The great slow down ...

[diy_fun_uk]

... and so it continues.

What I find quite interesting is the mention of 50s being reduced to 40 and 40s being reduced to 30. We've all seen these measures implemented across the UK and, when it comes to 20 zones, I often agree with them. Having said that I know of more than a few 20 zones were it simply isn't required and largely isn't adhered to. What I don't agree with as much is the reduction of 50 and 40 zones. I genuinely won't be surprised if motorway's are reduced to 60 in the coming years 'in the interests of safety and the environment.'

It's interesting in this case the council say enforcement measures won't be increased, however they hope driving >20 will gradually become more socially unacceptable in these zones. Certainly where I live, this doesn't appear to be the case, and many of these zones have been in place for years.

Oxfordshire town to be first to cut residential speed limits to 20mph

Dozens of 30mph roads in Witney are set to have their limits lowered to 20mph following approval today.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[fillyboy]

Thank God white vans are exempt from these rules.

 

[ajohn]

I've seen several 20 limits around schools. It's an interesting area. Kids from one local school, boys sometimes get hit. Happens now and again but not seriously injured as far as I am aware - how, just walking into the road without looking. A local infants school has a lady that stops any traffic. A local girls school has loads of drop off and pick car arrivals - that at times does cause car collisions. The girls appear to be more sensible about crossing roads - senior school just like the boys.

Motorway speed limits increase congestion at time even at 70mph. That is not good for consumption. Start stop driving is probably the worst of the lot. It would have to be a blanket limit other wise traffic will just choke up when it's reduced. Labour wondered about a nationwide 50 limit in Brown's days but didn't dare do it.

50 is a curious choice really. Car makers went metric. There is some probability that best consumption figures will be at a steady 56 as they look at that rather closely.

The other aspect of 20mph is the gears that will be used. Higher RPM means more friction. TBH from a pollution point of view it wouldn't surprise me if it was bad news.

Road safety cameras said to reduce accidents. Volvo noticed a huge drop in rear end shunts when they added high level rear brake lights. That is more likely to be the real reason. Volvo know this due to the reduction in the sale of rear end panels. They produced a lot too many. They are also very proud about coming up with the idea.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Kids from one local school, boys sometimes get hit. Happens now and again but not seriously injured as far as I am aware - how, just walking into the road without looking.

I was on a bus yesterday, on the front seat almost alongside the driver. A young lad on a bike flew out of a side road, oblivious of the bus which missed him by just feet.

Motorway speed limits increase congestion at time even at 70mph. That is not good for consumption. Start stop driving is probably the worst of the lot. It would have to be a blanket limit other wise traffic will just choke up when it's reduced.

There is an interesting computer simulation where traffic densities can be adjusted, to see the ripple effect, as 'driver' slow down to avoid the shrinking stopping instance effect. The ripple begins, as soon as you try to exceed a roads vehicle capacity. Increasing speeds does not necessarily increase the number of vehicles past a point, because the spacing between has increase too.

The other aspect of 20mph is the gears that will be used. Higher RPM means more friction. TBH from a pollution point of view it wouldn't surprise me if it was bad news.

Mine will happily pull top at 20mph, but many will not. The bigger cause of pollution is the slowing down and speeding up, as you often get with speed bumps and congestion, steady progression causes minimum pollution and best MPG.

Road safety cameras said to reduce accidents. Volvo noticed a huge drop in rear end shunts when they added high level rear brake lights.

Most often due to due to those who drive too close, so the tail/stop lights are not in direct line of sight.

 

[ajohn]

Most often due to due to those who drive too close, so the tail/stop lights are not in direct line of sight.

Volvo and others put the improvement down the high level lights being more or less directly in line of sight. It isn't just a distance aspect which would make little difference anyway due to thinking and stopping distance.

Actually the stopping distances used for higher speed results in less cars is very flawed. Rather seriously.

LOL Don't argue with me.I spent years working on abs so know nothing at all about speed and distance and stopping.

 

[IT Minion]

Actually the stopping distances used for higher speed results in less cars is very flawed. Rather seriously.

LOL Don't argue with me

How can anyone argue with you, no one can tell what you're saying.

 

[Mottie]

When I drove home the day after my daughters wedding in Marylebone, it was 20mph zones all the way to Hackney where I picked up the A12. It was torture!

 

[ajohn]

How can anyone argue with you, no one can tell what you're saying.

At least I get some things right. I wont bother completing that sentence.

 

[Munroast]

... and so it continues.

What I find quite interesting is the mention of 50s being reduced to 40 and 40s being reduced to 30. We've all seen these measures implemented across the UK and, when it comes to 20 zones, I often agree with them. Having said that I know of more than a few 20 zones were it simply isn't required and largely isn't adhered to. What I don't agree with as much is the reduction of 50 and 40 zones. I genuinely won't be surprised if motorway's are reduced to 60 in the coming years 'in the interests of safety and the environment.'

It's interesting in this case the council say enforcement measures won't be increased, however they hope driving >20 will gradually become more socially unacceptable in these zones. Certainly where I live, this doesn't appear to be the case, and many of these zones have been in place for years.

Oxfordshire town to be first to cut residential speed limits to 20mph

Dozens of 30mph roads in Witney are set to have their limits lowered to 20mph following approval today.

www.dailymail.co.uk

wonderful that they are reducing speed limits, but they need to start enforcing it - hidden speed cameras and let councils keep the income.

we also need to start reducing the size and power of cars allowed on our roads.

 

[charliegolf]

On the 30 to 20 (across Wales next year)...

Police friend who had a long spell as an accident investigator said that the evidence showed that if you hit a kid at 30, he bounces off. At 20, he's going under...

Now E+half mv squared, so the bounce of might be bad energy wise, but going under is between life altering and life ending. So I'm not sure really.

(Ex Head, never lost a kid!)

Broke one or two!

 

[Munroast]

Police friend who had a long spell as an accident investigator said that the evidence showed that if you hit a kid at 30, he bounces off. At 20, he's going under...

best excuse ever to drive fast

meanwhile the stats

• at 40 mph there is a 90 percent chance they will be killed.
• at 35 mph there is a 50 percent chance they will be killed.
• at 30 mph there is a 20 percent chance they will be killed.
• at 20 mph there is a 2.5 percent chance they will be killed.

Bounce off - LOL - oh look that one bounced over the hedge, I bet he enjoyed that, hope he didn't damage my car, it's my pride and joy.

 

[charliegolf]

Are you always a dick? This is a bloke who has been to far too many families to give the worst news; and knows way more than your google finger. His opinion or yours, mmm, let me take a nanosecond.

 

[Justin Passing]

wonderful that they are reducing speed limits, but they need to start enforcing it - hidden speed cameras and let councils keep the income.

The 20's are mostly OK. You have to wonder, with some. All the locals think this one is bonkers. There are several more deserving roads nearby.

Doing things locally is fine by me., been saying it for years. They could use the money to take the bloody road humps out.
I asked a couple of relevant people about it; apparently the councils don't have the necessary authority.

 

[Deleted member 18243]

As with all crimes, the offender should be punished, not the rest of us. Get the bad drivers off the roads, into prisons, crush the cars, let the law abiding enjoy the world.

 

[ajohn]

• at 30 mph there is a 20 percent chance they will be killed.
• at 20 mph there is a 2.5 percent chance they will be killed.

It could be that the 20mph figures are so low that insufficient info is available.

A tongue in the cheek reply by me. Why - people who produce figures like that are trying to make a point and there is a very fair chance that they are not based on anything directly related to reality.