DIR Return Create A Forum - Home
---------------------------------------------------------
FreeTrafficLegalAdvice
HTML https://ftla.createaforum.com
---------------------------------------------------------
*****************************************************
DIR Return to: The Flame Pit
*****************************************************
#Post#: 19620--------------------------------------------------
Re: Driving law proposals could see motorway speed limits raised
to 100mph to 'reduce congestion'
DIR By: DWMB2
Date: April 13, 2024, 4:44 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: cp8759 link ---
>
> [quote author=Scientist and Saint
link=topic=1606.msg19605#msg19605 date=1712964837]
> [quote author=cp8759 link=topic=1606.msg19599#msg19599
date=1712963565]
> Frankly if it were up to me the motorways would have no limit
at all, in Germany I found 110 / 115 mph brought a fair balance
between making progress and fuel stops.
>
--- End Quote ---
In Germany there are 75% more fatal accidents on unrestricted
sections than on ones with a speed limit.
[/quote]
Source?
[/quote]
S&S may be referring to this 2019 piece in Der Spiegel
HTML https://www.spiegel.de/auto/aktuell/tempolimit-koennte-jaehrlich-bis-zu-140-todesfaelle-verhindern-a-1254504.html.
There's also this useful article
HTML https://correctiv.org/faktencheck/2022/06/28/autobahnen-mit-tempolimit-sind-nicht-gefaehrlicher-als-autobahnen-ohne-tempolimit/<br
/>from German fact-checking website Correktiv, that cites the
Spiegel article among others. Both articles are in German so you
may need to rely on Google Translate.
Having lived in Germany for a period, I did find their Autobahn
network fairly good. As noted in one of the articles above, the
unrestricted sections are generally only on the safer stretches
of motorway, i.e. those that are generally quiet, no major
junctions, away from big cities etc.
In my experience too, most people were fairly sensible on the
unrestricted sections and adjusted their speed to suit the road
and conditions. Partly because, just like in the UK, just
because one isn't speeding, doesn't mean one isn't driving
carelessly.
#Post#: 19624--------------------------------------------------
Re: Driving law proposals could see motorway speed limits raised
to 100mph to 'reduce congestion'
DIR By: slapdash
Date: April 13, 2024, 6:04 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: cp8759 link ---
> Frankly if it were up to me the motorways would have no limit
at all, in Germany I found 110 / 115 mph brought a fair balance
between making progress and fuel stops.
>
--- End Quote ---
About 35% (and increasing) of Autobahn 130kph, Only about 10% is
fully derestricted.
The balance has a variable limit based on traffic. It is often
derestricted in the evenings.
It seems to work reasonably well overall. The speeds you
describe would be common.
I don't think it would work particularly well here though, not
until folk had a better idea of lane discipline. High speed
differentials are difficult.
#Post#: 19630--------------------------------------------------
Re: Driving law proposals could see motorway speed limits raised
to 100mph to 'reduce congestion'
DIR By: tonys
Date: April 13, 2024, 7:03 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: slapdash link ---
> I don't think it would work particularly well here though, not
until folk had a better idea of lane discipline. High speed
differentials are difficult.
>
--- End Quote ---
Over here you'd have a bunch of drivers, eyes glued to their
speedometer, making sure they maintained 111mph and didn't hit
112.
#Post#: 19631--------------------------------------------------
Re: Driving law proposals could see motorway speed limits raised
to 100mph to 'reduce congestion'
DIR By: slapdash
Date: April 13, 2024, 7:16 am
---------------------------------------------------------
That would include me. But at least I'd be in the correct lane.
#Post#: 19633--------------------------------------------------
Re: Driving law proposals could see motorway speed limits raised
to 100mph to 'reduce congestion'
DIR By: ivanleo
Date: April 13, 2024, 7:37 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: slapdash link ---
>
> I don't think it would work particularly well here though, not
until folk had a better idea of lane discipline. High speed
differentials are difficult.
>
--- End Quote ---
That's where variable speed limits come in. Pretty much the
entire length of the M25 has variable speed limits, which would
be in force most of the time if there were no maximum limit.
However at 3 am when you have five empty fully lit lanes, the
only real limit should be the capabilities of the vehicle and
the driver.
#Post#: 19644--------------------------------------------------
Re: Driving law proposals could see motorway speed limits raised
to 100mph to 'reduce congestion'
DIR By: guest968
Date: April 13, 2024, 6:08 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: cp8759 link ---
>
> Source?
