Speed

[waremark]

"The assessment usually takes the form of me saying, after about 15 minutes, something along the lines of... "I think it would beneficial if you kept two hands on the steering wheel and looked further up the road". And, then we practice that for the next 45 minutes. One has to ask the question who wants to pay for that. I'd be embarrassed to ask for the money. No. Much better to say, as I do at the end... "sign up for Skill for Life and you'll get as many drives as necessary [which is the case with our group], that's usually about ten drives, to get you up to advanced test standard. From what I've seen today I can't see any reason why you couldn't improve your driving and pass the advanced driving test. If you go on the website you can buy Skill for Life online. I'll look out for your name coming up on the list of new associates."

Thanks for the training John. I will be ready when you send me someone!

[TripleS]

my enjoyment of my hobby would be curtailed by a gross expansion of 40 or 50 limits on rural roads.

Oh dear, Mark; are you not a supporter of BRAKE?

Somehow I don't think so. Not that I would necessarily admit it here if I was after all the stick that poor Lyndon got.

I had to stop supporting the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England, some of whose objectives I support, when they argued for a 40 mph speed limit on rural roads. Actually, they are now against road building, so if I hadn't left them before I would be leaving them now for that reason.

I would vote for putting the NSL's up, not down.

I'd vote for abolishing the NSL (sorry, kewlcol), but I don't anticipate having the opportunity to do so, unfortunately; and even then no doubt I'd be in a very small minority!

[TheInsanity1234]

Oh dear, Mark; are you not a supporter of BRAKE?

Somehow I don't think so. Not that I would necessarily admit it here if I was after all the stick that poor Lyndon got.

I had to stop supporting the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England, some of whose objectives I support, when they argued for a 40 mph speed limit on rural roads. Actually, they are now against road building, so if I hadn't left them before I would be leaving them now for that reason.

I would vote for putting the NSL's up, not down.

I'd vote for abolishing the NSL (sorry, kewlcol), but I don't anticipate having the opportunity to do so, unfortunately; and even then no doubt I'd be in a very small minority!

I would also vote to abolish NSL, and change the definition of the white circle with a black line from 'national speed limit' to 'no speed limit'.

I accept that the first year or so, we may see increased accident rates, as the stupid people suddenly start driving stupidly fast and that, but then the rate will plummet as the stupid people will now be extinct, and it will only be intelligent and sensible drivers left

[skodatezzer]

Oh Insanity, you can always be relied upon to provide a breath of fresh air!! Have you seen the hoo-hah over on the "Psycology of Driving" thread?

[TheInsanity1234]

Oh Insanity, you can always be relied upon to provide a breath of fresh air!! Have you seen the hoo-hah over on the "Psycology of Driving" thread?

Aye, I have indeed!

[jcochrane]

I would also vote to abolish NSL, and change the definition of the white circle with a black line from 'national speed limit' to 'no speed limit'.

Now when I and some others on here passed their driving test this was a "derestriction sign". Only a small number of roads in larger towns were restricted to 30mph. Happy days.

When did it change?

[exportmanuk]

1965 I think

It was a bad year for motoring. Even worse the Oil crisis and 50 MPH max speed across the UKs road. At least that one got repealed. As I recall 70 is a temporary limit which has to be re authorised every few years, or am I confused?

[superplum]

Even worse the Oil crisis and 50 MPH max speed across the UKs road. At least that one got repealed.

1973? I remember it; I still have a book of fuel coupons for Austin A40 898 JTO. Are they still useable?

[fungus]

When did it change?

1965 I think

1965 as a temporary measure, then made permenant in 1967 by the then Labour Minister for Transport, Barbara Castle.

[kfae8959]

1965 as a temporary measure, then made permanent in 1967 by the then Labour Minister for Transport, Barbara Castle.

There you go - I would have said it was 1971! But I believe exportman is right: technically it isn't permanent, because the legislation has to be renewed every eighteen months. (I understand that a secondary piece of legislation exists that renews it automatically...)

