Like the title says.

I'm posting this because I want to see the response from here (this being a reasonable cross section of the voting public).

Have only heard ridiculous arguments to lower the speed limit, and slightly less so to leave it as it is.

Raise it I say - To what is a whole other thread! :confused:

I was thinking about this very subject last night... I do think 70 mph is too slow on motorways. Very few people stick at that limit, most doing 80-90 I would think.

What's the reasoning behind 70 mph anyway? Is it the crash safety issue?

Originally posted by feargal

What's the reasoning behind 70 mph anyway? Is it the crash safety issue?

Yes, but 30 years ago :loopy:

Originally posted by floyd77
Yes, but 30 years ago :loopy:

Are you less likely to die/get hurt at 70 mph these days ?

This is one of those things which works well in Europe but doesn't here - just like street cafés and relaxed drinking hours.

I voted for increased speed limits because there are times when it is safe to do more than 70mph, particularly on a wide 4 or 5 lane motorway at 2am. Cars are now safer than before and the unofficial limit seems to be 80mph anyway.

Originally posted by nick2
Are you less likely to die/get hurt at 70 mph these days ?

But if you're going to kipper it anyway, why not enjoy those final moments by razzing about like a mad thing. ;)

Originally posted by feargal
But if you're going to kipper it anyway, why not enjoy those final moments by razzing about like a mad thing. ;)

I think it's more a case of how many other people you take with you. If you hit someone else at 70mph I'm guessing they and you stand a better chance of surviving than if you hit them at 100mph ?

I normally drive at 100MPH.
The only reason i don't go faster is that the car shakes after 100 and i spill mi beer. :suspect:

MOD: Additional option to show results added.

It should be faster than 70mph but before they raise it they should do a couple of things-


a) encourage lorrys to try to travel at night when the roads are quieter (by a tax break possibly or saying that they can use all 3 lanes after 10pm)

b) enforce the existing laws that the outside 2 lanes are for overtaking only instead of someone just sitting there in the middle/fast lane holding up traffic.

i believe that these 2 things would make there roads less busy/safer and so enable the speed limit to be raised, if they just raised it as it is at the moment- all you would have is crashes at 80mph instead of 70mph!!!

Whilst I drive faster than 70 myself (around 85 generally), I think it should stay the same.

If it went up to say, 90.. It would encourage people to travel at 110.

It also depends on what car you're driving. The brakes/handling on a BMW M3, for example, would be much better than the brakes/handling of a Micra of a Saxo. So whilst the Beemer is travelling at 100mph quite safely, the saxo would be shaking, and it would be very unstable.

Originally posted by nick2
Are you less likely to die/get hurt at 70 mph these days ?

Yup.

The safety features on all todays cars far exceed those of 30 years ago.

Originally posted by floyd77
Yup.

The safety features on all todays cars far exceed those of 30 years ago.

But the ability of driving doesn't. Plus there's a lot more cars now.

Originally posted by GazB
But the ability of driving doesn't. Plus there's a lot more cars now.

True, but I sont see them as such a big factor as the vast improvement in the way cars are built.

Have a look at The Association of British Drivers (http://www.abd.org.uk/motorwayspeedlimit.htm)

Having driven company cars for over a decade and racking up hundreds of thousands of motorway miles, I say keep it the same. especially now 50% of drivers pay more attention to their mobile phone conversations and their sat nav screens than the road conditions and what all the other road users are doing.

The most effective thing they could do is bring in the variable speed limits to slow people down when there is congestion. Too many people fly along at 80 and 90, only to have to stand on the brakes as the round the next corner to be greeted with a 3 lane car park. One of the reasons we have pile-ups. Especially in the winter when things get slippy. doing 90 doesn't get you there faster it just means the traffic bunches up quicker and bottlenecks take longer to clear.

Everyone speeds, so increasing the limit will only make people speed more. But more importantly from an environmental viewpoint travelling at 80 don't half drink a lot of fuel compared to 70. I think the mention recently in the media of more stringent control of speed limits might not be such a bad idea for this reason.

Never seen the real aftermath of a 70 mph crash, hope I never do, I think increasing the limit would be a good idea if it meant that people would stick to it but hardly anyone, myself included, stick to the limit now.

