Safe Speed Forums

I'm no troll, well, not in the internet definition anyway.

Just wanted to know how I could avert a ban through my 'spirited' use of the loud pedal.

I've set my sat nav to blank the screen at 80 as a reminder to slow down. Worked quite well during the 500 miles I spent on the M40 this week.

Was previously set to 120, which was a tad on the fast side. So far so good.

So you are worried only for your license? I thought you were worried about the 'addiction'? I don’t think you’ve come to the right place.


When your screen is blanked out then it’s already too late. Even if you had honed your technique, so limiting your max speed to 79, there’s no assurance that you won’t be prosecuted even when on a motorway, let alone motorway road-works, single carriageways, cities, urban areas …

Even setting your GPS to warn you when you are over the limit won’t guarantee legal compliance. A few months ago I was on a road in London (A312 I think) which was clearly a 40 limit – the TomTom 510 stated the road was 50. It also warned of a fixed camera on the road.

I'm guessing but may be the limit had been reduced and TomTom, or whoever updates their databases, haven't got that information yet.

_________________
Prepare to be Judged

My personal advice would be to drive to COAST at all times. If you do that, you'll keep a nice spotless licence...

_________________
Pecunia Prius Equitas et Salus

COAST ? Que?

It's a method of driving that is promoted by some of the advanced driving schools.

Use

Concentration,
Observation and
Anticipation\Awareness to give yourself
Space and
Time

It's not perfect (few things are) but it's good in that it focuses on the right things. If you have the Space and Time to do what is necessary to be safe then other factors, like your speed compared to that on the roadside pole become irrelevant from a road safety perspective.

Cheers

Paul

_________________
It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his job depends on not understanding it.

Upton Sinclair

You sound as if you are driving in fear of your own lack of control - a lethal situation in-the-making. I would be interested to know your age and the car you drive.

The Karting suggestion is a very good one - seat-of-the-pants driving at 40mph loses you a lot of aggression that you don't need in your road car. I have taken my son and daughter Karting since they were old enough to drive them and my son has just passed his driving test with no minors.

I was a club-level rally driver, on tarmac and stage, for seven years during the 80's and competition driving alters your mindset no end. You quickly learn that speed without control of car or situation leads to disaster and I have seen this time and time again - we used to call it 'running out of talent' or 'brain-fade'.

There is no place for inappropriate use of speed on our roads, just as there should be no place for simple crap driving. Nudging 40 in a 30 limit whilst applying COAST is perfectly acceptable, if your skills are up to it but tailgating 6 ft from the car in front at 25 in a 30 limit is not - and who does the Gatso punish?

Welcome to SafeSpeed; I hope that you are not a troll (we get so very many of them on here) and take heed of the advice offered to you - it is well-meant and offered by some of the most respectful drivers on the roads today.

Quote from the late cartoonist, Carl Giles:-
"There is no such thing as a fast, dangerous driver - they don't live long enough...!"

_________________
Aquila



Licat volare si super tergum aquila volat...

I use COAST already, leave big gaps, look very far ahead (horizon back), hardly use the brakes on the motorway due to exceptional anticipation and experience. Thats probably what gives me the confidence to press on, but its the right conditions, never when visibility is poor etc.

I compete in hillclimbs and sprints at a national level in a far quicker purpose built competition car, but the urge for speed is ever present.

Age 41
Car Mondeo 2.2 TDCI
Top speed 138MPH

Last week averaged 52MPG on two trips, so I think it must have been a hormonal thing.

Strikes me there are three issues here around your breaking of limits:

1 You are a careful driver who selects a safe speed for the conditions

If this is the case, your driving is unlikely to be a danger to others BUT

2 You are worried about getting points. This could happen, but given your claims to COAST, and your use of Sat Nav, you would be unlucky if this happened very often. Which is why this is worrying:

3 You have an urge to speed - this is at odds with 1) as it implies more than selecting an appropriate speed, but betrays a desire for thrill seeking (somewhat indicated by your motorsport activities) which you have a attitude problem about (as you can't confine this to the track). This is also at odds with 2) as it doesn't sit well with COAST?

Age 56
Car Saab Aero HOT Convertible
Top speed: 150 (limited)

I used to own a road legal sprint-spec car, but was very cautious when using it on the roads.

_________________
I won't slave for beggar's pay,
likewise gold and jewels,
but I would slave to learn the way
to sink your ship of fools

I feel like this forum is the right place to ask advice anyway. I'm no troll, just someone who enjoys driving (professionally, privately and domestically), but wants to continue to do it in as safe a manner as possible.

I've road rallied (driven and navigated), stage rallied (navigated), classic trialled, and done some karting, and hillclimbing is for me, by far the highest adrenaline buzz. Shelsley Walsh is an awesome place, just very unforgiving if you get it wrong.

Sounds like I'm not doing anything drastically wrong. Just need to stop showing off on the road, and leave it to the track.

who are you impressing ?

Certainly not me. I don't believe a single word of it.

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

Why not?

Confirmed, the section south of the M4 has been reduced from 50 to 40. It's utterly ridiculous. It's a high quality primary dual carriageway in a non-built-up area with no pedestrians. Even 50 was too low; NSL is perfectly appropriate there. One of the ten most absurd speed limits I've ever driven through. I very nearly got caught out by the reduction; about the closest I've come to being nabbed by a scam. Just shows that you can never assume that a speed limit will stay as it is, even if you believe that it couldn't plausibly get any lower.


I agree. No more jumping red lights, going on the pavements or racing drivers on the inside then?

_________________
Paul Smith: a legend.

"The freedom provided by the motor vehicle is not universally applauded, however: there are those who resent the loss of state control over individual choice that the car represents. Such people rarely admit their prejudices openly; instead, they make false or exaggerated claims about the adverse effects of road transport in order to justify calls for higher taxation or restrictions on mobility." (Conservative Way Forward: Stop The War Against Drivers)

Nothing quite like a bit of lift off oversteer when theres space to have a play. Just glad I dont have to pay for the tyres.