There is currently a thread here in the Back Room, asking for advice from someone who has accumulated 12 points and is anxious to avoid a ban.
On the basis that we are all responsible citizens a) what do Backroomers think should be the punishment for speeding and b) what should the current speed limits be anyway?
It is noteworthy that in all the European countries that I have driven through, the urban speed limit has mostly been 30 mph, or its kph equivalent, so there does seem a consensus view on that one.
My own views, for what they are worth would be to avoid giving the impression that speeding fines are a tax on speed and use more constructive methods, such as driving awareness courses, or make the guilty driver take an extended test and only resort to bans when the message is obviously being ignored.
As for speed limits, leave them as they are except for motorways, which should be 80 mph day and night except on unlit sections at night or in poor visibility (similar to in France).
Over to all you BR's .............
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Motorways - leave it as it is, if you raise it to 80mph you will get idiots in their Corsas trying to do 90mph and even the engine can handle it the brakes and other bits certainly can't!
Speed limit enforcement - Should be heavy fines, 2 points if court slightly over, 3-12 if speeding massively. Roads should also have more repeater signs warning drivers of limits. Making people do driving tests after caught speeding is not practical, the DSA is far too busy as it is.
Urban limits should be 20-30mph depending on the circumstances but at the moment it is a confusing mess of 20 and 30 limits.
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theres too many cars on the roads these days
i suggest you all go live on the continent so i can go back to enjoying a nice little sunday jaunt ;-)
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idiots in their Corsas trying to do 90mph
Are you seriously trying to tell us yr Corsa won't show a nine, Rattle?
It's obviously ailing. Back to ted with it and a wedge for parts and bribes, before it dies on you.
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I wouldn't even want to try it on a public road especialy with that electronic power steering (lovely in the city but feels like you're driving on ice at higher speeds) the fastest I have got it up to is 70mph on the speedo so that is probably about 65.
The official top speed of my car is 102mph according to GM and that is quite a scary prospect, people on the Corsa site reckon they have got them upto 115mph on the speedo - it is amazing how many young Corsa owners seem to have access to private land!!
My point was it is one thing a Mondeo 2.0 doing 90mph on an empty M181 (try it and you will be banned - lots of speed cameras down there) but if it was raised to 80mph there is a lot of older cars with small engines which would have a major problem keeping up. As the credit crunch continues 3 pot engines will become more popular and cars will get even slower.
So lets keep the 70mph as it is, 80mph will just encourage 90mph madness.
I am against speeding but I do think the current 3 point thing is a bit unfair, there is one thing caught doing 34mph in a 30 it is a nother being caught doing 40mph yet they are both the same fine and points.
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Lud, You're a man after my own heart......I sit here in anticipation, Corsa engine ready to be ordered and cash register gaping open with desire....if only !
Ted
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102mph
When I was your age young man... oh, never mind.
Positively oriental, the inscrutability of today's youth.
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Ah...the happy highways where we went, and cannot come again. ( housman )
Ted
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So lets keep the 70mph as it is 80mph will just encourage 90mph madness.
Nothing inherently mad about 90mph. Its only madness when people don't keep the right distances from the vehicle ahead! Or are on the phone.
I'd love to see a major blitz on tailgating and phone use instead of all this obsession on speed.
Edited by Marlot on 18/05/2009 at 09:04
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>>I'd love to see a major blitz on tailgating
Speed means you need to understand vehicle control.
Should we have driver training options (but without the tactics involved) as the police?
I did the police advanced course 1984. Taking the basic driving tests, theory or practical then the RoSPA, I.A.M or similar driving tuition and tests is a walk in park compared.
Even today, 70mph is too fast on motorways for most people to be able to understand just how fast they are going. They do not comprehend the damage that will happen to them or others when they loose, and the vehicle they were driving, takes control.
The most common type of aggressive drivers, speeders & tailgaters I see filling the rear view are younger females drivers.
These are usually 'piloting' a Corsa type and sized vehicle.
I say piloting because they seem to have no comprehension of what watching your air space means.
Had one yesterday and 4up on the A1M. That aggressive it went for the undertake too.
By undertaking she caused that driver to close in on the vehicle in front and at 70mph to with a few metres. If it had of gone wrong then, I doubt those three vehicles would not have had fatals within them.
Is there far too much testosterone in the water or something?
Edited by Tron on 18/05/2009 at 10:05
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Corsas trying to do 90mph and even the engine can handle it the brakes and other bits certainly can't!
I don't normally use my brakes on the motorway - if you do, you're driving too close!
We used to do these outrageous speeds [and a lot more] in minis on 10" wheels and brakes which I'm sure were a lot worse!
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I think the best punishment for anyone caught speeding, tailgating, driving without due care or using a mobile in a residential area is that they have to become a school crossing patrolfor 3 weeks.
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If the authorities really want us to believe that speeding fines are not a source of revenue then they should scrap them, then we would be convinced. To be honest, for the infrastrucure and admin that is involved in buying and operating the scameras, getting £60 off a motorist and putting 3 points on their licence I can't see how the system makes any money at all. Hoever, I hope nobody in Government can manage to spare the time from manipulating their expenses to come here and get the ideal of making speeding fines £200+!
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Id certainly like to see tailgating become a more serious offense than speeding itself, as speeding can be safe, tailgating isnt ever. 5 year ban springs to mind - the reason we have so many poor drivers is that they get a slap on the wrist and walk away to do the same thing again.
I think that if you had a syatem with maybe 20 points on a license, but if you reach 20, it is a mandatory 2 years in prison, that would focus the mind. There seem so many more cars on the roads than even when I started driving 12 years ago, it makes speeding so much less much less relevant to your arrival time.
Punishments for breaking the law need to be enough to persuade people not to want to.
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I have a system for tail gaiters it does stop them but it is probably bad driving. If somebody is really really on my tail (I mean less than 2 metres) I will slow down by 5mph below the speed limit. After a mile or so they suddenly work out I have slowed down because of them and drop back. My argument for doing is if is they are going to into the back of me I would rather them be doing 25mph than 30mph. The forces even a 5mph difference can make can be quite big.
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I think the big issue here is a lack of understanding. I am currently just a city driver and want to get very good at that then I intend to take some sort of advanced lessons (though not the IAM) for the country roads and motorways. At the moment if my car lost control at 60mph I wouldn't know how to correct it, I like to think I could control a skid but again I've never had the experience of doing so.
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I think that a lot of tailgating starts with people keeping the same distance behind the car ahead as they do in the city. Remember the 2-second rule on the motorway and you'll be off to a good start!
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