I agree that if there were to be an increase in speed limit then that would also have to go hand in hand with some kind of campaign to make sure we dont just break those limits as we do now.

Raising the motorway speed limit to, for example 90-100mph, thus permitting motorists to travel at up to this speed when it's safe to do so (on relatively deserted motorways late at night or very early morning, in good conditions), would be a good idea.

I also think that lowering the limit when there is heavy traffic, would also be a good idea... gantry signs at intervals could indicate the permitted maximum speed appropriate to the conditions prevailing at the time.

Unfortunately I can't see sense prevailing and a variable speed-limit being introduced as it would mean expensive modifications to the speed-cams, which are presently functioning very profitably indeed as they are now, thank you! :(

I am happy to see some well reasoned opinions here in broad agreement.

It seems our motorways are the safest roads in the UK by quite a stretch, and I think the safest motorways in most of Europe.

Maybe this good safety record is because the sensible approach our government has to speed limits. If they put them up or down fatalities and serious accidents and injuries would most probably shoot up.

None of the options apply to me as i drive as a learner and am not allowed on motorways.

Originally posted by slimsid2000
None of the options apply to me as i drive as a learner and am not allowed on motorways.

Is it too much of a stretch to put you in the 'dont drive' section, what with you not driving on Motorways? :rolleyes:

Originally posted by muddycoffee

The most effective thing they could do is bring in the variable speed limits to slow people down when there is congestion. Too many people fly along at 80 and 90, only to have to stand on the brakes as the round the next corner to be greeted with a 3 lane car park. One of the reasons we have pile-ups. Especially in the winter when things get slippy. doing 90 doesn't get you there faster it just means the traffic bunches up quicker and bottlenecks take longer to clear.


Variable speeds limits would be great but make them more enforced.

Such as 100mph is ok clear night wide open road, no traffic.
Drop to 60mph for Heavy rain, lots of spray etc...

If speeds broken by 5mph (-/+10%) then pull the person and then on the spot fine. Of the speed there were clocked at + £30.

I mostly drive at 85/90 in normal traffic. If in a ruch and clear (-ish) then knock it up to 100.

Drive around 4,000 miles in a quiet month, can tip 8,000 in a busy month. I'd say 80% of those miles are motorway driven.


:)

Originally posted by Bookey


Such as 100mph is ok clear night wide open road, no traffic.

:)

It isn't if you get a blow out.

Originally posted by TimmyR
It isn't if you get a blow out.
Its pretty hairy at 70 too!

Originally posted by TimmyR
It isn't if you get a blow out.

I have never received a blow out.:( :blush:

I think they should be lowered to 55 MPH, the reason being this is about the optimum speed for MPG and it should cut down congestion and accidents. Rush hour journey's should then have a net time saving result too, due to less accidents.

Originally posted by TimmyR
It isn't if you get a blow out.

Hopefully I never will :)

Originally posted by slimsid2000
I have never received a blow out.:( :blush:

Neither have I but I hear they're fun ;)

Originally posted by wayne72
I think they should be lowered to 55 MPH, the reason being this is about the optimum speed for MPG and it should cut down congestion and accidents. Rush hour journey's should then have a net time saving result too, due to less accidents.

How about we also turn off the internet and all go and buy Black'n'white TV's.
Shops can do half day on Wednesday too.
While we are at it, how about we just move back to horse and cart? :loopy:

Originally posted by wayne72
I think they should be lowered to 55 MPH, the reason being this is about the optimum speed for MPG and it should cut down congestion and accidents. Rush hour journey's should then have a net time saving result too, due to less accidents.

Yawn.:roll:

Does everything have to relate to how much oil is used??

Originally posted by wayne72
I think they should be lowered to 55 MPH, the reason being this is about the optimum speed for MPG and it should cut down congestion and accidents. Rush hour journey's should then have a net time saving result too, due to less accidents.

I think you be better off digging up the roads and putting more train tracks down - much more efficient! Particularly to get those lorries off the roads

Also, why can't we all just stay in one place ??? (don't answer that)

Originally posted by TimmyR
Neither have I but I hear they're fun ;)

Get mind out of the gutter.....