David

[zadocbrown]

I'd vote for abolishing the NSL (sorry, kewlcol), but I don't anticipate having the opportunity to do so, unfortunately; and even then no doubt I'd be in a very small minority!
I would also vote to abolish NSL, and change the definition of the white circle with a black line from 'national speed limit' to 'no speed limit'.

I accept that the first year or so, we may see increased accident rates, as the stupid people suddenly start driving stupidly fast and that, but then the rate will plummet as the stupid people will now be extinct, and it will only be intelligent and sensible drivers left

This. Why are we so against natural selection? People do not learn to be responsible until circumstances demand it. I see this all the time. Treat people like children and they behave accordingly. Let them face reality and they either adapt or cease to be.

[vonhosen]

I'd vote for abolishing the NSL (sorry, kewlcol), but I don't anticipate having the opportunity to do so, unfortunately; and even then no doubt I'd be in a very small minority!
I would also vote to abolish NSL, and change the definition of the white circle with a black line from 'national speed limit' to 'no speed limit'.

I accept that the first year or so, we may see increased accident rates, as the stupid people suddenly start driving stupidly fast and that, but then the rate will plummet as the stupid people will now be extinct, and it will only be intelligent and sensible drivers left

This. Why are we so against natural selection? People do not learn to be responsible until circumstances demand it. I see this all the time. Treat people like children and they behave accordingly. Let them face reality and they either adapt or cease to be.

It isn't just themselves that poor driver's take out.

[zadocbrown]

I'd vote for abolishing the NSL (sorry, kewlcol), but I don't anticipate having the opportunity to do so, unfortunately; and even then no doubt I'd be in a very small minority!
I would also vote to abolish NSL, and change the definition of the white circle with a black line from 'national speed limit' to 'no speed limit'.

I accept that the first year or so, we may see increased accident rates, as the stupid people suddenly start driving stupidly fast and that, but then the rate will plummet as the stupid people will now be extinct, and it will only be intelligent and sensible drivers left

This. Why are we so against natural selection? People do not learn to be responsible until circumstances demand it. I see this all the time. Treat people like children and they behave accordingly. Let them face reality and they either adapt or cease to be.

It isn't just themselves that poor driver's take out.

No, but poor drivers do have a predisposition not only for taking other people out, but for being taken out by other poor drivers. It is rare to be involved in a collision we could not have prevented, legal responsibility notwithstanding. Barring freak accidents our destiny is mostly in our own hands. And yes, innocent people will die, but the same is true of doing DIY or fishing. Let's not be paralysed with fear.

[vonhosen]

It isn't just themselves that poor drivers take out.

No, but poor drivers do have a predisposition not only for taking other people out, but for being taken out by other poor drivers. It is rare to be involved in a collision we could not have prevented, legal responsibility notwithstanding. Barring freak accidents our destiny is mostly in our own hands. And yes, innocent people will die, but the same is true of doing DIY or fishing. Let's not be paralysed with fear.

If you were paralysed by fear you'd ban motor vehicles all together. That's quite different from responsible measures to limit the risks/impact they have on lives so that an acceptable social balance is struck between the positives they offer & the negatives.

[revian]

It isn't just themselves that poor drivers take out.

No, but poor drivers do have a predisposition not only for taking other people out, but for being taken out by other poor drivers. It is rare to be involved in a collision we could not have prevented, legal responsibility notwithstanding. Barring freak accidents our destiny is mostly in our own hands. And yes, innocent people will die, but the same is true of doing DIY or fishing. Let's not be paralysed with fear.

If you were paralysed by fear you'd ban motor vehicles all together. That's quite different from responsible measures to limit the risks/impact they have on lives so that an acceptable social balance is struck between the positives they offer & the negatives.

I'd agree that 'an acceptable social balance' is the need/important. I wonder if the tendency is to become increasingly risk-adverse?

Ian