A road speed limit to be cut to 50mph [UK]
- Thread starter Wondermike
- Start date
I'm just wondering how much it will cost to put average speed cameras on hundreds of country roads, I assume they think enough of us will be caught to make the cost outlay viable. It's a pity they don't spend their time and (our) money on catching the million or so driving about with no tax, insurance or MOT.
Could be a good time to buy a set of invisible number plates
Could be a good time to buy a set of invisible number plates
I wonder what real research the government has done that has proven that their intended law will cut down on accidents and save lives. Did they do pilot studies on certain roadways?
I feel frustrated, and I'm nowhere near the UK. :x
I feel frustrated, and I'm nowhere near the UK. :x
Me too 
Liverpool
I've signed it, however I wish the petition was worded better.
The way it's written now, it says that the government is cutting ALL NSLs to 50mph, when it's only the single-carriageway A/B/C roads (i.e. the ones that currently have a 60mph limit).
If the response is anything like their normal response, they'll simply ignore the main point of the petition and say that they're not planning on cutting the 70mph NSL - and they'll leave it hanging like that, with no actual response on the the issue of reducing the 60mph NSL to 50mph.
The way it's written now, it says that the government is cutting ALL NSLs to 50mph, when it's only the single-carriageway A/B/C roads (i.e. the ones that currently have a 60mph limit).
If the response is anything like their normal response, they'll simply ignore the main point of the petition and say that they're not planning on cutting the 70mph NSL - and they'll leave it hanging like that, with no actual response on the the issue of reducing the 60mph NSL to 50mph.
Let's face it, these petitions are just there to give the appearance that they give a s**t about what the voters think... They will be out of office by the time this kicks in anyway, although I don't see the opposition parties shouting that they would reverse the decision.
Don't know if anyone saw horizon on Tuesday but apparently in 2007 more people (over 3000) died from falling than did on the roads. I'd like to see a split of road deaths to see which are related to speed / drinking etc. My guess is not that many die due to people driving fast each year.
ClareS, you are spot on, very few deaths and serious injuries are from speeding. It is bad driving causing accidents. Death and serious injury numbers will fall anyway as more and more folk drive more modern cars with airbags and crumple zones.This gets better year on year, so the govt can spout safer roads stats and claim it as a victory against the speeders. My local Scamera partnership used to use a year of particular bad accident stats ( an M1 pile up) to compare their following years reductions, but if they'd used any surrounding years, they'd have reduced the death toll by sod all. As always , spinning like mad to justify an agenda............... 
gannet said:And the IAM's response for anyone who's interested
"Rural road speed limits should be "linked to risk" says IAM
Government plans for a blanket 50mph speed limit will not command respect unless drivers can see a clear link to crash risk, said the IAM (Institute of Advanced Motorists) because there are places where it makes no sense to reduce the limit.
Deaths and serious injury on the UK's rural roads are the top road safety issue facing authorities and road users over the next ten years.
Research by the IAM and EuroRAP (European Road Assessment Programme) in 2007 showed that rural roads can be star-rated for safety and appropriate speed limits applied at the worst locations. Those roads with bends and twists, solid objects right next to the roads side, hidden junctions and poor overtaking opportunities should be the prime candidates for a wholesale review of speed limits.
"A detailed review which assesses every mile of rural road is needed - not a simple application of an arbitrary new speed limit that conveys no obvious message to the driver," said Neil Greig director IAM Policy and Research. "Even at 50mph many rural roads can be lethal."
There is no single simple answer to the problem of rural road deaths, added Greig. "A joint programme of road improvements, campaigns to raise risk awareness, more enforcement, encouragement to take extra training and including rural roads in the new driving test will ultimately deliver results.""
Quite surprised at the IAM showing a bit of sense over this one. I'm doing my IAM stuff at the moment and am aware they're very much against ANY exceeding of the speed limit, so it's good to see their official stance is againt a blanket 50mph limit given their close relationship with the government.
a11y said:gannet said:And the IAM's response for anyone who's interested
"Rural road speed limits should be "linked to risk" says IAM"
Quite surprised at the IAM showing a bit of sense over this one. I'm doing my IAM stuff at the moment and am aware they're very much against ANY exceeding of the speed limit, so it's good to see their official stance is againt a blanket 50mph limit given their close relationship with the government.
