Speed limiters to be fitted on all new cars by 2022

[Nod]

Rule 124 now states that you MUST NOT exceed (their capitals!) the limit. 28 years ago (Blimey, it was over 40 for me!!!) there were no speed cameras and detectors were in their infancy so the chances of being caught were much reduced.

Thinking back, my last ticket was for 80 in a 60 - the copper pulled out from behind a big road sign to give us a warning for 80 in a 70 but by the time he caught up with us, we had dropped off the dual carriageway so were in a 60. Must have been late '80s/early '90s.

 

[Marc]

Rule 124 now states that you MUST NOT exceed (their capitals!) the limit. 28 years ago (Blimey, it was over 40 for me!!!) there were no speed cameras and detectors were in their infancy so the chances of being caught were much reduced.

Thinking back, my last ticket was for 80 in a 60 - the copper pulled out from behind a big road sign to give us a warning for 80 in a 70 but by the time he caught up with us, we had dropped off the dual carriageway so were in a 60. Must have been late '80s/early '90s.

I took 3 tests when I was still living with my parents. I then moved to Central London and there was no desire to drive. I met Mrs F and we eventually moved back out of London. I passed 1st time that time around at the ripe old age of 28!

Got my first speeding ticket just a few months later.

 

[Dave Canon]

Pretty sure that it's still not legal to exceed the limit, even when overtaking - at least that's what I was told during a relatively recent (compared to either of our driving tests!) BikeSafe course (run and observed by plod). They said that they wouldn't pull someone who briefly went over the limit in order to overtake safely but it was still technically an offence.

I have only once been caught for speeding. I was following a small car driven by an old lady travelling at less than 20mph in a 30mph area. There was no one behind me or ahead of her or coming the other way. It was a wide road (dry and sunny) and with wide pavements and no pedestrians. So I quickly overtook and pulled back and then continued at 30 mph. I do believe that this was what I had been taught as well and I do not think a policeman would book you in the circumstances. Unfortunately, I had not noticed the van hidden in a parking bay which automatically measured my speed just as I passed the old lady. A £60 fixed penalty or try you chances in court. Like you said it is an offence technically so a court may be unimpressed and fined me more so I paid up.

Dave

 

[JohnC6]

Do you think we could ever get to the stage where all cars have GPS and automatically report speeders? Most new cars have SatNav so you'd think it would be doable...

One of my motto in life is 'what can happen, will happen' It's what makes me so cheerful .....so maybe.

 

[welshwizard645]

That was what he told me but that was 28 years ago.

My Dad was done for speeding overtaking someone, 73 mph in a NSL. Took the points.

 

[welshwizard645]

Has nobody seen the congestion caused on motorways when a HGV doing 56 mph decides to overtake one doing 53? This idea will cause huge problems as everyone will be travelling at virtually the same speed, but will still try to overtake another car doing two or three mph less.

Worse in Germany, you do need to look 2 miles ahead on the autobahn as a lot of people take advantage of the lack of speed limits on some sections (even though NSL is 130 kph). You could be going at 230+kph on the numerous 2-lane sections and be confronted by a truck at 90 kph overtaking one doing 89.7 kph. Focusses your mind.

 

[JonathanRyan]

Pretty sure that it's still not legal to exceed the limit, even when overtaking - at least that's what I was told during a relatively recent (compared to either of our driving tests!) BikeSafe course (run and observed by plod). They said that they wouldn't pull someone who briefly went over the limit in order to overtake safely but it was still technically an offence.

Exactly. It's not usually enforced but it's still an offence (except in certain US states - thanks Google!)

 

[Marc]

My Dad was done for speeding overtaking someone, 73 mph in a NSL. Took the points.

Speed camera?

 

[Nod]

My Dad was done for speeding overtaking someone, 73 mph in a NSL. Took the points.

To preserve my license, I tend to keep my limiter set to 10% over the posted limit (to account for speedo inaccuracy [which I usually check with GPS]) (which used to be the advice given to traffic plod) so in a single carriageway NSL, 66mph. In my car that's an actual [GPS] 62 so I'd be unlucky to get a ticket, even if I was up against the limiter.

