Safe Speed Forums

According to the highway code the speed limit for cars and motorcycles in a national speed limit on a single cariage way is 60 mph.

However, as we all know the National speed limit is now extinct and has been replaced with the expensive 50 mph limit (with all the required repeaters etc).

However, the speed limit for an artic in an NSL is 40 mph.

Does the speed limit now increase to a 50mph

If so that's a 25% speed increase for vehicles least able to stop.

There are a few local authorities who have gone 50 mad, but the NSL is still the NSL and the large majority of out of town roads are still NSL.

Do you live in Oxfordshire by any chance?

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Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

Hgv, run on their own set of rules. Which are only over ridden when a sign depicts a lower limit than the laws governing LGV.

HVG Limits:

Single 40MPH

Dual 50 MPH

Motorway 56 MPH

Unless a lower limit is in place. We have a differant set of laws and tachograph which records our speed at all times to ensure we comply.

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Steve

No - Surrey,

Who have a published policy of 'Reducing vehicle speeds' according to their website. In addition they are funding and implementing a policy known as STAR stratigic traffic action in rural areas (or similar). This is jointly funded by surrey and a number of other groups such as the country side alliance etc.

They have recently replaced most of the main A roads with NSLs to 50mph limits. Only the side roads and farm tracks remain. I suspect they will be 'brought into line' next.

You only have to follow the link on the abd site to see the number of traffic orders that have been raised in the last 3 years. The limits go up and down like a yoyo.

I rode through a NSL in Berkshire that literally lasted 200 yds.


However oxfordshire/berkshire is also pretty dire - plenty of 30 limits in rural areas with no house for miles.

Of course the motorway speed limit is still 60mph for HGV, but you can't reach it because of the 56mph limiter.

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Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

Yes it is a bizzare one. 60 MPH limit enforced to make HGV do 56 mph.

Which is why i ignored the 60 MPH rule which is now redundant and over ruled by the limiter.

Sat trackers are also on line now, they are discussing in the EU about them being compulsary in all LGV's. They record the location and speed limit and automaticly flag any limits that have been broken.

Of coarse only the UK will put it in place.

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Steve

I wouldn't recomend following a modern HGV too closely if it decides to throw the anchor out, they are more than capable of stopping very quickly, in particular the Merc Actros with a matching trailer, even laden to 44 tonnes, they can stop much shorter than a car. BEWARE.

Modern HGVs have ABS, electronic braking so there is no air delay, higher viewpoint for the driver, and a nice underrun bar at the back end known as a car brake test area.
Also, the driver has been through a much harder driving test, lasting a lot longer than a car test.

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Semper in excreta, nur quantitat variat.

I had no idea. That's somethng that needs to be part of driver education as well then. I've seen plenty of people tailgating artics. I even know a couple who think they're safe because they believe the artic will have much poorer stopping ability than they do. I'll be sure to let 'em know, though they've never listened when I've pointed out that a trucker won't be able to see them in the mirrors so I won't hold my breath.

If you tailgate too close, you may also fall fail to the exhaust brake, which is also fitted as standard. Though the lights will not tell you the vehicle is slowing.

A fully laden truck will take longer to stop than a car, but they are more impressive in stopping distances than you think.

The unladen stopping distances are not too differant, as all brake systems are fitted with load sensing valves, which reduces the brake pressure when the vehicle is running empty.

Mirrors, Still my biggest frustration, when dozy car drivers run up the side whilst on a junction. They just do not understand that we cannot see them. Maybe they should have a truck cab simulater during the car test, which would show car drivers the massive blind spot we have on trucks.

Cars overtaking at 58 mph on motorway, wind me up no end.

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Steve