Gosh we have a long way to go still.

[Nipper]

In my village we have some 20mph zones, there is a pinch point and some bumps in the road. The bumps do not actually slow the traffic and many drivers exceed the speed limit. Our local road safety bods can check people with a speed cam but only for the stats, they cannot ticket speeders. They have found many drivers exceeding 35mph and relatively few actually driving below 20mph. I want real car busting speed bumps to make these idiots drive at less than 20mph. Cams do not always work and many people still break the law, if the consequence of speeding was a damaged car then that would be a much more direct incentive to slow down.

I still think 20mph for all built up areas should be the standard.

 

[HobbesChoice]

J4CKO, I think, either you ...or me...has got the wrong end of HC's stick there, I don't think HC was trying to make light of the situation, merely eluding to the fact that chaps in lycra in a dark alley may not be as unattractive a proposition (to some) as it sounds?

Perhaps I'm wrong tho

Thanks Jonny, that's exactly what I meant. But I can see how some thought I was just making light of a very serious subject, so I can see the irritation.

I am in the process of writing letters to all who I think will listen though regarding this particular incident of the lorry driving with the man attached to his wipers and the fact he drove so far away to hide the evidence. So all those who thought I was being callous, I sincerely apologise. As I'm doing something constructive about this it also made me act flippant, so apologies again.

 

[J4CKO]

Thanks Jonny, that's exactly what I meant. But I can see how some thought I was just making light of a very serious subject, so I can see the irritation.

I am in the process of writing letters to all who I think will listen though regarding this particular incident of the lorry driving with the man attached to his wipers and the fact he drove so far away to hide the evidence. So all those who thought I was being callous, I sincerely apologise. As I'm doing something constructive about this it also made me act flippant, so apologies again.

No need to apologise, was me geting the wrong end of the stick, I would have said "My Bad" but then I would have to hit myself.

Totally agree on the reseential roads being drivers own drag strips, was walking the dog last night and saw three cars going at excessive speed, a Range Rover Sport, a Polo/Lupo type thing and an X5, I really dont think the drivers of big four by fours actually realise how fast they are going as they are so silent and cosseting from inside, also with the fact they are so high up they can see quite a distance ahead, not trying to excuse the ridiculous speed that the Range Rover Sport was going but perhaps trying to explain why, the Lupo thing was accelerating full (limited) blast for some distance and had that knackered suspension/overloaded lollop, had anything come out he would have any chance to stop.

 

[shunter]

They have found many drivers exceeding 35mph and relatively few actually driving below 20mph. I want real car busting speed bumps to make these idiots drive at less than 20mph. Cams do not always work and many people still break the law, if the consequence of speeding was a damaged car then that would be a much more direct incentive to slow down.

I still think 20mph for all built up areas should be the standard.

I reckon if you enforced a 20mph speed limit in these areas and handed out penalties to all offenders 24 hours a day - no exceptions - then you may find the majority of people living in those areas will be the first to ask the speed limit be changed.

Saw it once on a road nearby where the police made a killing from a steady queue of speed offenders when the limit was 30mph. Locals got the speed limit raised to 40mph which was more appropriate for the road in question.

Better driving standards are required, better planning of built up areas, off road parking, playing facilities for children and a new penalty point system that tackles bad driving only and requires offenders to take advanced training.

 

[jonny jeez]

I reckon if you enforced a 20mph speed limit in these areas and handed out penalties to all offenders 24 hours a day - no exceptions - then you may find the majority of people living in those areas will be the first to ask the speed limit be changed.

Sorry Shunter but I really don't agree.

I live in a fairly quiet road in a fairly quiet area and when a car goes by at more than 20mph it seems to be really flying (by comparison to the usual tranquility).

On Halloween I went out with the kids (and the neighbors, in fact almost the entire road of kids!!) and we all had to stop cars from zipping about...on a night when the roads are literally covered with over excited kids dressed in dark clothing.

One driver was genuinely apologetic and hadn't thought about the fact that kids were about...(being confronted by a gaggle of tall chaps all dressed equally darkly was probably helpful)


I must be getting a bit old but I now have no trouble driving at 30mph, when 10 years ago I used to struggle (and no I don't drive a really slow car, I actually drive one of the quickest cars you can buy with a super-duper paddle-gearbox thingy)...I think, the fact that I have Kids and am aware of just how "Stupid" they can be around roads has made me a whole lot more aware.

Jonny

 

[jonny jeez]

Thanks Jonny, that's exactly what I meant

Phew

 

[Nipper]

I reckon if you enforced a 20mph speed limit in these areas and handed out penalties to all offenders 24 hours a day - no exceptions - then you may find the majority of people living in those areas will be the first to ask the speed limit be changed.

Saw it once on a road nearby where the police made a killing from a steady queue of speed offenders when the limit was 30mph. Locals got the speed limit raised to 40mph which was more appropriate for the road in question.

Better driving standards are required, better planning of built up areas, off road parking, playing facilities for children and a new penalty point system that tackles bad driving only and requires offenders to take advanced training.

I too disagree.

Jonny J made the point well, 20mph is more than fast enough.

