stormcloud

A14 Eastbound (94mph).

Now I understand the limit is 70mph, so fair enough, but the actual limit is just plain wrong.

I can only see speed causing accidents if combined with other factors such as tailgating, undertaking, hard shoulder driving, wet conditions, night time visability, vehicles speed differential etc.

On a dry sunny day with no real traffic and the little traffic that is doing 80-90mph I see no reason for a 70mph limit. My argument is that 70mph on a two lane A road, on tight bend at night and in heavy rain is very dangerous, but the police can claim that if the driver manages to make it around the bend in control of the car and does not exceed the 70mph limit then this is acceptable. The police seem to think all speeding drivers will cause an accident at some point so grab as many as possible, this is very unfair.

I do consider myself a safe driver and always err on the side of defensive driving, never race (30 yrs old now, bit too old for all that).

I explained the situation to a few people (G/F and parents), they seemed to think I was showing off and being a boy racer. Is this something that only petrol heads understand or am I actually completely wrong?! (it has been known!)

Sorry for the rant.


A.

SiDHEaD

The majority of speed limits are based on morons in shite cars.

pilotjamboy

dreamer

Pisses me off too.

We just got the local Tory newsletter (polling day coming up in May) and he's going on about lowering all the speed limits and strictly enforcing them to make our roads safer.

Excuse me- if the roads aren't safe perhaps we should look at why, and make them safer (visibility, crossings, lights, etc. etc.), rather than just blindly reducing speed limits.

I mean if the crashes are because people are speeding then the current speed limit isn't the problem (i.e. it's not because people crash while they are doing the speed limits).

Slow does NOT equal Safe !

Starlight

Man, if they thought you were showing off at only 94 then we are all in trouble.
Many times I go down the M5 to Cornwall and the outside lane has many people going 95+.

I cruise between 80-90 and lots of people carriers with familys overtake me in the outside lane!!!

Its stupid when in relatively clear roads that speed is considered dangerous, especially as you were driving (I assume in the S) a car design to perform very safely at speed unlike some of the vehicles that go down the outside lane.

hyb

It's pretty rare to find someone sticking to 70 on a motorway, it's more dangerous to try and do so then stay with the flow at 85+. Yet you can guarantee which car the copper on the bridge will be aiming his cash generator at.

Welshman

You don't explain how you were nicked.

Marked car - no points for observation

Unmarked car - something of an excuse but you really ought to be paying more attention - they all conform to certain standards so are recognisable if you not going so fast you don't have time to look

Scamera van - well they can hidden away but there are usually signs warning you of their potential presence. If you know the road you should know where they are likely to be parked. If you don't know the road then slow down

Copper with laser gun - you have no hance and you have my sympathy

Also if the ticket says 94 then odds on you were clocked at over the ton - they usually discount by 10%.

If you were over the ton i.e. >30 mph over the limit then you were asking for trouble.

Trick is not to stand out too much. As a rule of thumb I like to go at a speed which has a car overtaking me every 5 minutes or so. I'm not so much of a target then, am I

So you have my sympathy but if you can't do the time don't do the crime!

simmo

JI agree Jo

You should see the amount of crashes where i live and then theres the M1 at the moment.
Straight motorway with 40 average speed limit5 and morons still manage to wipe themselves and others out

ADP

It is annoying, but at 94 to be fair what do you expect? its hardly 74 is it?

nickrg3

I think I would be very happy with just 3 points at that speed.