Is it time for speed limiters on cars?

[Andrew C!]

these are, of course, driving standards issues, not speed issues.

Both are still prevalent. The main issue I see when out and about in my motor is simple lack of patience. ‘I need to get past that car so I think I’ve made progress’, ‘go thru the red light ‘cos I haven’t planned properly/couldn’t give a toss’ etc etc.

I always makes me smile when a motor that has cut me up to overtake me is sat in front of me at the next set of lights. No real progress, but an increased risk.

Im not sure what the answer is, tho. Flight recorders in cars won’t help the near misses, unless we have properly trained officers to investigate/enforce/advise.

 

[Woodface]

A friend of a friend was pulled for doing over a 100mph on the motorway, the judge said “was the additional 58 seconds saved worth a 6 month ban?”.

I was coming back on the Woodhead pass last week, I know the road pretty well, it’s very difficult to overtake & if you are doing 50ish you are doing well. I tend to relax, enjoy the scenery but the person behind me, in a very small car, risked his life by overtaking when a lorry appeared round the bend. He just about made it; he was stuck behind the car in front for the remainder of the journey.

I see this kind of behaviour all the time.

 

[dweezil]

Just had an eye test and i'm very close to illegal, totally surprised.

Booked in for an operation in three weeks but makes you wonder how many are unfit to drive in theory.

OH said she thought i'd been driving more carefully so obvs been unconsciously taking more care.

 

[-alan-]

I missed out on much of the discussion, and won't bother reopening old arguments, but just wondered after the 20 pages worth of debate has anybody - on either side - fundamentally changed their position on the wisdom of / need for mandatory speed limiters ?

 

[Sue Pertwee-Tyr]

I missed out on much of the discussion, and won't bother reopening old arguments, but just wondered after the 20 pages worth of debate has anybody - on either side - fundamentally changed their position on the wisdom of / need for mandatory speed limiters ?

Not sure that's the only way to gauge the value of a thread, though. I'm more aware of various aspects of things than I was before it started, for sure. My opinion may or may not have shifted, but it is now a better informed one.

 

[-alan-]

That's true. The reason I ask is that anytime threads in or around the question of 'speeding' arises, there are lots of informed (and also some not-so-informed) views on things, but I can't yet recall anybody declaring that as a result of the debate they had done a 180.

I know human nature, and in particular the egos of males of a certain age / demographic often preclude that..but I just wondered whether such an instance has or had occurred in this particular area of debate

 

[cutting42]

I missed out on much of the discussion, and won't bother reopening old arguments, but just wondered after the 20 pages worth of debate has anybody - on either side - fundamentally changed their position on the wisdom of / need for mandatory speed limiters ?

I am not sure I have ever read a post on an internet forum that has admitted that on any topic.

 

[RidleyRumpus]

No

 

[Woodface]

That's true. The reason I ask is that anytime threads in or around the question of 'speeding' arises, there are lots of informed (and also some not-so-informed) views on things, but I can't yet recall anybody declaring that as a result of the debate they had done a 180.

I know human nature, and in particular the egos of males of a certain age / demographic often preclude that..but I just wondered whether such an instance has or had occurred in this particular area of debate

Have you changed your mind?

 

[-alan-]

Of course not

 

[Suffolk Tony]

I was coming back on the Woodhead pass last week, I know the road pretty well, it’s very difficult to overtake & if you are doing 50ish you are doing well. I tend to relax, enjoy the scenery but the person behind me, in a very small car, risked his life by overtaking when a lorry appeared round the bend. He just about made it; he was stuck behind the car in front for the remainder of the journey.

I see this kind of behaviour all the time.

I'm sure we've all seen lots of pretty stupid behaviour on the roads, leaving us wondering how, most of the time, these people seem to get away with it. Having picked up a car from Edinburgh last Thursday, & heading for Keswick for a night's stay before going on to Suffolk, I drove through the worst rainstorm I've ever encountered on the M74/M6. It wasn't just a few minutes of torrential rain, it continued for most of the journey, making it impossible to see if you tried to go over 50mph, a speed which most of us were doing. Yet there were people hacking past at 70 or so in the fast lane. These drivers were counting on there being nothing in their way, but of course, if there was they'd never be able to stop in time, their tyres being unable to shift that quantity of water. Madness, and I was fully expecting to come across a nasty accident; a miracle there wasn't one.

 

[Woodface]

This happened in Sheffield yesterday:

https://twitter.com/alisonclareteal/status/1568982370983845889?s=46&t=p8KIxT9WcJWVbiSC6sq_SQ

It was not related to speed though.

I suppose bad driving at low speeds is better than the alternative?