>
--- End Quote ---
Here
HTML https://www.statista.com/chart/25098/fatality-rate-and-speed-limit-on-european-motorways/<br
/>and their link to an article in Der Spiegel
HTML https://www.spiegel.de/auto/aktuell/tempolimit-koennte-jaehrlich-bis-zu-140-todesfaelle-verhindern-a-1254504.html
I'm not one of those who has an unthinking "speed kills"
position, and the Statista table shows that there really is no
link like like that - all sorts of other factors are involved.
Which is why the German experience is interesting, as it removes
all the factors like vehicle condition, driver training/skills,
roadway quality etc. Even though there are fewer accidents on
the unrestricted sections, because only the safest stretches are
unrestricted, the casualty rates are higher.
Does that mean we shouldn't have a higher limit on our
motorways? Not necessarily. I'm not ideologically opposed to
it, and I've long thought that if we are going to vary speed
limits for traffic management purposes there'd probably be
better buy-in from drivers for lower limits when necessary if
they also saw the same electronic signs showing higher limits
when possible.
Should that higher limit top out at 100? Possibly. 80? Why not
- it's common enough in other countries. 120? Possibly.
Unlimited? Hmmm. Driver skills start to become a problem,
(a) for the fast driver, although different training and testing
could perhaps be introduced. Could even be a money-spinner - I
can envisage that someone able to afford a super/hypercar would
happily pay a couple of K (to the police?) for advanced training
and the right to have a numberplate showing the speed he's rated
for.
But there's the (b) of all the dozy half-wits out there who
don't pay attention, and the consequences of one of them pulling
in front of someone doing 150 vs 70 are a lot more gripping.
None of the issues I brought up in my earlier replies were meant
to be "no we shouldn't cos...", but they are things which should
be considered when balancing competing interests. Is there
actually any practical point to a 100 limit (other than a
psychological sense of fair play)? We already tolerate a certain
casualty rate, knowing it could be lowered if we lower speed
limits, which is happening in urban areas, but we would need to
decide to risk higher rates if we raise the limit. And of
course it's not just the occupants of a fast car who face a
higher risk, it's also anybody they hit.
The extra fuel consumption isn't just a matter for the driver's
wallet - it means extra emissions. And my, what an EV carrot
that could be - EVs allowed to go at 120, or 150, petrol/diesel
kept at 70.
Things are often never as simple as at first they may appear,
but the implications of a higher speed limit could be properly
examined, and made a subject of public debate, if there was
political will.
In other words it aint gonna happen.
#Post#: 19651--------------------------------------------------
Re: Driving law proposals could see motorway speed limits raised
to 100mph to 'reduce congestion'
DIR By: tonys
Date: April 14, 2024, 1:13 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: Scientist and Saint link ---
>
> And my, what an EV carrot that could be - EVs allowed to go at
120, or 150, petrol/diesel kept at 70.
--- End Quote ---
Electricity produces emissions as well. Gas is the only source
that can be quickly scaled up or down, so any incremental
increase in electricity use is effectively wholly gas generated.
The idea being pushed seems to be "it doesn't matter how much
energy is used as long as it's electricity". I guess it's
politically easier to encourage people to buy a new car than
encourage energy saving.
#Post#: 19652--------------------------------------------------
Re: Driving law proposals could see motorway speed limits raised
to 100mph to 'reduce congestion'
DIR By: tonys
Date: April 14, 2024, 1:20 am
---------------------------------------------------------
By the way would this requested 100mph limit apply when it's
raining, or reduce like they do in France?
#Post#: 19662--------------------------------------------------
Re: Driving law proposals could see motorway speed limits raised
to 100mph to 'reduce congestion'
DIR By: Hippocrates
Date: April 14, 2024, 6:23 am
---------------------------------------------------------
A completely new driving test would need to be introduced.
#Post#: 19671--------------------------------------------------
Re: Driving law proposals could see motorway speed limits raised
to 100mph to 'reduce congestion'
DIR By: ivanleo
Date: April 14, 2024, 7:54 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: Hippocrates link ---
>
> A completely new driving test would need to be introduced.
>
--- End Quote ---
Police drivers can go a lot faster because they have extra
training, which isn't actually that expensive it's less than the
cost of a racing licence.
As a "high speed licence test" is plainly a premium service, the
government could introduce a test fee of £5k and I still think
they'd have people queing round the block for it. It would
certainly help the public finances.
*****************************************************
Page 3 of 9
DIR Previous Page
DIR Next Page