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as above
Yes, definitely, I've believe my driving would benefit. 45%  45%  [ 9 ]
Yes, definitely, I've believe my driving would benefit. 45%  45%  [ 9 ]
No it wouldn't change my attitude to driving at all. 5%  5%  [ 1 ]
No it wouldn't change my attitude to driving at all. 5%  5%  [ 1 ]
It would make my driving attitude worse than it is now if, things went back three decades 0%  0%  [ 0 ]
It would make my driving attitude worse than it is now if, things went back three decades 0%  0%  [ 0 ]
I'm too young to experience driving when we had less controls forced upon us. 0%  0%  [ 0 ]
I'm too young to experience driving when we had less controls forced upon us. 0%  0%  [ 0 ]
Total votes : 20
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PostPosted: Sat Jan 28, 2012 12:59 
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This is a very valid point which got me thinking.

There is undoubtedly a lot more road rage, bad driving and un courteousness on the roads now, than when I started driving in the early seventies and I really do wonder, if it is a throw up from the amount of un necessary control that we find on the roads now. I'm absolutely sure that if there were less traffic light controlled junctions where there never used to be, less severe speed humps and less ridiculously low speed limits, that drivers would once again (in the main anyway) become more chilled out, courteous to each other, think more about their driving and there would be far less accidents and aggression. I know loads of middle age drivers who used to love driving and have driven as part of their livelyhood who now state that they hate driving in certain areas, due to the stupid controls forced upon us by the control freaks in LA's, who really don't have a clue about road safety and safe driving.

So the poll is......do you believe that your own driving would be less stressful and more courteous towards others, if all modern restrictions were removed and roads were designed more as they were back in the seventies and eighties with fewer traffic lights, no speed bumps, sensible speed limits, no road narrowing chicanes to "slow traffic" (which in reality just cause tailbacks), etc.

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My views do not represent Safespeed but those of a driver who has driven for 39 yrs, in all conditions, at all times of the day & night on every type of road and covered well over a million miles, so knows a bit about what makes for safety on the road,what is really dangerous and needs to be observed when driving and quite frankly, the speedo is way down on my list of things to observe to negotiate Britain's roads safely, but I don't expect some fool who sits behind a desk all day to appreciate that.


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PostPosted: Sat Jan 28, 2012 17:20 
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I voted Yes, but I tend to think that a lot of the increase in road rage is simply due to the huge increase in traffic volumes which the road network has simply not kept pace with. Plus many councils have deliberately reduced capacity and removed roadspace in a politically-motivated attempt to promote "modal shift" :x There is plenty of "designer congestion" around.

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PostPosted: Sat Jan 28, 2012 18:21 
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Agreed but to me designer congestion includes needless traffic lights, road narrowing, lowered speed limits etc, which all go to making the roads appear to be busier than they need to be.

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My views do not represent Safespeed but those of a driver who has driven for 39 yrs, in all conditions, at all times of the day & night on every type of road and covered well over a million miles, so knows a bit about what makes for safety on the road,what is really dangerous and needs to be observed when driving and quite frankly, the speedo is way down on my list of things to observe to negotiate Britain's roads safely, but I don't expect some fool who sits behind a desk all day to appreciate that.


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PostPosted: Sat Jan 28, 2012 21:03 
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I think the Highway code should include a 'courtesy sign'.... triangle or circular, not sure yet.... should be placed at school arenas..... I watched a car stop paralel to a parked car in order to reverse into the space behand it.... it was obvious her intentions and she was careful to wait for bussel around to clear... but another car drove in forwards to beat her... going forwards you have to pop front wheels across pavement to get the loop to have your car end up parked.... there were kids galore on that pavement... it was outrageous.... not just because of the danger for kids, but the illfeeling caused and that a considerate driver was made to be a 'looser' by a selfcentered moose.
Certain control are needed so would put the emphasis on UNREASONABLE ones and work out (suggestions) a way of assessing them.... but feedback from the road rather than ivory towers....

