what is it with people and speed cameras

[herb]

now before anyone posts its not a legal requirement to do the posted speed limit i know! but its bloody annoying when its safe to do so!!
here is a pic of a road and camera not that far from me

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and in the pic you can clearly see its a 40mph road so why do 80% of the people round here insist on doing 25-30mph
but heres the kick in the balls bit they have now reduced the seed limit to 30mph and guess what the 80% are now doing 15-20mph

so the question is why?? i really want to know why people do this

[lutonmatt]

i do hate that

yet if you was infront and doing 40/30 they will say your speediing

[HDi fun]

They're the same people that drive at 44mph on derestricted roads and complain about others overtaking them.

[old-git]

Because the posted speed is a maximum, not a target. I would much rather have people driving at 25mph if they are comfortable at that speed than driving faster than they are capable of doing so safely.

The extra 5pmh won't get you anywhere much faster so what is the hurry?

[waynne]

Interestingly I compared my speedo which under reads with the speedo of a friend who had larger wheels on (19's I think) and at 50mph there was a 7mph difference between us. (We used a sat nav to compare the speeds)

Mine 50mph on speedo = 47mph
His 50 mph on speedo - 40mph

I think all cars should have speedos calibrated at the MOT test each year so we have the same benchmark to work from.

[HDi fun]

Originally Posted by old-git

Because the posted speed is a maximum, not a target. I would much rather have people driving at 25mph if they are comfortable at that speed than driving faster than they are capable of doing so safely.

The extra 5pmh won't get you anywhere much faster so what is the hurry?

SO would I prefer this. Sadly it's a rare situation.

I also have no particular problem with people doing 44mph on a clear de-restricted road but they should refrain from gesticulating agressively when overtaken, perfectly safely, by another vehicle.

[Jakeymd]

If you don't feel safe doing 40 on a straight wide road, then you're probably not safe doing 40 on a straight wide road. In which case you're not a very safe driver and should have your license revoked. Simples.

[jarrus]

Agreed, this is something I get sooooo angry about,
theres a stretch of road by me (the A5) that is 50 mph all the way from the motorway island for about 2 miles at least and everyone does 50 but after the next island then everyone does 40 and it drive me up the wall!!!!!
even though there is a painted reservation I purposely go round them they would fail there driving test for holding me up!!! (no really they would) and also when it turns 30 they often park a mobile speed camera IMMEDIATELY after the 30 sign, money making? definitely

[HDi fun]

Originally Posted by Jakeymd

If you don't feel safe doing 40 on a straight wide road, then you're probably not safe doing 40 on a straight wide road. In which case you're not a very safe driver and should have your license revoked. Simples.

They do have a right to drive as they wish. They hate driving as much as you and I hate the fact that they're driving. But the public transport system is crap. There's no alternative in many cases.

What is worse is when you get 20-30 vehicles nose-to tail behind a needlessly slow driver. I cannot pick off 4-5 at a time in a swift overtaking manoeuvre (not possible, you understand, in the Seat) but not in a quick car either because there is not gap to utilise on the way.

So, why do the sheep continue to follow nose to arse.

The low speed is not a problem, it's the disengagement of brain that I find worrying.

[waynne]

I've noticed that often when you overtake in this situation you get others behind you suddenly remembering that they can overtake. If only people were more proactive about driving.

Perhaps this is a symptom of our always plugged in generation.

[HDi fun]

It's a symptom of today's dead from the neck up generation.

[Yugguy]

Originally Posted by old-git

Because the posted speed is a maximum, not a target. I would much rather have people driving at 25mph if they are comfortable at that speed than driving faster than they are capable of doing so safely.

The extra 5pmh won't get you anywhere much faster so what is the hurry?

Actually it does. If I drive up North to visit me old Dad, it's motorway 99% of the way and if I average 70 mph it takes me 2 hours and 17 minutes. If I do 80 it only takes me 2 hours.

So ner ner ne ner ner.

I thank yow.

[jarrus]

Get you old buggers! Lol, nah I know what you mean, usually everyone is thinking of everything else besides the business of driving, I sometimes I can get like that but only on long journeys short ones that require stop start I don't even have the stereo on,

I guess things like this are probebly the the cause of the majority of accidents on uk roads, people who aren't speeding people how aren't paying attention

[HDi fun]

Totally correct. Driver error is a major contributory factor in almost all RTCs.

[bigbadjoe]

GOVERNMENTS FAULT!!!

Everyone now days (80% of car drivers) buy a car for Eco reasons. Them who don't will try and get as many MPG out of them as possible. That is why you see beautiful BMW 330's and SLK Merks doing 3 mph. So they can save fuel. The older enthusiast, will driver round at 40mph in a 60 so they can go further on less fuel. Its all about fuel. I know a lad who would insist, insist point blank, that he goes 54mhp on a 60, as that is the best way to save fuel!! Mike Hunt comes to mind! I am not rich. I am not well off, I do not earn buckets of cash each month. I do however own a fast car. I refuse, pint blank, refuse to driver her economical! Its not fair on her. She was made to accelerate fast, change gear fast and go fast. If I don't here the dump between gears, I know she is not happy.

Solution - People who are scared of spending precious pennies doing that extra 6 mph, go buy a new VW Polo that will do 70mpg how ever you drive it.

Or, do us all a favour and just stay at home. Your destination cant be that important if you are happy to drive there slower than what a fat person could if he rolled there.

[HDi fun]

Needlessly low driving speeds have no benefit at all in terms of fuel economy.

Nor does sitting in 6th gear at 44 mph help anything.

[waynne]

Hmmm, doing an extra 5mph, saving 17 minutes and costing about £20 extra in fuel. I don't know about you but 17 minutes of my time is worth a lot less than £20!

[RobBentley]

Originally Posted by waynne

Hmmm, doing an extra 5mph, saving 17 minutes and costing about £20 extra in fuel. I don't know about you but 17 minutes of my time is worth a lot less than £20!

I'd pay £20 to save 17 minutes. Going slowly is boring

[HDi fun]

Originally Posted by RobBentley

I'd pay £20 to save 17 minutes. Going slowly is boring

It's a lot cheaper than the proposed HS2 rail link where each minute saved will cost something like £5 billion!!!

[jarrus]

feck me!! I tell you what we should call them and tell them that we need the money so we can all buy new cars (us lot on the TC forums)

[bigbadjoe]

Originally Posted by waynne

Hmmm, doing an extra 5mph, saving 17 minutes and costing about £20 extra in fuel. I don't know about you but 17 minutes of my time is worth a lot less than £20!

???? I hope your not one of these people that travel around doing 55mph Mr Waynne!

[jarrus]

I second that

[waynne]

Originally Posted by bigbadjoe

???? I hope your not one of these people that travel around doing 55mph Mr Waynne!

No Don't be silly.

56mph is the most economical speed for my car.




Actually I pretty much always drive at the posted speed limits unless it has been raining, is congested or it is a narrow de restricted country lane where it would be suicide to attempt to do so.

My peak economy zone on a motorway is just over 3000rpm, an indicated 74mph or a real speed of 70 mph.

[bigbadjoe]

Thats ok then! I dont know what the best speed for fuel for my car is. I just sit below 80 on the motorway and get 30mpg. Does me.

[waynne]

I get more MPG than that round town! I guess it means you can get round town quicker than me though