Speeding

[KenONeill]

13 hours ago, davembk said:

I simply LOATHE people who speed. The ones who think They alone are the ones who are capable of judging how fast they can drive.

Likewise, except that IME the ones who say things like this usually think that they are capable of judging the maximum speed that anyone can drive at.

[Breezy_Pete]

11 hours ago, davembk said:

Well there's bound to be at least one arrogant thick sh%#fsce there I'm sure.

 

 

It's such wide cross-section of society you 'meet' at these courses.  Astonishing how stupid some people are.

[Aspman]

There are plenty of 45ers still around.

 

Those who will drive at 45 no matter if they are in a 30, 60 or nsl road.

 

A wee hamlet near me (Kingsmuir George;-)) I regular catch and get held up by guys doing 40 in a 60. Then in the hamlet I see them pull away from me as I stick to 30.

Then you get flashed when you overtake them later.

[DGW]

FWIW, LV's position on speed awareness courses is that there is no requirement for their insured  drivers to notify them that they are attending (or have attended) a speed awareness course.   Admiral does ask and loads the premium if the answer is yes.

[davembk]

1 hour ago, KenONeill said:

Likewise, except that IME the ones who say things like this usually think that they are capable of judging the maximum speed that anyone can drive at.

Except again, that some have more reason than most to say things like this, I being one, after my 25 year old son was hit from behind and killed, by a van who's driver was in a hurry to get to his own son so he could sort his Nintendo! Yes I repeat, I LOATHE people who speed and who think they have the insight to rely on their own opinion as to how fast they can drive. Every mph more than is legal is one more surety of killing someone upon hitting them. 

 

Speed Thrills, pain Lasts

 

If you're not in that club then you can never understand. 

[io1901]

It astonishes me ( perhaps it shouldn't) that quite a lot of people ignore speed limits that they think are wrong.  I try not to speed and have discovered my regular commute doesn't take any longer if I take my time or 'make progress'. I end up being more relaxed and less stressed if I take it easy. The only thing the annoys me now are the drivers who sit on your tailpipe because you're not doing the speed limit + 10% ( especially the HGVs in the 50mph in the M6 road works)

[Sad555]

whilst not condoning speeding I think that motorist who TEXT /use their phones when driving are far more dangerous  to others on the roads BUT how much effort/ emphasise is put on catching them (saving lives),very little ,cameras are an easy option to get money from the motorist who will have both hands on the wheel and being focused on what is in front and around them rather than constantly taking their eyes off the road to double checking the speedo.

Edited 19 July, 2018 by Sad555

[Jfhuk]

About ten years back I was flagged down for “exceeding the speed limit sir” so I asked “what speed was I doing constable?” “40mph in a 30 zone sir”, I replied “could you read that sign over your head officer” , “60mph, George where in the wrong spot!”, “Good night Sir, I’m sorry to have bothered you” 

 

i couldnt stop laughing for about twenty mins!

[davembk]

6 hours ago, Sad555 said:

whilst not condoning speeding I think that motorist who TEXT /use their phones when driving are far more dangerous  to others on the roads BUT how much effort/ emphasise is put on catching them (saving lives),very little ,cameras are an easy option to get money from the motorist who will have both hands on the wheel and being focused on what is in front and around them rather than constantly taking their eyes off the road to double checking the speedo.

Just done the awareness course today. Very impressed with it and as much emphasis was put on issues such as distractive mobile phones etc as speed itself.

 

 

The course was a holistic look at driving in general. One thing that came out was how 30 mph speed zones can be indentified almost without limit signs through other things such as street lighting, school signs etc 

Sort of obvious in a way once pointed out.

 

Another, re small amounts over the limit, we're probably not naive enough to totally rule out the devastating effects of higher speed impacts but this was interesting:

 

two cars, one doing 70 the other catching up and doing 80. Once both cars are alongside each other, both simultaneously brake to the maximum. The car that was doing 80 is still doing 39 mph at the point where the car doing 70 has stopped. 

