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I don't understand why motorway speed limits need to be increased beyond 80mph, Steve. People are showing their inherent incapability to drive normally on ordinary roads and I'm sure you've noticed like I have how standards are deteriorating. Would you trust motorists to control their speed in a responsible manner and allow a greater breaking distance when they really just want to get to their destination quicker and couldn't giv e a stuff about other road users?

Speeding controls are here to protect all of us.

Steve Hunt wrote:

Zambo wrote:

Steve Hunt wrote:

Zambo wrote: Personally I'm not bothered if they are cash cows or not, but the motorist has the power to make them a complete failure in that respect.

Zambo - serious question.

Do you ever stray above 30 mph in a 30 limit?

Yep, I'll look down and see I'm doing 33 and ease back. However, if I got done say doing 34 in a 30, my fault.

A few years back I was doing some delivery work for the local hospice and I was late. I was going along, fields on one side houses on the other. Hadn't noticed any speed signs and I was doing around 40. Got done, it was a 30 mph zone. Got the paperwork with video evidence, and there looming large in the foreground was a school sign. Made me think, made me stick to the speed limit in future.

I would suggest that 75% of motorists break the speed limit every day, Zambo - probably even more.

I would further suggest that it is not speed that kills, it is inappropriate speed that kills. The speed limits were set at a time when cars had drum brakes. The stopping distances you and I learn't for our driving tests are now totally inaccurate since the advent of disc brakes.

By all means reduce speed to 15 mph outside a school etc. I have no problem with that at all.

But many speed limits are now totally inadequate for today's vehicles. A motorway should be at least 80 mph. But of course the government will never increase them. Why, because they generate far too much money.

Whether it's speed or inappropriate speed, it's still speed that kills. As for kids, they are not just out and about near schools, and if you hit one at 20 then they have a lot more chance of surviving than if hit between 30-40. I also don't agree that you need to lift the speed limit. If you want to get somewhere quicker then get your arse out of bed a bit earlier.

the problem is in defining "appropriate"
if you are leaving individuals to make that judge men, God help us.

Hillman avenger wrote:the problem is in defining "appropriate"
if you are leaving individuals to make that judge men, God help us.

Yes, individuals can Never be allowed to make judgements - All Hail the State !!!

Zambo wrote:

Steve Hunt wrote:

Zambo wrote: Personally I'm not bothered if they are cash cows or not, but the motorist has the power to make them a complete failure in that respect.

Zambo - serious question.

Do you ever stray above 30 mph in a 30 limit?

Yep, I'll look down and see I'm doing 33 and ease back. However, if I got done say doing 34 in a 30, my fault.

A few years back I was doing some delivery work for the local hospice and I was late. I was going along, fields on one side houses on the other. Hadn't noticed any speed signs and I was doing around 40. Got done, it was a 30 mph zone. Got the paperwork with video evidence, and there looming large in the foreground was a school sign. Made me think, made me stick to the speed limit in future.

How can you live with yourself ?
Actually, I once accidentally dropped a toffee wrapper somewhere on Salisbury Plain. When I realised I went back and searched for three days until I found it and put it in a bin when I got back to Sennybridge. I've never stopped feeling guilty though and I know that if I'd been caught I fully deserved the death penalty .

Royal24s wrote:

Zambo wrote:

Steve Hunt wrote:

Zambo wrote: Personally I'm not bothered if they are cash cows or not, but the motorist has the power to make them a complete failure in that respect.

Zambo - serious question.

Do you ever stray above 30 mph in a 30 limit?

Yep, I'll look down and see I'm doing 33 and ease back. However, if I got done say doing 34 in a 30, my fault.

A few years back I was doing some delivery work for the local hospice and I was late. I was going along, fields on one side houses on the other. Hadn't noticed any speed signs and I was doing around 40. Got done, it was a 30 mph zone. Got the paperwork with video evidence, and there looming large in the foreground was a school sign. Made me think, made me stick to the speed limit in future.

How can you live with yourself ?
Actually, I once accidentally dropped a toffee wrapper somewhere on Salisbury Plain. When I realised I went back and searched for three days until I found it and put it in a bin when I got back to Sennybridge. I've never stopped feeling guilty though and I know that if I'd been caught I fully deserved the death penalty .

I believe in living within the laws, and usually don't whine about them if I don't like them, that is unless they are too weak imo, and if I saw you drop a toffee paper, I'd probably kick your fucking arse if you refused to pick it up.

I'm a firm believer that laws should be applied and enforced wherever possible, with assistance from the public where appropriate.

In the main, this countries criminal justice system is a joke, and that includes for motorists who put the lives of the public in danger.

