Speed Taxation

[Gun9]

I had a call from the in laws the other day telling me I'd been caught speeding while we were back home in the summer, excellent, I was sort of expecting it as I saw the moment it happened but a while had passed and I thought I'd dodged it but I suppose it took a bit longer to get to me because I was in a hire car. I was coming into Knaresborough just off 60 limit down to a 30 and a Police Bike was at the bottom of a hill tucked right into a corner with a hand held speed camera. I was doing 36 mph in a 30, to do 30 where he was you'd have had to brake reasonable hard coming down the bank (much like the local Police favourite coming from Elwick tucked into the entrance to High Tunstall School). I reckon just about everyone who passed him at that time in the position he was in would have been in excess of 30 mph, and many wouldn't have even seen him, it was ambush nothing to do with road safety purely to catch people out.

That was after my Dad got a ticket from the night he picked us up at Manchester Airport on the M62. It was the night England played Croatia in the World Cup Semi Final, this was during the first half so you can imagine the road was empty. We must have passed single figures in terms of other cars. They for reasons unknown had a variable speed limit set at 60mph, no roadworks, no accident, no traffic, probably the quietest that section of road has ever been. But a variable speed limit. My Dad got flashed doing 70 (the actual speed limit which is outdated in itself but that's another issue) on the empty M62. He has been driving for nearly 50 years without a point on his licence or being involved in a real accident, he is a safe driver. Yet he the other day attended a 'Speed Awareness' course in Sunderland for doing the speed limit on a deserted motorway!! Comical really.

I have now just been reading about a section of the M1 in Derbyshire that is now a fully 'smart' Motorway. Meaning if you exceed 70 mph at any time you will get a speeding ticket. This is apparently to catch out dangerous drivers and to reduce accidents. On a totally separate issue it was the most profitable section of road in the UK last year.

One of my real concerns in life, especially living in the Middle East were the standard of driving has to be seen to be believed, is dangerous drivers. Bellends on an ego trip who think they are in rally who have no concern for the safety of others need to be dealt with but it's surely got to a stage were Police forces can't deny anymore this is no more than a money making racquet designed to claw back budgets? Yet again working people are penalised for going about there daily business, I feel massively sorry for anyone in the UK who drives for a living or who's job involves a lot of driving. This speed tax must have been become a real nightmare as getting caught a few times and you are out of work. It must be a constant concern.

A proper rant that but it's getting fairly ridiculous .

 

[Bear]

This is a pathetic excuse for an arguement. It isn’t a money making scheme at all because if everyone actually stuck to the limits, then they would not get 1 pence off any driver, absolutely none, pretty poor way to make money isn’t it?

Now don’t get me wrong, we all enjoy going fast but if you are going to risk breaking the law then you have to accept that you may get caught and if you do, accept it like an adult and appreciate all the times you didn’t get caught.

 

[ttaskmaster]

It's all about building evidence to demonstrate that humans cannot be trusted to control motor vehicles, and underpin the argument for everything to be automated.

 

[TallPaul_S]

36 in a 30 would have been closer to 40 indicated. Now, as a biker I will occasionally 'make progress' on a NSL road on a clear, dry day - but in 30's and 40's I stick to the limit regardless. A 30 limit means you should be doing 30 on entering the limit, not at some point afterwards.

 

[200sols]

Your argument is literally 'You have to brake coming into a 30 zone' its a bit pathetic

 

[Foghorn Leghorn]

Ha ha! Suck it up buttercup. Of course it's not a money making exercise, it's road traffic police enforcing the law. If you don't like being caught then either pay more attention or don't break the speed limits, it's that simple.

I speed all the time (none of this I don't speed in 30 or 40 limits horse**** some like to trot out) and was collared for the first time in 17 years this year, quite looking forward to my speed awareness course next month, not done one before.

If you get caught just accept it, you know full well what you were doing, otherwise you just sounds like a whiny baby

 

[Jono8]

I'm pretty sure you have to be at the speed indicated, when you reach the first sign indicating said change of speed

 

[Abyss]

I feel massively sorry for anyone in the UK who drives for a living or who's job involves a lot of driving. This speed tax must have been become a real nightmare as getting caught a few times and you are out of work. It must be a constant concern.

A proper rant that but it's getting fairly ridiculous .

I do 30k miles a year mainly due to my job and I've been caught speeding twice. There's no need to feel sorry for me in the slightest as in both scenarios I could have avoided it by simply not speeding.

