40mph on rural roads?

[Mark_Able]

What are they trying to do now? Eventually all the speed limits will be 20mph and it'll be quicker to get where you're going by pushbike.

I am sick and tired of the 'anti-speeders' lobbying the government to impose more and more restrictions on us as motorists. I'm sorry if I offend anyone here, but most of the 'accidents' where someone gets either killed or seriously injured are down to 'misjudgement'. There are a high proportion of 'accidents' cause by the inappropriate use of speed. But there are few accidents (about 7%) attributed directly to excessive speed. More crashes are attributed to out of control kids in the back (about 9%).

The girl that got killed on her pushbike in Taunton, tragic though it is, was killed by two drivers behaving like morons. But because of incidents like this, we'll all have to put up with reduced speed limits, cameras, etc. Would a lower speed limit have made any difference to the two pillocks that were racing that day? Of course not. Just like imposing 40mph speed limits on rural roads won't stop those that want to go faster. All it does is piss off those that have the ability to judge a safe speed. I don't like having the decision taken out of my hands as to what I think is a safe speed and what isn't.

Let's start the debate... :-?

[Swanny]

I agree with you.
I was thinking today when was the last time you saw or heard of an accident on rural roads?? Speed is only a factor because people are driving beyond their capabilities.
I don't beleive speed kills, in my opinion it's bad driving that kills.
The majority of accidents happen in the towns and citys.
This is just more BS control being forced upon us.

[redken1]

Before you rush to the rolling eyes icon and criticise me for talking politics, bear in mind that whether at a local or national level, politicians set the speed limits on our roads.

The simple fact is that our road network is overstretched and can’t cope with the ever increasing volume of traffic.

If you cramp too many animals from any species into a confined space, eventually they will start to attack each other. You don’t have to leave the WB forum to read the anti-van, car, truck, cyclist, horse, pedestrian sentiments. Doubtless, forums representing road users from other modes of transport contain similar animosity directed at bikers.

Reducing speed restrictions on open roads will do nothing to alleviate this problem in the long-term and will just lead to more frustration on our roads.

In the early days of the Blair administration when Johnny ‘two jags’ Prescott was appointed at the helm of the transport rudder, Labour flagged-up its vision to build a modern affordable public transport system.

Fifteen years on and that vision is not fit for sore-eyes. If we are to reduce traffic volume we need alternatives to the private car, bike, like an efficient and affordable pubic transport network.

My wife travels 3 miles to work and back on the bus, which costs a staggering £6.85 per day. Not much incentive there to leave the car in the garage. I would much prefer to ‘let the train take the strain’ when I visit OT to watch Man U, but it costs 3 times more than travelling to Manchester in my van. It was our intention to travel to Edinburgh by train for Easter – not a viable option when it would have cost £450 return for the 4 of us.

IMO we should bring transport systems like network rail into public ownership, which would stop the taxpayers’ subsidies ending up in the pockets of the privateers and could be reinvested for new trains etc. Stop the transport privateers from all modes, cherry-picking the most lucrative routes.
I’m against high fuel prices and/or road tolls as a means of reducing traffic as this would be just another tax. It would not be ring-fenced for transport and would hit the low paid and poorest disproportionately.

[Geordie Stu]

Is it "Politics" or just "Bollocks your talking Ken ::) ::) ::) ::)
;D ;D ;D

[wiltshire builders]

You are absolutely right Ken. The trouble is, everything is short term solutions with the politicians. They can't think beyond the next election because they know they're talking ****e and probably won't be around for too long.

As for lowering accidents on the roads, everyone knows that education is the ONLY way. Unfortunately that costs money and people don't want to pay for it so the short term solution is to lower speed limits.
This not only looks like something is being done but also makes money that can be ploughed back into the community for much needed things like expensive artwork in council offices, exchange trips to foreign countries and schemes to overhaul the NHS that cost millions of pounds then are shelved 2 years down the line.
Don't forget to keep switching the roles of the politicians so that the blame can't be pinned on anyone in particular!

