Speed Kills !!
~ ~ So say the advertising posters for the “Safer Driving” campaigns, and, off course, they are absolutely correct. Speed does in fact kill, but there again, so do many other things.
~ ~ The question that is at issue here is not if speed kills. We all know ... Read review
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...Anyone who drives on a motorway on a fairly regular basis knows that the speed limit is being flouted by a very high number of generally law-abiding people, and that to drive at below the limit often leaves you open to aggressive driving tactics from other drivers “keen to get on”.
If most people are honest with themselves then they will admit that, in most cases, it is the fear of penalty points, hefty fines, and possible loss ... ...than this, and on a motorway this would be 90mph plus, and you will almost invariably find yourself in front of a Judge, banned for six months or more, and off the road.
~ ~ So is driving at speed safe or isn’t it?
If we look to the Germans, who have no limits on some of their Autobahns, then you would have to say it is. The simple truth is that they have far less deaths and serious accidents on their motorways than we ... more
Speed Kills !!
~ ~ So say the advertising posters for the “Safer Driving” campaigns, and, off course, they are absolutely correct. Speed does in fact kill, but there again, so do many other things.
~ ~ The question that is at issue here is not if speed kills. We all know that you have much more chance of walking away from a shunt at 30mph than you have at 80mph. That’s only common sense. What is being asked is if the present speed limit of 70mph at present in force on our motorways (yes, it applies in Ireland too) is a realistic one, and if it saves lives by preventing accidents.
~ ~ My own immediate gut reaction is that the limit is not realistic given the highly maintained cars and vehicles that are the norm in today’s society. Anyone who drives on a motorway on a fairly regular basis knows that the speed limit is being flouted by a very high number of generally law-abiding people, and that to drive at below the limit often leaves you open to aggressive driving tactics from other drivers “keen to get on”. If most people are honest with themselves then they will admit that, in most cases, it is the fear of penalty points, hefty fines, and possible loss of their driving license that moderates their speed, and not any great fear of an accident or sense of civic responsibility.
~ ~ In Ireland, we don’t even have the fear of penalty points, as there is, as yet, no centralised system in place for implementing this. (But it’s coming; there’s an act before the Parliament) On a personal level, I am glad this is not in place, as I have had three speeding tickets in the last year. This is not as bad as it sounds, as I drive around 60,000 miles annually in my job as a taxi-driver, so am much more vulnerable to tickets than the average motorist. But the indisputable fact is that, had I received these tickets in the UK, I would most probably now be a banned driver, and also unemployed.
~ ~ The rule of thumb here in Ireland is that you will get away with a fixed penalty fine of £50 as long as you are doing no more than 20mph over the limit. Do more than this, and on a motorway this would be 90mph plus, and you will almost invariably find yourself in front of a Judge, banned for six months or more, and off the road.
~ ~ So is driving at speed safe or isn’t it? If we look to the Germans, who have no limits on some of their Autobahns, then you would have to say it is. The simple truth is that they have far less deaths and serious accidents on their motorways than we do in UK and Ireland. On the other hand, it is an indisputable fact that if you find yourself in a hairy or dangerous situation, it is much more likely you will avoid an accident at say 40mph than if you were travelling at 80mph. Put simply, you have more time to react to the problem facing you.
~ ~ But my own belief is that the real problem lies not so much with speeding, but with where it takes place. I think it is far less dangerous to drive at 90mph on a motorway, which is custom-built for fast traffic, than it is to drive at 50mph in a 30mph limit. I recently had the misfortune to kill a dog, which decided to wander out from between two parked cars just as I was approaching. I was travelling, at most, at no more than 35mph, but there was no way on God’s green earth I could have avoided the beast, short of swerving across the road into oncoming traffic, and putting at risk not only myself but fellow road users. The result was one very dead puppy. My point is this. This dog could just as easily have been a toddler, and when I think of that horror scenario, it gives me pause for serious thought. What if it was my own precious little nine-year-old daughter? How would I then feel towards the driver, disregardless of the rights or wrongs of the situation?
~ ~ In the course of my job as a taxi-driver I witness some completely crazy driving in urban traffic. I think it is this low standard of driving skill, and the seemingly utter contempt that a lot of motorists show to other drivers, that is the root cause of a high percentage of accidents, whether they be on a motorway or an ordinary road. The driving test should be toughened up considerably, and drivers should also have to resit tests on a regular, maybe three-yearly basis, to ensure their skill levels have not deteriorated. Far more emphasis should be placed on skills such as coping with a skid, or poor driving conditions. People should be tested on all types of roads, motorways included, not just on quiet housing estates, before they are issued with a license to drive what is, after all, a potentially lethal weapon.
~ ~ Young drivers in particular should have a speed restriction placed on them for a designated period after they pass their test. There is a great system in place in the North of Ireland (the six counties to us Nationalists) where newly qualified drivers must display “R” (restricted) plates for a two year period, which not only restricts them to a speed limit of 45mph, but also stops them from driving high powered cars which, in most cases, they are unable to handle. I realise that the above statement is a generalisation, and that some young drivers are very capapble drivers and safer than many of the older generation. But the facts speak for themselves, and young drivers are far more accident prone than those over the age of 25 or 26 years of age. There is NOTHING as lethal as a high powered vehicle in the hands of a testosterone packed young man. I was once one myself, and it was only by the Grace of God that I didn't kill someone on the roads in my younger days.
