What traffic laws would you change

[obi_waynne]

Are there any traffic laws that need updating?

Would you change any existing laws, or introduce any new ones?

What about speed limits? Do these still have a place on modern roads with modern cars? Should speed limits be reduced or increased?

 

[thexav]

I'd increase the motorway limits to 80 when the road is dry.

Why do we have a pass on the outside of a car rule? When centre lane hoggers are on the road it causes a bottle neck. Surely we should be allowed to pass on either side of a car if it is safe to do so?

Retests every 20 years make a lot of sense. There are too many people on the roads who really shouldn't be driving.

 

[wizzer]

Limit the power of new drivers cars to 70bhp for a year while they get used to the roads.

Bikes have power restrictions but technically a 17 year old can pass their test and drive a Ferrari the next day, assuming the insurance cost was within their budget.

 

[Lunchmoney]

increase the motorway limits to 80 when the road is dry.

And the instant there's a spot of drizzle and driver's don't slow and then get "caught speeding" there would be uproar.

 

[Lunchmoney]

When centre lane hoggers are on the road it causes a bottle neck. Surely we should be allowed to pass on either side of a car if it is safe to do so?

See my post here.

 

[Lunchmoney]

Retests every 20 years make a lot of sense.

Personally I'd go for 10 years.

 

[Lunchmoney]

Limit the power of new drivers cars to 70bhp for a year while they get used to the roads.

Good idea. How enforceable is it, though?

 

[T9 man]

You know something, I think it would be a refreshing change for the highways agencies to have a think tank meeting with a wide variety of the motoring community for additional/alternative views of what they would like to see on both the roads and the motorways.

 

[obi_waynne]

Good idea. How enforceable is it, though?

With bikes it's engine size and maximum power. The registration document shows engine size so it's probably easily doable. Police would look out for young drivers in powerful cars and they will stick out and should be easy to spot.

 

[Lunchmoney]

With bikes it's engine size and maximum power. The registration document shows engine size so it's probably easily doable. Police would look out for young drivers in powerful cars and they will stick out and should be easy to spot.

Ah, but he said new drivers, not young. For example, my wifelet passed her driving test 9 years ago and then didn't drive another car for 5 years. She had no experience and her first car was my Impreza. The insurer didn't care that she had no traceable insurance history just that she had passed her test over 5 years previously.

Now, we could change the laws/rules so that the insurer takes on the responsibility and refuses to insure drivers, of any age and regardless of test date, unless they have a few years of experience in other cars. They sort of do already by jacking up prices (but as already noted dumb rich kids don't care about money, so that's not always an obstacle) so it wouldn't be much of a step to just change the law to refuse outright rather than price themselves out.

 

[obi_waynne]

Good point, hadn't thought of that.

 

[TCJBOLDIE]

And the instant there's a spot of drizzle and driver's don't slow and then get "caught speeding" there would be uproar.

LM that's when it is most dangerous as the various bits of oil and diesel droppings get very slippery when water is added to the mix and there is less grip.
Needs a good downpour to wash all the gunk off the roads.

You know something, I think it would be a refreshing change for the highways agencies to have a think tank meeting with a wide variety of the motoring community for additional/alternative views of what they would like to see on both the roads and the motorways.

Sadly the boffins seem to think? that they are the fount of all knowledge