pretty sure speed limits get broke regardless. even when there is a big sign saying speed camera and a big motoring selfie stand beside it.
the idea a speed limit is a maximum safe limit and judgment and patience employed to decide if thats clever, RARELY come into play.
its more of a, the sign saaid X so get out of my way so i can go at X. which is why the novelty of a 20mph zone causes so much distraction and frustration for those unwilling to consider others.
Yeh just look how many of those 20mph roads used to be 40mph or higher roads that have gradually been lowered to 20mph sucking away more minutes on miserable to drive on roads.
I think it was wrong to assume that most humans follow laws blindly. Many people drove within the previous 30/40 limits on main roads because they seemed sensible and also coincided with the law.
Once you ask people to drive at speeds which seem, to them, unnecessarily slow at half the previous speed limit, you’re going to get mass law breaking and rapidly discover that’s laws actually operate with an element of mutual consent.
Incorrect headline: 85% of cars sampled were travelling in excess of 20mph, rather than 85% off drivers. The percentage of car drivers who on occasion break a 20mph limit is north of 99%.
Also, very misleading data: the 20mph roads sampled were ‘free-flow’, which appears to mean roads without traffic calming measures. Driving at no more than 20mph along a straight, non-residential, pedestrian-less road takes superhuman effort when there’s little traffic about, and is usually accompanied by other cars up yer arse or overtaking you. I would suggest that compliance is significantly better than 85% in residential streets with width restrictions, speed bumps, etc.
I don’t believe the intention of widespread 20mph limits is to get people driving at 20mph; it’s to make you drive south of 25mph. I also think that there would be greater levels of adherence to 20mph limits if they were applied more sparingly, ie to residential side streets, around schools, etc.
All this worthy debate is missing the point entirely: motorist are and always have been tne governments favorite easy touch. Much easier than actually doing anything constructive and a nice little earner for local councils
20mph is being slapped on in a lot of places where it is clearly necessary. It’s also really difficult to get used to as it’s been 30mph for decades.
Will nobody spare a thought for the oppressed motorists delayed by 34 seconds near a school??
Its just too slow for modern gearing over a long distance. 25 would be easier
My driving instructor told me that the way you drive to pass your test is vastly different to how you drive once and you pass and you do not have to spend long on the roads before you realise how true that is for the majority of drivers. Everyone thinks they are an amazing driver and that laws are more like guidelines. Distracted driving is a plague on the roads, as are speeding, not using indicators, and driving according to the road conditions. It is a miracle more people do not suffer accidents because of how badly some people drive these days.
9 comments
pretty sure speed limits get broke regardless. even when there is a big sign saying speed camera and a big motoring selfie stand beside it.
the idea a speed limit is a maximum safe limit and judgment and patience employed to decide if thats clever, RARELY come into play.
its more of a, the sign saaid X so get out of my way so i can go at X. which is why the novelty of a 20mph zone causes so much distraction and frustration for those unwilling to consider others.
Yeh just look how many of those 20mph roads used to be 40mph or higher roads that have gradually been lowered to 20mph sucking away more minutes on miserable to drive on roads.
I think it was wrong to assume that most humans follow laws blindly. Many people drove within the previous 30/40 limits on main roads because they seemed sensible and also coincided with the law.
Once you ask people to drive at speeds which seem, to them, unnecessarily slow at half the previous speed limit, you’re going to get mass law breaking and rapidly discover that’s laws actually operate with an element of mutual consent.
Incorrect headline: 85% of cars sampled were travelling in excess of 20mph, rather than 85% off drivers. The percentage of car drivers who on occasion break a 20mph limit is north of 99%.
Also, very misleading data: the 20mph roads sampled were ‘free-flow’, which appears to mean roads without traffic calming measures. Driving at no more than 20mph along a straight, non-residential, pedestrian-less road takes superhuman effort when there’s little traffic about, and is usually accompanied by other cars up yer arse or overtaking you. I would suggest that compliance is significantly better than 85% in residential streets with width restrictions, speed bumps, etc.
I don’t believe the intention of widespread 20mph limits is to get people driving at 20mph; it’s to make you drive south of 25mph. I also think that there would be greater levels of adherence to 20mph limits if they were applied more sparingly, ie to residential side streets, around schools, etc.
All this worthy debate is missing the point entirely: motorist are and always have been tne governments favorite easy touch. Much easier than actually doing anything constructive and a nice little earner for local councils
20mph is being slapped on in a lot of places where it is clearly necessary. It’s also really difficult to get used to as it’s been 30mph for decades.
Will nobody spare a thought for the oppressed motorists delayed by 34 seconds near a school??
Its just too slow for modern gearing over a long distance. 25 would be easier
My driving instructor told me that the way you drive to pass your test is vastly different to how you drive once and you pass and you do not have to spend long on the roads before you realise how true that is for the majority of drivers. Everyone thinks they are an amazing driver and that laws are more like guidelines. Distracted driving is a plague on the roads, as are speeding, not using indicators, and driving according to the road conditions. It is a miracle more people do not suffer accidents because of how badly some people drive these days.