How fast is too fast in a 30 limit?

[Yella]

The scenario is this:

You're pulled for speeding in a 30 limit and the officer tells you you're getting a ticket. Presuming the speed reading equipment is accurate how fast a speed would it have to show before you took the ticket on the chin and didn't complain to the officer about it being unfair or unjust?

For this imaginary scenario we'll say that 30 is a fair limit for the area but there are no other factors (never is the case I know but let's pretend) such as passing a school or adverse weather conditions.

I'm just interested to see what opinions are as I'm sure everyone would complain if they were done at 31mph. Would an extra 2mph make that much difference? 33mph could be down to a dodgy speedo! So where's your limit?

Edited 11 February, 2010 by Yella

[devonutopia]

I think somewhere around 37mph on GPS / Speed camera would be a "fair cop" scenario.

However what makes it a "fair limit" ? I will admit that if I am in a 30 limit with little to no housing around and conditions are good, 30mph does seem a little overly cautious. This is usually the case when first coming into speed limits, and less often the case when in the heart of a village/town.

[mark_sargeant19]

im under the impression that you have to be doing 10% over the speed limit for them to give you a ticket, so in this case 33mph.

but to be honest if he wants to give you a ticket theres nothing you can do at all, complaining certainly isnt going to help!!!

youve got more chance of getting away with it if your just polite and courteous with the police officer

[LexVRS]

as i work with number i use the maths rule anything 5 and above round up so 40 in this case anything 4 and below round down, as far as im concerned the odd 2-4 mph could be a speedo error! mind you arnt the usualy ender compensated so if it says 30 on the speedo your more likely to be doing 28?

[Keith Lard]

I've had a ticket for 34 in a 30. Cant complain really, I was over the posted limit at the end of the day.

Still bloody annoying though!

[swedishskoda]

Question based on the erroneous presupposition that fairness has anything to do with law

If speed limit is 30, then 31 is too fast. And no grounds for complaining. My personal view is that a 10 % discount is reasonable (so I'm in the 34 bunch). You should know the limit, you should know your car enough to 'feel' that you're beginning to go too fast even without checking the speedo. But a slight slip ought to be tolerated

But depending on the conditions 20 mph in a 30 area can be a reckless speed, while on another spot 40 can be perfectly safe (meaning that a ticket would be 'unfair').

[Babs]

I agree with our Scandinavian friend, here! A safe and appropriate speed is often completely at odds with what the posted speed limit it.

[Aspman]

I think the 'rule' of 10% over is more a rule of thumb than anything that is written down.

As others have said if it's a built up area you can't really argue against getting booked.

[PastyBoy]

I did get done for doing over 30mph in a 30mph zone a few years ago.

I was working during the day then doing a 70 mile round trip to meet hospital visting hours to see my other half who was recovering from breaking everything both the knee in both legs legs in a head on RTA.

On the way home at about half 10 I was heading back into my home town in Corwall, where you go into the 30 mph zone round (ok... over) a mini roadabout for a new housing estate, across a flyover over a main A road, and then into a "proper" built up area.

There was no one around and I eased off the gas for the mini roundabout but didn't brake at all. Until I got across the flyover and saw the copper.

He'd zapped me going over the flyover and duly pulled me over

I explained my situation to the very nice officer and was very humble; and left with 3 points and a £60 fine.

My speed?

62MPH

[ap0gee1978]

Don't forget, your speedo will over-read by several percent too, so assuming the constabulary concerned sticks to the 10% + 2 ACPO guideline, you're probably looking at 40+ on the speedo before you would get a ticket. Only person I know who's had a ticket in a 30 zone was Gatso'd at 42mph on a bit of dual carriageway through a built-up area, so her speedo would have been reading about 45. I suggested she searched between sh.. and syphilis in the dictionary if she was looking for sympathy...

[BigW]

ACPO Guidelines for you Englandshire lot - http://www.pepipoo.com/files/ACPO/ACPO_enforcement_guidelines.htm

[yegnold]

Legally 31mph is too fast in a 30mph limit. [/devil's advocate]

[Jim H]

It depends on the conditions. If you are passing a school at 3-3:30 pm on a school day then 30 mph is too fast. Same if it is snowing or icy. You could also a include busy town centre. I like the signs near some of our schools, they have flashing lights showing 20mph when flash, all other times it's 30mph.

