Road signs

[Clot]

I was not aware of retinal photographs. As a ball park what do they cost? Seeing (sorry) that I have both glaucoma and cataracts ( which are at an early stage) this could be useful for me.

[dennis]

Unfortunately that is difficult to prove. If there were more cameras, especially hidden ones, they might learn to drive properly or just lose their license.

[dennis]

When you have driven 500,000 miles/30 years without an accident or a ticket let me know. Cue all the bad drivers posting saying it isn't possible.

[dennis]

They are free on the NHS. I have been having them for about four years now. I don't have any eye disease but am in a high risk group, apparently. You have to have drops to dilate the pupils so take a driver and sunglasses with you.

[dennis]

I find that there are a lot of fools about that don't understand why there are speed limits and decide to ignore them. That's the trouble, they are there for the guidance of wise men but fools think they are wise. Therefore you have to enforce them to stop the fools. I know which category I will file you under ATM, I don't see any evidence that you are wise as you appear to think speed limits are irrelevant for anything other than safety.

And being aware that you are speeding.

[Huge]

No, because cyclists pay no attention to signage anyway.

[Bob Eager]

I wonder how many people who say that have caused plenty because of their driving, but been too dim to realise it? I suspect dennis falls slap back into that category...

[Roger]

The message from "Clot" contains these words:

Dennis doesn't really do 'sense'.

The chances are that the speed limit is consistently anywhere near what any competent driver would consider an appropriate speed for the current conditions is vanishingly small. The bigger the discrepancy (appropriate speed > speed limit) the more attention that has to be paid to the speedometer and the less to the road conditions otherwise the speed is bound to drift up.

It used to be the case that speed limits wouldn't be introduced or reduced unless at least 85% of motorists were already driving at or below the new limit. These days I am sure than many limits are imposed where not even 15% of motorists are already driving that slowly. Big brother knows best particularly when the Minister responsible lacks a driving licence.

No account seems to be taken of the negative aspects of speed limits. In particular the way it encourages the incompetent or infirm to think they are the best drivers around and licenced to deliberately (like Dennis who now lives in my killfile)* obstruct those who would drive faster safely. And the frustration they engender crawling along a straight empty road at 50 mph because the Authorities have decided that the road was too overcrowded at peak times.

Variable limits would help but, M25 apart, there doesn't seem to be any enthusiasm for them perhaps because the more widespread they become the more pressure there is going to be for limits above 70 mph in quiet times. The majority of car drivers on Motorways already routinely exceed the 70 limit where possible.

*If you search hard enough you can probably still find the message in this ng where Dennis admitted obstructing drivers who wanted to overtake him.

[The Natural Philosopher]

On the M1?

What was he doing driving a 737 down a motorway anyway?

[The Natural Philosopher]

Another nasty is that in a camper, I am limited to (and don't feel like exceeding it frankly) 50mph on a single carriageway. This makes people who are legally entitled to do 60 want to overtake me.

I try to help, but most drivers regard any other road users as a total enemy whose invitation to overtake is almost certainly an invitation to sudden death, and I have met a few like that, probably called dennis, whose invitations are certainly to be taken that way.

The sort who do 45mph until you try and overtake, at which point suddenly their cars are capable of exceeding the speed limit to stop you.

[The Natural Philosopher]

He is probably the truck driver whose trailer wiped out the front wing of our car some year back. Came right across our lane at a roundabout..never stopped..

Or the white van man who pulled across a main road straight in front of me and nearly killed me.

[The Medway Handyman]

You are the urban spaceman Dennis. I bet you drive a Nissan Micra.

[ARWadsworth]

[ARWadsworth]

Good drivers can spot a driver who is at the limit of what their vehicle can do and a driver who is prepared to help. You just then wait for a convenient time to overtake. No problem. I bet the good drivers thank you when you help them pass.

They are the bastards that need shooting.

Adam

[Huge]

Serves you right for being so stupid as to try and go round a roundabout alongside an artic.

[The Medway Handyman]

We agree on something else :-)

Bloody lycra louts.

[Huge]

Aaaeeeiiiii!!! Between a rock and a hard place.

[Steve Walker]

Maybe not, but when the designs were being chosen, it may well be that someone had a valid reason to suggest the distinction and that reason may now be just lost in the mists of time.

SteveW

[ARWadsworth]

1,100,000 miles/22 years. 1 fault accident, 4 speeding tickets, 1 ticket due to excessive reversing, 2 parking tickets.

No one is perfect.

Adam

[Clot]

Snipped

Ah, thanks for that. I've had the pupil dilation test but without the photograph.