moff

There are less and less Autobahns with no speed limits, they are slowly being scrapped, and with the current euro fascination with speed kills the Germans are towing the line and I think the days of no limits are well and truely numbered. When I lived in Germany in the 80's most autobahns had no limits, and it was great, but when there was an accident it was usually carnage. One of the problems the Germans have is that on some of their dual carriageways (most are) there was no limit so when some uberwagon piled down the road at 150mph, there was nothing they could do if someone not paying attention just pulls out - this is the main problem. The German's do show more respect for faster cars, but you can't stop mistakes / blindspots etc. But in the UK from 80 mph it is much easier to stop.

Italy had the right idea, so does France. In Italy they have a 90mph speed limit which has actually reduced fatalities, and I like the idea in France of 2 limits fro different weather conditions.

EddandSam

Quote……………

“1963 The AC Cobra caused a sensation by racing along the M1 motorway at 196 mph, leading to questions being raised in Parliament. Production of the AC Cobra was now 15 cars per week. The AC plant at Taggs Island, situated half a mile from the main AC Works, was fully occupied with the manufacture of motorised invalid carriages for the Ministry of Health. 1,200 invalid carriages were produced.

1964 Following the motorway sprint, a 70 mph legal speed limit was introduced. Two AC Cobras were entered in the Le Mans 24 Hour Race, the AC entry was the first British car to finish. By now, the 427 AC Cobra had the distinction of being listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the fastest production car in the world, a title which it held for several years.”

Taken from http://www.xs4all.nl/~luukb/achist.html a history of AC cars!!!!

This also supports it…………http://www.i2itelevision.com/dreammachine/prog4.php

Just to reiterate my post!! Yes it was the Cobra!!

I love the Cobra and if I ever win the lottery its on my shopping list!

Edd

euan

I'm not sure - cars are mroe capable these days, but motorways are much busier, and it's highly debatable if most drivers can cope with the extra capabilities of their car. Most certainly don't appreciate what cars do and don't do at high speed. At least the current limit acts as a "stopper" for those unable to handle high speeds properly, or who don't appreciate that poor road/visibility conditions mean you should be driving much slower than the limit.

Other issue comes down to attitude and policing - most people tend to view an upper limit as "really 80-85" which is reasonable in good conditions, and this is how coppers seem to police it (cameras aside). The current system seems fair enough to me - ideally you would have more police applying the rules subjectively, but there aren't the resources for that, and it is always difficult giving law enforcment too much discretion (Rodney King was only "resisting arrest" )

Besides, lower speeds mean people have more time to react to incidents, and if they do have an accident it will be less severe.

neil955

The 70mph limit was introduced as a temporary measure on all unrestricted roads in 1965. The 70 mph limit became permanent in 1967.

A 50 mph speed limit on all roads was introduced during the fuel crisis in 1973 as a temporary measure to reduce fuel consumption. The speed limit was restored to 70 mph on motorways in March 1974 and to all purpose roads in May 1974.

In December 1974 speed limits of 60 mph and 50 mph were introduced on dual carriageway and single carriageway roads, respectively. In June 1977 these were increased to 70 mph and 60 mph respectively, and have remained so since.


http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/c...557/557ap99.htm

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I voted yes, but think a variable system dependant on road, weather and traffic conditions would be more suitable. We certainly have the technology capable of this...

LTB

Variable system as in France would be a good idea.

Not sure how they would go about raising the limit though. Current limit is 70 mph, but it is widely accepted that 80 mph is acceptable on motorways, most people travel at this speed and are ignored by the rozzers.

If the Government raise the limit to 80 mph would they start to crack down really hard on people that drive above this speed or would there be the 10 mph buffer as appears to be the case now, effectively making the limit 90 mph ?

Paper Lawyer

My housemate has seen the photos of what happened to the drivers of two cobras with roll cages that came together on the track. Without going into detail, it sounded like the most horrific car accident I've heard of. Put me right off them.

EddandSam

oh go on Craig give us some detail ;-)!!