[Geordie Stu]

[quote author=dan_geoghegan link=1343940251/4#4 date=1344076624]You are absolutely right Ken. The trouble is, everything is short term solutions with the politicians. They can't think beyond the next election because they know they're talking ****e and probably won't be around for too long.

As for lowering accidents on the roads, everyone knows that education is the ONLY way. quote]

Education not just for New Riders, Drivers. Am I right in thinking if anyone who has been disqualified, has to retake their test ? If anyone reaches 9 points on their licence they should automatically have to do the Hazard awareness test. Make the driving "Car Driver test harder" Do you have to sit a Hazard awareness test also ?

Reducing the speed limit won't reduce the speed of younger driver/riders, Just the The Older Generation (TOG) will drive the same way.

This conversation will run & run we all have our thoughts on it. The goverment won't listen & try to push through any EU changes.

[Swanny]

Next will come average speed cameras clocking you in and out of towns
40 mph is a bad joke >:(

[Wes]

40 mph from the ringroad at emersons all the way now to the bath junction at tormarton, ive heard that the council have a higher duty of care/maintenance where the speed limits are higher, say for example a 60 limit will have a schedule for inspection and repair more frequent than a 40, if you lower the limit, you lower the inspection intervals, as usual, it all comes down to ....money.

[redken1]

Is it "Politics" or just "Bollocks your talking Ken ::) ::) ::) ::)
;D ;D ;D

I always talk bollocks, but at least I talk in English, ye ken canny lad? ;) ;D ;D ;D

[Mark_Able]

The only banned drivers that have to take a retest are those that are ordered to do so by a court, which is pretty rare. They are normally drivers that are banned for 'Dangerous Driving' or a big 'Drink Driving'. Even the 'Dangerous Driving' is normally only considered when someone has died. Those that lose their licence in the first two years of driving have to resit their test, but it's exactly the same.

Reducing the speed limits is a short-term solution to a bigger problem, bad driving. If the Police are trained to a high enough level to be considered safe at whatever speed, then surely it's possible to train Joe-public to a similar level. Quite frankly, reducing speed limits is an exercise in cutting serious injuries and fatalities the easy way. Let's face it, if we all rode or drove at 5mph, then the number of fatalities or serious injuries would be in single figures. But is that why we chose to ride/drive in the first place? We chose to drive/ride to get from A to B quicker than any other means (which includes crappy public transport). More speed will include increased risk. The ONLY solution is better education, not slowing everyone down.

It's like saying the solution to air accidents is to not allow planes to take off... ::)

[Wes]

I agree with you.
I was thinking today when was the last time you saw or heard of an accident on rural roads?? Speed is only a factor because people are driving beyond their capabilities.
I don't beleive speed kills, in my opinion it's bad driving that kills.
The majority of accidents happen in the towns and citys.
This is just more BS control being forced upon us.
Yes you are spot on there mate, motorways account for 5% of accidents, rural around 15% and built up around 80%, its inappropriate speed thats the problem.

[Geordie Stu]

40 mph from the ringroad at emersons all the way now to the bath junction at tormarton, ive heard that the council have a higher duty of care/maintenance where the speed limits are higher, say for example a 60 limit will have a schedule for inspection and repair more frequent than a 40, if you lower the limit, you lower the inspection intervals, as usual, it all comes down to ....money.

That's a good point never thought of it that way. ::)

[Swanny]

What they should do if they really want to make the roads safer is give out instant 12 month bans to anyone using a mobile phone while driving.

[camera.op76]

taking the licence away from a nice taxable slave so they can't earn money. Though a nice Idea swanny... won't happen.