Doesn't bear thinking about in an event of sudden standing motorway traffic. 

 

Same analysis between 30 and 35. Can't  remember the exact figure but the one doing 35 was still going at a fair tack at the point where the 30 one had stopped. 

 

They also dwelled a bit on the devastating impact on victims, something I know about, see my other post.

 

If any single thing was going to make people resolve to drive a bit slower it was that part of the course. I think that actually figured higher on the list than the prospect of getting caught again.

 

I think part of the reason why drivers sometimes enter a speed limit zone over the limit is the seemingly endless distance a modern car can go under no power, which can sometimes lead to a reluctance to brake and waste fuel. 

 

That's why why it would be so good if there were countdown signs so drivers could just coast down to the limit. It would lead to a much safer and controlled drive.

 

I think though that when electric cars become the norm and can also achieve close to 100% energy recovery when braking over distances then things will be a lot easier although by then we'll probably be approaching a driverless car era. 

 

 

 

 

Edited 19 July, 2018 by davembk

[bspman]

7 hours ago, io1901 said:

It astonishes me ( perhaps it shouldn't) that quite a lot of people ignore speed limits that they think are wrong.  I try not to speed and have discovered my regular commute doesn't take any longer if I take my time or 'make progress'. I end up being more relaxed and less stressed if I take it easy. The only thing the annoys me now are the drivers who sit on your tailpipe because you're not doing the speed limit + 10% ( especially the HGVs in the 50mph in the M6 road works)

 

I found cruise control helps a lot for this - I set an appropriate speed and let myself continue on at that speed in the average checks (or motorway in general). I find I'm a lot less bothered by tailgaters (and I'm usually in the left hand lane at this point).

Edited 19 July, 2018 by bspman

[Ootohere]

The OP is caught doing 35 in a 30 limit, so the speedo was maybe showing 37 or 38 MPH and yet all the guff goes on.

[davembk]

Offski, have you read all this thread?

 

This OP fully admits to speeding, and through my own fault completely. 

But Guff  is the wrong word. Read All the "guff" and still say it's so. 

 

Looking back, was at the end of a long day and a long drive. 

 

My failing was to not take time out for rest and as a result I believe I lost concentration. 

 

The course really does send some good messages such as advocating driving refreshed and not tired. 

 

As said before even I, who Hates speed, especially for reasons that thankfully most will never have, as in my earlier post, Please go and take a look, can still break the law even though unintentionally 

 

As said before I'd never speed deliberately even if there was not a single camera in existence, because I want to respect other people's rights to live another day. 

 

Yet even with this in mind, it can still happen but hopefully the course has given me insights to prevent it. 

 

 

Edited 19 July, 2018 by davembk

[VWD]

On 16/07/2018 at 20:02, Offski said:

Does the Government get the Speed Awareness money other than taxing or is it just the Companies running them, ex Police Chiefs etc?

 

davmbk, 

confused by the bit about people with jobs, do school attenders, unemployed and retired not also get penalised?

Offski- bit of history. In the beginning, SCP were allowed to keep a proportion of monies paid, and the great God Gordie the Bruin WAS HAPPY .  But then the Bean counters in SCP HQ found ways to divert more ans more of this money and since Gordie the Bruin found that the levy to the treasury was falling, decided to stop this and pay a grant. Then the ACPO got worried that their retirees would lose out on the perks of being in an SCP, so we got  SAC, where Police get some, SAC get some and we all go on a course where pointless facts ( as far as I hear of courses) are peddled, whilst those with many years of motoring have to sit, bite their tongue or end up kicked off th course and get points. And, who runs these courses- SCP, but the course deliverers are ex police . And from my observations, the bit above the limit gets ever higher to keep the system in funds, as any penalties go straight to the treasury, but SAC & OTHERS BY OTHER NAMES fees go to the course provider. Now if the system could just find a way of identifying cyclists, then think on of how much cash could be derived from the pockets of the cycling community , as those brought in to police cyclists ( PCSO) are doing the work that PC 's used to do .

