OT: Speeding yobs!

[Huge]

Rope Walk, Bedford. I know of no other.

Yep.

[G&M]

If they do they are driving dangerously and in the past they would have been prosecuted for such - a very serious offence. But nowadays they usually get away with it whilst some poor bugger doing a few mph over the limit (not me) gets the book thrown at them.

If you don't want an answer, don't post in a newsgroup. And resorting to silly comments like this indicates you don't have a valid argument anyway so perhaps it would be better if you shut up anyway. I could be wrong but my guess is you live somewhere where cars come past at higher speeds than you would like, and hence you have developed this pathalogical hatred of fast cars. Fair enough. Except in most surveys, it is usually found that the people who drive fastest in any particular area are those who actually live there. Thus you may find that the people you hate are only driving at the same speed you or your family drive on the same road.

[Mark Evans]

There usually isn't much point, given that tractors tend to spend most of their time in fields.

In some parts of Europe agricultural vehicles are only allowed to do 16kmh on roads though.

[Mary Fisher]

Wrong on all counts.

[Dave Liquorice]

Maybe.

Maybe.

Oh don't talk such utter crap. If the driver was good enough for that speed it wouldn't matter if he drove to work at 20kph or 220kph.

[Peter Twydell]

In article , G&M writes

There's nothing like a sweeping generalisation to generate bullshit.

Your statement is patently false. The road I live in has no schools anywhere near it, yet driving at over 20 mph is dangerous in some parts of it because of restricted sight lines caused by bends and parked vehicles. There are no children playing in the road itself as they stay in the off-road areas and their own gardens. I have lived here for over

25 years and am not aware of any pedestrians ever having been hit by vehicles, yet there have been collisions between vehicles due to carelessness and inattention by the drivers.

[Lurch]

On Mon, 7 Jun 2004 22:25:26 +0100, Peter Twydell strung together this:

Simply resolved by safe driving and approaching the bend at a speed suitable for the road conditions.

Then enforce a no parking on the highways rule.

Which could have just as easily been a pedestrian as another car. No-one is saying you should drive at 90mph along every piece of road in the country, just at speeds suitable for the road conditions. Unfortunately, the standard of driving in this country is appaling and not many people know what a suitable and safe speed is so rather than doing something about driving standards ridiculous speed limits are imposed and drivers are left to drive badly, but slowly, which everyone seems to think is fine. If you drive at 125mph and don't hit anything or anyone and drive safely on a suitable piece of road you'll lose your license and anything else you might have, but drive slowly and badly no-one's particularly bothered.

[Pete C]

Hi,

So if you had a child who was killed when they stepped out and got hit by someone doing 40 in a 30 who couldn't brake enough in time, you'd be happy to accept that?

cheers, Pete.

[Macie]

Hi Pete, IMHO "40 in a 30" is very subjective (obviously not in a legal sense) as to whether I would accept it. There are some narrow side streets locally with parked cars both sides, where I would say that doing 30 was stupid bordering on reckless. OTOH there are some nice wide roads that if it wasn't for the '30' speed limit signs, I would feel that 40 mph would be a reasonably safe speed.

My children were told that if they were playing in the street, or crossed the street without looking and were hit by a car, then I would (unless the car was being driven in a completely reckless manner) consider it to be thier fault - roads are for cars and are dangerous, pavements are for pedestrians.

Just my 2p.

[usenet]

However many roads *are* perfectly valid places for pedestrians, cyclists and horses as well as cars. All of the roads around us are like this, no pavements so they are the 'universal' highway for everyone using whatever means of transport is appropriate for them at the time.

I certainly wouldn't advocate 20mph limits on any of these roads. What I *think* I would suggest is, in fact, fewer fixed limits and more publicity/training to the effect that at different times totally different speeds may be appropriate on the same piece of road.

[usenet]

Depends where you are, in much of the countryside pedestrians have just as much right (if not more) to use the road. (In fact I suspect they may have that right even if there *is* a pavement, but I'm not going to push that argument)

[Andy Luckman (AJL Electronics)]

Ahem!

[Andy Luckman (AJL Electronics)]

Because they are not interested in driving safely regardless. They would ignore a 40 limit as easily as a 30. It is the law abiding motorist as usual who suffers because "speed [absolute] kills" according to the great unwashed.

[Jerry.]

The only roads that are solely reserved for (high powered / high speed) motor vehicles are Motorways, on all other roads the motor vehicle does NOT have a right of sole use. Other than on Motorways the roads can be used by anyone, be that walking, horse riding, pedal cycle and at the discretion of HMG (or their agent) motor vehicles.

[G&M]

You really are being an annoying prat, aren't you. He drives at a safe speed for the road and gets to work quickly without incident. And if he drove at 20kph he would take almost 7 hours to get to work !!!!

Do grow up and join the real world.

[Jerry.]

I should have added ....unless HMG (or their agent) prohibits such use for the highway in question.

[Jerry.]

Who says he does so, many I suspect would not say so, the child who plays with matches never sees the danger until after the house has burnt down......

[G&M]

Pedestrians are banned from many roads other than motorways. They are indicated by a walking man on a white background inside a red circle with a black diagonal line. Examples include parts of the approaches to central London, plus approach roads in several other major cities. Look for them and they are more common than you think. Whether pedestrians take any notice of them is another matter. Even when fenced off, London found people jumping the fences and walking across the road rather than use the bridges or crossing provided, but if involved in an accident, they would be at fault.

Similarly pedal cycles and horses are sometimes, albeit less often, banned from certain roads. This is usually done with a written sign.

[Jerry.]

Perhaps you should read learn to read 'self follow ups'....! :~)

[G&M]

The German government of course. They permit its citizens to drive at high speeds provided they exhibit the high standards of driving required to do so safely. But slip from those standards and their police quite rightly throw the book at you. The only people objecting appear to be you and a few Greens, and since you aren't German I fail to see what it has to do with you.

Are you aware that there is currently major discussion in Brussels on Europe-wide speed limits, excluding fully de-restricted roads such as the autobahns. For motorways this will be for at least 130 kph in good weather though the current Italian trial will greatly influence whether this is actually raised to 150 kph.