Speed limiters, driver monitors to become mandatory in EU

[Guest432]

Or hardly impacts privacy.

Surprised someone hasn't used the "what if the ruskies hack the system and immobilise all cars" yet

 

[Tony Lockhart]

The US will use it to speed up private hospital ambulances in traffic to the detriment of us NHS users. That’ll fuel the gammon newspapers into supporting the ditching of the NHS.

 

[darrenyeats]

No we are not perfect and I cannot say that I have never had an accident that was my fault

Same here. Also I can't say I've never driven recklessly, or even that I never will again (I'm not a robot - no jokes please!) We all can make a mistake or have a moment of madness.

But I think intentionally engaging in a hobby of breaking the speed limit and/or putting others in danger is another matter.

 

[Cav]

I

In practice, no Govt body or manufacturer will run the risk of preventing / being accused of preventing a driver from using 'appropriate' acceleration or speed to avoid an incident - like a longer than expected overtaking maneouvre for example...

Not sure that would work.

If you know your car is limited to a maximum speed then it is completely down to the driver to take that into account in any manoeuvre. Manufacturers cannot be held responsible for Government legislation. Government cannot be sued by people failing to adhere to Law.

 

[-alan-]

Fair point Cav. I can't see a zero or minimal tolerance on speed above the threshold being workable under legislation though. In most overtaking situations, the longer time spent on the maneouvre the more dangerous it becomes - therefore it makes sense to give the driver a measure of discretion. You see the principle in play with average speed cameras, where as long as the average speed is within target then - within reason - occasions when the car is over the posted limit are deemed allowable.

How you decide what is an acceptable tolerance becomes another issue. That then brings you back to the point where if it is deemed acceptable to break the posted limit at some point as with average speed camera zones, - why then penalise people for doing it (within reason and safely) at all ?

 

[Swamp Thing]

If you know your car is limited to a maximum speed then it is completely down to the driver to take that into account in any manoeuvre.

Absolutely. Tractors, trailers, caravans, restricted motorcycles...

Having a daily driver that can reach 2.5*x of the maximum UK speed brings a different sets of skills and requirements.

(I can attest to the 2.0, but not the last 0.5)

Mostly my strategy is to take the tram and do the crossword.

 

[Yank]

On my twitter feed this morning:



So it does happen!
At our last house, on warm summer evenings bikers would use the straight fen roads as drag strips. When you hear a big bike being accelerated to the limiter in five or six gears, you know it’s doing 160mph+. So I Tweeted about it, hash tagging the local coppers. For the next few weeks, peace and quiet.
Of course, I’ll probably go to hell now for taking away people’s freedom to ride as fast as they can with open exhausts.

At what distance was the measurement taken? And what weighting?

 

[Tony Lockhart]

At what distance was the measurement taken? And what weighting?

Ask the coppers?

One thing is for sure, and that’s that if the driver disagrees he is free to appeal. I doubt he will. Coppers are lenient on noise, not stopping people for suspicions of one or two dB over.

 

[Alex S]

Can we have EU limits to go with this? 130 kph in the dry and 110 in the wet seems more sensible than a blanket 70mph. The 70 limit came in with the motorways. Okay, there’s a lot more traffic now but cars were rather shit then by comparison.

Those who break speed limits on country lanes are morons for reasons that needn’t be explained.

If in any doubt read 10 Pence Short’s entries from page 3 of this thread: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=210&t=442266&i=40

 

[Tony Lockhart]

Can we have EU limits to go with this? 130 kph in the dry and 110 in the wet seems more sensible than a blanket 70mph. The 70 limit came in with the motorways. Okay, there’s a lot more traffic now but cars were rather shit then by comparison.

If drivers had improved in any measurable way since 1958 (?) your argument might hold some water. One constant moan on every forum I use is that driving standards have deteriorated. Whether or not that’s the case isn’t important. Perception is. Combined with far busier roads, there’s no chance of anything other than a blanket speed limit.

 

[Alex S]

I have no real argument and I’m not inclined to start one but European speed limits seem better thought out given the fact that vehicles don’t behave as well in the wet and driving standards remain fairly constant come rain or shine.

 

[Swamp Thing]

If drivers had improved in any measurable way since 1958 (?) your argument might hold some water. One constant moan on every forum I use is that driving standards have deteriorated. Whether or not that’s the case isn’t important. Perception is. Combined with far busier roads, there’s no chance of anything other than a blanket speed limit.