Bring the elitist parasites down! :o

[Col]

Some council wankers have seen fit to impose a painfully slow 30 on bit by Ollie Cromwell--bloody mental and I only noticed a [more expense] repeater doing my usual 'cough 60 ish ;D ;D....absolutely no point to it at all

Think Bike-Think Throttle ;)

p.s. no Joey Turkeys were killed doing 60 or 70ish in case anyone was alarmed at my speed excess--which it is now cos some fruit loop thinks 30 is ok in their mind. I sometimes think the unemployment figures should go up ;D

[redken1]

Some council wankers have seen fit to impose a painfully slow 30 on bit by Ollie Cromwell--bloody mental and I only noticed a [more expense] repeater doing my usual 'cough 60 ish ;D ;D....absolutely no point to it at all

Think Bike-Think Throttle ;)

p.s. no Joey Turkeys were killed doing 60 or 70ish in case anyone was alarmed at my speed excess--which it is now cos some fruit loop thinks 30 is ok in their mind. I sometimes think the unemployment figures should go up ;D

What!!!!!!! Not more, "Benefit scroungers" ;) :P ;D

[maikeru83]

On my trip Swindon->Newbury->Swindon trip yesterday, it was 50mph limits all the way (except in the little villages you pass through), and I thought it was ok. I generally try and use my own judgement on what I consider a safe speed to be, instead of just looking at the signs and doing whatever they say. I passed my driving test ten years ago, and my CBT only 3 WEEKS ago, but the driving standards have dropped considerably since I started driving. I'm actually much happier on my bike now instead of in my car because it's just me and the bike, no distractions, so I can concentrate on what I'm doing, what the bike's doing, and what's happening on the roads in front of me. As for dropping the speed limits from 50mph to 40mph, it wouldn't make a blind bit of difference IMO, as like others have said, generally it's not the speed that kills, it's idiots on their phones, looking at satnavs/maps, smoking/eating/drinking whilst driving, etc. If people got in/on their vehicles with the sole purpose of driving and nothing else, then we'd have far less accidents. Drivers fill their time with too many distractions these days. We all need to get back to basics, just you and the machine! :)

[Kevinb]

It's ony forty if you get caught ::)

I think they only set it to forty so Harley riders have a speed limit to aim for ;D

[Conehead]

It's ony forty if you get caught ::)

I think they only set it to forty so Harley riders have a speed limit to aim for ;D

Too true but even a push for them. ;D ;D ;D ;D

[Swanny]

Maybe their plan is to get us riding Harley's :o

[redken1]

Double inflation hike in rail fares is hardly going to help to get people out of their cars. :-?

[benobiker]

Probably been said already by someone else, but I am very un trusting of 40 mph's being set. I am sure some places they are well meant and needed but if a section of road is set to 40 then it does not require the same level of upkeep / condition so I find it very difficult not to believe that the financial incentive does not come into being in this day of tight budgets...

[Swanny]

They've just made the road between Holt and Staverton 40mph
What a waste of time, it's not possible to go any faster even if you wanted to. I also noticed they have put the signs in the hedge, I wonder how the farmer is going to cut the hedge now??

Arseholes

[Gooz]

trucks are restricted by law to 40 in rural/national speed limit roads, .........its downright dangerous !!! and the police would also agree, the amount of times someone has tried to come around me as im holding them an about another 5 up behind me, only to see them almost head on into oncoming beggars beleif, I am more then capable of travelling at the limit, but law prevents it, law put into place many years ago before designs and progress, at 44t I could probably out brake you guys, ............ Ive been pushed along before now by the police............ only to be fined by the camera partnership TW@TS for doing 43 mph in what would have been a 60 for everyone else. slower speeds on any road creates congestion not prevents, anyone travelled up the m42 "missmanaged" motorway lately............... more bollox and wasted money,
Apparently it works though and is to be rolled out nationally, 3am sunday morning coming home, only me on the road............... whats the speed limit????????????? 40mpfookin hour ???????? wtf absolute ****e, just waiting for me to trigger a gantry camera,

[NiteW4tcher]

i don't believe reducing limits will make bugger all difference!!

i feel sorry for truck drivers as i see you lot get abuse by moronic drivers. but its not your fault!!

i dont know much about trucks but im pretty sure the braking systems on modern lorry's are damn capable of hauling you up sharpish.

modern vehicles in general can anchor up pretty swiftly. but alot comes down to the driver/rider being able to judge the speed.conditions ect and being taught how to drive and stop properly

just more political BS. pretty fed up of being dictated to and being forced by the EU and there cronies!

[QB1]

...... but alot comes down to the driver/rider being able to judge the speed.conditions ect and being taught how to drive and stop properly



and in the perfect world we'd all concentrate on our driving/riding 100% and no one would ever crash....