[Guest]

5 hours ago, Jfhuk said:

About ten years back I was flagged down for “exceeding the speed limit sir” so I asked “what speed was I doing constable?” “40mph in a 30 zone sir”, I replied “could you read that sign over your head officer” , “60mph, George where in the wrong spot!”, “Good night Sir, I’m sorry to have bothered you” 

So you were doing 40 in a 60? You'll have Aspman gunning for you, if you're not careful! 

[Jfhuk]

Because I saw two coppers in the road and had to slow down 8-)

[Guest]

Still not a bad as the last time Offski saw two coppers on the road, he immediately jumped out of his vehicle and put them in his sporran. 

[Jfhuk]

9 hours ago, VWD said:

Offski- bit of history. In the beginning, SCP were allowed to keep a proportion of monies paid, and the great God Gordie the Bruin WAS HAPPY .  But then the Bean counters in SCP HQ found ways to divert more ans more of this money and since Gordie the Bruin found that the levy to the treasury was falling, decided to stop this and pay a grant. Then the ACPO got worried that their retirees would lose out on the perks of being in an SCP, so we got  SAC, where Police get some, SAC get some and we all go on a course where pointless facts ( as far as I hear of courses) are peddled, whilst those with many years of motoring have to sit, bite their tongue or end up kicked off th course and get points. And, who runs these courses- SCP, but the course deliverers are ex police . And from my observations, the bit above the limit gets ever higher to keep the system in funds, as any penalties go straight to the treasury, but SAC & OTHERS BY OTHER NAMES fees go to the course provider. Now if the system could just find a way of identifying cyclists, then think on of how much cash could be derived from the pockets of the cycling community , as those brought in to police cyclists ( PCSO) are doing the work that PC 's used to do .

 

Around Borough Market the cops are really cracking down on cyclists. Most days there are two or three motorcycle cops, and extra cycle cops. Looking at the amount there stopping someone is making money .

[Russ77]

Whilst I don't condone speeding, it is the easiest win for the authorities but not necessarily the biggest cause of collisions/incidents.

 

The dual-carriageway I have to trudge along to work and back (the A127 from Southend to Basildon, Essex for anyone who knows it) has fixed speed cameras and "speed on green" traffic light cameras within the stretch that's 40MPH, the limit then increases to 50MPH and that's where the SPECs zone starts (for around 5 miles).

 

All well and good but it does cause some problems......  because no one will tend to exceed the speed limit, you get a lot of people who tend to own lane two, almost like their life depends on it, no biggy in the 50mph section BUT after a few miles the road goes to NSL but because it's not sign posted as an actual speed, a lot of people still sit at 50 in lane two when lane one is totally empty.  Drivers in lane one then (rightly) won't pass the car in lane two so you then get traffic bunching up behind and getting frustrated that they're being forced to drive at 50 when they can safely and legally be travelling at 70.

 

There's also lots of tailgating "I'm only doing 50 so I can sit 3 inches from the car in front, we're all doing the same speed".

 

Has there been a reduction in incidents/collisions?  The figures that were published a little while back would seem to suggest no.  Historically the limit went from 40 to 70 or vice versa (obviously depending on your direction of travel).  Whilst there's less speed involved, people are still finding ways of driving into each other.......

 

Next Wednesday marks 23 years since I passed my test, I was pulled over by a policeman with a speed gun in 1999, apparently I was doing 42 in a 30 zone.  He asked me why I was travelling at that speed.  I was honest with him.......  I was less than a mile away from the hospital where I'd had my pre-ops checks for my tonsillectomy the next day, I'm not very good with blood tests but having only been in my job for a few months I was eager to get to work ASAP, I wasn't consciously speeding but I should have just taken a bit of time to compose myself so I was fully focused on my driving, not reliving the blood test or fretting about the op.

