200 mph

[motorbiking]

and that's why I have a problem with the nutter in this thread. At no point does he back off or adjust his speed when he sees other vehicles. Yes at 130mph faster than anything else on the road there is massive risk. On top you have the design speed of all the components: tyres, breaks, geometry etc. But the fundamental issue with driving that fast, is someone else not seeing you and moving in to your path.

Nobody here would drive at 70mph around fixed objects, let alone 50mph faster.

 

[ajohn]

a more balanced summary of the success of 20mph zones can be found here
https://www.rospa.com/rospa

I'm not so sure it does really. There is a need to look at the casualties which going on the area I live in they have. There are several schools and all have 20mph limits around them. There hasn't been any deaths as far as I am aware but several children have been hit by cars. Secondary schools. Nothing to do with speed just down to kids walking into the road without even looking. Imposing a 20mph limit doesn't do anything about the reason for the problem. It tends to happen when a group is walking along and talking. I actually know 2 people who have hit kids. The fact that the kids walk away says all really. The fact that people driving aren't sticking to the 20mph limit says something else. Some will stick to the previous 30mph limit, some go way over it. These roads are never busy.

I live on an urban B'ham B road. Several deaths. Often there is too much traffic for people to exceed the 30mph limit but 40mph is pretty common. The serious accidents occur when the road is quiet. Couple of pedestrians on zebra crossing, one I know of that wasn't and a few accident where a driver has died. One lost control and hit a tree. The others people coming out of side roads. That just happens now and again. Wouldn't matter if the driver on the main road was doing 30 or 40.

It all comes down to people really and some use by a few of inappropriate speed.

Bicycles are another problem. Anyone who has driven something with 2 wheels and an engine is probably well aware that sometime they don't register at all to people coming out of side roads even at islands at times. They also probably know when riding it best to occupy their space on the road and not ride along the curb etc. But some one may then get a few feet off the rear mudguard as they want to go a bit quicker - just because it's a bike or maybe they think their car is quicker etc. They'd usually be further away from a car. People again not speed. Loads of Think Bike notices don't help. Best hope for people on push bikes is cycle lanes. Seems we are going to get loads of them. CV19 is seen as a good opportunity. Will it help with people coming out of side roads or turning left just as they are overtaking ?

My personal speed limits are pretty simple. If a 30 or 40mph limit I more or less stick to it. Default 60 or 70. Depends but I usually don't exceed my personal 90mph one. All depends on conditions.

I had a cyclist ride straight into the side of my car. Stupid close fitting sunglasses so looking much further down the road than where I was with seriously restricted vision. The people who ride them have their problems as well. It isn't always a vehicle driver fault. Far from it augmented by them not being able to keep up with traffic.

 

[ajohn]

But the fundamental issue with driving that fast, is someone else not seeing you and moving in to your path.

That is 100% the problem and it also needs far more constant attention to all sorts. You could say that 200mph is ok other than not much chance of some appreciating that a car is approaching that fast. A German might expect to see cars travelling at that speed. Once limits are added they wont and the roads and general conditions must be suitable. That applies at any speed really.

Hope I'm not the nutter.

 

[motorbiking]

It’s not about what you are used to, it’s about the limits of your ability to see. You’d have to spot him 300yds away.

 

[fillyboy]

In 2018, of the 1,784 road deaths, the majority (58%) occurred on rural roads.
The number of people killed on built-up 20 mph roads in 2017 increased by 79% on 2016, while the overall number of road crashes on 20mph roads rose by 43% over the same period.
Fatalities on built-up 30 mph roads fell by 1% in Great Britain in 2017 from 2016, yet the number of serious injuries increased by 5%.
The number of people killed on motorways increased by 8% to 107 in 2018.

Makes it quite difficult to justify Speed Limits and blanket 20mph zones as the answer.

