Calling for sensible limits.. (Speed Cameras and Speed Limits)

Member Name: chembleton

Product:	Speed Cameras and Speed Limits
Date:	26/06/02 (264 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Safety, Reduced journey times, Fair

Disadvantages: Less money for the police!

I'm a 26 year old guy who's been driving now for some 8 years.
I would like to consider myself, as most drivers would a safe and responsible driver.
I've never been involved in an accident though I must confess I have had 3 points on my license.
I got these points in May 1998 for speeding at 42mph in a 30 limit. This endorsement has now been removed from my license as it has been more than 3 years since the offence.
Now I hold my hands up and accept responsibilty that I broke the limit. I knew I was and I got caught - fair cop. What I question is the lack of consistent limits on the roads. The road I was caught on was a dual carriageway, with excellent visibility and away from houses. There are other similar scenario roads in this town and they are all 40mph limit, so why's this one a 30mph limit? Simple, in my opinion. They want to catch you speeding.
To quote TalkSport Radio's Mike Dicken (weekdays 1089 MW 10am-1pm) "Speeding does not kill. Inappropriate speed kills"
All the speed limits and stopping distances were set back in the 60's when cars had hugely inferior brakes and road holding to modern cars. Cars then had drum brakes all round. Disc brakes are much better, even low spec cars have at least discs at the front and drums rear. Some cars have large discs, all round with anti lock brakes ABS and electronic brake distribution EBD which determines whether to send more stopping force to front or rear dependant upon conditions. Tyres and cars suspension greatly aid road holding and stopping distances.
The point is that modern cars are capable of stopping much quicker than the cars of old.
I would like to see a reduction in the speed limits around town with more 10 or 20 mph limits, conversely though I would like to see higher limits on motorways. Like I said earlier it's inappropriate speed that kills. 30mph is far too fast for some area whereas 50,60 and 70 are too low for some roads.
I
do a lot of driving every year. 80mph is a far more sensible limit nowadays, but I don't believe we'll see it as we are seen as revenue raisers for the police. Why not have variable limits like on the continent, determined by the time of day or weather conditions, where the limit goes up and down accordingly.
Speed cameras do not have any discrection involved and only judge speed. I'll give you an example:
50 limit, busy day you're doing 60, fair cop.
50 limit, 1am nobody around, you're doing 60, busted! But Joe Bloggs driving whilst drunk, does 50 and he's deemed the safer driver.
Someone undertaking, lane hopping and driving close behind, gets away too.
It's the way in some counties speed cameras are hidden behind signs to catch you. If you see a camera and it slows you down, it's done its job. If you don't you may get caught but before you get the fine you could have caused an accident.
Some cameras are placed in areas for maximum revenue. Like the one that got me (mobile camera by the way), they are placed on roads where it is safe to reasonably break the limit so that they catch lots. I would like to see more of them m at accident blackspots so you know it's a bad area and you drive accordingly.
I would call for less speed cameras and more policing of the roads by traffic cops.
I was once stopped by a traffic cop because the one time I forgot my seat belt, I was spotted. Checking my car he noticed one tyre was due to be replaced, but we had a good chat and he just gave me a ticking off. That's discretion, and I learned a lot more than I did when I got caught speeding by a camera.
Some people will always break the limit no matter what it is and those are the ones who should be caught and punished, not the honest, hard working citizens of this country, who just want to be able to drive at a speed they know they are capable of, I suggest that is around an 80mph national speed limit.

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