Brendan Hughes

UK speed limits are 112kph.
Most of Europe seems to get by at 120-130kph (with variations on how well this is enforced, their standard of driving, etc).
UK also has the lowest number of road deaths per year per capita, thus the best drivers and a good case for raising the limits; some might say this is due to the low limits! but I'd suspect that most deaths are in urban areas so this is irrelevant.

Reality

Yeah - but jonny foreigner drives on the wrong side of the road - that must cause loads of accidents

richieh

must be constant carnage on them autobahn thingys then-
perhaps a few less daewoo's and fiats is a price worth paying tho
richie

flynnstudio

my recent experience of german autobahns is this :

a) Extremely busy
b) full of roadworks
c) rarely ( and I mean rarely) have unlimited speed zones - and these just tend to be occasional long stretches lasting maybe a few miles
d) most of the time they have a limit in force.
e) Often in sections of only two very narrow lanes..

but they are usually nice and sunn, relatively straight and cut through some wonderful countryside...

probably great fun at night though...

pwhittle

Don't forget that with the current 70 limit, you still gets idiots doing 50. They catch people out, who then pull into the middle lane with little warning. If you're doing 100+ in the BMW lane, you're not going to slow sufficiently when diesel vectra man swerve out at 70.
99% of people (and all men!) think they are good drivers, and very few actually are. I've trained as an instructor, and used to race, but I'm not a very good driver, I make mistakes like everyone else.
I think high speeds are acceptable IF you are the only person who will get killed if you **** up (or get a blowout). Otherwise it's just arrogant.
Just set off ealier!

Mind you, I'll be taking my scoob for a quick blast when I get the limiter reomoved...

The Trooper 1815

iTrader: (31)

a. Can be just like the UK but road discipline can be better
b. First works needed since 1945
c. Correct, big misconception. The fines and implications of speeding are big in the Fatherland. I have seen Speed cameras in whealy bins and don't forget the on the spot fines or frog march to the cashpoint. German cops are armed too
d. Sadly, yes.
e. But trucks have large areas that they cannot overtake in these 2 lane sections and they are much more disciplined. Also no truck movement on Bank Holidays and some holidays

The roads in Bavaria, Mosel (Der Ringe area) and the Ardennes are fab. They also have 100 RON Optimax.

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Indeed I was in the BMW lane (in a BMW funnily enough ) last week doing a sedate 80mph, I was about to over take a woman hogging the middle lane. When she indicate and simultaneously moves into lane 3 as I was almost on top of her. Even though Lane 2 was clear infront of her, as was Lane 1

She got the horn and when she did move back over to lane 2 (with no gesture of sorry or anything) she got aload of abuse from all three passengers who were rudely awakened by my sharp braking Although she was doing the "I can't see you" act.


Had I been going faster, or her slower then things may have been different - there really are so many crap drivers out there to keep a look out for.

When did the guide change to Signal and Manoeuvre at the same time, replacing Mirrors, Signal, THEN Manoeuvre?

Reality

When they let Women drive on OUR roads

Brendan Hughes

IME, even in the Uk, it should now be Mirror, signal, wait for everyone to react and try and overtake you quickly, then Manoeuvre Signal>manoeuvre is asking for an accident

brickboy

As Stirling Moss put it, excessive speed is taking a 25mph corner at 35mph.

There are NO absolutes, road traffic & weather conditions change all the time.

Tim-H

I have seen a picture on a local Aston DB9 owners phone, HE !! took it on the M4, it shows just over 180 mph, Hmm thats a bit much ,
Although I must admit to seeing ( well my passenger Wife saw it:-) over twice the limit on a not very straight local country lane,
Have a good one
Tim

Crazy Chick

Reality

New_scooby_04

iTrader: (4)

PMSL But if you go at 150+ mph that's understandable!!

Personally, I think establishing a "too fast" limit is completely arbitrary. 70mph is the limit......imposed by the government after someone went "too fast" in a Cobra

It's so dependent upon the circumstances isn't it?

I do not think that being on a racetrack means that people won't do unexpected things. I think the critical difference between that and the road is that everyone on a racetrack is there for the purpose of testing themselves and their car and consents to the risks of the much higher than normal speeds; not everyone on the road wants to be buzzed at 150mph

Ns04

Leslie

The big difference between years ago when cars did not handle or brake as well as now is the enormous increase of traffic on the road and also the very wide differences in skill and experience across the board.

