[Travel] Potential Speeding Ban

[Zeberdi]

I'm saying that it's very easy to exceed a low limit, by a few mph, whilst driving safely and competently, yet still technically breaking the Law.
I'd challenge a single person (who doesn't use a limiter), to swear that they never (or even rarely) break the limit by 5 mph.

This is exactly the same argument people that drink and drive use - ie “it’s perfectly possible to drink and still drive safely and competently because I can tolerate my alcohol intake’.

Fact is, speed limits are legally defined for safety reasons - even a small increase over the speed limit (especially in a low speed zone) can impact the severity of collision injuries, if not to you, to other road users.

 

[birthofanorange]

You introduced the walking comparison

Yep, and you still don't know whether you're going a 4 or 5 mph....unless your body tells you.
Does your vehicle 'feel' like it's going 5 mph more than you think? Do you constantly check if it is?
You may well say that you do, (and who am I to deny it), but experience tells me that the vast majority don't worry about it - as I don't - and would far rather concentrate elsewhere...as in the road ahead.
Each to their own, I guess.

 

[Perry's Tracksuit Bottoms]

Simply untrue, sadly. The 5 mph is barely noticeable and easily exceeded, as all experienced drivers know.
To use a walking comparison is also a little disingenous, as there's not really many distractions to worry about, other than a blister.
Yep, easy....very easy to drive in such a way, in clear conditions.
Again, I don't condone speeding, but I will stand by my point that in normal city driving, one simply doesn't have the option of focusing on a very small variable....if one wants to maintain a safe passage for all from A to B.
Are we really arguing over 5 mph?

Given that the speed limit is a maximum, not a target, have you ever considered driving though a 20mph at 15mph? That way, when you accidentally and imperceptibly increase your speed by 5mph you are still within the limit.

 

[birthofanorange]

This is exactly the same argument people that drink and drive use - ie “it’s perfectly possible to drink and still drive safely and competently because I can tolerate my alcohol intake’.

Fact is, speed limits are legally defined for safety reasons - even a small increase over the speed limit (especially in a low speed zone) can impact the severity of collision injuries, if not to you, to other road users.

Not at all the same thing. As I have stated ( and I guarantee that 99.9% have done so), it's very, very easy to allow yourself to go a few mph over a low limit.
Not so with alcohol - you made a conscious decision to drink.
No comparison whatsoever.

 

[birthofanorange]

Given that the speed limit is a maximum, not a target, have you ever considered driving though a 20mph at 15mph? That way, when you accidentally and imperceptibly increase your speed by 5mph you are still within the limit.

Nope. 20mph is plenty slow enough.

 

[Zeberdi]

Not at all the same thing. As I have stated ( and I guarantee that 99.9% have done so), it's very, very easy to allow yourself to go a few mph over a low limit.
Not so with alcohol - you made a conscious decision to drink.
No comparison whatsoever.

You missed the point

Which was both arguments seek to justify breaking the law by saying that one is still safe and competent to drive when doing so.

 

[Weststander]

Yep, and you still don't know whether you're going a 4 or 5 mph....unless your body tells you.
Does your vehicle 'feel' like it's going 5 mph more than you think? Do you constantly check if it is?
You may well say that you do, (and who am I to deny it), but experience tells me that the vast majority don't worry about it - as I don't - and would far rather concentrate elsewhere...as in the road ahead.
Each to their own, I guess.

How did drivers work out how to drive at 30mph in a town, rather than significantly higher than that? Through experience and the occasional glance at the speedometer.

Don’t use a gear higher than third in a manual car (this is covered on speed awareness courses), slow down, become aware of other road users as if on a driving test, don’t think you own the road. 20mph becomes the new norm.

 

[birthofanorange]

You missed the point

Which was both arguments seek to justify breaking the law by saying it one is still safe and competent to drive when doing so.

Do you see them as equivalent? I certainly don't.

 

[Perry's Tracksuit Bottoms]

Nope. 20mph is plenty slow enough.

Yes, but you've already said you are driving at 25

 

[birthofanorange]

How did drivers work out how to drive at 30mph in a town, rather than significantly higher than that? Through experience and the occasional glance at the speedometer.

Don’t use a gear higher than third in a manual car (this is covered on speed awareness courses), slow down, become aware of other road users as if on a driving test, don’t think you own the road. 20mph becomes the new norm.

I'm fully aware of 'the norm', just highlighting how easy it is to unwittingly (in a modern vehicle - no gears) to jump above 20 mph with a simple feathering of the pedal. I'm not suggesting folk should do so deliberately.

 

[birthofanorange]

Yes, but you've already said you are driving at 25

No, I said I have done, and it's easily done, without meaning to. Have you not read the thread?

 

[Blue&WhiteSea]

Jesus wept, just admit you're shit at driving and we can all just go to bed

 

[Perry's Tracksuit Bottoms]

No, I said I have done, and it's easily done, without meaning to. Have you not read the thread?

Yes, and I suggested an easy means of not exceeding 20mph for people that can't drive very well.

 

[Weststander]

I'm fully aware of 'the norm', just highlighting how easy it is to unwittingly (in a modern vehicle - no gears) to jump above 20 mph with a simple feathering of the pedal. I'm not suggesting folk should do so deliberately.

I drive slower than I did, any lower speed is easily achievable in the right gear. After a while 20mph or thereabouts becomes second nature.

 

[birthofanorange]

Yes, and I suggested an easy means of not exceeding 20mph for people that can't drive very well.

I must have missed it - what was it?

 

[birthofanorange]

I drive slower than I did, any lower speed is easily achievable in the right gear. After a while 20mph or thereabouts becomes second nature.

You keep mentioning the 'gear'....why?

 

[Blue&WhiteSea]

You keep mentioning the 'gear'....why?

Because a lot of us CAN multitask and drive manual vehicles!

 

[Zeberdi]

Do you see them as equivalent? I certainly don't.

I see an equivalence in drivers claiming they are driving safely and competently when driving over the speed limit, and those claiming they can still drive safely when over the blood alcohol limits.

Both pose a risk to pedestrians and other road vehicles.

I hear what you are saying and going a few mps over the speed limit when travelling at high speeds might not be noticeable but at low speeds eg 20mp, a 5mp increase is much more noticeable because as you point out, 5mp increases as a percentage of your speed the lower the speed you are going..

Don’t most cars have speed limiters or cruise control now?

Anyway, I bid you goodnight -

 

[birthofanorange]

This has been enlightening, and I shall still spend that extra second or so, throughout my journeys, looking out for little Johnny running out from between the cars 30 yards ahead, than ensuring I never exceed 20mph.
I'll gladly take the points, should I get any.

 

[Weststander]

You keep mentioning the 'gear'....why?

Because that’s specifically covered on speed awareness courses. They explain that urban speeding is in part caused by the old and outdated routine learnt from lessons, of working your way up through the gears. People like rote head to 4th. In a modern car, that invariably means upping the speed over a limit to justify the gear, to prevent juddering. The experts are clear …. drop a gear and slow down.