 

[Woodface]

I'm sure we've all seen lots of pretty stupid behaviour on the roads, leaving us wondering how, most of the time, these people seem to get away with it. Having picked up a car from Edinburgh last Thursday, & heading for Keswick for a night's stay before going on to Suffolk, I drove through the worst rainstorm I've ever encountered on the M74/M6. It wasn't just a few minutes of torrential rain, it continued for most of the journey, making it impossible to see if you tried to go over 50mph, a speed which most of us were doing. Yet there were people hacking past at 70 or so in the fast lane. These drivers were counting on there being nothing in their way, but of course, if there was they'd never be able to stop in time, their tyres being unable to shift that quantity of water. Madness, and I was fully expecting to come across a nasty accident; a miracle there wasn't one.

Yes, wider tyres on modern cars are not great in extreme rain, especially with RWD. It nearly always seems to be people in Audis or SUVs?

 

[Andrew C!]

Yes, wider tyres on modern cars are not great in extreme rain, especially with RWD. It nearly always seems to be people in Audis or SUVs?

I always recall my instructor saying that when you push an AWD, it will feel safer in inclement conditions, but only to the point it gives way - then its a real skill to get it back under control as you've possibly pushed too hard in the 1st place.This was explained to me on my advanced refresher in particular, when driving an Imprezza - what a go-cart!

My Volvo V60 AWD is very nice in crap weather, but that's because I still treat the conditions with appropriate respect.

 

[Suffolk Tony]

Yes, wider tyres on modern cars are not great in extreme rain, especially with RWD. It nearly always seems to be people in Audis or SUVs?

Well, the ones I glimpsed through the deluge were mostly Vauxhall Astras & small white vans.

 

[eguth]

Sorry, but I agree with much of what you post but this is just the same argument that those supporting cyclists needing registration plates etc. use. Just because a few cyclists break the law let's have registration plates for all cyclists = just because a few drivers massively exceed the speed limit let's have speed limiters for all vehicles. And anyway what do you limit them to? A car driven at 30mph in a totally stupid way can kill people... sorry, but this is not one of your strongest arguments. If we are going to let people drive and cycle there has to be a degree of granting them some responsibility for their behaviour in charge of their vehicles as otherwise we may as well ban personalised transport. The real answer is proper punishment for those that break the law and kill/injure others as a result and that pertains to any scenario not just personalised transport.

Round my way it's more like 'most cyclists are law breakers'.

Not a scientific analysis, yet I think cyclists have been able to be free to ride dangerously for too long. I was a cyclist for some 70+ years before I felt it necessary to get off my saddle: not because of cars..because of cyclists.

 

[Woodface]

Round my way it's more like 'most cyclists are law breakers'.

Not a scientific analysis, yet I think cyclists have been able to be free to ride dangerously for too long. I was a cyclist for some 70+ years before I felt it necessary to get off my saddle: not because of cars..because of cyclists.

Ha, that is a ridiculous statement! All the data massively contradicts you.

Out of interest how were you menaced by other cyclists?

I’ve actually seen more cars jump red lights of late but I have no idea how representative that is.

 

[Puggie]

Seems 6 of one and half a dozen of the other round here. I had a cyclist decide to under take me round a roundabout yesterday. I was setting off to turn right and he came full speed down hill onto the roundabout going round me, sometimes in the cycle lane and often not. Had the roles been reversed an I undertaken him round the roundabout to save 5 secs on my journey, I would have thought that dangerous driving or at least being an arse.

Plenty of cars being dicks too so it's both parties at fault.

I also find it ironic that cyclists often seem critical of boy racer types yet most of them are dressed in team lycra on brightly colours racing bikes. Kinda the 2 wheel equivalent of popping out for a pedal with your mates in something like this:

 

[eguth]

Ha, that is a ridiculous statement! All the data massively contradicts you.

Out of interest how were you menaced by other cyclists?

I’ve actually seen more cars jump red lights of late but I have no idea how representative that is.

I have been menaced when walking on the pavement by a cyclist wearing a baseball cap worn backwards cycling directly towards me. He swerved at the last moment to avoid a collision- quite deliberate, quite threatening, and quite illegal- to give but one example.

What data are you referring to?

It is unnecessary to further regulate cyclists in areas of the U.K. where, unlike London, there is no evidence of widespread recklessnes or danger to others. By 'regulation' I mean things like license plates and insurance.

This could be unworklable when cylists go to areas other than their own and ride into different rules.

I don't have the answers. I do feel that in London matters have been left unregulated for far too long already. The general public needs protection.

 

[RJohan]

Round my way it's more like 'most cyclists are law breakers'.

Not a scientific analysis, yet I think cyclists have been able to be free to ride dangerously for too long. I was a cyclist for some 70+ years before I felt it necessary to get off my saddle: not because of cars..because of cyclists.

Well, you can rest assured that in the case of a crash between you in a car and a bicyclist, the cyclist does get a 'free ride'. In an ambulance. While you can get on with your life as before.

Yes, cyclists are idiots some of the time, but ultimately they will pay for it.