 

[realspeed]

Worst thing ever thought of. Say for example you are on a normal road and get stuck behind someone using a speed limiter set at 20mph. Just think of the frustration of those behind that can't get passed. That would cause more accidents than ever. Yet another idea thought up by someone with half a brain not thinking things through properly. Must be the same brainless person who thought up this motorway "safe " zone on the hard shoulder. Or cycle lanes which used to be a traffic lane.

What a load of crackpots trying to justify their jobs must have escaped from a mental hospital or University

more sensible would be to enforce peddle bikes to be insured and road taxed and riders also pass a cycle efficieny test

 

[Deleted sulking member 63079]

Worst thing ever thought of. Say for example you are on a normal road and get stuck behind someone using a speed limiter set at 20mph. Just think of the frustration of those behind that can't get passed. That would cause more accidents than ever. Yet another idea thought up by someone with half a brain not thinking things through properly

I don't think you read the article, it would automatically set the limit to the roads speed limit and only kick in if you exceeded it and ignored the warnings to slow down yourself.

 

[wyx087]

My Dad was done for speeding overtaking someone, 73 mph in a NSL. Took the points.

Urban legend has it that they won't book you unless you are over by 10% + a few mph?

I gotta be careful. I always set (A)CC to be a few mph above speed limit as read by sat-nav. So for example in Leaf in a 60mph road where 60mph reads 66 in the car, I'd set CC slightly above 66mph if condition permits.

 

[Jelster]

Urban legend has it that they won't book you unless you are over by 10% + a few mph?

Most, but not all constabularies tend to work on 10% plus 2mph. I got a speeding ticket for 81 mph on the M40. Copper was very courteous, telling me he would have given me a warning, but he had his boss in the car who was a bit stickler.... I ended up with a speed awareness course, strange as I was very aware of the speed I was doing.....

 

[robj20]

To preserve my license, I tend to keep my limiter set to 10% over the posted limit (to account for speedo inaccuracy [which I usually check with GPS]) (which used to be the advice given to traffic plod) so in a single carriageway NSL, 66mph. In my car that's an actual [GPS] 62 so I'd be unlucky to get a ticket, even if I was up against the limiter.

I must admit I use the limiter on mine a lot, it means you just don't need to keep looking at your speed you can concentrate on the road more. I don't like cruise control even the adaptive mode it doesn't anticipate like the driver can.

 

[Nod]

Most, but not all constabularies tend to work on 10% plus 2mph. I got a speeding ticket for 81 mph on the M40. Copper was very courteous, telling me he would have given me a warning, but he had his boss in the car who was a bit stickler.... I ended up with a speed awareness course, strange as I was very aware of the speed I was doing.....

North Wales and Avon and Somerset plod are sticklers apparently. I tend to knock the limiter down a touch when on the M5 to Bristol!

 

[nilagin]

I must admit I use the limiter on mine a lot, it means you just don't need to keep looking at your speed you can concentrate on the road more. I don't like cruise control even the adaptive mode it doesn't anticipate like the driver can.

You do realise as a driver, you have the ability to (and should) override the cruise control at any time you feel it necessary.

 

[lindsay]

That's what I do like in my car, the HUD allows me to keep my eyes on the traffic ahead whilst still seeing both my current speed and the cruise control setting and the current road speed limit. My "limiter" gives a visible and audible warning if I hit it and it stay visible but not audible until I reduce below it, but as currently implemented it doesn't control my actual speed. Mind you, as it's software, I can imagine a future software update might implement that!

 

[Marc]

I must admit I use the limiter on mine a lot, it means you just don't need to keep looking at your speed you can concentrate on the road more. I don't like cruise control even the adaptive mode it doesn't anticipate like the driver can.

It's an aid to the driver, it's not supposed to be autonomous.

 

[Jelster]

That's what I do like in my car, the HUD allows me to keep my eyes on the traffic ahead whilst still seeing both my current speed and the cruise control setting and the current road speed limit. My "limiter" gives a visible and audible warning if I hit it and it stay visible but not audible until I reduce below it, but as currently implemented it doesn't control my actual speed. Mind you, as it's software, I can imagine a future software update might implement that!

