Safe Speed Forums

Is it just me or has anyone else noticed that there is more traffic when it rains?

I’ve noticed that it's a peculiarly British phenomena and have never noticed it in places like Saudi Arabia. The additional traffic can cause major slow downs on motorways in wet weather. In it's own way, this is a good thing. Wet roads are more dangerous and the extra cars and decrease in speeds actually save lives.

I did a scientific test and my average journey time from home to work on a dry day is thirty five minutes, but in wet weather, this rockets to fifty minutes, nearly trebling my average journey time.

Where do the extra cars come from?

It must be that we Brits like driving in the rain so much that as soon as the heavens open, we're all in our cars driving. Of course, it could be that we just don't want to stand at a wet bus stop.

The other theory that has been doing the rounds is that it's a government safety scheme. When it rains, they send out their trucks to congest the roads, and slow people down.

I did try phoning the Roads Minister, but he wasn’t available, but when I explained my theories to the nice young girl who answered the phone, she said I was talking “bollocks”.

What do you think? Have your say here.

I call these folk wet whether drivers

People living perhaps up to 5 miles from work may choose typically to cycle or motor-cycle to work, yet come the rain they'll dive for their car.

People living a mile or less may cycle or walk - but come the rain they dive for their car.

People who live 1 - 2 miles from a station who ordinarily walk to the station... dive for their car and drive all the way to work not to the station.

People who get the train/bus ordinarily and then have a 1-2 mile walk at the other end... dive to their car and drive all the way when it rains.

Kids who ordinarily walk to school con mothers and older siblings into dropping them off when it rains...

And of course all these wet weather drivers are low mileage, more cautious people - and a road is only as fast as the one in the front of the queue. And even regular drivers respect the greater stopping distance and poorer visibility...

Cor, don't say that on here!

It must have something to do with perceived danger and common sense. Traffic is slower in wet weather as it is near schools in the main. It makes me cringe when people say they would support speed camera outside scools when there is no great problem of speeding motorists plowing down school children.
Schools in my experience seem to be self regulating. Yes child casualties occur there but this would be by virtue of the concentration of the childlike animal would it not? Suggest a camera there and you must acknoledge they would be beneficial; self defeating for safespeed I suggest!
The culture in Saudi would remove self regulation in that country.
The greatest number of injuries occur in fine weather, less in poor weather and in areas of perceived danger, perhaps as has been noticed because traffic speeds are reduced.
Has this suggestion hit the nail on the head with a self defeating theory for SS?
By the way, I have to agree with the roads ministers secretary, a suggestion that DfT baulking trucks are sent out in poor weather is as she described.

I have to agree that a speed camera out side a school would be a folly. You can't put a number on a safespeed past a school because the risk is allways changing . The road may be wide and streight and 40mph limit would be sensible out of hours. During class times you might concider 30mph and pickup time 20 or even 10mph could be dangerous. A speed camera outside a school could only hope to catch drivers who are driving past safely out of hours and let the dangerous ones escape ploughing through under the posted limit yes still dangerously. You cannot decide on a 20 limit outside all schools as schools are in such varied locations and risks.

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Speed limit sign radio interview. TV Snap Unhappy
“It has never been the rule in this country – I hope it never will be - that suspected criminal offences must automatically be the subject of prosecution” He added that there should be a prosecution: “wherever it appears that the offence or the circumstances of its commission is or are of such a character that a prosecution in respect thereof is required in the public interest”
This approach has been endorsed by Attorney General ever since 1951. CPS Code

Edited, at Roger's request, to remove humour.

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When I see an adult on a bicycle, I do not despair for the future of the human race. H.G. Wells
When I see a youth in a motor car I do d.c.brown

You ought to retire to somewhere rural! SRB staff get a free caravan there!

Could you please enlighten us more of this scheme? If it is real, which I doubt, I'd love to know more. If it isn't, may I remind that this is the "serious" section of the board, and that your post would serve only to inflame things, and I would invite you to remove it, or edit it be a wish rather than present it as fact.

Wow, you can get paid for that?..... I always thought that these people did it for free!......

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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.

Rain causes crashes, which slows everything down a lot, because the coppers make such a big fuss.

rain causes crashes....surely only SPEED causes crashes.....

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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.

I am sure his quote is tongue in cheek, however I am sure I am right in thinking that there were moves not so long ago to get a group of motorists together who would pledge to always drive below the speed limit in order to slow down other motorists. I am unable to find any links to it now, but I am sure I didn't dream it.

Yeah, they ditched this idea when their neighbours said they would check their dustbins every week to see if they had mixed up recyclables with other waste.

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Malcolm W.
The views expressed in this post are personal opinions and do not represent the views of Safespeed.

May I remind that this is the "serious" section of the board, and that your post would serve only to inflame things, and I would invite you to remove it, or edit it be a wish rather than present it as fact.

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When I see an adult on a bicycle, I do not despair for the future of the human race. H.G. Wells
When I see a youth in a motor car I do d.c.brown

You can and they do.
Are you advocating variable speed limits in your post?
What would your alternative to a slower limit be?
The flashing school signs should, in reasonable drivers, be a signal to be aware of impending danger of school children appearing suddenly; this is the self regulating effect I explaned above. Is there a need for a lower limit or a variable limit?
Maybe a flashing school sign should be made to indicate a maximum speed when activated; in a 40 mph speed limit (or any speed limit for that matter ) it means 20 mph maximum. This will help those who find it difficlt to self-regulate. Maybe I am using the term "self regulate" as an alternative for knowing how to drive!

Quite simply to use the existing laws and proper policing.
1. Strict enfocement of parking around school gates
2. Schools to enforce thier own transport plans.
3 Police to prosicute dangerous drivers, parkers etc using existing laws. Sign schools better using exising schols and school patroll crossing signs rather than stupid 20s pleanty signs.
4. Yes I would agree with a variable speed limit for 1 hour around entry exit times "when lights flash" rather than rediculous 24/7 20 limits all year round. Although solving 1,2&3 would be preferable.

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Speed limit sign radio interview. TV Snap Unhappy
“It has never been the rule in this country – I hope it never will be - that suspected criminal offences must automatically be the subject of prosecution” He added that there should be a prosecution: “wherever it appears that the offence or the circumstances of its commission is or are of such a character that a prosecution in respect thereof is required in the public interest”
This approach has been endorsed by Attorney General ever since 1951. CPS Code

Oh dear - I don't mind humour ... but it's useful to include a winky to confirm that posts are "asides". It was presented so "well" that I could see it develoiping in to a series of flames..

Sorry if I over-reacted.

Apology accepted and reciprocated But we do need that "tongue in cheek" emoticon

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When I see an adult on a bicycle, I do not despair for the future of the human race. H.G. Wells
When I see a youth in a motor car I do d.c.brown

unless you did a series of traffic surveys you wouldn't know if there was more traffic. What almost certainly happens is that people adjust their driving for the conditions and increase their following distance to keep out of the spray and slow down a bit. So as journey times are longer, there are more cars on the road at a given time. Much like when it snows everything grinds to a halt. The roads are at capacity and the slightest thing causes everything to slow down.

I had an "argument" with a "bright spark" from our council planning dept a year or so ago. She insisted that reducing all NSL roads in the area to 40MPH or less, would reduce congestion. She had obviously never followed a tractor in her life!

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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.