[Geordie Stu]

Looks like the 40mph has started. If you know the area, Staverton, near the Nestle Factory just by the traffic lights across the bridge the road splits from the B3105 onto the B3106. At that juncion newly painted on the road 40mph. If you know the road well enough you'd struggle to do 60mph as the road is fairly narrow & floods on a regular basis. ::)

[Jon_W]

Looks like the 40mph has started. If you know the area, Staverton, near the Nestle Factory just by the traffic lights across the bridge the road splits from the B3105 onto the B3106. At that juncion newly painted on the road 40mph. If you know the road well enough you'd struggle to do 60mph as the road is fairly narrow & floods on a regular basis. ::)

About time a limit was put there. I've been in a car doing 60+ down there and also seen the accidents. Was seen as a challenge in my day....

[Col]

Looks like the 40mph has started. If you know the area, Staverton, near the Nestle Factory just by the traffic lights across the bridge the road splits from the B3105 onto the B3106. At that juncion newly painted on the road 40mph. If you know the road well enough you'd struggle to do 60mph as the road is fairly narrow & floods on a regular basis. ::)

About time a limit was put there. I've been in a car doing 60+ down there and also seen the accidents. Was seen as a challenge in my day....

TOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH !!!! god pmsl!!!! wtf!!! this is hysterical :D :D..about time a limit ;D ;D ;D ..gawd I'm dying !!!!

Some underemployed council goon has an idea like 40 years of more modern traffic later to slap a 'help the fookin dimwit' 40 mph on a shyte bit of road----and you say 'about time' ::)

If anybody knew what they were doing..like 'reading a road..its conditions and layout' there would be no need whatsoever for all these 'help the dim' signs---love the 'bend' ones like on a bend :D and the random paint writing 'slow' wtf ;D ;D

Seems to me people are actually being brainwashed into accepting these pointless restrictions

In my earlier wittering I mentioned the 30 by the Ollie Cromwell so after the ludicrous limit it then goes to 50 and the very next bend the more useless would have a big problem getting round it at that----but they do yet on a long straight bit it is 30-----land of the illogical land of the useless council workers--read it and weep brethren ;D

Think lorry !! Think fookin overtake
THINK BIKE !! THINK THROTTLE!!!

[Jon_W]

Ok Col.

[Mark_Able]

Still, they maybe putting more speed limit signs up, but at least they save money by turning the street lights off at night. Twats. Honestly, how much would it cost to make signs warning people they're turning off some of the street lights at night, employing a team to go and erect the signs? How long would the lights have to be out before they start 'saving' money? Twats. >:(

[8_ball]

'save money', the question is

"how many council men does it take to change (remove ) a light bulb"

:D

[Julie_S]

Cynically, I say alot of these lower speed limits are being lowered because the roads are so poor and it is easier and cheaper to downgrade the limit than surfacing them to a proper standard. Also of course I think even the most niaive of people knows that everyone speeds at sometime but most won't exceed the limit by much so if you want people doing 50 you set it at 40.

40 On rural roads sounds a bit excessive - the A350 now appears to have a 40mph speed limit, set not by the government but road captains who drive at 40-45

[Col]

- the A350 now appears to have a 40mph speed limit, set not by the government but road captains who drive at 40-45

not when I'm on it honey ;D

[newnut]

these limits are imposed as a way of hitting you in the pocket, They are trying to make up so many rules that its very easy to catch you doing something slightly wrong and BAM a fine is in your hand! just take a look at the gatso statistics. where does all that money go?? in their pockets thats where, and it only makes them more greedy. Swindon turning off their cameras is bloody brilliant, Its the one thing I remember upon arriving every time and although I ride cautiously through the town it is a relief to know the pocket paparazzi arn't watching!
(Probably way off topic now, sorry Able, forgot what the first post said completely now)

[Swanny]

I agree it's always about the money, they couldn't care less about our safety. That's just an excuse to milk us

[Swanny]

They've just changed the road from Fiveways to Bradford Leigh from a 60 mph to a 50 mph [smiley=thumbdown.gif]