Make room for mine :thumbsup:

:hihi: :D ;)

Originally posted by TimmyR
I think you be better off digging up the roads and putting more train tracks down - much more efficient! Particularly to get those lorries off the roads

Also, why can't we all just stay in one place ??? (don't answer that)

Train comment I agree with as would make send to have regional depots and then send out the pallets etc... from there.

A centralized distribution system, all carriers can operate out of the above regional depots.

Reinstate the Beeching track removal in areas where it can benefit commuters.

I think 85 should be the limit, but strictly enforced ie. if you are doing 89-90 you get a fine and points. That would encourage people to stick to or just below the 85 limit.

Originally posted by 1Man&hisBMW
I think 85 should be the limit, but strictly enforced ie. if you are doing 89-90 you get a fine and points. That would encourage people to stick to or just below the 85 limit.

How would you know about reaching "Above 85" if you have a BMW?

I saw a comment about freight and when it should travel.

There's a trial scheme on part of the M42 (two lane motorway) to restrict lorries to the inner lane only during rush hours. Would be good to see this rolled out on all motorways nationwide between 7 - 10 and 16 - 18.

Variable limits that went up and down depending on conditions would be the best of both worlds, and there are areas such as the M25 where the tech is already in place to allow this.

Originally posted by viking
How would you know about reaching "Above 85" if you have a BMW?

Wow, the comedy train really is hurtling out of control tonight :rolleyes:

80 would get more vote each time. 70 in a modern car is nothing but i'd never really wnat to stretch it up as a high as a 100 although it is easily reached.

I agree with a few points relating to freight traffic and have alawyas thought that no HGV shoudl be on the road at peak times.

Originally posted by floyd77
Yawn.:roll:

Does everything have to relate to how much oil is used??

Within the next 2 to 3 years Yes!:thumbsup:

Besides I did say it would help reduce congestion and accidents, surely thats a good thing?

How will it reduce congestion... everybody will spend longer on the road getting to where they're going?

Originally posted by metalman
How will it reduce congestion... everybody will spend longer on the road getting to where they're going?

if you spend much time in congestion you'll learn to see the patterns. It's caused by bunching, a slight delay forms at one car, the next car breaks too hard, the car after that slows even more. In heavy traffic (syncronised flow if you want look it up) the effect snowballs until at some point a car is actually stationary. This stationary point will move around, but will not clear until traffic density falls.
Slow everyone down and the bunching can't happen, or alternatively speed everyone up and it can't happen. The root problem is traffic with different speeds, particularly HGV's as they have a lower than optimum speed and take up a lot of room. Get an HGV overtaking another, and someone who likes 65 overtaking them, and suddenly you have a tailback of people who prefer 90 all bunching up and having to break, and then the traffic flow is screwed.

Originally posted by alchresearch
Cars are now safer than before and the unofficial limit seems to be 80mph anyway.

The mobile speed camera van on the M180 doesn't think so

Originally posted by Cyclone
if you spend much time in congestion you'll learn to see the patterns. It's caused by bunching, a slight delay forms at one car, the next car breaks too hard, the car after that slows even more. In heavy traffic (syncronised flow if you want look it up) the effect snowballs until at some point a car is actually stationary. This stationary point will move around, but will not clear until traffic density falls.
Slow everyone down and the bunching can't happen, or alternatively speed everyone up and it can't happen. The root problem is traffic with different speeds, particularly HGV's as they have a lower than optimum speed and take up a lot of room. Get an HGV overtaking another, and someone who likes 65 overtaking them, and suddenly you have a tailback of people who prefer 90 all bunching up and having to break, and then the traffic flow is screwed.

There's a saying, you say to yourself to judge the gap in front.

"Only a fool breaks the 2 second rule"

Believe me! I am not surprised i'm the only one to vote for a reduction in speed, as of yet. A couple of months ago I used to drive a 1980 Pontiac Trans-Am fitted with a 1979 6.6 litre V8 (a pontiac 400CI for the anoraks, like me:0), (souped up to give well over 300 BHP) around on fun journey's. I loved going fast, I even used to hit the drag strips for drag racing and street machine drag racing, so I would've opted for an autoban regulation then.

