General Chat

As Brian says, sensible speed limits are ok.. speed its self doesn't cause accidents, its the conditions at the time.. 100 mph on an empty(?) motorway should be reasonably safe...but 10 mph on the same motorway on black ice WILL result in an accident. Bob

I agree with it!! An extra 2 m.p.h could mean life or death for a child,stop trying to make excuses speeding is speeding,just dont do it!!

Ok just a for instance, how many crashes have you seen at roundabouts? no speed there..just the guy in front didn't actually go when you thought he was. or on the slip road.. how many crashes occur there? most are definately not speeding, more likely not going fast enough,cant join 70 mph traffic at 50mph, or from a standstill..... its not paying enough attention that causes many accidents.. and anything that keeps your concentration'' in the cockpit'' as it were, is bad news.... Bob

Speeding!Kills! Thats a fact

22 mph on a dual carriageway with a 20 mph limit kills...........59 mph on the National limit narrow single track winding country lanes is fine......................

Colin, How can you ever be sure??? I 100% disagree! even winding country roads are not 100% safe ,what about riders of horses,I seen a person thrown from their horse because of inconsiderate drivers!! not acceptable!!

Come on Roxanne.........stop blaming driving and speed, all the time!! horse riders get killed just falling off a horse..Roy Kinnear, for one example, and Steve? Reeves (Superman) for another..... another example..... the space station, and shuttle were orbiting at 17,500 miles an hour..they met up, and docked, and have now undocked..the difference in speed was being controlled in a safe manner... Bob.

Bob,I thought this was a thread about speeding!!?? Is it ori snt it? Im saying what my opinions are on speeding, not on accidents of other kinds. Dont you like people to disagree with you? if you dont then maybe you shouldnt post something that others will have various opinions:-))

Sorry Roxanne, I thought by your post you meant speeding drivers, not careless ones that have no regard for other road users..... Bob

No Problem,Bob:-)))))))

Excessive speeding on the wrong roads can kill. So can stepping of a pavement without even checking to see if a hunk of motorised metal is hurtling towards you at the CORRECT speed! Speedometors are calibrated and there can be as much as 10% error in the calibration. A lot of factors go in tto the actual reading on the speedometor when a car is actually driven. Accidents are often caused by driving to slow, driver error, distraction and pedestrians...no matter what speed you are doing it is extremely difficult to stop when someone steps out in front of you...or a young child bolts across your path...Last night I witnessed a group of children crossing the road in Furtherwick Road, Canvey, in the dark standing yards from a crossing, three ran across at different times. The first two ran in front of two approaching cars, the third ran out in front of a car and bus which was almost upon him, the young lady left at the side of the road screaming at him. The young lady waited, as did my son and I and crossed merely seconds after them on a CLEAR road. It's not always the speed that kills, it is the fact that most people are not educated about road use and manners. I well understood, as a child, that a car could kill me if it knocked me down. I was very careful and still am when crossing a road. Todays children seem to play chicken with drivers and adults think they are invulnerable and just step out as though YOU are supposed to know that they are going to do so! That said, you will always have the kind of driver who seems sooo eager to meet their maker...and sadly take others with them in the process, or leave a trail of carnage in their wake, bad driving kills, treacherous road conditions kills, speed in the wrong places at the wrong times kills, but speed alone is not always the culprit!! er....going now... Nanna-Moo ;-+

Speed does not cause ALL accidents but in any given accident the level of injury or death on average increases proportionate to the speed. Non moving cars rarely kill anyone. In a nutshell, speed does kill. Bob

Bob, Thats true, but being hit at 30mph is hardly any different to being hit at 32 or 28mph. I have experience of two different vehicles. checked with a gps system (Tom tom)the actual road speed was well under the indicated speedo speed. in one, to do a legal 70mph road speed it was needed to have an indicated speed of over 80.. Bob

Hello Roxsanta, My post was not my opinion.....but that of the police who are chasing easy money.

My hubby got caught doing 37 in a 30 mile limit, but he was just yards away from the 40mph sign. My problem was, he got caught exactly a year before, in the same place! Will that man never learn? Of course, it was my fault both times because he was coming to pick me up from work! Men.......

Sorry to hear that David, But basically a few years ago you would have got a warning,or an earbashing from a live policeman. THAT would likely have sunk in. Nowadays the authorities are tightening up the thresholds,,,NO discretion or regard to circumstances.., bang!! thats it your knicked. the tin copper at the side of the road is just a cash machine.. it has been said that ''Ok fair cop two mph over'' heres my money and thanks for the points. But who has a speedo calibrated in single Miles per hour? mine isnt, it goes up in 5 and 10 mph steps 20 30 40 50 60 80 if the needle is pointing to a number thats it, I am not going to try to distinguish if its a needles thickness one way or the other.....My mind is on the road, and trying to second guess what the other drivers' intentions are......Bob

right folks I am off out now to do battle with the conditions....A bit of a pea souper here at the mo, so I think that my penalty points are safe........I will be too busy looking out for jaywalkers dressed in black walking in the road...... Bob have a nice evening, and thanks for the opinions.....

Spooky David! I've just sent my £60 cheque and my licence for the 3 penalty points to be added. My first offence - can't believe I've been so stupid - was half 2 in the morning and no-one about but guess what - 36 in a 30 mph zone! Debby

Statistically speaking: There are five thousand speed cameras on UK roads - more than any other Country in the world. Last year nearly two million speeding tickets were issued. In the last ten years 15 million drivers will have been done for speeding - that's one out of every two drivers or one in four of the population from babies to octogenerians. Nearly one billion pounds will have been taken in penalties. Technically speaking what you pay is not a fine: only a court can impose a fine. It is a penalty to avoid prosecution - more like an official bribe in a way.