Having been a member of the IAM for about 15 years (and currently an observer)... it isn't that they are against speeding per se - just that they cannot be seen to condone it. Depends on the examiner but the odd breach probably won't get you a fail, consistently so would. Most important part is maintain maximum progress wherever appropriate and safe
How you getting on with it a11y?
Is it me or does there seem to be a rebellious attitude from drivers at the moment? Yesterday in he space of 10 miles i could easily have been involved in 3 potentially serious accidents due to drivers going through red lights, and overtaking on double white lines. Then i was going down a B road with no road markings keeping to the left, but a van coming towards me was slap bang in the middle of the road with a head on collision becoming highly possible until he left it to almost the last minute to pull left.
With this, and the cuts in speed limits i am starting to find driving in this country increasingly unenjoyable!
With this, and the cuts in speed limits i am starting to find driving in this country increasingly unenjoyable!
Yep, that's how I should have quoted itgannet said:
- given that the IAM is a well-respected body, it can't be seen to encourage anything like that. Think i'm right in saying that's why the government might actually listen to the IAM on this subject, or at least I hope!I've got my first drive with an observer this Sunday - I got the package for my 30th in Dec but observers are very much in demand. I've been to the local group's monthly meetings/talks and they've been pretty good, next one tomorrow night. But I'm looking forward to getting on with the actual practical part of the driving. The way I see it, doing anything to make me a safer driver is worthwhile.
Good to hear there's other IAM folk out there driving "fun" cars
a11y said:Yep, that's how I should have quoted itgannet said:
Lets hope so
a11y said:
That's the right attitude to start with
Good luck for Sunday - and remember to give your normal drive otherwise advice you will get may not be accurate. You will be amazed how many people try to drive how they *think* we want them to 
us observers can spot that though a11y said:Good to hear there's other IAM folk out there driving "fun" cars
Certainly are
Others in my local group have Caterham's, westfields and the odd Boxter
The reason for the marked drop in driving standards is the fact that traffic patrols have been reduced by 90% and have been replaced by revenue generation devices which are supposed to make us all drive more safely, when in fact all the do is make people drive slower in some places and actually slam on when the see the camera but have no clue what the speed limit is.
These cameras have nothing to do with safety and do not reduce the amount of accidents/deaths/injuries in any meaningful way - if anything they just move the accident out of one area and into another.
The way the figures are collected mean you can't exactly relate one year's figures to another, and if you point out a rise at one site, the SCPs simply state it is a non-significant statistical 'blip'. However if you point out a small drop at one site the SCP will claim the credit goes to the camera which justifies their existence.
The amount of people driving in the middle and outside lanes with the inner lanes empty for miles is growing every day, and I now wait for 2-3 miles before undertaking these morons. I've even sat behind someone (at a safe distance) and gone from one lane to another with my indicator on for over 10 miles while they've just sat on the the outside lane.
I've even seen a RangeRover use the hard shoulder to overtake after getting fed up of being behind a long queue trying to get past a car that is scared to pass a truck, thus making everyone in every lane use the outside lane to overtake at about 60mph.
These cameras have nothing to do with safety and do not reduce the amount of accidents/deaths/injuries in any meaningful way - if anything they just move the accident out of one area and into another.
The way the figures are collected mean you can't exactly relate one year's figures to another, and if you point out a rise at one site, the SCPs simply state it is a non-significant statistical 'blip'. However if you point out a small drop at one site the SCP will claim the credit goes to the camera which justifies their existence.
The amount of people driving in the middle and outside lanes with the inner lanes empty for miles is growing every day, and I now wait for 2-3 miles before undertaking these morons. I've even sat behind someone (at a safe distance) and gone from one lane to another with my indicator on for over 10 miles while they've just sat on the the outside lane.
I've even seen a RangeRover use the hard shoulder to overtake after getting fed up of being behind a long queue trying to get past a car that is scared to pass a truck, thus making everyone in every lane use the outside lane to overtake at about 60mph.