In Search of the 'War on Motorists'

[goo_mason]

Alant - thanks for the clarifications, but the debates will likely continue as you didn't specifically say why there's no way you want your wife cycling on the roads...

 

[Ravenbait]

Alant - thanks for the clarifications, but the debates will likely continue as you didn't specifically say why there's no way you want your wife cycling on the roads...

Not from me they won't.

Sam

 

[dand_uk]

I live 30 miles from work. I didn't used to - it was 5 miles, which I cycled. then the job moved. My kids were in school and established. Jackie the Lass worked 20 miles away in the opposite direction to where my job moved. Moving house was not a serious option until last year - and the housing market has put that out of my control for now!

So I still have to commute. It is a ridiculous expense and waste of time for the privilege of working, so I did the sums this morning for car vs public transport to see if I could do it cheaper and or easier. In cost it is absolutely neutral between my gaz-guzzler (which I can't sell and is uneconomic to replace - as purchase costs/depreciation of a fuel efficient car outweighs the fuel saving). Public transport requires 3 legs - bike, bus, train each way and takes just under twice as long as the car journey. It would be totally irrational to use public transport. JtLass's car does twice as many m's per g as my car. 2 or 3 days a week we now both do the same commute, so it is 1/4 of the public transport cost per person. On the other days I will start stealing it off her - and petrol will have to double in price before public transport becomes a better alternative.

I do the commute by bike sometimes - but it's not a goer for every day, or at all in the winter! More often I just ride one way (home) - but there is absolutely no saving or environmental benefit as JtLass still has to drive the car home!

Mate would it be possible for you to drive halfway, dump the car, then cycle the rest? That way you spend half as much on petrol and get two hours exercise for one days commute!

Just a suggestion..

 

[BentMikey]

When you see speed gun operators hidden in hedges, behind cars, etc it's not difficult to have some sympathy for the motorist

WTF? Of course speed cameras should be hidden. That's not a war on motorists, that's making it hard to slow down just for the cameras, and then carry on speeding like a twunt the rest of the time.

 

[MacB]

WTF? Of course speed cameras should be hidden. That's not a war on motorists, that's making it hard to slow down just for the cameras, and then carry on speeding like a twunt the rest of the time.

Agreed but if we're sticking with this system then traffic calming measures should be hidden as well. Instead of rumble strips and chicanes just put some of those spring loaded bollards in the road. Stick a sensor a few yards before, if you pass it above a certain speed then up they pop. Or if you want to be more charitable then use a mobile setup employing sensors and stingers. Make them fear immediate punishment for their transgressions.

Alternatively we could just use the technology already available and limit the speeds vehicles can do. Receiver in the car, transmitter at every speed change, job done.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Sorry Sam, but I don't agree with you. The (irrational) feeling that it's not safe for a loved one to take the same risks that you feel comfortable about taking yourself is a fairly common human reaction that doesn't depend at all on the genders involved. I can easily think of examples where the genders involved are reversed or the same. It may be that you're assuming a motivation for the feeling that isn't necessarily there and projecting your own view of the world.

I've started a thread on this here

A fascinating subject I think

 

[snailracer]

Agreed but if we're sticking with this system then traffic calming measures should be hidden as well. Instead of rumble strips and chicanes just put some of those spring loaded bollards in the road. Stick a sensor a few yards before, if you pass it above a certain speed then up they pop. Or if you want to be more charitable then use a mobile setup employing sensors and stingers. Make them fear immediate punishment for their transgressions.

Alternatively we could just use the technology already available and limit the speeds vehicles can do. Receiver in the car, transmitter at every speed change, job done.

And then there are the average speed cameras, which are already in use.

 

[phaedrus]

And then there are the average speed cameras, which are already in use.

There are quite a few of these near where I live. They are *very* effective, and they should be pretty much everywhere IMHO.

 

[MacB]

And then there are the average speed cameras, which are already in use.

Yep and I think they work fairly well but it's not a practical solution across the country. There's a thread Fossy has started regarding his niece and her boyfriend filming themselves doing 120mph. We're selling cars that will do those speeds in a country that 80mph would be about the max that could ever be required. The idea that we will ever spend the time, or money, to educate drivers properly is laughable as is the idea that they'd all accept that sort of education. We did this one in detail a while back with me batting for the limiting technology side. If I remember correctly the main objections were:-

you need to have the extra speed available to you to avoid some situations
people will just drive with their foot to the floor always going at the max allowable
speeding is ok sometimes on certain roads(only a couple put forward this sort of line)

As it would appear that they're ploughing full speed ahead with electric vehicles then the roads are unlikely to be getting quieter. We could build an entire network of pavements and cyclepaths, leaving the roads to the cars...rather unlikely. I've also argued that speed cameras, of all types and traffic calming measures can actually make roads less safe. Chicanes are my most hated part as drivers will go to ridiculous lengths to get through them before you, as for giving way to a cyclist, not much chance. But all of these measures take drivers attention away from their surrounds, they're so busy trying to beat the cameras, squeeze through a chicane or avoid a speedhump that they don't pay attention to their peripherals as much.

Others argued that speed cameras should make no difference to a drivers awareness as a properly trained driver will know their speed and not need to keep checking the speedo or braking sharply. I consider this overly optimistic in the extreme and part of the 'better driver education' concept that's never going to be funded.

Nope, cheapest and easiest is to not allow vehicles to operate above given speeds in each area.