I believe that it is not safe on public roads to drive at 3 figure speeds. Even if the road appears clear, traffic can appear at any time. The line between retaining control at very high speeds or losing it disastrously is very fine and it is just not fair on others to take that risk.

I defy anyone to honestly justify the need or the right to drive at those sorts of speeds on a public road.

I also own an M3 Evolution but would not be so stupid to drive at the sort of speeds mentioned here on the public roads. A track day or private road or disused runway is a different matter however.

I believe there is a case however for increasing the speed limits on motorways and dual carriageways to something like 85 mph.

Les

tarmac terror

iTrader: (2)

It used to be the case here that the RUC were so tied up in couter-terrorism type policing that roads policing was almost an afterthought. On several occasions I took advantage of that an there were regular excursions beyond double the motorway speed limits.

As has been mentioned before your brain adjusts very quickly to the higher speeds, at 150mph the ground covered in a blink is astonishing, and you have a tendancy to become very focussed and concentrate. When you come back down to legal speed limits your brain seems to take longer to adjust at 70MPH it almost feels safe enough to step out of the car!!! I wonder if this error in judgement would cause more accidents on A roads as high speed travellers leave the motorway without re-conditioning themselves to lower speeds.

TT

DaveD

iTrader: (2)

It all depends on the type of road, amount of traffic and weather.

I can think of a number of places on the M5, for example, where 100+mph in the late evening with no traffic would be perfectly acceptable (there are parts with miles between junctions).

However, there are also places on the A38 in the midlands and the A1 where 70mph sometimes feels too fast in similar conditions, simply because of the number of junctions on the dual carriageway.

Both have speed limits of 70mph, but to exceed that speed on the A-roads would be almost suicidal.

Reality

You should come to Scotland - Miles & Miles of A-roads with hardly any traffic and no hedges / trees to obstruct your view.

three figures would be possible on these roads without too much trouble - provided they were clear.

Doesn't make it right or clever - just perfectly safe.

Speed doesn't kill - Inappropriate speed does.

IMHO.

Brit_in_Japan

One slight flaw in your reasoning, red deer. Hitting one of those at speed could be the last thing you ever do.

Reality

My car's got a deer whistle.

http://www.scottish-goods.co.uk/acat...r_Whistle.html



Driving home the other night some poor sod had hit a cow - His van was totalled and the cow didn't look too clever either .

bigsinky

171 in 1.25 miles @ TOTB3

Tim-H

[QUOTE=Reality]You should come to Scotland - Miles & Miles of A-roads with hardly any traffic and no hedges / trees to obstruct your view.

I have driven From Hereford to the Orkney Islands 3 times, (with a ferry in-between :-) A9 Edinburgh onwards is a superb drive, 1 st time I did it 20 ish yrs ago in a mini, 16 hrs , 14 yrs ago in a camper 25 hrs ,12 yrs ago, 16v golf turbo 9 hrs, Still remember hitting the A9 as the sun came up, stunning place to drive, Wasn`t many 24 hr petrol stations then though :-) or any camera`s
Have a good one
Tim

Leslie

Tarmac Terror,

What you are saying about re-adjustment to slower speeds was a real fear when motorways were first built. They were saying that coming off the motorways onto normal roads could certainly be dangerous in the case of some drivers who were not used to higher speeds. In those days there was no speed limit on the motorways, or on normal derestricted roads.

Eventually it was accepted that the worries were generally unfounded.

I have to say that very high speeds on a fairly straight road such as a motorway is pretty boring and not all that clever anyway. The real skill comes in getting round corners quickly and safely with the skill and coordination required as far as controlling the car is concerned. That is why I think motorways are boring and A roads much more interesting and satisfying to drive on. That kind of driving is very enjoyable and much safer since it is done at lower speeds and as long as one is sensible on blind corners and in traffic etc. This is a very good reason for getting it out of your system on a track day instead of attempting to impress the other drivers on the public roads with three figure speeds. Selfish and dangerous!

Les

pwhittle

TBH I've started cruising at 70 these days for 2 reasons, I find it quite a bit less stressful, and it saves a heck of a lot of fuel. The wife's V70 does 34mpg average at 70, which drops to about 23 at 85. With the high prices of petrol, it makes quite a difference.

Edited to say I think the limit should be raised to 80 on 3+ lane motorways, driving under 55 in a car on motorways should be illegal, and there should be more enforced 20mph zones where the real dangers are.

Oh, and 4x4 drivers should learn that AWD does not make a large heavy car corner well in snow. My friend was paralised in the recent snow by such an idiot