POLL: Motorway speed limits

asim · 9 Apr 2003 at 14:49

Originally posted by Fusion
Who are all these people doing 120mph in their beemers then? Are they automated

I was with my cousin when he was doing 130mph in his 316 bmw e30 down the motorway back from a car show in glasgow.

Was truly amazin as he was razin some alpha romeo.
My cousins speedo light wasnt workin so he didnt know what speed he was goin. Passed underneath a light and i noticed the speed. Coulda gone more but he wanted to bring it down to reduce risk of dyin on a pitch black road. lol

Anyway like some of the guys are saying 70mph limit aint some magic number. If u stay at 70 it aint gonna reduce risk of crashin because it depends on the driver. Can you handle the speed by keepin a safe distance from the car infront of u. Judge turns and braking distances.

If u speed upto 100+ on a straight stretch then fine. Cause a decent driver can drop the speed intime.

silverpaw · 9 Apr 2003 at 14:49

I think there should be a range of well sign posted limits for different roads. For dual motorways a max of 90mph for 3 laners up to 120mph or so

dirtydog · 9 Apr 2003 at 14:51

Safe doing 120 in a 30 zone? :eek:

Originally posted by Lopéz
Yes.
If that was the case, on the hypothetical road I mentioned, then I would have been travelling safely.

Until a cat runs out in front of you, or you have a blow-out.. then you'll wish you were doing something more sensible like 40-50

Anyway just think what would happen if you got clocked by a speed trap at 120 in a 30.. you'd probably get a massive fine, banned for a year, possible prison sentence even.. is it worth it...

[TW]Fox · 9 Apr 2003 at 14:54

Originally posted by dirtydog
Safe doing 120 in a 30 zone?

Until a cat runs out in front of you, or you have a blow-out.. then you'll wish you were doing something more sensible like 40-50

Anyway just think what would happen if you got clocked by a speed trap at 120 in a 30.. you'd probably get a massive fine, banned for a year, possible prison sentence even.. is it worth it...

A cat running out in front of you on a Motorway? This is a Motorway thread, what is the 30 limit doing in here?

dirtydog · 9 Apr 2003 at 14:56

Originally posted by [TW]Fox
A cat running out in front of you on a Motorway? This is a Motorway thread, what is the 30 limit doing in here?

Someone asked Lopez about a previous time he'd said it was safe to drive at 120 in a 30, if I understood correctly...

Lopéz · 9 Apr 2003 at 14:57

Originally posted by [TW]Fox
A cat running out in front of you on a Motorway? This is a Motorway thread, what is the 30 limit doing in here?

Fusion dragged it in.

Fusion · 9 Apr 2003 at 15:01

Originally posted by Lopéz
Fusion dragged it in.

Heeeeyyyy I didn't touch no cat

Nah I mentioned it because we were talking about keeping a vehicle under control at a certain speed.

eidolon · 9 Apr 2003 at 16:13

What about the logic that says that accidents would reduce at higher speeds. For example if the limit was raised to 100mph on motorways, people might not get quite as bored and would therefore be more alert. (I'm certainly more alert the faster I go!)

Chopper Dave · 9 Apr 2003 at 17:27

My car limits me 2 around 100mph

The Mad Rapper · 9 Apr 2003 at 18:41

I will drive according to the road conditions. Normally 80 MPH or so, faster if I feel it's safe to do so...

KaTyM609 · 9 Apr 2003 at 19:11

Originally posted by Fusion
What in, a cheiftain tank?

Not quite.... Volvo S70 T5

The Mad Rapper · 9 Apr 2003 at 19:18

Originally posted by [TW]Fox
You said speeding. 75mph is speeding.

HTH, HAND.

It's not illegal to drive at 75 MPH, therefore it is not speeding. You are allowed 10% + 3 MPH, which at 70 MPH means you can actually drive at 80 MPH without fear of prosecution...

KaTyM609 · 9 Apr 2003 at 19:22

Originally posted by The Mad Rapper
It's not illegal to drive at 75 MPH, therefore it is not speeding. You are allowed 10% + 3 MPH, which at 70 MPH means you can actually drive at 80 MPH without fear of prosecution...

It is illegal.... ACPO guidelines state that the police should not convict for 10%+2 over... but it's not law and some forces have been told not to allow it .... "zero tollerance"

Chances are though.... if your speedo says 75 and you don't have a calibrated speedo you will be doing more like 68 anyway.

dirtydog · 9 Apr 2003 at 19:25

Originally posted by KaTyM609
It is illegal.... ACPO guidelines state that the police should not convict for 10%+2 over... but it's not law and some forces have been told not to allow it .... "zero tollerance"

Chances are though.... if your speedo says 75 and you don't have a calibrated speedo you will be doing more like 68 anyway.