~ ~ I am not prone to suffering from road rage, but one thing is designed to make my blood boil, and that is tailgating. I have seen more accidents caused by this totally stupid and needless practice than any other form of driving fault. Indeed, I was almost killed myself about five years ago, by three young men in a large panel van who decided to sit about three feet from my back bumper at high speed. I braked approaching a junction, and they nearly drove straight over the top of both my taxi and me. Luckily, I got away with only minor injuries. They were also “drugged up” to the eyeballs, but as the police had no way of testing for this, they ended up only being charged with dangerous driving. (But that’s another story)
~ ~ Off course, all this commentary will be to no avail, as there is not a Government this side of heaven with the bottle to pass the necessary legislation to stop the carnage on our roads. It would be too unpopular with the voters, and might cost them their cosy little positions in Parliament.
Advantages: Encourages sensiable speeds Disadvantages: Speed is not the only problem
...When travelling on an empty motorway the 70-mph speed limit seems ridiculously slow but when travelling in inclement weather conditions 40 mph can be too fast. The danger comes when you have too broad a spectrum of speeds being used at the same time. With vehicles travelling at speeds of 55-60 mph in the inside lane and then in the middle lane of 60-70 mph, yes I know it’s the upper speed limit but some of these people should move over to the ... ...traffic flow across the whole motorway as long lines of lorries travelling at 60 mph are forced into the middle lane, this as we all know is infuriating.
Another thing that annoys me are the drivers whose left feet upon seeing a speed camera will suddenly become active, even if the car is travelling under the legal limit. That speed restriction signs in the event of an accident or inclement weather conditions are often ignored is a testament to ...
coppit 11.03.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Motorway Speed Limits
Advantages: Ideally, helps in maintaining safe driving conditions Disadvantages: Realistically, often ignored
...opinions previously submitted to it, Motorway Speed Limits ~
A friend of mine never speeds! This may seem an unusually rash statement for an opening line, but it’s true. Owner of a pretty modern fourwheel drive vehicle, I can assure you he never speeds. All the time he has been in possession of this vehicle, he has never exceded any speed limit, infact he never comes close.....more rash statements? But, I can support myself in this matter. ... ...the legal restrictions set for motorway travel. Although the severity of my friend’s injury was almost certainly increased by the speed factor, speed was not the cause of the accident. The cause of this accident was stupidity. The car driver was not paying attention to the road, did not see the traffic ahead slowing down, and ploughed into my friend. This motorist had years of driving experience on his side, didn’t fit into any stereotypical ...
wiggglypufff 28.01.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Motorway Speed Limits
Advantages: A reasonable limit for all Disadvantages: Unfair to the genuinely good driver
...damage. Now relate this to motorway speed limits and you should realise that it isn’t the speed that causes the problems but the way people handle the cars at high speed, their driving capabilities and condition of the vehicles that are the root causes of the majority of motorway accidents. There will always be the unforeseen like a tyre blow out or a major breakdown in machinery but you cannot legislate for absolutely every eventuality.
However ... ...But in the question of motorway speed limits the “Sunday driver” has to be protected against him/herself and the speed restrictions should remain at 70 mph.
To those who agitate for motorway speed limits to be increased to say 100 mph I say this, it is ludicrous to let a driver loose on the motorway who five minutes before has passed the driving test. Any fool can drive along an empty motorway at 100 mph plus and live to tell the tale. ...
jimbuck 04.02.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Motorway Speed Limits
Advantages: Speed limits are for your own safety more than anything else Disadvantages: Too many people feel that they are above the law
...they are already on a motorway that they dont have to slow down 'if no one is looking'.
Is that the correct attitude??
I think not!
So what about other countries speed limits on motorways?
We almost all have heard about the German Autobahn's and thier reputation for having no speed limits.
This is not true, they have a recommended speed limit of 85mph, obviously there for a reason, so why have it at all if its only a recomendation?
Well I have ... ...that an accident on the motorway isnt something i would like to see again!
There was very little left of any of the vehicles and no doubt some very unhappy families about that day when the police called about thier houses with the unfortunate news.
So, 70 mph , is it too slow for our newer, modern and efficient road systems here in the UK?
I dont think so, because the UK is such a relativley small Island, then why do we feel the need to get from ...
Martin.rowley 28.06.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Motorway Speed Limits
Advantages: Cars are safer but human design hasn't changed Disadvantages: Go to a speed track
...wrote a brilliant article on motorway speeds. Although I don’t agree with getting rid of the upper speed limit on motorways (I do think they should enforce the lower one), his article is considered and well-written. I couldn’t resist the temptation to add my own opinion, though. Thank God for Ciao!
I agree that cars are designed to go faster than used to, and braking systems are better and more efficient. Technology has made tremendous advances ... ...to be. However, when a car needs a service or needs a part, do we dash off to the dealership and get the expensive parts that the car was designed to have? No, most of us go somewhere else to find a cheaper part that will do the job, but made to much lower specification. When we replace tyres, how many of us get the most expensive tyre we can get that is designed to do high speeds and keep the stability of the rubber at high temperatures? Most of ...
Ray45 16.12.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Motorway Speed Limits