I would really like for the Police to pull over those drivers on dual carriageways and motorways who are doing less than 56 Mph whatever lane they are in. And ask them why they are failing to make normal progress. Drivers Poodling along at Dadspeed 45/50 mph, or even less create bad problems and dangerous situations for lorry drivers, because you will come up on top of them quite fast and then you have to either slam on the brakes or try to swerve out into a much faster traffic stream, either of which is dangerous

Zambo wrote:

Royal24s wrote:

Zambo wrote:

Steve Hunt wrote:

Zambo wrote: Personally I'm not bothered if they are cash cows or not, but the motorist has the power to make them a complete failure in that respect.

Zambo - serious question.

Do you ever stray above 30 mph in a 30 limit?

Yep, I'll look down and see I'm doing 33 and ease back. However, if I got done say doing 34 in a 30, my fault.

A few years back I was doing some delivery work for the local hospice and I was late. I was going along, fields on one side houses on the other. Hadn't noticed any speed signs and I was doing around 40. Got done, it was a 30 mph zone. Got the paperwork with video evidence, and there looming large in the foreground was a school sign. Made me think, made me stick to the speed limit in future.

How can you live with yourself ?
Actually, I once accidentally dropped a toffee wrapper somewhere on Salisbury Plain. When I realised I went back and searched for three days until I found it and put it in a bin when I got back to Sennybridge. I've never stopped feeling guilty though and I know that if I'd been caught I fully deserved the death penalty .

I believe in living within the laws, and usually don't whine about them if I don't like them, that is unless they are too weak imo, and if I saw you drop a toffee paper, I'd probably kick your fucking arse if you refused to pick it up.

I'm a firm believer that laws should be applied and enforced wherever possible, with assistance from the public where appropriate.

In the main, this countries criminal justice system is a joke, and that includes for motorists who put the lives of the public in danger.

Yeah, you're right. If someone had tripped or slipped on that toffee paper I don't know how I could have lived with myself.
Being serious though, and having had to "enforce" the law for long time, I've seen enough really horrible cunts who don't give a rats arse about committing unbelievably discusting crimes, and often getting away with it, that I find it hard to get excited about traffic and other trivial bollocks.
Very nice people who are doing their best often break the speed limits , park on lines or drop litter because they're busy trying to get on with their lives in a generally law abiding way, but are prone to small mistakes because they are human being.
Now, I always took the view that I strongly discouraged anyone from bothering people
Ike that too much. Firstly, they are entitled to regard us as their protectors rather than their masters, and secondly, it is these very people that we rely upon to support us in our various efforts to prevent or investigate CRIME, and maintain the Peace.
Hey, what do I know though ? I'm old fashioned about that sort if thing, but if you want a bunch of sanctimonious little cocks acting like the fucking Gestapo about every little minor infringement of the law, well I expect that's what you'll get.

Royal24s wrote:

Zambo wrote:

Royal24s wrote:

Zambo wrote:

Steve Hunt wrote:

Zambo wrote: Personally I'm not bothered if they are cash cows or not, but the motorist has the power to make them a complete failure in that respect.

Zambo - serious question.

Do you ever stray above 30 mph in a 30 limit?

Yep, I'll look down and see I'm doing 33 and ease back. However, if I got done say doing 34 in a 30, my fault.

A few years back I was doing some delivery work for the local hospice and I was late. I was going along, fields on one side houses on the other. Hadn't noticed any speed signs and I was doing around 40. Got done, it was a 30 mph zone. Got the paperwork with video evidence, and there looming large in the foreground was a school sign. Made me think, made me stick to the speed limit in future.

How can you live with yourself ?
Actually, I once accidentally dropped a toffee wrapper somewhere on Salisbury Plain. When I realised I went back and searched for three days until I found it and put it in a bin when I got back to Sennybridge. I've never stopped feeling guilty though and I know that if I'd been caught I fully deserved the death penalty .

I believe in living within the laws, and usually don't whine about them if I don't like them, that is unless they are too weak imo, and if I saw you drop a toffee paper, I'd probably kick your fucking arse if you refused to pick it up.

I'm a firm believer that laws should be applied and enforced wherever possible, with assistance from the public where appropriate.

In the main, this countries criminal justice system is a joke, and that includes for motorists who put the lives of the public in danger.

Yeah, you're right. If someone had tripped or slipped on that toffee paper I don't know how I could have lived with myself.
Being serious though, and having had to "enforce" the law for long time, I've seen enough really horrible cunts who don't give a rats arse about committing unbelievably discusting crimes, and often getting away with it, that I find it hard to get excited about traffic and other trivial bollocks.
Very nice people who are doing their best often break the speed limits , park on lines or drop litter because they're busy trying to get on with their lives in a generally law abiding way, but are prone to small mistakes because they are human being.
Now, I always took the view that I strongly discouraged anyone from bothering people
Ike that too much. Firstly, they are entitled to regard us as their protectors rather than their masters, and secondly, it is these very people that we rely upon to support us in our various efforts to prevent or investigate CRIME, and maintain the Peace.
Hey, what do I know though ? I'm old fashioned about that sort if thing, but if you want a bunch of sanctimonious little cocks acting like the fucking Gestapo about every little minor infringement of the law, well I expect that's what you'll get.

