speed limits.

[aeinstein]

two parts to this question.
1. why do people think it is ok to drive at 40-45mph in 30 zones? it isn't.
2. why do the same people slow down to 20 when passing a speed camera?
it irritates me when people are doing a steady 50mph on a national speed limit, and when they spot a camera van, they jump on the brakes!

[susiespider]

1. Because they are idiots
2. Because they are idiots

[Rtaxron]

I think most drivers do.

You don't think we are going to speed past a speed camera do you?

[aeinstein]

rtaxron. no, but the speedo in your car will say 33 at a real 30mph, so do you really think you need to slow to an indicated 25?

and if you need to pass a camera at 25, why not do 25 everywhere? is �60 and 3 points worth more than a life? we have all seen the adverts, 40 kills, 30 doesn't, etc...

[susiespider]

But why slow down to half the speed limit when passing a camera? Won't slowing to the speed limit do?
And why speed anyway? Why is everyone so impatient? It usually makes little difference to a journey time, you just join the next queue a bit quicker. I get sick of drivers whinging about speed cameras when most make no effort whatsoever to keep to speed limits. But of course, they're all such wonderful drivers that the law shouldn't apply to them.
Having said that, there is another species of driver who won't go above 20 mph in a 30 limit, and they annoy me.

[aeinstein]

susiespider, apart from your slightly sinister name, you sound like my kind of girl!!!

if only people would apply common sense, then everything would work that little bit smoother!

[susiespider]

The problem is that people can only apply common sense if they've got it in the first place and a lot of drivers leave it at home when they get in their car.
Never thought of my name being sinister before - my husband calls me Spider. I've not got 8 legs and I can't spin webs.

[aeinstein]

do you look like the tall dude that was emily bishop's nephew on coronation street?

[susiespider]

Don't know, don't watch Coronation St. But I don't look like a man so hope I don't look like someone's nephew.

[Panic Button]

It makes me laugh (or cringe) when I go past a speed camera on the A1 dual carriageway in north London in my artic.

I am doing 50, the speed limit for an HGV, but the cars can do 70.

However as we approach the camera I have to brake to avoid the cars which are braking down to 40!

[aeinstein]

exactly my point!

so why do people think it is necessary to slow down so much?

i will confidently pass a motorway camera at an indicated 75, because in reality i am more likely to be doing a real 68mph, and at that speed, not a court in the land can touch me.

best way to work it out is to pass a static speed warning sign, not just one that flashes the speed limit, but one that tells you your speed. its surprising how far out your speedo will be, and also makes you have less sympathy for people who bitch on about getting a NIP at 34mph. the speedo will have been reading nearly 40, so you deserve it!

[markysngc]

close to my house there is a stretch of road that turns from a 60 to 40 limit, shortly after it turns to 40 there's a speed camera. The amount f people that do not slow down upon entering the 40 but then brake to under 30 for the speed camera is shocking!! really winds me up!!

Though the bloke a few weeks back that I was stuck behind doing 45-50 for 15miles in the 60 limit no reson who then didn't slow down at all for the 40 and got flashed nearly made it all worth it :)

[markysngc]

also how about the people that will not overtake a police car doing 60 on a motorway and everyone bunches up behind it, sure the police do it for a laugh, can imagine them saying to each other "lets drive at 60 and see how many people bunch up behind us today" I just go past them at 70mph

You are allowed to overtake police cars people.

[NORMANTHEDOG]

are you on a crusade today,get a life sunshine,its the way of the world.

[RevFunk]

If I drive at bang on 30 a lot of the time I struggle in third gear lol plus have a look at the queues behind you.

On some roads that are a 30 it is totally inppropriate and should be increased

[Compostella]

Can't the tolerance work both ways?

i.e. when your speedo says 30, you could be doing 34 or just as easily be doing 26.

I think that the rule of thumb is that the police will forgive 10% over because of this.

The only way to be sure is to stick to the 30 in the speedo when going past the traffic taliban.

[aeinstein]

the tolerances only work one way, because that is how car makers do it. you will only read 26 when you are really doing 30 if you put wheels/tyres with bigger rolling radius on.