UK Speed Limits

[beesonthewhatnow]

Motorways - no limit, but with the option to introduce variable limits depending on traffic levels and weather conditions

Duel carriageways - No change, 70

A/B roads - no change, 60

Other areas to be 20, 30 or 40 depending on situation/surroundings

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

Oh, and the driving test should be made a fuckload harder, with compulsory night driving, skidpan and motorway sections.

 

[subversplat]

Compulsory motorbike or scooter riding for everyone before you're allowed in a car!

At least then people will know what it's like to be exposed on the road.

 

[Chz]

Broadly speaking, they're okay. I think 20 is a bit slow for side-streets, so maybe drop 30 to 25 and have a few more 40s where it's straight and open.

I can't see more than 75 on the motorway for efficiency reasons.

 

[gentlegreen]

I think 20 is a bit slow for side-streets,

I sincerely hope you're kidding - or perhaps you live in a place where "side streets" are tree-lined boulevards...

I drive down mine more slowly than I cycle and I expect everyone else to do the same. 20mph may be OK at night.

 

[bigbry]

I'd like to see more conditional speed limiting, such as the 50MPH sections on the M25 and M42 (and probably others). Granted, mostly it's a traffic management thing but I'd have thought reducing speeds when wet/congested/when my missus is anywhere in the vicinity would increase safety whilst having minimal restrictive effect. You could then bump the limit up to 80MPH+ on motorways that are essentially clear.

The French 81 mph (130 kph) limit is only when the weather is good - the signs have a 'sun' shining next to the speed. For adverse weather it's 68 mph (110 kph) with a picture of 'rain & cloud' next to the number.

 

[Roadkill]

20 mph really is an absurdly slow speed to drive at for anything other than side residential streets. It is suitable for such roads and for certain areas (near schools etc) but it is certainly not suitable for continuous town city travel, particularly on main through routes and trunk roads. ....

I agree. I think 20mph is a sensible speed for residential streets on the grounds of safety, and quite a lot of residential areas already do have 20mph limits, but arterial roads should be left at 30 or in some cases 40. Aside from the efficiency and noise arguments, there is the fact that buses - night buses especially - frequently travel at well over 20mph and, much as I've not much of a problem with slowing cars down in cities, I don't think slowing down bus journeys is a good idea.

 

[kained&able]

motorway could do with going up a bit rest is about right.

lol who at who ever described 30mph as a speed fest. that brillient.


dave

 

[stavros]

I think what also needs to be questioned is why some people drive fast. Other than perhaps on motorways, I've read that exceeding speed limits and repeated overtaking actually makes little difference to the final journey time.

 

[T & P]

I think what also needs to be questioned is why some people drive fast. Other than perhaps on motorways, I've read that exceeding speed limits and repeated overtaking actually makes little difference to the final journey time.

Undoubtedly some folk like to drive fast regardless, and often inappropriately so, but in my experience the majority of people don't drive 'fast', but adequately to the circumstances.

That is to say, a majority of drivers will drive at 75- 80 mph on motorways when the conditions and traffic are right. That might be above the speed limit, but in the right circumstances is neither fast nor wrong or dangerous.

But the same drivers will drive well under the speed limit when they feel the conditions dictate so- for instance doing 50 on a 60mph road if traffic is heavy or weather not good. In such cases they're not driving slowly- they're adapting to the circumstances and driving at an adequate speed.

We need to recognise that just as some laws are wrong and it is okay to challenge and break them, some traffic laws are inadequate and it is not irresponsible or wrong for drivers to break them. Modern cars are infinitely safer and better performers than the Morris Minor in which the current speed limits were set. There is nothing wrong with exceeding the speed limit on motorways or dual carriageways if the circumstances allow it.

 

[Wilson]

I do get the impression that most people who advocate blanket 20 mph limits for built up areas don't drive or travel in cars much either.

i drive all day long, chief and one reason i advocate the 20 limit is because most people drive like a sack full of shit. Tbh i think they should ban private cars

 

[Roadkill]

*facepalm*

 

[T & P]

i drive all day long, chief and one reason i advocate the 20 limit is because most people drive like a sack full of shit. Tbh i think they should ban private cars

Maybe things are really bad round your way, but in my experience is not nearly as bad as you see it. Most drivers are generally okay, even if accidents or careless driving do sometimes happen.

 

[gentlegreen]

I think what also needs to be questioned is why some people drive fast. Other than perhaps on motorways, I've read that exceeding speed limits and repeated overtaking actually makes little difference to the final journey time.

Something I can confirm on a daily basis as a cyclist. I repeatedly wonder if it sinks in when I catch up with someone who has risked all to overtake me at the next set of lights - they're often in the other lane, behind several cars I didn't "hold up" ...

On the rare occaisions when I'm driving, I welcome being behind a cyclist to remind me of the sensible speed. There was a point years ago around the time of the Paddington Rail crash when I stopped charging around town in the 2CV I shared at the time - makes driving almost a pleasure if you take it slowly.

 

[free spirit]

variable speed limits based on traffic levels, and given out using the electronic signs they've been building across the motorway network for the last few years... maybe around 120 on a very empty motorway, 90 on a moderately busy motorway, then 80, 70, 60, 50 depending on traffic levels / weather conditions.

but then use the traffic cameras and automatic number plate recognition stuff to actually enforce these limits using average speed checks.

I do a lot of long overnight drives, and there's absolutely no safety reason for a 70 mph limit on a 3 lane motorway where you're maybe passing one truck every 5 minutes or something. Also let's face it the average car speed on even relatively busy motorways is currently about 80, so there's fuck all point sticking with limits that the majority of people totally ignore.

in the cities I agree that reduced limits around schools should only apply maybe 7am-6pm or something. there's a dual carriageway near me that runs past a school and had the limit lowered from 40 to 30 a few years back, which is daft outside of school hours.

