LG John

Cladius I hope your 'go as fast as you like' theory applies to motorways, etc only and not town???!! I like the autobahn idea but if neds could fly through town at 60mph then I'd be a little concerned!

cletterridge

We could do it like the Italians. They've got one speed limit for cars under 1300cc and one for over 1300cc. (That's why the old Uno engine was rated at 1301cc in Italy and 1299cc over here - to scrape into a cheaper insurance bracket!)

How about, owners pay for a special MOT that if you pass buys you a 95mph speed limit on motorways? Or even a driving exam!? That would be fun....

RichS

Several points to add (or agree with):

Driver training
It's an all encompassing subject, but specifically:

- Re-tests should be introduced every 5 or 10 years.

- A limit to the number of driving test "fails" you should be allowed in a given period. (For example - if you fail more than three times, you have to wait a further three years before you can sit the test again.)

- Motorway training to form an essential part of the education programme.

This would include -
Stopping distances (How many people follow the 2 second rule?)
Lane choice (Ever see people in lanes 2 or 3 who are cruising rather than overtaking?)
Other traffic awareness (Fed up with idiots pulling out in front of you without looking or indicating?)

Pedestrian training

- Is the green cross code still taught in schools? (Probably is - maybe it should be taught elsewhere too - I'm sick of people walking out in front of me as if their safety is my responsibility solely and not theirs [img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img] - and yes - when I cross the road, I do wait until it's safe to cross.)

Signage

- Increased use of motorway cheverons? (They seem to work reasonably well wherever I've seen them.)

Policy and Policing

- Yes I favour an increase in motorway speed limits in conjunction with other measures already mentioned, particularly if variable speed limits are introduced and used sensibly.

- More attention needs to be directed towards tail gaiters, rapid lane swappers, phone/coke-can/map/children jugglers and outright dangerous drivers as opposed to simply targeting speeders.


So why won't this happen?
Cynical mode on:
Policing speeding is:
- much easier.
- more cost effective.
- generates revenue.
- provides easily massaged statistics.
- promotes the concept that our government takes road safety seriously.

I doubt we'll see any changes to current anti-speed policy...

Rich

hades

How about something like the variable speed limits on the M25, but with say a 90mph max when appropriate? Most people stay close to the limits along there as there are lots of cameras, plus there's the ability to vary the limit if conditions (traffic or weather) warrant it. Not the cheapest to implement, but makes more sense - 65mph in traffic in a driving snow storm is much more dodgy than 110mph on an empty dry motorway, be it in a Fester, a P1, or even a new Enzo.

Probably won't happen, but seems to make some sense IMHO

Eagle7

uxg: my point exactly.

I agree with all you guys here, it will probably never happen, but better training and the removal of motorway limits, along with harsher punishment for tailgaters, phone (ab)users, lane hoggers etc. would all help increase traffic throughput, reduce stress of drivers, reduce bunching up of traffic and generally make things run smoother.

I thought about an idea where certain cars/drivers could be certified to drive faster ie. a new driver in a fiesta is limited to 70 (or 60) and an advanced driver in a P1 can go up to 120 (or unlimited) the only problem with this is that the police would stop the P1 driver all the time asking to see his fast driving certificate etc..

Claudius

Saxo Boy: yes, I mean the motorways. Like I say twice in the first sentence of my message.

Forgot to say that speed limits cause traffic jams. Another reason not to have any...

Maddriver

Richs:

Pretty much my thoughts too - presented a lot clearer tho

Only pint I'd dissagree on it the period of retests. You suggest 5-10 years and as much as I think it would be good from a safety point of view IMHO its not practable.

How many drivers are there on the road now? Even assuming the tests were spread out so theres an equal number per year, just those retests would swamp the system. 10-20 would be more practical but leave too much time for people to forget driving skills.

Another point someone made was teaching driving to a more advanced level - that sounds good to me, I've been thinking for a while about taking the Institute of Advanced Motorists Advanced driving test. Perhaps something like this could be made compulsery after a certain period of driving experience?

Eagle7

Maddriver,

I reckon you should definately take the advanced drivers test mate

might save you a few bob!

and we'll all be safer then!