Time wasting lights should be illegal.... time is money is wind up if no reason.... wasted energy if brought to a standstill for no reason, held, polluting planet, then released, having to re-acellerate to get to where you were before.... all costing patience (calmness), time, fuel, and of course climate change :D

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PostPosted: Sun Jan 29, 2012 19:11 
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PeterE wrote:
There is plenty of "designer congestion" around.
and 'designer stress' ...
I voted Yes but only in so much as the less distraction might allow me additional time to concentrate on opportunities to aid anothers progress and consider all options that much better.
I try to never become frustrated or upset in any way, when I travel, as I believe in having total control and drive 'defensively', anticipating and observing (etc etc) thoroughly, arriving at my destination with zero incidents.
Some of the extra features around the roads can created added distraction as everything needs to be properly considered and assessed. The more precious time is divided up, the less time motorists have to think and assess all of their environment. This can accumulate and cause added stress.
If we consider too that people are more stressed these days (in their typical lives), than previously (better recording perhaps?), these extra roadside furnishings, more rules and regs, more designer hazards, even more care controls, all add to an individuals demands to travel safely, which can elevate stress, frustration and, intolerance levels.
One of the common stress symptoms is that people can snap much more quickly, and be more aggressive, both symptoms that we see on the road as intolerance through road rage.

How long before 'too stressed to drive' is added to the growing list of reasons to remove people from their vehicles. :(

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PostPosted: Sun Jan 29, 2012 22:13 
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Yep, "driving under the influence of stress"...;-)

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My views do not represent Safespeed but those of a driver who has driven for 39 yrs, in all conditions, at all times of the day & night on every type of road and covered well over a million miles, so knows a bit about what makes for safety on the road,what is really dangerous and needs to be observed when driving and quite frankly, the speedo is way down on my list of things to observe to negotiate Britain's roads safely, but I don't expect some fool who sits behind a desk all day to appreciate that.


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PostPosted: Thu Feb 02, 2012 03:17 
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The last time I had a moment of suitable stress where I felt I really had to express my displeasure, I had clipped the sump of a friends' motor on a totally unnecessary speed hump.
I now make a point of not keeping my engine silent when in such areas, afterall, one has to accelerate when slowed down by a hump ...

However, I've been driving on the roads for only half of the 3 decades, so I believe I can't cast my vote in the intended manner.

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PostPosted: Thu Feb 02, 2012 11:54 
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graball wrote:
So the poll is......do you believe that your own driving would be less stressful and more courteous towards others, if all modern restrictions were removed and roads were designed more as they were back in the seventies and eighties with fewer traffic lights, no speed bumps, sensible speed limits, no road narrowing chicanes to "slow traffic" (which in reality just cause tailbacks), etc.

I voted yes Grabs but in all honesty I think that’s more because of who I am rather than how I think the majority would react to your scenario. I’ve always been courteous and considerate towards others; it’s how I was brought up.

But I think that ethos is rapidly becoming extinct as a measure of today’s selfish, greedy and over-populated society. If we take driving out of the equation for instance, do we not see the same traits when we go to the shopping Mall as we do on our roads? People have no time for others and everything is so rushed whether they are on their feet or in a car, so I see a correlation between the two here. It simply wasn’t like that years ago.

Speaking as a guy who remembers driving/riding back in the older days, (started in 1975), the world and more importantly its people are very different today. To put it another way, if it were possible to transport everyone in some Star Trek Q fashion back to 75, I’m sure we would find drivers behaving in much the same selfish and inconsiderate way as they do today even after adapting to their new environment; it’s indelibly running through their veins these days.

Back then, I remember Sunday was a special day and nothing was open in the week after about 6 p.m. where the world’s lungs could inhale - and cyclists could too. In your scenario Grabs, would we go back to old shopping times for instance? After all, that’s why so many are on the roads these days; more people equals more traffic, equals more crappy behaviour. I always remember a scientific study done on increased population in confined spaces which lead to more violence and homosexuality. (Don’t ask me, I just repeat it here).

So I think there are many factors in your analogy, especially population IMO, which need to be considered. My hackles are up the second I find myself in any crowd. I don’t like ‘busy’ whether it’s people or traffic; I just don’t react as many do to it.

