speed limits

scheming_gypsy

Horseunderwater wrote: »

Drivers should regularly be retested every few years on their handling a vehicle skills and update their theory of current regulations. .

We don't need to be retested every few years but taught how to drive properly the first time round and none of this 'push, pull, push pull' and holding the steering wheel at 10 to 2 as people don't drive like that.
It's like learning a foreign language at school, you pass your test and thing you know how to do it; but when you get into the real world you find out that you haven't been taught properly.
How many people get into their own car and check their mirrors? how many reverse around corners like they were taught? and do any Germans start every sentence with 'excuse me please'?

'Driving while eating a Big Mac' needs to be part of the test to raise awareness and concentration.

and why do they use small cars? congratulations, you've just passed your test in a Smart car now here's the keys to your Ford Mondeo and try not to crash it because nobody has taught you to drive anything bigger than an angry turtle.

cyclonebri1

We have a family friend who's an ex police woman and now a driving instructor.
Her gripe with learners, and she admits that she has not found anyway of teaching the answer, is that they have no grasp or undersdtanding of approaching or closing vehicle speeds.
They simply can't judge it, scary or what??:eek::eek:

SHIPSHAPE

scheming_gypsy wrote: »

and why do they use small cars? congratulations, you've just passed your test in a Smart car now here's the keys to your Ford Mondeo and try not to crash it because nobody has taught you to drive anything bigger than an angry turtle.

Actually, a Mondeo to me handles just like a small car, excellent car to drive.

I always used to have a small car, Corsa, Micra, Astra etc but I honestly didn't feel the need to adjust my driving in any way although, obviously, one would need to account, for example, a larger area between two parked cars if there is a space vacant.

Strider590

Stick to the limit and stay out the way of anyone trying to break it, it's not rocket science.

I don't do many motorway journey's now, but I stick to the limits and rarely (is ever) find anyone tailgating me.
Sometimes i'll get a tailgater when im stuck behind a slower driver, because I tend to sit far enough back to look for overtaking spots, thus the driver behind thinks im slow too.

Speeding drivers don't normally become a problem, until they meet a stubborn slower driver trying to act like a plastic Policeman or rolling road block.

cyclonebri1

scheming_gypsy wrote: »

and why do they use small cars? congratulations, you've just passed your test in a Smart car now here's the keys to your Ford Mondeo and try not to crash it because nobody has taught you to drive anything bigger than an angry turtle.

Because most of the little darlings, bless 'em, wouldn't be able to see over the steering wheel of a decent sized car;)

To be honest it's a valid point, there are too many new drivers that believe that they can only drive the same sized car, and sometimes only the same make and model, wierd?

Larger learner cars should be encouraged as I'm sure it would breed more confident new drivers.

Bongles

Horseunderwater wrote: »

I recently got overtaken on a blind bend with solid double white lines. And I had to almost do an emmergency stop as there was another car coming in oncoming lane, just so idiot could not kill me or my passengers.

That sounds alarming and dangerous. I'm glad you, your passengers and everyone in the oncoming car didn't come to any harm...

Horseunderwater wrote: »

That is what speeding does.

... but I don't understand why you would describe the overtaking driver's fault as 'speeding'.

Of course, if he hadn't wanted to go faster than you he wouldn't have overtaken at all. But given that he did want to go faster, he had the choice of waiting patiently for a safe opportunity or taking a dangerous opportunity, and he chose the latter. If the outcome had been worse and the overtaker had been prosecuted for something, the offence would not have been 'speeding', it would have been something much more serious.

scheming_gypsy

SHIPSHAPE wrote: »

Actually, a Mondeo to me handles just like a small car, excellent car to drive.

.

it may handle like one but it's a longer car so turning, reversing etc will all be a lot more difficult if you're not used to it.

scheming_gypsy

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

Because most of the little darlings, bless 'em, wouldn't be able to see over the steering wheel of a decent sized car;)

To be honest it's a valid point, there are too many new drivers that believe that they can only drive the same sized car, and sometimes only the same make and model, wierd?

Larger learner cars should be encouraged as I'm sure it would breed more confident new drivers.

i remember when i passed; i learnt and passed in a 1.1 Metro and then had to drive a 1.6 Cavalier.

Hammyman

Horseunderwater wrote: »

Take it from one who has been bus driving for many many years now, I have seen so many crashes, because people choose to ignore speed limits and to leave a safe gap of at least 2 seconds time between them and vehicle in front. We have one stretch of Road in my Area A11 which is still on single carriageway and although it is about to be dualled, this will not start until 2012 at earliest. This has been waiting for approval and finance since 25 years ago. You should see what some drivers do, just to get past my bus and I am doing the right limit for the road 50mph for a bus, but they wish to go at 80-90 mph - I kid you not. The road has a very poor surface full of pot holes and undulates with twists and turns and I recently got overtaken on a blind bend with solid double white lines. And I had to almost do an emmergency stop as there was another car coming in oncoming lane, just so idiot could not kill me or my passengers. That is what speeding does. I

Absolutely none of the above had anything to do with speeding however the public have been brainwashed to think they do. The tailgaters would have had a crash even at the speed limit or lower because they were too close to stop. The person passing you could have still had a head on collision on the blind bend if they were doing the speed limit or lower. None of them had speed as the cause. All of them had bad driving as it though.

Hammyman

Strider590 wrote: »

Stick to the limit and stay out the way of anyone trying to break it, it's not rocket science.

Oh dear. Someone who has bought the governments "Speed Kills" rubbish, hook line and sinker. "As long as you drive at the speed limit, you'll be OK".

Well around here sticking to the limit will get you killed on most of the countys roads. Lots and lots of narrow or single track country lanes with blind corners, hairpin bends.