 

[Chz]

I sincerely hope you're kidding - or perhaps you live in a place where "side streets" are tree-lined boulevards...

I drive down mine more slowly than I cycle and I expect everyone else to do the same. 20mph may be OK at night.

Anywhere with two lanes for two-way traffic or one lane for one-way can handle 25, trees or not. I can see slower for all those places with one lane and two-way traffic, however.

When I lived in Toronto, they experimented with dropping the then 40km/h limit (25mph) to 30 (20mph). It made no difference in accident rates or fatalities and they ended up keeping 40 outside of school zones. It didn't even affect ratracing, because those idiots don't pay any attention to speed limits in the first place.

That said, there were a few places in parks and such with a 10km/h limit. Which makes sense.

 

[stavros]

That is to say, a majority of drivers will drive at 75- 80 mph on motorways when the conditions and traffic are right. That might be above the speed limit, but in the right circumstances is neither fast nor wrong or dangerous.

Unfortunately, whilst what you say may be true for many drivers, I don't think the law can differentiate in such a way. Some people, regardless of the conditions, will not be wonderfully safe drivers, and keeping the limit at 70mph (or lowering it) partially lowers the damage they may cause if an accident were to occur.

 

[T & P]

Unfortunately, whilst what you say may be true for many drivers, I don't think the law can differentiate in such a way. Some people, regardless of the conditions, will not be wonderfully safe drivers, and keeping the limit at 70mph (or lowering it) partially lowers the damage they may cause if an accident were to occur.

Sure, but there has to be a balance between ensuring safety and allowing a sensible speed limit. IMO that threshold should today be at 80 mph, not 70.

If the only and absolute priority was to save as many lives as possible, well... then I guess it'd be 20 mph on motorways, 5 mph everywhere else.

 

[derf]

I think the UK has it about right on this on.
Motorways at 70 are OK. I don't believe it should be faster as there are already too many drivers that can't handle 70.
I happen to think that new drivers should have to do a second motorway test before being allowed to use them.
Urban limits are also about right in most cases.

 

[Voley]

Undoubtedly some folk like to drive fast regardless, and often inappropriately so, but in my experience the majority of people don't drive 'fast', but adequately to the circumstances.

That is to say, a majority of drivers will drive at 75- 80 mph on motorways when the conditions and traffic are right. That might be above the speed limit, but in the right circumstances is neither fast nor wrong or dangerous.

But the same drivers will drive well under the speed limit when they feel the conditions dictate so- for instance doing 50 on a 60mph road if traffic is heavy or weather not good. In such cases they're not driving slowly- they're adapting to the circumstances and driving at an adequate speed.

We need to recognise that just as some laws are wrong and it is okay to challenge and break them, some traffic laws are inadequate and it is not irresponsible or wrong for drivers to break them. Modern cars are infinitely safer and better performers than the Morris Minor in which the current speed limits were set. There is nothing wrong with exceeding the speed limit on motorways or dual carriageways if the circumstances allow it.

Agree with all of this but I also agree with everyone that says the test should have a lengthy motorway section. It's a different style of driving that takes quite a bit of getting used to.

Don't agree with bees' assertion that the test should have a skidpan section. If you're driving your car properly you shouldn't be skidding.

 

[Roadkill]

Don't agree with bees' assertion that the test should have a skidpan section. If you're driving your car properly you shouldn't be skidding.

That's not really true. Oil or mud on the road, never mind ice, can make even the most careful driver skid. I think a skidpan session for learner drivers is a veyr good idea.

 

[Voley]

Oh don't do that, Roadkill. Can't you see I'm trying to get a reaction!

 

[Roadkill]

Oh don't do that, Roadkill. Can't you see I'm trying to get a reaction!

Sorry.

 

[Voley]

 

[aylee]

I think that the motorway speed limit should be kept at 70mph with coppers being told to be sensible about people driving safely at up to 100mph in decent road conditions. If you raised it to 80mph, the default speed would go up.

More 20mph zones around schools.

Fewer speed humps where they are not genuinely needed FFS.

 

[Voley]

I think a compulsory skidpan part of the test would be prohibitively expensive, tbh. Learning to drive's a really expensive business these days as it is.

I don't know how much it is to use a skidpan but I can't imagine it's cheap. Good laugh, mind you, I bet.

 

[Voley]

First one off google is this

£136 for three hours. Not cheap, is it?

 

[djbombscare]

I've always been a firm believer that if you relaxed the limit on some regions of the motorway, maybe even make them a 100mph limit. If someone has an accident throw the book at them.

Then people I feel that would be more than happy to stick to the correct speed in the 20's and 30 zones.

As long as they then dont go and take the piss and start making everywhere other than the motorway 20 and 30 zones.

 

[HackneyE9]

It's interesting how none of the advocates of German-style autobahn speed limits ever mention the other end of the spectrum in Germany - the place is full of 10kmh 'home zone' streets, where kids play in the street safe in the knowledge that cars will only be trundling along just faster than walking pace before parking up.

And @ elevendayempire - I assumed you like a speedfest because of your snide reference to "poor little children" and "nasty cars."

I've lived in London 18 years this year, been mugged once in that time, and the "most dangerous" thing about living here? - twats driving at 45mph down 30mph MAX residential streets.

 

[dooley]

the problem with the obsession with speed limits is it seems to take away somes folks ability to think for themselves