Why is speeding socially acceptable?

Norman_Castle

Johno100 wrote: »

Not if it is done deliberately it isn't.

Its an error of judgement.

Norman_Castle

John_G_Jones wrote: »

Motorways are safer than A roads which are safer than B roads. These are facts, wanting the opposite to be true doesn’t make it so.

Motorways are safer per mile driven but accidents are often far worse due to the higher speeds.

onomatopoeia99

Car_54 wrote: »

No, they weren't.

Indeed, I could lock all four wheels at once on my first Hillman Imp, and that had drum brakes all round and no servo. Not that I was driving it in the 1960s as I'm not yet 50 years old, but it was a 1960s design car.

That said, I'd rather stop my Porsche from 100mph than a Morris Minor or Austin A40 on crossplies from 70mph.

janninew

I was interested to read this thread! Just this week I said to my husband I was starting to think my speedometer was broken because I've been overtaken loads when I've been driving at the limit. I was overtaken 3 times on Monday in a 30, I was doing 30/31 and was tailgated then overtaken whilst being beeped at! I drive for a living and never had a speeding ticket yet - touch wood! There are mobile speed cameras constantly moving around my town so I simply won't speed. Sure drivers behind me are cursing me, probably wondering what's going on as I drive a BMW as well!

Was also overtaken this morning in a 20 zone at school drop off time on a busy road with speed bumps. Driver flew off and I heard the ominous scratching sound as he went over the bumps to fast, he didn't achieve much as I caught up to him when we reached the end of the road as it's a busy junction.

CardinalWolsey

Norman_Castle wrote: »

Speeding isn't necessary.

What makes that a somewhat nonsensical statement is the rather arbitrary way in which many speed limits are defined. What makes one speed limit right and another wrong? Why is it OK to drive on an autoroute in France at 130kmh in the dry, but not on a motorway in the UK? Why is there a single track lane near me that is a 60mph limit (but you'd be mad attempting it over 30mph), yet all the major trunk roads around me have been reduced from 60mph to 50mph, and in some places 40. Why is there still a section of road just around the corner that is 20mph, set when there was a school and now there isn't...

Why is it socially acceptable that on a clear road without traffic or other issues, the mandated time it takes to drive from A to B in 2019 is slower than it was 25 years ago, with all of the advances in technology that we have?

fred246

What advances do pedestrians and cyclists have? Motorists are so selfish. No thought about other road users.

NBLondon

Jackmydad wrote: »

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Squire#Ford_Escort
There was an earlier vehicle with the same name,

You and EssexExile are both correct in identifying a 1950s bearer of the name - which was dropped in 1959 - so a 1966 car would still have to be an Anglia 105E - *reclaims the nerd points*

I drive the A2/M2 once or twice a month and I agree with Cornucopia - it doesn't seem to be very visibly policed. The London end is urban dual carriageway with a 50mph limit and speed cameras; I have tried driving down there with cruise control set at 49/50/51 but I usually have to override as many drivers prefer to drive at 65 between the cameras and then brake down to 43 to pass them. It changes to NSL as you cross into Kent and you have the mix of drivers who accelerate to 58 and a half and others who aim for 80 - then it all bunches up again as you cross the M25 and pass Bluewater. I wonder if it could be made smarter by introducing variable limits to adjust to the volume of traffic at different times of day. Which (if the algorithm was set right) addresses the question of inappropriate speed for the conditions rather than a blanket limit.

Mercdriver

NBLondon wrote: »

You and EssexExile are both correct in identifying a 1950s bearer of the name - which was dropped in 1959 - so a 1966 car would still have to be an Anglia 105E - *reclaims the nerd points*

I drive the A2/M2 once or twice a month and I agree with Cornucopia - it doesn't seem to be very visibly policed. The London end is urban dual carriageway with a 50mph limit and speed cameras; I have tried driving down there with cruise control set at 49/50/51 but I usually have to override as many drivers prefer to drive at 65 between the cameras and then brake down to 43 to pass them. It changes to NSL as you cross into Kent and you have the mix of drivers who accelerate to 58 and a half and others who aim for 80 - then it all bunches up again as you cross the M25 and pass Bluewater. I wonder if it could be made smarter by introducing variable limits to adjust to the volume of traffic at different times of day. Which (if the algorithm was set right) addresses the question of inappropriate speed for the conditions rather than a blanket limit.

Didn't the A2 change to Average speed cameras some time ago? So they will be getting caught in any case as long as the cameras are actually functional?

Ganga

CardinalWolsey wrote: »

What makes that a somewhat nonsensical statement is the rather arbitrary way in which many speed limits are defined. What makes one speed limit right and another wrong? Why is it OK to drive on an autoroute in France at 130kmh in the dry, but not on a motorway in the UK? Why is there a single track lane near me that is a 60mph limit (but you'd be mad attempting it over 30mph), yet all the major trunk roads around me have been reduced from 60mph to 50mph, and in some places 40. Why is there still a section of road just around the corner that is 20mph, set when there was a school and now there isn't...

Why is it socially acceptable that on a clear road without traffic or other issues, the mandated time it takes to drive from A to B in 2019 is slower than it was 25 years ago, with all of the advances in technology that we have?

Could it not be because of the increase in traffic on the roads in the last 25 years?

Exemplar

Speeding is against the law, simples. It's a limit, not a starting point.

If we don't like the law we lobby our MP's or Government to change it (unless it's Brexit which means the remainers will keep on insisting on another vote until they get their way).