Is there a fixed 40mph limit on M25 clockwise somewhere around junction from Guildford to junction 2

the_pink_panther_2 · 15 August 2023 at 3:49PM

Am worried and confused. I was driving from roughly Guildford to j17 on M25, looking at the gantry limits, around 5am this morning, all gantry limits were blank. My Google maps was saying that the limit was 40mph, everything else around me seemed to be doing around 70mph, I did slow downto try to get to 40mph, although I though Google maps was probably reflecting an earlier limit, but when I slowed down everything else was now so much faster and accelerating towards me so fast I felt scared that someone would crash into the back of me as I was going so slowly, so I sped back up to maybe 55-57. I was looking really carefully at the gantry cameras but they were all still blank, one showed part of a red ring like they do when there is a limit, but there was no limit inside, so I worried that maybe there was supposed to be a limit displayed, which wasn't showing, I then came to a gantry sign which shows national speed limit sign, with an average speed limit camera there, which I think implies that there had been a limit which wasn't national speed limit somewhere, literally everyone was going a lot faster than me, like there hadn't been a limit lower than 70mph. Am really worried I'm going to get a court summons but I'm so confused because I was looking and saw no speed limits, just the Google maps 40mph notification which I know is wrong sometimes and the national speed limit sign after, I was going significantly slower than any other car and had there been a visible sign I think that others would have been abiding by it and they weren't, I'm just worried. Can anyone confirm if there are other signs of 40mph (there were no visible roadworks either) roughly on that stretch of road as I'm really worried.

fisherjim · 15 August 2023 at 4:02PM

Stop worrying, if there were no speed restrictions showing there were no restrictions in operation, and they do not hide them!

Forget Google Maps, Google is not the authority and that was probably from a reported speed restriction from a member of the public that is wrong.

Just get on with your life.

B789 · 15 August 2023 at 4:10PM

You're overthinking this. Forget what Google maps was showing you. Unless ALL the overhead gantries were showing a restricted speed, then the national limit was in place.

If you ever get a summons, go visit the pepipoo forums where they will assist.

the_pink_panther_2 · 15 August 2023 at 4:17PM

Thank you. What I was worrying about was whether there may have been a speed limit which was somewhere other than in the gantry? I couldn't see roadworks any where but maybe they are different as they don't vary? There wasn't anything in the gantry, if I missed an initial one, there definitely weren't any for the 5-10 mins between Google maps saying it was 40 and the national speed limit sign, I just can't understand why there was a national speed limit sign unless there had been a sign saying otherwise before, but if they are always displayed on each gantry, then there definitely isn't a problem. I'm on holiday and can't stop worrying.

the_pink_panther_2 · 15 August 2023 at 4:17PM

B789 said:

You're overthinking this. Forget what Google maps was showing you. Unless ALL the overhead gantries were showing a restricted speed, then the national limit was in place.

If you ever get a summons, go visit the pepipoo forums where they will assist.

Thank you. Never heard of that but will Google it.

On-the-coast · 15 August 2023 at 9:27PM

I usually drive on the motorways with:
- googlemaps on my main screen via CarPlay
- car auto read speed limits on small display…
- my mark 1 eyeballs looking at the signage.

Mostly all 3 agree, but on a long journey there will be quite a few instances where all three a different!
your eyes take precedence - but with variable limits it can be very hard to be sure what the true limit is (if you miss a single sign hidden by a lorry for example).

I do think you’ll be fine. The purpose of my post was to indicate that google maps speed limits are only correct most of the time. They are a bit more accurate than my car’s sign detectors, but it’s marginal. Occasionally car is right & google is wrong.

Sometimes I’m just confused.., particularly around the m5/m6/m4/m42 junctions near Birmingham. M25 is simple!