More 50mph speed limits on the way

[st13phil]

Oh well, almost a year on and the dreaded 50mph signs have now appeared on the B4011. They're still (mostly) covered up with black bin-liners so the limit's obviously not in force yet but it soon will be. I did take the time to object formally to the proposal but it was clear from the responses by the council to the objection points that this was going to happen just as sure as night follows day. "Our minds are made up, don't try to confuse us with the facts", is an expression that springs to mind.

Responses to two of the points I raised were particularly interesting, but for different reasons. The first was in response to my observation that compliance levels with a reduced limit would be low in the absence of additional enforcement. The council confessed that "we too had believed that this would be likely, but compliance levels with newly introduced 30mph limits in villages have proved that this is not the case". Comparing compliance levels with new 30mph limits in villages with those on an open-aspect road are a bit dissingenous in my view but, hey, this is the wacky world of Oxfordshire Road Safety...

The second was in response to my comments about invisible road markings, the many missing marker studs and the worn-out sections of road surface. In this case, the council's line was that "if there was any evidence that any of these issues had lead to crashes then our maintenance department would be charged with taking corrective action". Well, guess what? Soon afterwards - around May or June, I seem to remember - the numerous missing marker studs were replaced and the invisble road markings were repainted with nice new white, reflective, paint. Also, a couple of the most defective bits of road were patched up. Now, call me a cynic, but is it coincidence that all this long-overdue "maintenence" work was carried out immediately prior to posting the new speed limits? After all, we wouldn't want to muddy the waters by making other improvements that affect the safety of those travelling on the road in question at the same time as we reduce the speed limit, would we? It makes me wanna

 

[LiquidLAN]

Does anyone know if the Shipton to Lechlade ones have come into effect yet? I've since moved, but did a fair amount to drum up local support against them... seemed to work at least until I moved

 

[Monsieur]

Lincolnshire is currently undergoing a 'review' of speed limits based on claculating the 85th percentile of average speed limits on a given road.

 

[Vern]

Since this thread started,there are loads of 50mph limits springing up everywhere.

The latest one I have come across s on the A41 just outside Chester.Last week it was a national limit all the way to Waverton,but,inbetween Tuesday and Friday,the limit mysteriously extended itself over 2.5 miles.

I now treat 50 limits like the national limit and ride as fast or as slow as I feel safeto do so.

We can only be governed by consent,feck em

 

[st13phil]

I now treat 50 limits like the national limit and ride as fast or as slow as I feel safeto do so.

And that single sentence describes with great accuracy why inappropriately low speed limits are ineffective.

There was a time when we would obey 30, 40 and 50mph limits because they were there for a safety reason. OK, we may have pushed it a bit sometimes, but generally made an effort to adhere to limits which we respected. A "national" limit sign was treated as a signal that you should use your experience and discretion to set a safe speed - and prepare to be censured if you took the p@ss or drove inappropriately. Lower limits were respected because there was a valid reason for them being there. Unfortunately, the mass reduction of NSL zones to 50 (or lower) limits purely on the basis that "it's our policy" removes the core element that caused drivers to respect the limits before.

It's no surprise then that I've observed that many of the new 50mph limits in Oxfordshire are completely ignored by a large proportion of drivers. I've also noticed that while there was little chance of conflict between motor vehicle and pedestrians on roads that were NSL applies because no-one was daft enough to go jogging on an NSL road, where they've been reduced to 40mph limits the ped's now feel sufficiently safe to go jogging in the road. If this doesn't lead to tragic consequences I'll be amazed...

 

[Arthurwg]

When the US posted a blanket 55 mph limit, respect for common driving rules broke down completely. The principle that the left lane (in our case) is for passing and the right lane for slower driving was forgotten, and passing on the right became commonplace. Our highways became clogged, with all lanes of traffic going the same speed. Driving became a free-for-all of weaving, frantic lane changing and disrespect for the other guy on the road.

Although US speed limits have since been raised, driving habits have yet to improve. In New York City, where I live, running stop lights is routine, and stop signs are universally ignored. Pedestrians are killed in traffic with frightening regularity.

I'm not sure if all this can be attributed to the 55 mph speed limit, or if it's just a symptom of the continuing collapse of American society.

 

[nugget]

I bet all the artic drivers are rubbing their hands together knowing that their restricted speed of 40mph has just been increased to 50mph!

Much safer to have an artic hurtling along at speed!!!!!

On an A road the speed limit for an artic, or for that matter a vehicle over 7.5 tonnes is restricted to 40 mph whatever the speed restriction is! i should know as a drive em. but i think lowering the speed limit will really frustrate drivers especially when there is no ovious hazard..

 

[Schtum]

I'm not sure if all this can be attributed to the 55 mph speed limit, or if it's just a symptom of the continuing collapse of American society.

Perhaps it's just in the East. Having driven fairly extensively in the Western USA, I haven't seen much of what you describe; except perhaps in Montana where drunken driving seems to the be the state sport.