Driving cars as old as I am is an art. Buses (which I don't do) even worse. And some aspects of driving have improved.

It's a mix.

Higher limits on near empty motorways makes sense. Not that this happens often in the south and central UK. Motorways are very safe.

 

[Tony Lockhart]

Driving cars as old as I am is an art. Buses (which I don't do) even worse. And some aspects of driving have improved.

It's a mix.

Higher limits on near empty motorways makes sense. Not that this happens often in the south and central UK. Motorways are very safe.

Yes, motorways are safer than our other roads, but again, the government won’t allow the state to give the thumbs up to higher emissions. And don’t forget, we all think we are better drivers than we are. Do we want everyone to be given an equal right to travel faster, even on a quiet motorway?

 

[Swamp Thing]

Yes, motorways are safer than our other roads, but again, the government won’t allow the state to give the thumbs up to higher emissions. And don’t forget, we all think we are better drivers than we are. Do we want everyone to be given an equal right to travel faster, even on a quiet motorway?

Worst emissions can be from inefficient engines at 5-10 miles and hour.

Some areas of the UK road network can't cope with the volume of traffic on them and never will unless we invest massively in other forms of transport or pave rather a lot more of the country. Eventually the overall speed will be managed centrally with driverless cars. Until then speeds on congested areas are managed by contraflow, smart motorways (of various types) and their variable speed restrictions. These manage congestion well, and can actually be improved by increasing limits on uncongested free flowing sections to relieve the congested areas.

Emissions increase with speed (currently, not so much in the future) but the worst problems with transport related emissions at he moment are NO, NO2, CO2, CO etc in urban areas and the impact on health. This needs tackling first, mainly be restricting the types and ages of ICE power allowed in urban and other congested areas, and the move to better technologies like gas, electric and fuel cells. In the short term, some network speed limit increases could help with the emissions concentrations, and in changing driver behaviour to drive outside of the busiest peak times on some roads.

Highways England has already taken onboard the impact slower speeds can have on the overall economy by trying to increase average road speeds outside of peak hours - such as roadworks coned off but not being worked having higher speed limits than ones with people and vehicles on them.

 

[Tony Lockhart]

But we were talking, roughly, of 70mph vs 80mph, weren’t we?

 

[Swamp Thing]

But we were talking, roughly, of 70mph vs 80mph, weren’t we?

IIRC the modelling that suggested an overall congestion and urban emissions had the upper limit ion the speed envelope moved to 90 mph as 80 mph i.e. 10%+2, and the current 70 mph actually has enforcement at 80 mph.

But it will be a mix, as on traffic type and other limitations. Lorries were still limited to 56 for example.

 

[Andrew C!]

Can we have EU limits to go with this? 130 kph in the dry and 110 in the wet seems more sensible than a blanket 70mph. The 70 limit came in with the motorways. Okay, there’s a lot more traffic now but cars were rather shit then by comparison.

Wet weather driving - in this country some motorists can't seem to drive properly with a splash of rain on their windscreens, never mind it raining or snowing.

 

[S-Man]

Lorries were still limited to 56 for example.

https://www.highwaycodeuk.co.uk/cha...speed-limits-for-lorries-in-england-and-wales

Not sure if the limiters are changed for UK lorries. But plenty seem to do 60 (minimum) nowadays. I think this is a bit too close to the 70 limit for cars.
I like to keep well away from lorries. Of course most HGV drivers are excellent, but there's always one or two. Some of the HGV driving in 50 limit roadworks sections is downright frightening!

 

[Guest432]

How is 60 too close to 70? it is 10mph apart, that means you would be pulling away from (or catching up with) a lorry at a rate of 4 metres per second.

 

[dweezil]

https://www.highwaycodeuk.co.uk/cha...speed-limits-for-lorries-in-england-and-wales

Not sure if the limiters are changed for UK lorries. But plenty seem to do 60 (minimum) nowadays. I think this is a bit too close to the 70 limit for cars.
I like to keep well away from lorries. Of course most HGV drivers are excellent, but there's always one or two. Some of the HGV driving in 50 limit roadworks sections is downright frightening!

If you're following a lorry and your car speedo indicates 60mph you're probably about right for 56mph true.

On most of our cars the speedo reads a few % over. I had a Suzuki with oversize tyres on demo last week and that was spot on.

I'd say compulsory Adaptive Cruise would save more lives than enforced limiters; UK drivers keep ridiculously close to each other.