So to answer your question, I don’t think 70 style roads in isolation would make that great a difference to most people’s bad ways but speaking for myself, (your question), I would feel much more relaxed and I like to think I’m always courteous regardless... :)

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You will be branded a threat to society by going over a speed limit where it is safe to do so, and suffer the consequences of your actions in a way criminals do not, more so than someone who is a real threat to our society.


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PostPosted: Thu Feb 02, 2012 17:48 
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While I agree with a lot of what you said, something that happened to me today (and it's happened in the past) makes me wonder if all drivers attitudes have changed fore the worse, not just the people who dislike lower speed limits and silly constraints on driving.
This is what happened...

I was behind an elderly lady (60s-70s) at some traffic lights, she dawdled through them half hesitantly, I didn't think I would get through before the amber, although there was nothing in front of her. As it happened we both got through but to be honest for the time she wasted we could have got another two cars through normally. i followed her another quarter of a mile until she turned left at a roundabout onto a NSL road, at which point as the road was clear I accelerated past her up to 60MPH and as I was going past her and for a quite few seconds later I could see her flashing me....WHY?
I certainly gave her plenty of room in front of me when following her...I can just imagine her moaning to her passenger about the absolutely maniacal young tearaway, who had just passed her "like a bat out of hell", to go "speeding" down the road..."an accident waiting to happen".

No Tone, I don't believe todays driving attitudes are all because we have too little time to live...even the old and dawdling are prone to road rage because of the media hype about "speed killing" and "slow is the way to go" (BRAKE can buy that tagline off me if they want)...and yet the drivers who are worst at road etiquette, such as road positioning, waiving people on at junctions and indicating etc., are these very people who have "twenties plenty" stickers in their back window.

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My views do not represent Safespeed but those of a driver who has driven for 39 yrs, in all conditions, at all times of the day & night on every type of road and covered well over a million miles, so knows a bit about what makes for safety on the road,what is really dangerous and needs to be observed when driving and quite frankly, the speedo is way down on my list of things to observe to negotiate Britain's roads safely, but I don't expect some fool who sits behind a desk all day to appreciate that.


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PostPosted: Sun Jan 20, 2013 18:15 
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I didn't vote .I( like others) tend for the yes, for the same reasons,but I would define the method of control.
If the controls are auto robots ,then no.
If the controls are educated ,trained professional cops ,then yes .

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PostPosted: Sun Jan 20, 2013 22:48 
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botach wrote:
Sadly ,Tone, the day when we get done for infringing some petty violation will be when, not if. As the list of "possible customers" dries up the vultures are looking for ways to increase the take. After all there's one vast cash hungry machine to feed . (And "expert witnesses" to take a cut).

Quite Dave. And the sad fact is there's the truth and there's what's pc and electable.

So do I/we/anyone dare tell it as it is?

Therein lies my prob and dichotomy...

Bill Hicks - :o

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The views expressed in this post are personal opinions and do not necessarily represent the views of Safe Speed.
You will be branded a threat to society by going over a speed limit where it is safe to do so, and suffer the consequences of your actions in a way criminals do not, more so than someone who is a real threat to our society.


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PostPosted: Sun Jan 20, 2013 23:35 
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I'm now finding posses ( sounds like ye old Wild west :D ) of PCSO hidden on 20 limits looking ( like the old African hunters) to bag a kill. Meantime ( as a NHW member) I'm getting reports daily of breakins. Perhaps once the WaynE 7 Waynetta get plundered of their 40" TV for the fourth time to feed someone's habit( and can't get house insurance) ,they might see the bigger photo (and lok at local crime ,than Waynetta jnr not being trained in the GCC). I once did a 999 for a group of yooths leaping over a wall - 20 minutes later , a car was on scene. I did the same for a pair taking a bike for a walk ( and heard them mention someone I knew was involved in "off roading " don't ask) .I ran out of batery before I saw a car .

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lets bring sanity back to speed limits.
Drivers are like donkeys -they respond best to a carrot, not a stick .Road safety experts are like Asses - best kept covered up ,or sat on


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