You mention a road at 30mph which was changed to 40 because it is more appropriate. What utter rubbish, all those car drivers should have been obeying the speed limit, whining on about how unfair it is shows a selfish disregard for everyone else. To get to my kids school we have to cross a main road rated 30mph, this leads us into the 20mph zone. Many car drivers seem upset that they have been caught by police doing more than 40mph on the road. Just like in your example the idiot car driving council is considering making the road 40mph. This will mean DEATHS and a lower quality of life for everyone living near the road. Car drivers need to shut up and stop killing people.

 

[shunter]

I too disagree.

Jonny J made the point well, 20mph is more than fast enough.

You mention a road at 30mph which was changed to 40 because it is more appropriate. What utter rubbish, all those car drivers should have been obeying the speed limit, whining on about how unfair it is shows a selfish disregard for everyone else. To get to my kids school we have to cross a main road rated 30mph, this leads us into the 20mph zone. Many car drivers seem upset that they have been caught by police doing more than 40mph on the road. Just like in your example the idiot car driving council is considering making the road 40mph. This will mean DEATHS and a lower quality of life for everyone living near the road. Car drivers need to shut up and stop killing people.

Why pick 20mph if it is more than fast enough. What about 15mph or even 10mph? What speed do you think would be appropriate for you to get your kids safely to school in your area? If you think it should be 10mph in your area then say so - you shouldn't be accepting 20mph as appropriate without scientific evidence that it is or because a council arbitrarily picks it out as suitable. Is 20mph the point where it is more likely your child will just be maimed rather than killed. Is that acceptable to you? If you say 40mph will mean DEATHS then are you are saying speed is directly related to deaths and therefore road conditions or how built up the area is are not contributory factors.

Sure your point would suggest that all speed limits should be brought down dramatically.

 

[Norm]

Sure your point would suggest that all speed limits should be brought down dramatically.

Oh, dear, don't suggest that, he'll probably say "yes".

 

[Crankarm]

I too disagree.

Jonny J made the point well, 20mph is more than fast enough.

You mention a road at 30mph which was changed to 40 because it is more appropriate. What utter rubbish, all those car drivers should have been obeying the speed limit, whining on about how unfair it is shows a selfish disregard for everyone else. To get to my kids school we have to cross a main road rated 30mph, this leads us into the 20mph zone. Many car drivers seem upset that they have been caught by police doing more than 40mph on the road. Just like in your example the idiot car driving council is considering making the road 40mph. This will mean DEATHS and a lower quality of life for everyone living near the road. Car drivers need to shut up and stop killing people.

And you know what? Most of the drivers who speed in residential areas or around schools are those who are taking or sending their brats to the school or they happen to live in the local area .................

Just because drivers say they have kids doesn't make them any better drivers. In my experience drivers with kids in the car or those who bleat on about their kids are just as if not more dangerous than any other single occupant car driver.

 

[jonny jeez]

Just because drivers say they have kids doesn't make them any better drivers. .

Totally agree, but I don't think the point was that "Parents" are better drivers, from my experience that is most definitely not the case.

But being a parent will often provide another perspective on drivers and traffic, one that you did not have "pre-brat" .....And of course, many "parents" don't drive their kids about the place and have to contend with all types of bad/speeding driving (parents included)

 

[Nipper]

Evidence from CTC for 20mph
http://64.233.183.104/search?q=cach...at+20+mph&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&client=firefox-a

Oh...and yes to reducing all speed limits, and limiting car engine size and the speed at which cars can travel.

 

[shunter]

Evidence from CTC for 20mph
http://64.233.183.104/search?q=cach...at+20+mph&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&client=firefox-a

Oh...and yes to reducing all speed limits, and limiting car engine size and the speed at which cars can travel.

What would be the reductions for 15mph or 10mph? Why stop at 20mph? What would be the reductions if we kept the speed limits the same and had a compulsory advanced driving test for all drivers. I would bet that would have more of a dramatic effect!

If you suggest the use of speed limiters - I'm sure the technology that runs that - satellite communication with all vehicles - could be better used to insure that drivers without authorisation, insurance or tax would not be able to get a vehicle to move nevertheless speed in it.

 

[jonny jeez]

What would be the reductions if we kept the speed limits the same and had a compulsory advanced driving test for all drivers. I would bet that would have more of a dramatic effect! .

I was going to say, "what about the un-insured illegal drivers"...but then your second paragraph beat me to it.

GRRRR!!

Agreed.....It would be far better to eradicate bad driving via training and programming, Although I hold little faith that the human condition will ever allow this to be effective

In the words of a wise sage and prophet…"It's in your nature to destroy yourselves"…Arnie aka "The Terminator"

So I guess, policing may be the only short term and viable solution (Policing, not police)

 

[trsleigh]

But being a parent will often provide another perspective on drivers and traffic, one that you did not have "pre-brat" .....And of course, many "parents" don't drive their kids about the place and have to contend with all types of bad/speeding driving (parents included)

Totally agree on the change in perspective "post-brat" but it is not all about kids anyway. Cars and speeding degrade the total quality of life. Why does society accept as reasonable that I can be killed simply by making a mistake by not looking properly crossing the road outside my front door on the way to visiting the neighbours across the road. At least if the residential limits were enforced at 20mph a mistake need not always be fatal.
BTW Crankarm you haven't replied yet re kids.