I view it slightly differently Royals. I don't see any excuse for those breaking the speed limit or dropping litter, whether they are decent people or not. The law is there in front of them like a big beacon and if they choose to break it then on the remote chance that they are spotted, then they should face the consequences. Moreover, I would never compare crimes and turn a blind eye to the 'lesser' ones and let them get away with it. What needs to happen to deter serious crime in this country, well two things actually, one get the police officers out on the street and away from their desks by cutting down on the ridiculous admin, red tape and bureaucracy, and two, start throwing away the key on certain crimes and for serial criminals (more than twice).

Zambo wrote:

Hillman avenger wrote:

warmleatherette wrote:

AlcoholBrazil wrote:I just question the ability of the people adjusting the speed on the gantry to read the road conditions. Many times 40 is flashed up
while there is another 3-4 miles of clear road ahead of it. Not in increments of 60-50-40 .

A few weeks back I was travelling home to London from Brighton, 2am on the M25 and dead quiet, 40 mph signs, after about 5 miles of 40, one car on the hard shoulder was the "hazard", about a mile after the "hazard" the signs still had 40 and I thought fair enough, about 2 miles after that they were still 40 and as the gantry was flashing away on the other cars who had assumed the hazard was over and had dared to creep up to 50 ish, cunts...

Yes they are slow to remove the warnings.

But I'd rather they erred on that side than didnt warn us about upcoming queues, workmen in the road, etc. Sadly the deafult setting for some motorists is to ignore them anyway.

Personally I'm not bothered if they are cash cows or not, but the motorist has the power to make them a complete failure in that respect.

Yes we should all have to employ services of a man with a red flag.

Cars are human lawnmowers and should be immediately banned

Roy Twing wrote:

Zambo wrote:

Hillman avenger wrote:

warmleatherette wrote:

AlcoholBrazil wrote:I just question the ability of the people adjusting the speed on the gantry to read the road conditions. Many times 40 is flashed up
while there is another 3-4 miles of clear road ahead of it. Not in increments of 60-50-40 .

A few weeks back I was travelling home to London from Brighton, 2am on the M25 and dead quiet, 40 mph signs, after about 5 miles of 40, one car on the hard shoulder was the "hazard", about a mile after the "hazard" the signs still had 40 and I thought fair enough, about 2 miles after that they were still 40 and as the gantry was flashing away on the other cars who had assumed the hazard was over and had dared to creep up to 50 ish, cunts...

Yes they are slow to remove the warnings.

But I'd rather they erred on that side than didnt warn us about upcoming queues, workmen in the road, etc. Sadly the deafult setting for some motorists is to ignore them anyway.

Personally I'm not bothered if they are cash cows or not, but the motorist has the power to make them a complete failure in that respect.

Yes we should all have to employ services of a man with a red flag.

Anyone who needs the service of anyone else to keep within the speed limit shouldn't be driving a vehicle.

Zambo wrote:

Roy Twing wrote:

Zambo wrote:

Hillman avenger wrote:

warmleatherette wrote:

AlcoholBrazil wrote:I just question the ability of the people adjusting the speed on the gantry to read the road conditions. Many times 40 is flashed up
while there is another 3-4 miles of clear road ahead of it. Not in increments of 60-50-40 .

A few weeks back I was travelling home to London from Brighton, 2am on the M25 and dead quiet, 40 mph signs, after about 5 miles of 40, one car on the hard shoulder was the "hazard", about a mile after the "hazard" the signs still had 40 and I thought fair enough, about 2 miles after that they were still 40 and as the gantry was flashing away on the other cars who had assumed the hazard was over and had dared to creep up to 50 ish, cunts...

Yes they are slow to remove the warnings.

But I'd rather they erred on that side than didnt warn us about upcoming queues, workmen in the road, etc. Sadly the deafult setting for some motorists is to ignore them anyway.

Personally I'm not bothered if they are cash cows or not, but the motorist has the power to make them a complete failure in that respect.

Yes we should all have to employ services of a man with a red flag.

Anyone who needs the service of anyone else to keep within the speed limit shouldn't be driving a vehicle.

Everybody lapses sooner or later.

Then they should take the consequences, preferably without whining.

The Ghost of Alex Higgins wrote:Cars are human lawnmowers and should be immediately banned

They also keep down the numbers of foxes and badgers .