That's true.. not everyone realises speedos commonly overestimate speed by 10%.

And 71MPH is illegal, but I believe police don't bother unless you're doing at least 80 on a motorway. (~88 on a lot of speedos).

[TW]Fox · 9 Apr 2003 at 19:37

Originally posted by The Mad Rapper
It's not illegal to drive at 75 MPH

Yes it is. The speed limit is 70mph. Do you read your highway code?

You are allowed 10% + 3 MPH

Wrong.

which at 70 MPH means you can actually drive at 80 MPH without fear of prosecution...

This part is correct - anything over 70mph *is* illegal, but unless you are above the 10%+2mph critiera, you will probably not be pulled. Doesn't stop the speed being illegal.

[ASSE]Arnie01 · 9 Apr 2003 at 19:46

Remove for the sake of humanity

G-Man · 9 Apr 2003 at 19:52

Do you actually think hitting someone at 70 is going to leave them any less dead than hitting them at 75?

The limit of 70 was made when cars couldnt go faster without faliing apart or being unable to stop in a reasonable distance.

Question for arnie: Do you drive?

[TW]Fox · 9 Apr 2003 at 19:55

Originally posted by [ASSE]Arnie01
OMG STFU mate.

Such a great contribution to this thread. Thanks.

Speeding does kill.

Speed does NOT kill. Inappropriate use of speed and lack of concentration kills.

Raising the speed limit to 75 would cause more deaths

The Motorways are Britains safest roads. Explain how raising the speed limit to 75mph would cause more deaths. Explain how you arised at this conclusion please.

, there HAS to be limits, do you not understand this?

Please quote the section where have I stated I do not understand this.

If It was stretched to 75 then there would be people like you still complaining that it should go to 80, on and on.

'People like me'? What sort of people are 'people like me'?

70 is a perfect speed for the motorway.

Do you drive?

So what that this speed limit was introduced by a man in a suit.

Many years ago, when cars had drum brakes all round, and had stopping distances as long as a small third world country, etc etc. Whats your point?

He obviously had a lot more sense than a lot of people in this thread. He cared more for others than the thrill of going fast.

So anyone who does 80mph on a Motorway in a car thats perfectably capable of that speed is someone who doesnt care about others? What utter, utter tripe.

True, my dad has owned an Evo6, and Civic Type R, but don't complain because the speed limits are too low for christ sake.

Oh nos111112 your dad is a mass murder121323231212111 he has fast car11111 :rolleyes:

What a great, great reply.

[ASSE]Arnie01 · 9 Apr 2003 at 20:07

Originally posted by [TW]Fox

OMG STFU mate.

Click to expand...

Such a great contribution to this thread. Thanks.

Oh nos111112 your dad is a mass murder121323231212111 he has fast car1111

The fact that you have riddiculed my "contribution", then gone on to add your own, equally childish effort is laughable mate.

Yes I drive, what difference does this make anyway? I had the same opinions before and after I passed my test.

Explain how raising the speed limit to 75mph would cause more deaths. Explain how you arised at this conclusion please.

The faster you move the further you travel in both Thinking time and braking time, this is an exponential curve too, everyone who passes their test should know this. If you see something happen infront of you, (ie. a motorway pileup), you are MUCH more likely to hit it travelling faster, we're not just talking about pedestrians here you know. Whats your scientific reasoning in thinking the extra speed won't cost any lives anyway? I would be interested to know.

People like me'

Yes people who want the speed limit raising, what is not to understand there!?

I don't want to argue about this, it shouldn't even be a debatable subject.

Arnie

G-Man · 9 Apr 2003 at 20:19

Whats your scientific reasoning in thinking the extra speed won't cost any lives anyway? I would be interested to know.

Lets see....crashing at 70 is going to kill someone exactly the same way as crashing at 75 will kill them.

German autobahns have no defined speed limit and arent any less safe than our motorways, as said by every intelligent person in this thread its not speed that kills its lack of concentration i for one get bored extremely quickly driving at 70 and am much more awake and alert going a tad faster, im sure there plenty of people that agree with me.

Of course admitting you go over the speed limit these days is like admitting you're a murderer but i drive around at or below the speed limit on normal town/village roads.