|
|
Post by Zany on Jul 25, 2024 18:56:39 GMT
For the record I do not break speed limits, its basic maths for me. Do 30mph for 1/2 a mile through a village takes 1 minute. Drive at 40 and you save yourself 15 seconds. Would I give up 15 seconds to save a life? Well yes of course. 20mph is also good with a speed limiter in your car, must be hard without one. One thing I do find on long stretches (Through Godmanchester for instance) is passing cyclists. They are doing 12 to 15mph, you need to give them 1.5mtrs of clearance but at that speed difference it takes a very long time to get past with traffic coming the other way. It feels like your choice is annoy the drivers behind you by following the cyclist, speeding to get past or not giving them the space you're supposed to. I have even had drivers roar past me and the cyclist in frustration. What I would like to see before these new safer measures are imposed is some sort of testing in a limited area to see if they do reduce accidents or if there are unexpected side effects that make them worse.
Love that bit, sacrifice a few lives to test a hypothesis.  I think you must know what a low blow that is. It doesn't require an answer. |
|
|
|
Post by patman post on Jul 25, 2024 19:11:13 GMT
I think the points I felt should be made have been made. Speed limits are almost invariably well signposted. . . Nope 30 mph speed limits are notoriously protected by law to NOT have repeat signs. I know of countless examples where the entry sign to a 30 mph area is completely obscured by trees or other signageDirection signs and speed are often obscured by other street furniture and trees. I tend to keep my navigation screen on as it also shows the current speed limit for the road I'm on.
The other annoying signed restriction is the times on bus lanes. I can understand say 7am to 7pm Monday to Sunday, but there seem to be so many permutations of times and days that they're difficult to guess at. And the annoying thing is that they are also often obscured.
I think inappropriate restrictions or hidden cameras and road signs are probably the results of non-road using staff responding to jobsworths and poor maintenance regimes rather than intentional money raising schemes...
|
|
|
|
Post by RedRum on Jul 26, 2024 5:40:46 GMT
Love that bit, sacrifice a few lives to test a hypothesis. I think you must know what a low blow that is. It doesn't require an answer. It was a joke. |
|
|
|
Post by Zany on Jul 26, 2024 7:12:27 GMT
I think you must know what a low blow that is. It doesn't require an answer. It was a joke. Fair do's. Perhaps a laughing emoji in future, was quite unpleasant without that and not funny. |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 31, 2024 21:55:46 GMT
Having driven back from The Lakes to Cambridge today on the M6 I noticed an enormous number of speed limit changes 40 then 50 then 40 then 60 then 40 on and on, it was dangerous having to keep changing speed with other drivers ignoring the changes or not slowing as fast as I. The reason I stuck to these limits so religiously is that I got caught a year ago after a red motorway warning light up ahead saying 40. I gently slowed down and passed the sign with all the other traffic doing around 50. A firestorm of flashes went off behind me and I and probably 6 other drivers all got £100 speeding fines. (FYI The reason for the 40 turned out to be a broken down lorry on the hard shoulder some two miles further up the road) Anyway. I got to wondering if all these speed changes were just a money making scheme, so when I got home I looked it up. I found this: UK drivers are paying £25,279,010 more in fines than in 2015www.wessexfleet.co.uk/blog/2022/03/02/driving-fines-that-cost-people-the-most-money/and this. www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10255887/NSW-speed-camera-fines-inquiry-revenue-skyrocketed-20million.htmlMany have argued in the past that speed cameras were just road tax machines and I did not agree, but these numbers are troubling. The mobile speed camera vans are certainly designed to raise revenue rather than deter speeding. This is obvious from their conduct. If they were there to deter speeding they would be as visible as possible so that no one could miss them and everyone would slow down. But they don't do that. Instead they lurk behind blind bends and suchlike in an obvious attempt to avoid being seen. The obvious aim here is to deter as few speeders as possible in order to catch as many of them speeding as possible, which is quite obviously an attempt to maximise revenue rather than actually reduce speed. |
|
Steve
Hero Protagonist
Posts: 3,633
|
Post by Steve on Jul 31, 2024 21:58:12 GMT
I think it's more to do with meeting idiot targets than the revenue but they are certainly managed inappropriately with a focus on anything but road safety.
|
|
|
|
Post by patman post on Aug 5, 2024 12:11:36 GMT
I'm getting more and more aggravated by the increasingly aggressive behaviour of powered and pedalled two-wheelers — these include stand-on scooters, push-bikes — both electric assisted and powered — and fat bikes.
Why do so few of these believe they need to stop at traffic lights, stop signs, or pedestrian crossings, or think they're entitled to drive through pedestrian-only walkways?
Why can't these lawbreakers be apprehended, their scooters and bikes immediately seized and only returned once a stiff fine is paid...?
|
|
Steve
Hero Protagonist
Posts: 3,633
|
Post by Steve on Aug 5, 2024 12:14:17 GMT
I'm getting more and more aggravated by the increasingly aggressive behaviour of powered and pedalled two-wheelers — these include stand-on scooters, push-bikes — both electric assisted and powered — and fat bikes. Why do so few of these believe they need to stop at traffic lights, stop signs, or pedestrian crossings, or think they're entitled to drive through pedestrian-only walkways? Why can't these lawbreakers be apprehended, their scooters and bikes immediately seized and only returned once a stiff fine is paid...? It's difficult because a lot are legally minors, others are mask wearing but something needs to be done. |
|
|
|
Post by patman post on Aug 5, 2024 12:52:45 GMT
I'm getting more and more aggravated by the increasingly aggressive behaviour of powered and pedalled two-wheelers — these include stand-on scooters, push-bikes — both electric assisted and powered — and fat bikes. Why do so few of these believe they need to stop at traffic lights, stop signs, or pedestrian crossings, or think they're entitled to drive through pedestrian-only walkways? Why can't these lawbreakers be apprehended, their scooters and bikes immediately seized and only returned once a stiff fine is paid...? It's difficult because a lot are legally minors, others are mask wearing but something needs to be done. I've found this:—
The Department for Transport has confirmed to Cycle Sprog the following:
E-bikes can be ridden on the road (but not the pavement) provided they meet the Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle Regulations 1983 (as amended) and the rider is over 14 years of age.
But it still doesn't explain why they're not stopped. I reckon that half a dozen mobile teams of Met officers periodically and randomly stationed around hotspots could pay for themselves.
I've only seen Police apprehending cyclists once, some years ago around Shoreditch. No idea what the penalties were...
|
|
Steve
Hero Protagonist
Posts: 3,633
|
Post by Steve on Aug 5, 2024 13:04:12 GMT
Good link thanks
I'd say this will end in tears but sadly there have already been deaths. It's also going to be interesting when insurance companies refuse to pay out for homes burnt down because some idiot was charging an unapproved e-bike in it using some knock off charger they got off E-Bay
|
|
|
|
Post by Zany on Aug 5, 2024 21:42:12 GMT
I'm getting more and more aggravated by the increasingly aggressive behaviour of powered and pedalled two-wheelers — these include stand-on scooters, push-bikes — both electric assisted and powered — and fat bikes. Why do so few of these believe they need to stop at traffic lights, stop signs, or pedestrian crossings, or think they're entitled to drive through pedestrian-only walkways? Why can't these lawbreakers be apprehended, their scooters and bikes immediately seized and only returned once a stiff fine is paid...? It's difficult because a lot are legally minors, others are mask wearing but something needs to be done. They need to be licensed. |
|