Unfortunately since i've discovered what i've discovered, the old Trans-Am has been put to rest, it will not be sold, but its highly unlikely it will hit the roads again. Unless of course we come up with a miracle fuel, that is both renewable, infinite and clean to the environment.

So if anybody thinks i'm just a green party idiotic ecomaniac! Well sorry but i'm not, I love the western way of life (and still see its attractiveness now, Las Vegas is my favourite place i've ever been to). What has happend is that i've found out the true role Oil plays in our society, and how depleted this extraordinary fuel is. What I find unbelieveable is how our goverments are allowing us to Sleep Walk into a Catastrophic very near future.

All it may take for you to see why i'm droning on about Oil, is to either take a peek at my site http://www.hubbertwehaveaproblem.co.uk (admitedly its ameteurish, for now), or type "oil, depletion, energy, economy, civilisation" into any search engine, alternatively read the books I recommend on my site. Another good site is http://www.wolfatthedoor.org.uk/ or a site I get my most upto date info from http://www.powerswitch.org.uk/.

So can anything be done? well if enough people through a snowball effect gets involved, then "yes", on a personal level "No", this is the reason i'll keep boring people or exciting people, until its either too late, I die or I manage to make the necessary amount of people wake up.

So why do I keep using so much energy ie. internet, Taxi driving etc., well I need to pay the bills, plus I need a medium to get my message across, I use other Forums too, plus Nick at Nights show on Hallam FM. The way I see it, is that its a well spent net-enegy (pardon the pun), if I fail then at least I tried, if i'm wrong hen at least I enjoyed myself, if i'm right then I won't say "I told you so", even though I did tell you so ;)

So the choice is yours, the clock is ticking!

PS. I nearly gave up myself this week as stated on a different thread, but my missus gave me the encouragement to carry on. She said "How can you give up now, after all the effort you've already put in". Although I am now dedicating more time etc. to her than I was a week or so ago because of advice taken from another thread, you know who you are :thumbsup: .

Originally posted by wayne72
There's a saying, you say to yourself to judge the gap in front.

"Only a fool breaks the 2 second rule"

That was on one those old public information films

can be seen here amongst others:

http://625.uk.com/pifs/library2.htm <---- entitled "Fool"

More motoring on the M1 as drivers are told to try the two-second rule to help them keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front. You'll love the special effects as the seconds are counted!

"Only a fool breaks the two-second rule"

Originally posted by wayne72
There's a saying, you say to yourself to judge the gap in front.

"Only a fool breaks the 2 second rule"

thanks, but that has no bearing at all on the way congestion occurs.

Originally posted by Cyclone
thanks, but that has no bearing at all on the way congestion occurs.

Congestion usually occurs from sudden braking, with the 2 second gap this is supposed to eleviate the consetener effect,

Also Congestion comes fom Accidents and the build up of traffic through traffic waiting to get around the incident area, now this 2 second gap would cut down accidents, so less congestion.

Ultimately the main cause of congestion is excess traffic, the only way to sort out this problem is ban people off the road, except me :hihi: :D :clap: :thumbsup:

accidents do cause congestion, but the majority of rush hour congestion isn't down to any accidents.

the 2 second gap might help if everyone stuck to it, but i'm not sure it would stop the conceteener (how do you spell that) effect. As if everyone was obeying it well they would all start backing off more to recover their gap after the first car had to slow down, and the effect still happens.
It is exaccerbated though by people driving too close and then over breaking.

Originally posted by Cyclone
accidents do cause congestion, but the majority of rush hour congestion isn't down to any accidents.

the 2 second gap might help if everyone stuck to it, but i'm not sure it would stop the conceteener (how do you spell that) effect. As if everyone was obeying it well they would all start backing off more to recover their gap after the first car had to slow down, and the effect still happens.
It is exaccerbated though by people driving too close and then over breaking.

Yeah how do you spell "Conceteener"? a strange word :D

Yeah I agree, its one thing giving a slution, its alot harder putting it into practice.

There is probably no real answer to congestion, other than pricing people of the roads.

Concertina

There!

Wilf

A reason why Motorways will be slowed to 55MPH, also why other roads are being slowed.

http://politics.guardian.co.uk/homeaffairs/story/0,11026,1642046,00.html

politically sensitive is right. political suicide might be another way to put it. They estimate that 15 million drivers exceed the 70 mph limit, that's 15 million votes lost if they start putting up cameras, a quarter of the population, and closer to half the adult population.