On wider roads, 31 is offically too fast, but I would say 33 or 34 if you include 10% speedo error. If you were over, but your speedo indicated 30, you would not know this until you were caught (unless you use GPS).

Edited 12 February, 2010 by Jim H

[Auric Goldfinger]

I'd say the clue is in the Question..........31mph

I win,......doughnut please, one with Jam in..........

[Babs]

[cheezemonkhai]

30 is usually 30 for a good reason, so you should stick to 30.

I said 34mph and upwards should be you accepting it. The reason I allow the 3mph, is that allows for inaccuracy, parallax errors due to your angle to the speedo and a bit of wiggle room as you're only human.

[swedishskoda]

...parallax errors due to your angle to the speedo...

Brilliant explanation Make note of...

Won't work in those horried French contraptions with digital speedos, though... (e.g. the Twingo)

Edited 12 February, 2010 by swedishskoda

[BaD-BoY]

I used to have 51mph instead of 30 :p ... paid 250 pounds and get 6 points .

[devonutopia]

I feel embarrassed to have voted for 38+, but then I was referring to those "outer limits" before you really get into urban conditions (My clean license must be good fortune.....) All depends on conditions to be honest and speed mated to conditions = safe driving

[vrsadz]

if it says 30 i stick to it

[kotlewski69]

Dunno what it's like in england but up in Scotland it's technically 10% of the speed limit ( 33mph in a 30). You can get charged for this but you won't get convicted of the offence as the proculator fiscal doesn't send the case to court unless the speed is more than 10mph over the speed limit (40mph in this case) So due to this the Police in scotland won't give you a ticket unless you are 10mph over the speed limit. It's different for gatsos though.

[gadgetman]

ACPO Guidelines for you Englandshire lot - http://www.pepipoo.com/files/ACPO/ACPO_enforcement_guidelines.htm

They are only guidelines, not law.

Many forces do have zero tollerence crackdowns now and again, and in these crackdowns will go after people lower than the 10%+2. Last round these parts was 32+=ticket. Gatsos and Specs in the local area where temporarily lowered from their usual setting.

[BigW]

Thats why I called them the Guidelines :p

30's 30 as far as I am concerned, the only recent one I have been tempting is the 10 miles of average speed cameras at 40mph between my house and work, I have been knocking it up 1-2mph every so often chancing my luck It wouldnt be so bad if they were actually doing some effing work, it'd make the 30mph reduction a bit easier to swallow!

[VWD]

HOW LONG IS A PIECE OF STRING .( and I'm shouting to draw attention) .The speed in the 30 limit MUST be on the basis of hazards present and the constraint of being able to stop ,on the right side of the road ,IN THE DISTANCE YOU CAN SEE TO BE CLEAR .

For TOO long ,road safety in the UK has been based on some driving below some magic number on a pole at the side of the road .

Pass a school at chucking out time -30 is Way TOO FAST .Pass a pub at chucking time - likewise . In the middle of the night - road conditions should decide .

The current road safety policy uses the maximum speed for a stretch of road as what is safe, AND BRAINWASHES DRIVERS TO BELIEVE that under this speed IN ALL CONDITIONS that they are safe

That's like telling a car DIYer that they go out and buy a torque wrench , and torque a 10mm brass nut on a brass rod to the same torque as a 25mm steel nut on a hardened steel rod .

TOTAL MADNESS

And after all that -the limit says 30 - so even at 2AM - 30 is legal limit . :doh:

Edited 13 February, 2010 by VWD

[Yella]

Good little debate people.

The reason I ask is that I tend to do people going 45+ in a 30 and only one has felt hard done by and he was doing 58! (For future reference the excuse of testing your car's performance doesn't usually wash). I hasten to add that this is not because I feel that 44 is acceptable but I am usually able to find a 45+ within 15 minutes of waiting. If I did someone at 37 I'm bound to be passed by someone going faster.

And I have a friend who was done by Humberside Police doing 31 in a 30. Luckily for him he lives in the Czech Republic where you must have your licence on you when you drive so he couldn't send it across to the UK. The ticket was then written off!

Edited 13 February, 2010 by Yella