General: Revision of Motorway Speed Limits and Rules

[volvorocks]

Revision of Motorway Speed Limits and Rules

What are peoples views on altering the speeds that vehicles can travel on the motorway?

These are my views

Increase the speed limit to 80mph for passenger cars and come down hard on excessive speeding above this.

Introduction of tailgating cameras like these mentioned here in an old news post

Restrict vans to 70mph.

Keep HGV restricted to 56mph and allow travel only in lane 1

Opinions and views welcomed

[JamesV70R]

Originally Posted by volvorocks

Revision of Motorway Speed Limits and Rules

What are peoples views on altering the speeds that vehicles can travel on the motorway?

These are my views

Increase the speed limit to 80mph for passenger cars and come down hard on excessive speeding above this.

Introduction of tailgating cameras like these mentioned here in an old news post

Restrict vans to 70mph.

Keep HGV restricted to 56mph and allow travel only in lane 1

Opinions and views welcomed

So you'll have a solid line of trucks in Lane 1 all doing 56mph. They already have right of way as they are already on the motorway. If they can't move across how are YOU going to join said motorway? You haven't thought this one through, have you?

What would you count "excessive" speeding over 80mph? 100mph? 110? Why not leave it at 70 and just come down on those over 80/85? Or even, come down on those over 75! The limit is, after all, 70 ...

[Daim]

Hmm... What about raising it to European standard motorway speeds?

Cars: 80 mph (130 km/h)
Lorries: 50 mph (80 km/h)
Vans: 75 mph (120 km/h)

I'd like a lift in lorry speeds for motorways -> 60 mph/100 km/h would be great (I don't drive a lorry) as they do tend to cause hold ups... And at the same time drop the limit for vans to the same speed -> commercial vehicles (except taxis) limited to 60 mph/100 km/h

[Barry W]

and .... if we have a solid line of HGV on the inside lane, not only will it be difficult to get onto the road in the first place, it will be almost impossible to leave it when you get to the exit!

Wall - to - wall trucks when I am in a car does not sound like my idea of fun.

[friedfrog]

I think the speed limit ought to be upped to about 100mph for cars, reason being when the speed limits were introduced 100mph would've been impossible in most "regular" cars and terrifying in those that could do it.
ABS, Tracs, Stability, etc. etc. all make cars much more easy to drive.

Never driven owt bigger than a luton van, but do think 56mph in a lorry seems very slow, surely they have become far easier and safer to drive over the years.

I can do 100mph in my car (on a private rd odviously..lol) whilst rolling a fag, eating a mars bar and swigging a can of can't, not all at the same time, but y'know what I mean.

Maybe M'ways should have electronic speed limit signs that change in a fair and reasonable manner thru the day depending on traffic, weather etc.

ff

[Thanatos]

What's wrong with them as they are you don't use as much fuel at 70, and you do when say 90 and it's not the cars that you have to worry about it's the thinking distance as some people at the moment can't think whilst driving on a motorway so what makes you think it will get any better at highr speeds.

[adieu]

But if the trucks keep a SAFE distance between themselves you'd have plenty of room. Vans should be able to travel as fast as cars on motorways, but keep the present 60 mph and 50mph limits.

Ducks behind sofa.

[JamesV70R]

Originally Posted by adieu

But if the trucks keep a SAFE distance between themselves you'd have plenty of room. Vans should be able to travel as fast as cars on motorways, but keep the present 60 mph and 50mph limits.

Ducks behind sofa.

Originally Posted by volvorocks

Hi Chelle Belle and Craig!

Do see your point.

Would it be too much to expect though to expect the faster lorry to simply follow at the reduced speed for a little while until the slower lorry is back to 56mph?

TBH I have not come across that many lorries doing 45mph on the mway as the majority of HGV nowadays can maintain 56mph ish up and down hills loaded or unloaded due to their powerful engines. Yes ok they may have to drop a cog or 2 (or 3)..!!

My scenario from the previous page thus applies in this instance!

A lot of lorries, (although the MAXIMUM speed they are limited to is 56mph) are actually doing LES than that. Drop in behind a Tesco/Sainsburys truck and you'll likely find they are doing 53/54 for "fuel saving"

You say you think its not that bad to sit behind a slower lorry - if it wasn't that bad why do the ones that can do 0.5mph faster attempt the overtake in the first place? Because they CAN! Because they have deadlines to meet.

If its not that bad, why do *you* overtake anyone on the motorway? To get where you are going a few minutes (tops) quicker? Heres an experiment for you: Join the motorway, and stay a safe distance behind the HGV infront of you. Don't overtake, stay there.

You also mention lorries and safe distances ... How often do you see them driving so close together you couldn't fit your car between them if you tried? (These are the "bad eggs" I'm talking about here - the majority are pretty good)

[volvorocks]

Originally Posted by friedfrog

I think the speed limit ought to be upped to about 100mph for cars, reason being when the speed limits were introduced 100mph would've been impossible in most "regular" cars and terrifying in those that could do it.
ABS, Tracs, Stability, etc. etc. all make cars much more easy to drive.

Never driven owt bigger than a luton van, but do think 56mph in a lorry seems very slow, surely they have become far easier and safer to drive over the years.

I can do 100mph in my car (on a private rd odviously..lol) whilst rolling a fag, eating a mars bar and swigging a can of can't, not all at the same time, but y'know what I mean.

Maybe M'ways should have electronic speed limit signs that change in a fair and reasonable manner thru the day depending on traffic, weather etc.

ff

Its the stopping from those speeds that will be problematic

[christheancient]

Originally Posted by volvorocks

Its the stopping from those speeds that will be problematic

Spot on!

At 100mph...

Thinking Distance = 100ft
Braking Distance = 500ft
Overall Stopping Distance = 600 ft (approx the length of two football pitches)

At 70mph...

Thinking Distance = 70ft
Braking Distance = 245ft
Overall Stopping Distance = 315 ft (approx the length of one football pitch)

For that extra 30mph, the overall stopping distance is nearly doubled!

And that is if the brakes are in good nick, the driver is alert and the road is nice and dry with a good surface.

I know which I prefer!