Love my HUD... When I'm "making progress" along the twisty backroads of Wilts & Dorset, my head is always straight forward, and by using the paddles, my hands never leave the wheel. Some say that it detracts from the driving experience, I say that any aid a driver can get is a good thing.

 

[nilagin]

I say that any aid a driver can get is a good thing.

I would say the exact opposite, it is more likely to promote a bad and inexperienced drivers.

 

[lindsay]

Using the instruments binnacle isn't that distracting, but I do like the HUD when the road is busy. When I learnt to fly, I had to develop the ability to scan the instruments methodically and regularly whilst keeping eyes outside for other aircraft, which I think improved my driving concentration, but the HUD makes that a lot easier (which is why it was first used in aircraft of course).

 

[LCPete]

I would say the exact opposite, it is more likely to promote a bad and inexperienced drivers.

Yep agree with you there , just makes some people lazy and not being aware of their surroundings

 

[Jelster]

I would say the exact opposite, it is more likely to promote a bad and inexperienced drivers.

It's funny, but I seem to disagree with virtually anything you tend to say, so we must be polar opposites.

Any driver aid is a good thing. I'm a self confessed petrolhead, I love my driving, and on occasion turn off the traction control etc. However, for the general driver, having information easily at hand, and things like anti-lock brakes, traction control, and cruise control are beneficial. If they weren't they wouldn't be fitted to thousands of production cars, the manufacturers wouldn't waste their money on the R&D.

And back to my original point, both hands on the wheel and only looking forwards (except for fleetingly checking mirrors) must be better than eyes off the road and only one hand on the wheel. It seems to work in F1...

 

[welshwizard645]

North Wales and Avon and Somerset plod are sticklers apparently. I tend to knock the limiter down a touch when on the M5 to Bristol!

It was actually in North Wales, on the A525 at Llandegla towards the Nant y Garth Pass. In a Saab TiD, at least he managed the overtake cleanly....

 

[nilagin]

And back to my original point, both hands on the wheel and only looking forwards (except for fleetingly checking mirrors)

You should be looking everywhere not just forwards and quick glances in the mirrors.
Too many aids on a car leads to complacency, why do you think tailgating and mobile phone use is so prevalent? It all removes peoples ability to think for themselves and end up making stupid and sometimes downright dangerous decisions on the road, because they don't have adequate understanding of how to drive properly.

 

[omens]

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Excess speed/speeding accounts for a tiny fraction of RTAs. It’s 6%. But drivers get hammered on it because it’s easy to monitor and record.

driver failed to look- 39%
Driver failed to judge third party vehicle - 21%
Driver reckless/careless - 17%
Driver did poor manoeuvre- 12%
driver lost control - 11%

If you really wanted to improve road safety and reduce casualties, you would focus on these aspects. But they’re harder to observe/monitor because it’s essentially about driving skill and that’s not easily objectively measurable using cameras/automation.

 

[Jelster]

If you really wanted to improve road safety and reduce casualties, you would focus on these aspects. But they’re harder to observe/monitor because it’s essentially about driving skill and that’s not easily objectively measurable using cameras/automation.

That age old phrase, if you want to manage it, you must be able to realistically measure it. Speed is easy to measure, being a f***wit isn't. Drivers should be made to ride a motorbike for a year, that will focus their observation and hazard perception.....

 

[JonathanRyan]

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Excess speed/speeding accounts for a tiny fraction of RTAs. It’s 6%. But drivers get hammered on it because it’s easy to monitor and record.

driver failed to look- 39%
Driver failed to judge third party vehicle - 21%
Driver reckless/careless - 17%
Driver did poor manoeuvre- 12%
driver lost control - 11%

If you really wanted to improve road safety and reduce casualties, you would focus on these aspects. But they’re harder to observe/monitor because it’s essentially about driving skill and that’s not easily objectively measurable using cameras/automation.

Meh - driverless cars are going to fix all those.....

