Revealed: Where speed cameras target drivers in London as they drive to work

[Stephen]

Originally Posted by Gary L

People should learn to keep out of roads.
learn how to cross them.

even dogs know to keep out the road and walk on the pavement.

20mph is pathetic it's just impossible to drive at 20mph.
a cemetry that says 5mph you do easily 20mph.
an hospital that says 5mph you easily do 20mph.
a road that says 20mp you naturally get out and walk instead!

Well if that if how you think then god help uas all!!

[Gary L]

God help you all anyway.

[tweetiepooh]

The police can pull you over if you are doing the limit if they think the speed in inappropriate for the conditions. That is probably the reasoning they would want to use in any case.

In Winchester they recently reduced the limit through town to 20mph which is a real pain, especially on some roads. If they reduced on the small side roads but left main throughfare at 30mph that would seem better, to keep traffic on the bigger roads and slow it down on the side roads.
And variable limits, so round schools reduce to 20 during school in/out times but leave at 30 (as appropriate) otherwise.

[mrmistoffelees]

Arthur (as always) is off on one talking drivel.

BUT

It does raise a question.

The speed limit on a motorway is 70mph set in 1950 odd? Modern cars come with ABS/VDC much improved tyre technology etc. to name but a few.

If i set off to drive down to Maidenhead early on a Sunday morning (6am) for work and the weather is fine. Can I hand on heart say i obey the speed limit, erm, no course not

Surely there has to be a thought of hmm, perhaps we could look at variable speed limits.

However, residential areas I completely agree with....

Originally Posted by mrmistoffelees

Arthur (as always) is off on one talking drivel.

BUT

It does raise a question.

The speed limit on a motorway is 70mph set in 1950 odd? Modern cars come with ABS/VDC much improved tyre technology etc. to name but a few.

If i set off to drive down to Maidenhead early on a Sunday morning (6am) for work and the weather is fine. Can I hand on heart say i obey the speed limit, erm, no course not

Surely there has to be a thought of hmm, perhaps we could look at variable speed limits.

However, residential areas I completely agree with....

Could do ,8pm to 6am could be 80-90 mph or unrestricted on some motorways ,i've travelled the M1 through the night and it is usually quite empty and well set up for variable speed limits

[heero_yuy]

Originally Posted by Derek

Indeed. If I caught anyone doing 60 in a 40 I'd be getting ready to send them to court instead of writing out a ticket.

And throw the book at them. Urban speed limits are there for good reason. What I have issues with are arbitrary speed limits on the open road when the only reason is revenue raising.

Originally Posted by heero_yuy

And throw the book at them. Urban speed limits are there for good reason. What I have issues with are arbitrary speed limits on the open road when the only reason is revenue raising.

Yep, up here in Newcastle the A1 western bypass road widening scheme has just finished over the weekend after 2 yrs and £61 million,fantastic piece of engineering....... speed limit before the roadworks 50mph ....after the road works and widening 50mph ,there does seem to be plenty of spare room on the gantries for cameras though

[Mr K]

Originally Posted by martyh

Yep, up here in Newcastle the A1 western bypass road widening scheme has just finished over the weekend after 2 yrs and £61 million,fantastic piece of engineering....... speed limit before the roadworks 50mph ....after the road works and widening 50mph ,there does seem to be plenty of spare room on the gantries for cameras though

Thank god for that, I know every inch of Gateshead, i've had many hours to study it. If only they'd stop pratting with the M60/M62, Manchester/Leeds isn't as pretty...

[Taf]

Seeing the very poor driving in the UK would make me avoid motorways if the limit was raised.

About time for the Driving Test to include motorway driving (and in the wet and dark too)?

I used to bimble along at 100+mph on autobahns until I saw a multiple wreck caused by a youngster in a very powerful car. He was the only survivor of over a dozen people involved. The headlines that week slowed a lot of people down.

Originally Posted by heero_yuy

And throw the book at them. Urban speed limits are there for good reason. What I have issues with are arbitrary speed limits on the open road when the only reason is revenue raising.

Indeed, not all 40mph limits are "urban".

At least one road near me is a dual carridge way in the middle of the countryside, for 30+ years it was the national speed limit, until some numskull managed to impose a 40 limit on a section of it (and 50 on another section). Needless to say, almost no one actually does 40/50 on it.

[hedgie]

Originally Posted by Hugh

The main reason is (for residential areas) is that if a pedestrian is hit at 20mph they have a 95% chance of survival, but at 30mph they have a 55% survival rate, and at 40mph there is 5% survival rate.

Says it all really. 20MPH zones round schools should be mandatory.

[tweetiepooh]

While it's true that modern cars, especially performance ones, have the features to make it possible to drive at higher speeds safely, it's the "others" who are driving less safe vehicles and who are possibly less able/aware for whatever reason you need to take into account.

Top Gear showed how a modern car can stop in much shorter distances than listed in the highway code but that doesn't account for the trucker behind you who has been driving beyond his hours with a heavy load who most certainly can't.

I do agree that some limits do seem to be too slow, unless you are the parent of a youngster killed pulling out of a side road on a main artery, or who lost control on a bend. Then you may appreciate a lowering of the limit. Again it's driving to the conditions that needs emphasising not to the limit.

[TheDaddy]

Originally Posted by hedgie

Says it all really. 20MPH zones round schools should be mandatory.

What even at 3 in the morning

..... and in School holidays, or weekends ?

[Russ]

Originally Posted by Paul M

..... and in School holidays, or weekends ?

Absolutely, and with speedbumps too (don't get me wrong, I hate speedbumps).

If I'm in a new area and end up driving past a school I might not notice what type of building it is - generally when I'm driving my attention is usually on the road. So if I go past there another time during term time or on a school day I might not be so aware of the need for extra care.

I don't think I have a specific problem with not paying attention to buildings but when it comes to roads around schools I don't think you can take too many precautions.