When I first moved to Cornwall I spent about 5 months of the first year working in two very rural locations, after leaving the main road I had about 6 miles on a road (with no speed limit), about a quarter of the road two vehicles could pass, the rest was single lane with passing points, there were at least 6 blind bends.

At the blind bends I slowed to 5 or ten mph, always with the ability to stop, but the amount of times a car came around from the other direction doing 30 (even at 20 it's a gamble), what got me was the look of shock on the other drivers face at coming across another vehicle.
That first year I saw or came across 4 accidents, some quite bad, none of them were speeding.

Now in the ten years preceding that, I never saw an accident in central London, bizarre but true.

 

[durhamplumber]

had a cyclist ride straight into the side of my car. Stupid close fitting sunglasses so looking much further down the road than where I was with seriously restricted vision.

And the cyclist told you all this or you guessing..why do ""stupid close fitting sunglasses""make you look further down the road?...loads of cars pull out in front of cyclists...no sunglasses to blame..

 

[durhamplumber]

Bicycles are another problem. Anyone who has driven something with 2 wheels and an engine is probably well aware that sometime they don't register at all to people coming out of side roads even at islands at times. They also probably know when riding it best to occupy their space on the road and not ride along the curb etc

Had away and do not talk rubbish...many motorists take great delight in driving as close to possible to cyclists..And un observant motorists are not the cyclists fault

 

[durhamplumber]

Best hope for people on push bikes is cycle lanes.

You mean cycle lanes like this one close to me!!!

 

[durhamplumber]

Secondary schools. Nothing to do with speed just down to kids walking into the road without even looking. Imposing a 20mph limit doesn't do anything about the reason for the problem. It

You do talk some crap....nothing to do with speed???? Hit at 20mph you probably survive...40..dead...never mind braking distance reaction time etc..Nothing to do with speed..??? Cannot believe you say such numb stupid things.

 

[durhamplumber]

But a saturn 5 is not realistic or obtainable

So what

 

[durhamplumber]

I'd be the first to defend a person who set a safe speed according to the conditions b

Each person would have a differing idea of that speed..According to how good they think they are and the bike...

 

[durhamplumber]

have been known to travel at rather high speeds when road conditions are suitable. To be honest I wouldn't regard the speedo reading as accurate. That's from experience but fastest I have ever driven on a road is a touch over 150mph.

You are an idiot

 

[durhamplumber]

person driving the car may not be a problem. The main one is others not appreciating the closing speed

LMAO...of course,it is the other road users fault for not realising you are doing 150mph.....of course...how stupid of them

 

[Munroast]

Bicycles are another problem. Anyone who has driven something with 2 wheels and an engine is probably well aware that sometime they don't register at all to people coming out of side roads even at islands at times. They also probably know when riding it best to occupy their space on the road and not ride along the curb etc. But some one may then get a few feet off the rear mudguard as they want to go a bit quicker - just because it's a bike or maybe they think their car is quicker etc. They'd usually be further away from a car. People again not speed. Loads of Think Bike notices don't help. Best hope for people on push bikes is cycle lanes. Seems we are going to get loads of them. CV19 is seen as a good opportunity. Will it help with people coming out of side roads or turning left just as they are overtaking ?

This is very true, riding along in the gutter is just inviting the close pass, I certainly like to claim my space on the road with an attitude of I either need to be in the way or complete out of the way - but that doesn't always work, blind right hand bends on narrow country roads is a good example, ride in the gutter and many drivers will try and squeeze past, take the primary (a good wide position) and you will stop 95% from attempting to pass, but there is that sizeable minority who you will enrage and they will tailgate, blast on the horn or just go for the russian roulette overtake.

The most dangerous people on the road are those who like to drive fast.

And a very big NO to cycle lanes, they cause more problems than they solve, cyclists have every right to be on the road as anyone else.

 

[Brigadier]

cyclists have every right to be on the road as anyone else.

Doesn't help you when done **** mows you down though......

And I'm in support of cycling, before anyone kicks off