Reduce speed limits to 30mph - petition

[ebikeerwidnes]

There is also, of course, a problem with "freedom"

people like to feel that they are in control
and if your car can take over and refuse to accelerate when you press the pedal then it is clearly infringing your God (or Gods or Constitution) given rights

when really it is just control

I find it funny when there is a 50 mph speed limit with signs that state there is an average speed check
and suddenly everyone is perfectly capable of driving steadily at 50
when previsiously a lot fo them were incapable of driving at 70!!

 

[Dogtrousers]

And while the text says "usually found in rural areas", it doesn't say it should only apply to those.

You're right. I'll be kind and interpret it in a way that makes a bit more sense.

Still not interested in signing it.

 

[Electric_Andy]

people like to feel that they are in control

Yes, and I think that's the part that needs to be challenged. A) you are not in control of how fast you think you can safely go, that is set by the powers that be. B) you can still be in full control, even more so, if you are going slower. Giving more autonomy to drivers I think encourages a poor attitude e.g I drive an expensive car so I'm better than you, or I drive a car and you bicycle need to get out of my way because I pay road tax and you don't

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Yes, and I think that's the part that needs to be challenged. A) you are not in control of how fast you think you can safely go, that is set by the powers that be. B) you can still be in full control, even more so, if you are going slower. Giving more autonomy to drivers I think encourages a poor attitude e.g I drive an expensive car so I'm better than you, or I drive a car and you bicycle need to get out of my way because I pay road tax and you don't

When I was working away from the office I used to find that driving to remote sites - normally wahrehouses in my case - would involve a rather dumb mind set for a lot of people

People would insist that they needed to do 80-90 on the Motorway to get to the meeting

When I was going to a meeting I would try to leave earlier - but always just said that I am leaving now and I will get there when the traffic allows

Rater than the other type of person who would respond to traffic by trying to go at 90 once it cleared

They generally got to the meeting before me


by a minute or so

but they felt they NEEDED to do it because they were so important
and their managers didn;t help

One salesman rang up from his mobile - which was a new thing in those days - to say he would be late due to a herd of geese that were blocking the motorway
Personally I laughed and shrugged
but his manager was horrified about his lack of professionalism

what exactly he was supposed to do about it puzzled me rather!

 

[Electric_Andy]

When I was working away from the office I used to find that driving to remote sites - normally wahrehouses in my case - would involve a rather dumb mind set for a lot of people

People would insist that they needed to do 80-90 on the Motorway to get to the meeting

When I was going to a meeting I would try to leave earlier - but always just said that I am leaving now and I will get there when the traffic allows

Rater than the other type of person who would respond to traffic by trying to go at 90 once it cleared

They generally got to the meeting before me


by a minute or so

but they felt they NEEDED to do it because they were so important
and their managers didn;t help

One salesman rang up from his mobile - which was a new thing in those days - to say he would be late due to a herd of geese that were blocking the motorway
Personally I laughed and shrugged
but his manager was horrified about his lack of professionalism

what exactly he was supposed to do about it puzzled me rather!

Yes that's it. Some people do it with good intentions but think that they owe it to everyone else to be on time. If a lot of the roads were standardised and people forced to drive at no more than the limit, it would be more of a known quantity. Besides, anyone who really wants to convince everyone that "I tried to be on time but traffic was bad" - can just say that. No-one is realistically going to question it or check up on the current traffic situation. Of course if you're an over-planner like me, I always plan to get there 10-15 mins early anyway to allow for delays

 

[tyred]

In Ireland, all minor roads have been reduced to a 60km/hr limit.

I support it in theory but it has made no difference to anything as far as I can see. I've never seen a speed check on any of these roads. The people who drove safely before still drive safely, whereas the dangerous idiots are still dangerous idiots.

 

[Jameshow]

The speed limit is 60mph on single carriage way roads.

That is the limit which means it isn't the speed to can do at all times. If you drive without regard to local topography, weather conditions or hazards you might well end up in a bush, or worse still in a police cell. Dangerous driving basically.

That would mean that roads like the A66, A65, or Atlantic highway in Devon would be a chore to drive on at 30mph.

 

[mjr]

I think there are more effective things we could do to improve safety overall. Is speeding on "single carriageways usually found in rural areas" a particularly high priority problem? Would imposing a blanket 30 limit actually address this problem?

Yes, rural unlined single carriageways are frequently used by the NCN and National Byway, but are disproportionately deadly and injurious relative to much busier urban routes.

I've long called for the national speed limit to drop to 40 on unlined rural roads, so yes, I feel 30 would also work!

 

[mjr]

- to say he would be late due to a herd of geese that were blocking the motorway
Personally I laughed and shrugged
but his manager was horrified about his lack of professionalism

what exactly he was supposed to do about it puzzled me rather!

Get out and use his company credit card to pay the geese to move?

 

[mjr]

In Ireland, all minor roads have been reduced to a 60km/hr limit.

I support it in theory but it has made no difference to anything as far as I can see. I've never seen a speed check on any of these roads. The people who drove safely before still drive safely, whereas the dangerous idiots are still dangerous idiots.

When did it happen? Have some casualty stats for after the change been released yet?

Generally, Ireland has about as poor a driving culture as the UK.

 

[Regular.Cyclist]

Speed limits don’t matter to those who disregard the law.

Exactly. I was driving into work today at 60mph on a straight section of the A75. A car overtook me and passed like I was standing still.

Parts of the A75 currently have a 60mph speed limit expect for vehicles over 7.5tonnes. They have a 40mph limit. This can cause issues, and accidents, but very few of the heavier vehicles actually stick to 40.

 

[NorthernSky]

signed. if it goes through people might, just might slow to about 50 mph so i'm all for it

 

[Happy_Days]

I’d prefer it if the syllabus for learning to drive included Limit Point Analysis for cornering, as well as 3-stage overtaking. The latter technique would make it infinitely safer for cyclists.

It would also be helpful if more emphasis were placed on always being able to stop undramatically in the distance you can see to be clear (matching speed with available vision and grip).

Sadly, I doubt the DVSA would ever do much to improve the syllabus for learning to drive.

 

[Electric_Andy]

Sadly, I doubt the DVSA would ever do much to improve the syllabus for learning to drive anything ever

 

[tyred]

When did it happen? Have some casualty stats for after the change been released yet?

Generally, Ireland has about as poor a driving culture as the UK.

It happened last February. It was part of a bigger plan and speed limits in urban areas were supposed to be reduced to 30 Km/hr and 80 on National Secondary roads but they seemed to have had cold feet about those changes.

Overall road deaths increased last year from the previous year, no idea if there was a decrease on the roads that had speed limit reductions.

I'd say the average driver is much more respectful around cyclists these days than were twenty years ago when I started cycling again as an adult, but there remains a small group of hardcore muppets who think the rules don't apply to them. They will get away with it due to a lack of policing and courts that don't bother to punish dangerous drivers.