No more 10%

stuartC

stuartC

Senior member
 Cyberspace
If you believe the Mirror, the usual 10% grace over the speed limit is about to disappear.

This will just make drivers spend even more time looking at their speedo, and less time looking at the road. Only yesterday I encountered a driver coming the opposite way in a 30-zone, who was looking down at the dashboard more than the road. Well done, r-e-a-l-l-y safe driving, not.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/police-crack-down-speeders-who-6166737
 
The 10% grace seems to be dependent on who's enforcing the limit, anyway.

But I believe there's a de facto 10% grace caused by the fact that most speedos are 10% fast. That in turn is because manufacturers could be liable for under-reporting but not over-reporting.
 
Although this is the sort of 'zero tolerance' I was expecting when they suggested putting the motorway limit up to 80mph. The average speeds wouldn't have changed as instead of everyone being worried about breaking the 10%+2mph ACPO guidelines (so 79mph carefree speed), you'd have an 80mph limit with no leeway, so almost the same 79mph carefree speed.

'If' this comes about, maybe a 'go slow' protest would be worthwhile - after all if they're saying 71mph on the motorways is deadly dangerous, then 20mph must be perfectly safe :roll:

Even the road safety charities state that 'speed' alone is the major cause of only about 3% of accidents, yet we don't seem to be seeing the same crackdown on tailgating, middle-lane hogging (despite all the publicity this has been given), distracted drivers (phones, radions, sat-navs, kids in the back seats, etc.), or inattentive pedestrians/cyclists.
 
walker1c said:
The 10% grace seems to be dependent on who's enforcing the limit, anyway.

But I believe there's a de facto 10% grace caused by the fact that most speedos are 10% fast. That in turn is because manufacturers could be liable for under-reporting but not over-reporting.
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The speedo grace would make you drive slower, not faster.

There's no upside to it as you'd be showing 70mph on the clock and potentially only driving at 63mph - you'd have to have 77mph on the speedo to be driving at the genuine 70mph - but then you'd never be sure whether you were doing 69mph, 70mph or 71mph.
 
Has been for a while I got caught doing 63 in a 60. Didn't even think I would have been done. That was 25th may 2014, got a speed awareness corse.
 
Oh sh*t . . . . might as well buy a Freelander 2 auto, two collapsible chairs, a tartan blanket and bimble about all over Northumberland looking over the hedges . . . . . :( :thumbsdown:
 
It's basically saying our driving has much improved in recent years and this is now the only way we can screw the money out of you.
 
paulgs1000 said:
Oh sh*t . . . . might as well buy a Freelander 2 auto, two collapsible chairs, a tartan blanket and bimble about all over Northumberland looking over the hedges . . . . . :( :thumbsdown:
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You could start new thread then "Freelanders at the Petrol Station". :)
 
mmm-five said:
The speedo grace would make you drive slower, not faster.

There's no upside to it as you'd be showing 70mph on the clock and potentially only driving at 63mph - you'd have to have 77mph on the speedo to be driving at the genuine 70mph - but then you'd never be sure whether you were doing 69mph, 70mph or 71mph.
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Which is precisely my point. If the speedo is 10% fast, you can drive at an indicated 77mph in a 70mph limit and expect to be legal.
 
walker1c said:
Which is precisely my point. If the speedo is 10% fast, you can drive at an indicated 77mph in a 70mph limit and expect to be legal.
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But it's UP TO 10% - so how do you know whether your speedo is 1% or 10% out?

If there's no tolerance on prosecution thresholds, and you don't know how far out your speedo is (which will change as tyres wear, heat up, cool down), then would you still feel safe from prosecution showing 77mph on the speedo?
 
Then they will say that 70 is not a target and you should be well within the limit (yeah, right ....)
 
John002 said:
It's basically saying our driving has much improved in recent years and this is now the only way we can screw the money out of you.
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exactly this. they arent making money anymore and motorists are easy money
 
walker1c said:
mmm-five said:
The speedo grace would make you drive slower, not faster.

There's no upside to it as you'd be showing 70mph on the clock and potentially only driving at 63mph - you'd have to have 77mph on the speedo to be driving at the genuine 70mph - but then you'd never be sure whether you were doing 69mph, 70mph or 71mph.
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Which is precisely my point. If the speedo is 10% fast, you can drive at an indicated 77mph in a 70mph limit and expect to be legal.
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Then expect to be in for fines if you cruise along assuming you have 10% grace in the speedp reading. Back in the good old day of cable speedos they were allowed to be 10% out. Invariably manufactures made cars read high as it looked like they were performing better and of course erred on the side of caution.

Nowdays although the tolerance is still there they are pretty much spot on most with digital outputs too.
I've checked several of my recent cars and can barely find 1mph out using GPS on flat straight roads. Even timing mileposts on the empty M40 yields spot on figures.
 
How long before active speed limiters are standard on new cars.
The new type r has speed sign/limit recognition and also a feature which will reduce power to engine until within limits - thankfully you can turn it off, but how long until it becomes mandatory on new cars - scary thought
 
Sae said:
How long before active speed limiters are standard on new cars.
The new type r has speed sign/limit recognition and also a feature which will reduce power to engine until within limits - thankfully you can turn it off, but how long until it becomes mandatory on new cars - scary thought
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+1 that, combined with the current trend towards smaller engines with turbos and fwd from all including Bee-em, there's even more reason to cherish & look after our uninhibited, rwd, straight sixes -- I think we should put them on the endangered species list... :(
 
Sae said:
How long before active speed limiters are standard on new cars.
The new type r has speed sign/limit recognition and also a feature which will reduce power to engine until within limits - thankfully you can turn it off, but how long until it becomes mandatory on new cars - scary thought
Click to expand...


This whole thread is thoroughly depressing, life's pleasures are being eroded away by a Nanny state that would set guidelines on how to cut your toe nails if it could.

Maybe we should all enjoy this 'golden era' of unrestricted driving :driving:
 
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