 

The policeman was very understanding and let me go on my way with a warning to make sure I was always fit to drive and to be more aware of my speed in future.  That piece of advice to a 21 year old who'd been driving 2.5 years probably had more effect on my driving habits than 3 points and a £60 fine (as it was back then).

 

A few years later I attended a "Driver's advisory course" run by Essex Police where we learnt about roadcraft and pretty much all the theory behind "advanced" driving, it was at that point I felt like I'd been driving with my eyes shut and my driving style and attitude changed dramatically

Edited 20 July, 2018 by Russ77

[Ootohere]

Fin69, 

last time i saw two coppers on the road they had stopped to check out a huge pot hole that had opened up.

I read later in the Local Paper that many people had reported damage to their vehicles and Police Scotland had sent out Officers to the location and they were looking into it.

Edited 20 July, 2018 by Offski

[Aspman]

22 hours ago, io1901 said:

It astonishes me ( perhaps it shouldn't) that quite a lot of people ignore speed limits that they think are wrong. 

 

Sometimes speed limits are wrong. Your brain does a risk assessment all the time on these things and if the limit doesn't equal the detected risk then you'll tend to speed up.

 

So get a runway straight bit of road that you could safely do 190mph on then stick an inappropriate 40mph limit on it and the majority of people will speed unless there is a camera there.

 

There is a psychology to roads and speeding as well, too often this it used to generate income through fines which is why you will often see cameras at the bottom of hills, in the middle of long straights (often the only overtaking spots for miles) and not in places where low speed would be most beneficial i.e. outside schools, residential areas etc.

[SurreyJohn]

When I got caught by a camera (only happened once in my life) didn't offer speed awareness course, was just a fine and 3 points

Insurance company ignored it (and it wiped after few years), were only interested if you got second set of points

 

For the record it was 48mph on 3 lanes each way, dual carriageway on A4 which had a 40mph limit due to nearby factory entrances

However road was deserted, factories all closed (it was Easter Monday), but camera was active collecting money.

 

 

[KenONeill]

11 minutes ago, Aspman said:

 

Sometimes speed limits are wrong. Your brain does a risk assessment all the time on these things and if the limit doesn't equal the detected risk then you'll tend to speed up.

 

So get a runway straight bit of road that you could safely do 190mph on then stick an inappropriate 40mph limit on it and the majority of people will speed unless there is a camera there.

 

There is a psychology to roads and speeding as well, too often this it used to generate income through fines which is why you will often see cameras at the bottom of hills, in the middle of long straights (often the only overtaking spots for miles) and not in places where low speed would be most beneficial i.e. outside schools, residential areas etc.

Further to this there is a piece of statistics regarding speed limit assignment called the "85th Percentile Rule". In plain English, this states that the correct speed limit for a road is the speed that 85% of drivers self-select to drive at or below in free flowing traffic and given immunity from prosecution.

[Ootohere]

I set off after 6 am this morning, 150 miles to do and usually takes 2 1/2 hours it was over 3 hours today.

To Perth was OK apart from some that will just do 50 mph in the NSL. 

  Perth to Stirling Average Speed Camera 23 miles was fine only a few in the outside lane at 60 mph with the inside lane clear.

Glasgow hold ups had no apparent reason from Robroyston to Kingston Bridge.

M77 was OK, then on the A77 45 mph seems to be as fast as the Road Captains want to be going through the 50 mph limit Average Speed Cameras and still when the road goes to NSL still with Average Speed Cameras, at points maybe they reach 50 mph. 

 There were virtually no HGV's or Tractors about just those with no lights, or DRL's only in the light to heavy rain.

Edited 20 July, 2018 by Offski

[Ootohere]

As to the OP and Speed Limits and the Countdown to Restricted Limits etc.

The UK Government give the guidance, and local authorities act on them or not.

 

SN00468.pdf

[Sad555]

He must have been an ex car salesman