I think they should be increased to about 95mph. I must average ona clear motorway at about 100-110Mph. I find it very hard to go at 70!

Originally posted by MarkB
I think they should be increased to about 95mph. I must average ona clear motorway at about 100-110Mph. I find it very hard to go at 70!

You drive at 110 miles an hour on a clear motorway!!! You should be ashamed of your self. That speed on a clear motorway is totally unreasonable what happens when I come down the road pedal to the metal and find someone bimbling about at 110? Pedal to the metal I say, no limits on clear roads and get all the green haired tree hugging lefties on the bus.:headbang:

Originally posted by ridgeracer
You drive at 110 miles an hour on a clear motorway!!! You should be ashamed of your self. That speed on a clear motorway is totally unreasonable what happens when I come down the road pedal to the metal and find someone bimbling about at 110? Pedal to the metal I say, no limits on clear roads and get all the green haired tree hugging lefties on the bus.:headbang:

there are 3 lanes you know. just move out and overtake the slowcoach.

Originally posted by ridgeracer
You drive at 110 miles an hour on a clear motorway!!! You should be ashamed of your self. That speed on a clear motorway is totally unreasonable what happens when I come down the road pedal to the metal and find someone bimbling about at 110? Pedal to the metal I say, no limits on clear roads and get all the green haired tree hugging lefties on the bus.:headbang:


LOL Incidently my hair is Brown, I own a Pontiac Transam 6.6 Litre HP 350-400. I used to partake in Drag Racing. I am by no means a tree hugging hippy.

All I did was discover a phenomenon known as "The Hubberts Peak". I researched it. I panicked. I researched it more. I then realised when Oil demand outstrips supply, we are basically in the ****. Not only will we find it impossible to fuel our cars, we may just well struggle t grow crops to eat. Now if you don't give a sh*t about eating then thats fine, I just get a little grumpy when I go without food fo too long. Oil is what keeps the World as we know it, going. "The Hubbert Peak" is very near, if not allready here. The "Big Rollover" could take a further 6months to 2 years once we hit "The Hubberts Peak". So we may have 6months if your pessimistic and 6 years if your optimistic. Take your choice.

Either way the sh*t is gonna hit the fan. You can either Powerdown yourself and extend our happy way of life, or you can just wait until its forced on to you. The choice is and always should be yours. I've made my choice. All I'm trying to do now, is make people aware, so they can make their own choice.

Ultimately though, Oil depletion may not have any effect whatsover on us. Why? Because the "Gulf Stream" may just shut down. :D

Sweet Dreams :thumbsup:

Originally posted by MarkB
I think they should be increased to about 95mph. I must average ona clear motorway at about 100-110Mph. I find it very hard to go at 70!

maybe you should try the pedal on the left ??:)

Originally posted by GazB
Whilst I drive faster than 70 myself (around 85 generally), I think it should stay the same.

If it went up to say, 90.. It would encourage people to travel at 110.


So you think it is ok for you to break the law, but you don't want other people to break the law? I hope you aren't one of those idiots who moan about hidden speed cameras!

I voted to increase the limit, as I think 85mph on the motorway would be a reasonably safe limit.

Originally posted by spunky
maybe you should try the pedal on the left ??:)

the clutch?

At the moment it stands at 77% of the driving voters thinking an increase in limit is the way to go.

Speed limits on some roads may drop to 20 mph while others on dual carriageways could be raised under plans set out yesterday.

The review of limits apart from the 70 mph on motorways was unveiled as ministers announced plans to scrap cash incentives on the introduction of speed cameras.


Daily Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/12/16/nspeed16.xml&sSheet=/news/2005/12/16/ixhome.html)

Nevermind just increasing the motorway speed limits. Its about time the entire highway code was looked at I think personally.

so 77% of drivers think that they should go up, and 72% of people overal.

Seems fairly conclusive to me.

If speed limit is increased to 80, people will then drive at 90mph - I think 90mph is a relatively safe speed on a motorway.

Me and a few mates are driving over to Germany in the summer - I'm sure we'll end up on the AUTOBAHN ;)