Quote:
Originally Posted by Osem
IMHO the main problem is not the speed limit it's that too many drivers drive to (and well above) the limit rather than the conditions which is why we regulalry see carnage when there's fog, ice etc. Raising the maximum limit without doing something about this and the serious tailgating etc. we already see on our motorways would be very risky.
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I think you have hit the nail on the head. Many people don't drive to the road conditions at all. A prime example that we often see in winter is when we are driving at a safe distance, and at a safe speed for the visibility in foggy conditions. Then we are often overtaken by someone doing suicidal speeds, who can't possibly see far enough to cover braking distances.
One thing that I was thinking of only yesterday whilst driving down the A15, was the fact that HGV's have a speed limit of 40mph on single carriageways, although the speed limit for cars is 60mph. This leads to some car drivers often taking risks to overtake the HGV's. And as I witnessed several times yesterday, many tond take into account 1) the length of the vehicle they are overtaking, and therefore the time it tales to pass, 2) blind bends, 3) blind summits, 4) junctions. Quite often it is just pure luck that the overtakers don't cause a serious accident.
Now the question is, would it be safer to increase the HGV limit on these roads to 60mph, as this would probably mean less cars overtaking them?? Or would this be cancelled out by the fact that the HGV's are moving faster??
---------- Post added at 21:46 ---------- Previous post was at 21:42 ----------
Quote:
Originally Posted by mertle
I always felt road speed should be electronic adjust accordingly not just on motorways but all roads. That would reduce acidents more takes the guessing what safe but then it needs better weather localised forcasting.
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Very good idea. Although limits would have to be enforced with variable speed cameras. As we have all seen on many occasions people ignoring reduced speed limits on motorway matrix.
---------- Post added at 21:52 ---------- Previous post was at 21:46 ----------
Quote:
Originally Posted by denphone
But then if it goes up to 80mph then Drivers will still break the law as they gradually test out the tolerance zone and who's to say that they will not be doing 90mph then on the motorway.
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Some probably would. Although you ony have to drive down a motorway at 70mph to see how many people you are overtaking because they are doing 60mph. And how many overtake you doing at least 90mph already. I think those who ignore the speed limits probably don't worry too much about just how far over the limit they are going. The only real boundry for these people seems to be 100mph, because they know it is an automatic ban if they exceed it.