eyes

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