Speeding,

[Donkmeister]

Speeding is bad, destroys the environment, must be punished etc etc. Right, now that's out of the way...

In your view, what is worse:

1) 100mph on a clear, dry motorway
2) 40mph on a road with a 30mph speedlimit

Same question again, but:

1) 100mph on a clear dry motorway
2) 31mph on a 30mph road at 8-8:30 when children are walking to school

 

[vsynth]

I would say in both cases (2) is more dangerous i.e. there is more chance that you are going to kill someone.

I suppose you are leading us to then ask why does (1) carry a higher penalty than (2) in both cases.

I suppose it is down the the perceived recklessness involved i.e. the percentage above the speed limit that is being exceeded.

 

[JohnD]

30mph at 8-8:30 when children are walking to school

may also be too fast, depending on conditions.

 

[Donkmeister]

I suppose you are leading us to then ask why does (1) carry a higher penalty than (2) in both cases.

I'm just interested to see what the feeling is really.

My personal view is that (2) is more dangerous. I'm staunchly anti-speeding in residential areas, and drive below the posted limit if prudent (kids, parked cars, rain etc).

However I do frequently drive at 80-90 on the motorway if I feel it's safe and I'm in the mood to do it. I can't justify it, it's illegal, but I could argue the toss and say it's a well-mitigated risk: motorways are designed to accomodate traffic at a minimum of 100mph (something they don't advertise, funnily! ), and I drive a well-maintained car that can handle that speed with ease. Sure, I'm not built to handle a collision with a stationary object at 100mph, but I'm not built to do that at 70mph either.

When driving at 30 in a 30, I often get tailgated by people who've driven up behind me at 40. But, round here I seldom see people drive at more than 80 on the motorway. Which leads me to think that there's a large number of people who are happy to drive at 40+ on a wet road round school-kids, but aren't happy to drive at much more than 70 on a clear road with a 100mph design speed.

So, I thought I'd see what the right-minded chaps on DIYnot think!

 

[hermes]

motorways are designed to accomodate traffic at a minimum of 100mph (something they don't advertise, funnily! ), D

Surely motorways were designed before car drivers could even think about 100mph? And anyway, if it's not advertised how do you know about it?

On the original question though, you say a clear motorway...does that mean completely clear or just a bit clear? If there's other traffic around I would consider 100mph a tad dangerous personally.

 

[^woody^]

There is nothing wrong with speed

Speed limits are just artificial, random figures.

The important thing is to always drive to the conditions and most importantly with consideration to risks ahead

If someone tailgates me, they get an instant speed reduction - and I blow them a kiss as they get cheesed off and overtake at the earliest chance they get - as long as I don't speed up when they try . lol

 

[Donkmeister]

Surely motorways were designed before car drivers could even think about 100mph? And anyway, if it's not advertised how do you know about it?

To be quite honest, I've not seen the 100mph figure in any official publications, however it is a number that is used in a lot of road safety websites. And motorway corners certainly are sufficiently sweeping to allow 100mph with ease.

But, as I understand it, when the motorways were originally built, the plan was to have no speed limits. As you say, most car drivers could only dream about 100mph back then. 100mph seemed a reasonable design speed to accommodate future advances in car design.

Then, legend has it, someone drove an AC Cobra at 180+ up the M1, so they introduced the 70mph limit. Although, in reality it was due to too many fatal accidents occurring when unsuitable vehicles failed at high-speed (tyre blows, engine blows, careering into oncoming traffic due to no barriers)

Having driven on motorways in many other countries, it's obvious that our motorway design speeds are higher than in other countries; longer slip-roads, wider lanes, less severe corners, better crash barriers etc.

Most worrying in my experience is the Italian Autostrada. It had no speed limit until a few years ago, but has sliproads so short and steep you're lucky to hit 50mph at the top in a typical modern car, NO HARD SHOULDER in many places and corners so tight that they need to lower the speed limit around them!

 

[Donkmeister]

On the original question though, you say a clear motorway...does that mean completely clear or just a bit clear? If there's other traffic around I would consider 100mph a tad dangerous personally.

Oh, I mean clear clear! Relative speed is the important factor, I'll approach and overtake a 90mph car at 100, but I won't overtake a 50mph car at 90. People don't expect you to be going so fast. If you're driving at one-hundred-and-stupid mph, and someone moves out of the inside lane going 90, they probably don't expect you to be approaching them so quickly and you may well shunt them.

In my experience a lot of people who drive at 90mph never check their mirrors. You can be sat behind them for a good many miles before they spot you and move over (yes, I am quite patient!) However, I'm yet to encounter someone who drives at 70 and doesn't move over at the earliest opportunity.

 

[joe-90]

Why should they move over? You should never legally catch up with them so if you break the law by speeding - why should they follow the rules and move over so you can continue your illegal practice? If you think the laws are wrong then lobby your MP - don't attempt to justify your stupidity in regard to speeding by talking about relative speed. It might be my relative you kill.

 

[blondini]

... I'm yet to encounter someone who drives at 70 and doesn't move over at the earliest opportunity.

Think you just did

 

[Donkmeister]

Why should they move over? You should never legally catch up with them so if you break the law by speeding - why should they follow the rules and move over so you can continue your illegal practice?

In my experience a lot of people who drive at 90mph never check their mirrors. You can be sat behind them for a good many miles before they spot you and move over

An interesting point you make - is driving at 90 "less illegal" than 100? Or do you regard both as illegal full-stop? From what you write it seems you see speeding as an absolute crime. So, would you take into account weather conditions? Would you agree that someone driving at 70 on a wet motorway should be charged with dangerous driving?

The point I was making was in fact that a lot of people driving at 90 don't check their mirrors (as they are either a) inconsiderate and blocking the road for faster traffic or b) driving beyond their ability, without the capacity to use their mirrors at the same time.

The second half of that point is that most of the people driving at 70, in my experience, are more considerate or more aware of their surroundings, and move over when it is clear and safe. I wouldn't try to force someone to speed as that is inconsiderate and a recipe for road-rage. I would say that blocking the outside lane unnecessarily is inappropriate whether you're driving under, at or over the speed limit.

If you think the laws are wrong then lobby your MP - don't attempt to justify your stupidity in regard to speeding by talking about relative speed. It might be my relative you kill.

I can't justify it, it's illegal

I wrote that? Oh.

 

[JohnD]

why should they follow the rules and move over

however Joe seeks to justify his bad driving

 

[billyo]

take it like a man. just got three points for doing 70 in a 60 zone, came of dual carriage way onto a single at 6.20 am camera flashs sh#t happends,

 

[joe-90]

You are not allowed to exceed the speed limit. If you don't like the limit - lobby your MP.

 

[securespark]

as long as I don't speed up when they try . lol

You are breaking the highway code doing this, for good reason!