 

[SilverTongue]

That was after my Dad got a ticket from the night he picked us up at Manchester Airport on the M62. It was the night England played Croatia in the World Cup Semi Final, this was during the first half so you can imagine the road was empty. We must have passed single figures in terms of other cars. They for reasons unknown had a variable speed limit set at 60mph, no roadworks, no accident, no traffic, probably the quietest that section of road has ever been. But a variable speed limit. My Dad got flashed doing 70 (the actual speed limit which is outdated in itself but that's another issue) on the empty M62. He has been driving for nearly 50 years without a point on his licence or being involved in a real accident, he is a safe driver. Yet he the other day attended a 'Speed Awareness' course in Sunderland for doing the speed limit on a deserted motorway!! Comical really.

I think you'll find that the actual limit was 60mph, you know the limit that was posted which your dad completely ignored....

to do 30 where he was you'd have had to brake reasonable hard coming down the bank.

As for your ticket, you state that you would have to brake reasonably hard to ensure you are doing the speed limit, hate to tell you this but controlling your speed is part of driving.

Granted we are probably all guilty of it, but its not like you had to break UNreasonably hard so just take it on the chin like any other reasonable person would do.

 

[timmeh]

After 4 years of driving in the US, going back and driving in the UK is awful. I hated every second of it and hope I never have to do it again.

 

[Maundie]

I have now just been reading about a section of the M1 in Derbyshire that is now a fully 'smart' Motorway. Meaning if you exceed 70 mph at any time you will get a speeding ticket. This is apparently to catch out dangerous drivers and to reduce accidents. On a totally separate issue it was the most profitable section of road in the UK last year.

Can you please let me know which part of Derbyshire this is because I drive up and down the M1 in Derbyshire all the time and not got a single ticket for going over 70

 

[kindai]

Roll the dice, take yer chances.

 

[rodenal]

Yep, if I'm ever caught it'll be nobodies fault but my own - I'm not sure how anyone can really try to claim otherwise given how well signed everything has to be now.

Try driving through France at speed where there is far, far less warning of cameras or Gendarmes with speed traps

 

[GinG]

80 in a 70 not a problem.

36-40 in a 30 could kill someone.

 

[Jono8]

80 in a 70 not a problem.

36-40 in a 30 could kill someone.

This. There is (normally) a very good reason for a 30 limit. That reason being the much increased chance of pedestrians, children, pets, cars turning out of drives etc on the road.

 

[jpaul]

After 4 years of driving in the US, going back and driving in the UK is awful. I hated every second of it and hope I never have to do it again.

related to speeding ? .. or driving rules (right overtake/turn-on-red), relatively bigger lanes, and less aggressive drivers, that make it more pleasant.

 

[Mercenary Keyboard Warrior]

80 in a 70 not a problem.

36-40 in a 30 could kill someone.

Well technically you could kill someone doing 80 instead of 70 in a 70, but they would also more than likely be in another vehicle. (although I am sure most people have seen pedestrians trying to cross 70mph roads)

However in a 30 there are many many more risks that are likely to happen.

People have to remember that the speed limits are the maximums not the target. I mean how many other things in life do we set out to do or exceed the maximum in literally every time we undertake it.

When you go out to eat do you attempt to exceed/hit the limit of the amount you can eat
When you go for a run do you attempt to exceed/hit the limit of the point you can safely run at
When you go shopping do you attempt to exceed/hit the limit of your credit limit

to do 30 where he was you'd have had to brake reasonable hard

Or be a better driver, and brake slightly less, but earlier

 

[Jamesyboyjim]

People have to remember that the speed limits are the maximums not the target. I mean how many other things in life do we set out to do or exceed the maximum in literally every time we undertake it.



Or be a better driver, and brake slightly less, but earlier

This is very true but I do wish a minimum speed was also enforced. I hate following cars doing 35 on a single lane nsl.

 

[Yaayuh!]

36 in a 30 would have been closer to 40 indicated. Now, as a biker I will occasionally 'make progress' on a NSL road on a clear, dry day - but in 30's and 40's I stick to the limit regardless. A 30 limit means you should be doing 30 on entering the limit, not at some point afterwards.

I agree, that's exactly my attitude also.

 

[Skillmister]

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.9...4!1sVaDSdy08fK4O1LI0fdtttA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Waiting for a ticket to come through from most likely getting caught here. Van was on the bridge at the far right hand side barely visible in the trees, I was heading uphill on the "dual carriageway" side overtaking a horse box, caravan and a few other slow pokes along with 10+ other people who had all been sat behind it for the last half hour with me. Yes, should have overtaken at the speed limit but who actually does that? Oh well, my own fault.


The newly installed average speed cameras on the A55 down Rhuallt Hill are an interesting one. They are installed in the name of safety but now you have a load of motorists who are more concerned about what the speedo says than what is going on around them. It might not look particularly steep but you get a bit of a lick on if you ride it out so they are pretty much forcing people to brake round corners at 70mph. Could get interesting over winter https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.2...39.098114&pitch=0&thumbfov=100!7i13312!8i6656