 

[Cobra]

driver failed to look- 39%

And with that should also include
Driver looked but thought f*** it, I'm pulling out anyway

 

[Pound Coin]

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Excess speed/speeding accounts for a tiny fraction of RTAs. It’s 6%. But drivers get hammered on it because it’s easy to monitor and record.

driver failed to look- 39%
Driver failed to judge third party vehicle - 21%
Driver reckless/careless - 17%
Driver did poor manoeuvre- 12%
driver lost control - 11%

If you really wanted to improve road safety and reduce casualties, you would focus on these aspects. But they’re harder to observe/monitor because it’s essentially about driving skill and that’s not easily objectively measurable using cameras/automation.

Causes and factors are different things. many, many errors are made worse with more speed. Either or the error maker, or the other vehicle, if there is one.

 

[Pound Coin]

And how is that going to stop the idiots driving at 40mph on a 60mph road??

There are many times that 40 in a 60 is appropriate. (I know that probably not what you are getting at, but 60 is the tops speed you are legally allowed to drive at in a 60 ,imit, not the speed that you should aim to achieve.

you are supposed to drive to the conditions, loads of drivers have forgotten that.

 

[Pound Coin]

Meh - driverless cars are going to fix all those.....

when you look outside your car at the drivers out there remember that about half of them are below average intelligence.

 

[nilagin]

That age old phrase, if you want to manage it, you must be able to realistically measure it. Speed is easy to measure, being a f***wit isn't. Drivers should be made to ride a motorbike for a year, that will focus their observation and hazard perception.....

I see just as many motorcyclists riding like t***s and find them more likely to speed, than car drivers.

 

[nilagin]

There are many times that 40 in a 60 is appropriate. (I know that probably not what you are getting at, but 60 is the tops speed you are legally allowed to drive at in a 60 ,imit, not the speed that you should aim to achieve.

you are supposed to drive to the conditions, loads of drivers have forgotten that.

Doesn't help when some people fail to drive with reasonable speed when the conditions are good, driving too slowly can be just as dangerous as driving to fast.
You can fail a driving test and be pulled over by the police for driving too slow and not making reasonable progress.

 

[Jelster]

There are many times that 40 in a 60 is appropriate. (I know that probably not what you are getting at, but 60 is the tops speed you are legally allowed to drive at in a 60 ,imit, not the speed that you should aim to achieve.

you are supposed to drive to the conditions, loads of drivers have forgotten that.

"Appropriate speed". 35 in a NSL is just bloody stupid unless the road conditions are terrible, and it happens a lot, especially roads that are twisty. Probably the same people who have to slow down to 2mph when turning off of a major road.

 

[Cobra]

it happens a lot, especially roads that are twisty.

I see this time and again,
on one part of my journey, I go from a 70mph dual carriageway, where people will pass at mach II
and yet on the single with a few nice little bends ( the whole stretch can be taken at 70 mph, ( or so I'm told )
I have caught them and they are now down to 40 / 50 mph causing massive tail backs.

 

[Mr Bump]

I did think its interesting the Volvo are going to limit theirs to 112mph..... - Was fairly sure that's still above the uk speed limit...

they said it was to cover some of the EU countries like Germany.
Also I read most electric car makers will limit their cars to 85mph tops as it allows them to engineer a more efficent car/gearing etc.

 

[nilagin]

Also I read most electric car makers will limit their cars to 85mph tops as it allows them to engineer a more efficent car/gearing etc.

Very few electric cars have gearing. They're direct drive.

 

[Pound Coin]

"Appropriate speed". 35 in a NSL is just bloody stupid unless the road conditions are terrible, and it happens a lot, especially roads that are twisty. Probably the same people who have to slow down to 2mph when turning off of a major road.

Can't see where you have got the "35" from. Probably just fulfilling some weird reinforcement for your views.

I've highlighted bits where you accept that, as I said, "you are supposed to drive to the conditions".

 

[AndrewFlannigan]

I've highlighted bits where you accept that, as I said, "you are supposed to drive to the conditions".

Yes.

The bit that too many people forget is that those conditions include the skill of the driver, the comfort of the passengers and the perception of risk. Roads are for getting safely from A to B and not for acting out some fantasy of being James Bond or Juan Manuel Fangio.