Safe Speed Forums

I get really annoyed about the way some of our opponents seek to paint this campaign.

Personally, when driving, I seriously strive to act responsibly and considerately at all times.

Apart from a bit of mild speeding, I obey all the traffic laws. I always notice when I drive through a yellow light (where I couldn't stop without causing an accident) that three cars follow me.

I am very cautious about overtaking cyclists, occasionally to the annoyance of following drivers.

I don't drive on the pavement, I don't use a mobile phone when driving, I don't even consider driving when over the legal alcohol limit.

I'm a member of the IAM. I've driven 300,000 miles without a conviction since 1981. I've never had an accident that was my fault (unless you count reversing into a tree).

I feel by any standard I'd come in the top 5% of "responsible motorists".

Yet I am demonised. I suspect the regular posters here are actually within around 1 or 2% of the most responsible and careful drivers on the road.

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"Show me someone who says that they have never exceeded a speed limit, and I'll show you a liar, or a menace." (Austin Williams - Director, Transport Research Group)

Any views expressed in this post are personal opinions and may not represent the views of Safe Speed

I would agree, Peter.

I am not quite so watertight as you on RTA violations - but I believe I have the same degree of responsibility and a similar track record for accidents. I am certainly often the one holding up traffic waiting to overtake a cyclist with a decent wobble margin.

I would admit to choosing lanes to make best progress in rush-hour on dual carriageways. It is my version of filtering

I also am a "painted hump straddler" and occasionally wrong-sider. I refer to mini-roundabouts that seem to have sprung up. Some are painted but planar, others are painted humps. Apparently both carry different rules. I treat both the same and choose road positioning during manoeuvring almost entirely based on exit points and other traffic, moderating slightly to avoid hitting the apex of a hump (usually this means going further "wrong" to the rules).

What else? Oh - I will wrong-side someone badly positioned (cutting the corner) if he is turning right onto the main road and I am turning right from the main road to where he is coming from, provided I have excellent visibility up the side road.

I wouldn't claim to be squeaky-clean myself, but I honestly don't believe I routinely violate any traffic laws apart from a bit of mild speeding*.

* Less than the ACC of Greater Manchester Police is mild, surely.

The key point is that in my driving I am almost obsessively responsible and considerate.

And when I am demonised as a "speedophile" or whatever, it really does annoy me

_________________
"Show me someone who says that they have never exceeded a speed limit, and I'll show you a liar, or a menace." (Austin Williams - Director, Transport Research Group)

Any views expressed in this post are personal opinions and may not represent the views of Safe Speed

Passed IAM test in 1992, only exceed limit in NSL and not against oncoming traffic, or across junctions etc, and not if pedestrians or cyclists around. Whatever speed i am travelling at i aim to leave at least 2 second distance between me and car in front - if i have no intention of overtaking then i increase that distance.

Don't jump red lights, pull up if safe on amber.

Only use pavement if only way around a ( illegally ) parked vehicle in very narrow street, and if any pedestrians around then wait for them first.

Don't use mobile, don't drink and drive.

Stay behind cyclists if not safe to overtake, slow down and keep wide for horses etc.

Leave junctions clear when queueing in traffic, and thank anyone who lets me in to traffic.

Had accident that entirely my fault in 1991, turning right through traffic, nothing to do with speed - reason was i didn't look properly.

Far from perfect, always looking to improve and if i make mistake, however minor, i aim to learn from it.

No points on licence at all.

Peter,

First of all your driving record does you credit, I'm pleased to say that I too am conviction free since 1981, and have never had an accident involving another vehicle (I hit a post once!).
Yet this is, what?, the third time you've made a similar claim (about being demonised) in recent days. You really are intent on painting yourself as some sort of political victim aren't you? I'm sorry my friend but I think you are being either over-sensitive, exaggerating your hurt feeelings for effect, or have difficulty filtering out messages that are obviously targeted at particular behaviours and not a responsible individual such as yourself.
You refer, for example, to government campaigns to curb drink driving and 'binge drinking' (not necessarily here but previously) in a manner that suggest you believe these campaigns to be uneccessary. I cannot disagree more. I would hate to think of the mess our society would be in (as opposed to the mess it is already in) if nobody made any attempt to keep things in check.

I repeat, I'm certain that your responsible attitude is not being targetted directly in any way.

Do you know, I've just realised that I'm so used to it now that I've forgotten to be annoyed in the general sense. But since you've reminded me, I am very annoyed.

I've had no crashes since 1986, when I had two (neither my fault). Since then I've used the brakes in anger just once. I was stopped for speeding in 1989. Clean licence since then. About 400,000 crash free miles.

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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

I'm sorry if I've repeated the message. But I do get very annoyed when campaigns against irresponsible behaviour seem to target the responsible majority. And when messages on cycling forums paint responsible drivers as child-murdering nutters.


I agree - but the steps taken to address these problems also demonise the responsible majority. A binge-drinker is someone who drinks 8 or more units of alcohol in one session? Yes, I plead guilty, but I only do it once or twice a week, I never even think of driving afterwards, and I get a bus or taxi or Shanks's pony home without causing any trouble.


I'm sorry, but I think it is, both in occasionally drinking more than official safe limits, and in occasionally exceeding posted speed limits where I judge it safe to do so.

_________________
"Show me someone who says that they have never exceeded a speed limit, and I'll show you a liar, or a menace." (Austin Williams - Director, Transport Research Group)

Any views expressed in this post are personal opinions and may not represent the views of Safe Speed

Well, OK then Peter. We'll have to agree to disagree on this one.
I too break the speed limit (especially on the bike), drink too much sometimes, eat too much salt and probably a whole host of other things that would have some group or other tut-tutting.
Yet I don't feel demonised - perhaps I'm too thick to realise these messages are targetted at me
Think I'll just stay fat, dumb and happy

Yeah, I do all these things.

But the problem is that government policy demonises them all. Far too many people just sit back and let it wash over them - but I want to fight back. That is why I am a member of SafeSpeed - it's fighting back against ludicrous political correctness and nannying.

Maybe I take it too heart too much - but the thing that the government says is a bad idea one day may well become illegal the next day.

Did you ever think that you'd be forced to drive below 30 mph on road x, y and z?

_________________
"Show me someone who says that they have never exceeded a speed limit, and I'll show you a liar, or a menace." (Austin Williams - Director, Transport Research Group)

Any views expressed in this post are personal opinions and may not represent the views of Safe Speed