To speed or not to speed

[psmart]

Hi All,

I havent come across a thread specifically aimed at speed, albeit there are some strong for's and against's in other posts.

We all own German cars, and one of the crucial factors in our cars safety is down to the Germans right to Speed on their autobahns and the developments that have sprung from it (brakes, acceleration, crumple zones etc). If you look at American car development, where the Americans have been forced to max at 50mph, they are way behind and American cars resemble mobile sofa's, not objects of safety and desire.

My opinions of speed have changed during the years, as a youngster, speed was king, out on the Sussex Downs/Yorkshire Moors, going flat out in car or bike, was heaven.

My opinions changed as more people came onto the roads, who were not capable of driving (ie. dont use mirrors, selfish lane change, people looking at their passengers/fending off fighting kids in the back seats etc - Every other form of transport requires stringent exams and testing, but cars, probably down to government revenue, are allowed to be driven by anyone). Its no longer a matter of how good a driver you are, if your flying along the downs and a vehicle is coming round the corner with the driver doing anything but driving, your chances of survival are low, and if you survive, you'll be blamed because its not easily provable that the other party was seperating fighting kids in the back seat!

I love speed and am lucky enough to be working in Germany where I can get my 'fix' legally, but in general in towns I stick to the speed limit (albeit, some are stupidly slow). UK motorways/A-road, I'll do upto what the road allows that wont interest the cops.

Whats are your opinions - should we petition the government to tighten up driving licenses, so that only real drivers should drive? Rather than reducing speeds, should not the cause of the accidents be removed or fined heavily (ie. those caught doing something which results in Careless Driving - mobile phone, looking at passengers whilst talking and driving, eating a 5 course meal whilst steering with knees?)

 

[Blobcat]

The problem that we and the Government have is that it is ‘inappropriate speed’ which is dangerous. Not speeding per se. This is too subtle a difference for some.
Therefore we have draconian speed restrictions and Police Forces and Councils more interested in income revenue than road safety.
Anyone noticed how few traffic police there are now?
Wiltshire had a large camera campaign last year on the M4. Their spokesman in a radio interview said that 9% of the fatalities in Wiltshire were on the M4 so they were focusing their efforts there. The interviewer completely missed the obvious question about the other 91% of fatalities. Is Wiltshire’s road safety so good now that they can be looking at 9%? Or am I cynical thinking that sitting camera vans overlooking the M4 is a great way to generate revenue as well as be visible to the general public.
Funny (to me) thing is that Wiltshire had to give back £480,000 in fines as the Camera vans were incorrectly sited (illegally parked) and the signage was incorrect. However if motorists paid their fines and took the points (plus the effect on their insurance) I don’t know if they had the money and points back automatically. Only if they fought for it.

 

[psmart]

The problem that we and the Government have is that it is ‘inappropriate speed’ which is dangerous. Not speeding per se. This is too subtle a difference for some.

Absolutely, thats why I wonder if licenses should be more in line with HGV drivers, which would get rid of those who do not want or intend to use a car for its purpose and within its capabilities.

Years ago, in my Rover VDP, I used to drive into Germany just to use their autobahns and I was amazed at the sensible, polite, safe way they drove. People would always keep to the 'slow' lane, when they overtook, if they spotted a fast approaching Porsche, they'd indicate back in, if they were overtaking and the same scenario happened, they'd either put their foot down to pass as quickly as possible, or break, pull back in until the fast car had gone. It was bliss, driving wise speaking and safe! When the ossies came (east Germans) with their paper mache Trabants, not knowing or caring about how to drive (can you blame them, after being years under a socialist dictator ... adolf blair?), the accidents started rocketing up and have been since. Speed related accidents, as far as I can tell over here (Germany), now happen because of drivers who cannot drive, are inconsiderate, are doing anything other than driving! Imagine shooting into the fast lane at 70mph, not checking your mirrors etc and a Porsche is only 200m away at 150mph?

Speed is an easy target for the law to crack down on, but its akin to cutting a cancer out, rather than curing it... and unfortunately the PC brigade, adolf blair and genghis brown have seen it as a money spinner! Imagine how much in taxes and revenue genghis brown would lose if you forced everyone to take HGV equivalent driving licenses to improve road safety, traffic flow etc? Reducing speed also reduces the overall capacity of our road networks, fuel usage (higher speed = higher fuel, but stop-start/random braking/jams use more).

 

[SLinKyjoe]

Absolutely, thats why I wonder if licenses should be more in line with HGV drivers, which would get rid of those who do not want or intend to use a car for its purpose and within its capabilities.

I assume by that, you mean prevent those who want a car, to just those who need a car? define need?

and what exactly does "within capabilties" mean? do you get the full fuel economy from yours? surely thats within its capabilites, but you are suggesting you should also allow the speed people drive at to be raised to fit within the capablities of the car! and are you suggetsing that you crash at 40mph everyday, as thats also within your cars capabilites.

i notice that you have an ML. so you do a lot of off road work do you? and by a lot, i mean at least 50% of your driving, so that you have a car that you drive for its intended purpose and within its capabilties? do you often have the car more than 50% full at all times as well, as it has at least 5 seats?

i always have 50% of my car full at all times! so at least i am driving it at 50% of one of its capabilities. and it also did 35MPG which is better than its suggested capabilites of 31mpg! and have often averaged 24.5mpg which is better than its determined combined of 23mpg.

altho it has also done 13mpg! but then i was hammering it along, trying to find out just how much its capabilties exceed mine.

 

[psmart]

I assume by that, you mean prevent those who want a car, to just those who need a car? define need?.

To some, a car is a fashion accessory, to others, its a matter of neccessity. A HGV driver spends a lot of time and money acquiring their C+E license, and its an absolute necessity to them. Yet compare a HGV driver to a car driver, there are many car drivers whose ability to drive is an absolute necessity, yet these same people will be seen 'shaving, gesticulating on phones, looking into the eyes of their passenger 75% of the time...'. HGV drivers have a lot to lose, drivers have very little, which in my opinion is why driving standards are going down hill and the law keeps adjusting the laws to compensate for the 'worst possible case driver'. Surely, the law should be setting a 'benchmark', and if your not prepared to drive to that level, you dont drive?

i notice that you have an ML. so you do a lot of off road work do you?

Yes, ~50% of the time, the car is in snow and ice and mud, not clean shaven tarmac I get so much pleasure planting my foot to the floorboard overtaking 'sports cars' struggling to maintain 20mph

i always have 50% of my car full at all times!

So do I, full of my clothes and junk! I'm only at home <10% of the time? Does this count? Will Darling allow me to use car share lanes

As for economy.... get a diesel. I used to be a petrol head? Although I did get 22mpg flat out running on V-power diesel, as opposed to ~28 flat out on vanilla diesel.