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Ziltro
PostPosted: Tue Nov 29, 2005 20:18 
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Winter Driving - Press Release

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28 November 2005

****PRESS RELEASE****

SPEED LIMITS ARE NOT A TARGET – Dorset’s motorists urged to think about appropriate speeds for winter driving conditions

The Dorset Safety Camera Partnership (DSCP) is advising Dorset’s motorists to think carefully about appropriate speed in relation to driving conditions as we approach winter.

Johnny Stephens, Operations Project Manager for the Dorset Safety Camera Partnership, comments: “The end of British Summer Time on 30 October saw the clocks go back and heralded the beginning of what is arguably the most dangerous time of year on our roads. Winter brings with it bad weather and longer dark nights that pose a danger to motorists, affecting driver visibility and road conditions. Drivers need to be aware of the risks associated with driving in bad weather conditions and we are urging people to think about their speed and slow down. It may just save someone’s life.”

Johnny continues: “You can still be driving at an inappropriate speed even if you are under the speed limit due to inclement weather conditions. It boils down to the fact that motorists need to take responsibility for their actions and the possible implications on other road users, especially pedestrians and cyclists. They need to think about what is, and what is not, appropriate driving behaviour.”

The Dorset Safety Camera Partnership is working together, through a combination of measures including education, engineering and enforcement, to reduce the number of people who are killed or seriously injured on Dorset’s roads, as a consequence of both excess and inappropriate speed.

A comprehensive public information campaign will include bus back advertising, throughout Dorset, and will go live today.


Some strangely sensible advice there.

I wonder what they are going to do about people driving at inapropriate speed below the speed limit?

Bus back advertising is such a good idea, because busses never exceed the speed limit, do they? :lol:

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SafeSpeed
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PostPosted: Tue Nov 29, 2005 20:40 
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Ah. So drivers should be expected to reduce speed when necessary should they? So what do we need speed cameras for again?

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Ziltro
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PostPosted: Tue Nov 29, 2005 20:58 
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SafeSpeed wrote:
So what do we need speed cameras for again?


To slow people down, silly!

And as you can tell from the speed statistics at the bottom of these two pages they are definatly working. Slowing people down. Yes. Not having bugger all affect whatsoever. People aren't driving faster now the camera is there. Nope.

http://www.dorsetsafetycameras.org.uk/downloads/foi_files/F_A351_Sandford_Rd,_Sandford-Nebd.pdf

http://www.dorsetsafetycameras.org.uk/downloads/foi_files/F_Wareham_Rd,Beacon_Hill,Nebd.pdf

(actually I think one of those if not both cameras were police owned ones installed before 2002, but still it shows that they aren't working.)

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biker
 Post subject: appropriate speed
PostPosted: Tue Nov 29, 2005 22:39 
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Came across an interesting one recently: car doing 30 (in a 30) came to a tight bend, went in- and hit a broken-down car halfway round.
Lots of points raised, but the driver was done for careless driving because ALTHOUGH HE WAS NOT EXCEEDING THE SPEED LIMIT, HIS SPEED WAS DEEMED TOO FAST FOR THE CONDITIONS (i.e. range of visibility)
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antera309
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 30, 2005 14:48 
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The writer is quite correct when they say that speed limits are not a target. The problem is, many speed limits are being set as though they are targets - speed limit signs are being increasingly being used as an "everyone drive at this speed please" prompt. The variable speed limits on the M25 are one example of this, so are 20mph and 10mph limits on residential roads and 40mph limits in motorway roadworks.

With speed limits being set as target speeds, it is not surprising that drivers are starting to view ALL speed limits as targets.

This is just one example of how speed limits, a once useful & respected road safety law, have been devalued due to misuse by cack-handed politicians & officials.

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biker
 Post subject: targets
PostPosted: Sat Dec 03, 2005 10:06 
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Absolutely right.
We keep being told " do NOT excercise discretion, judgement etc with regard to what YOU think is an appropriate safe speed, just stick to the limit". And now they're saying "don't stick to the limit, it isn't necessarily the safest appropriate speed- excercise judgement", which of course is how it should be under normal conditions, not just adverse weather.
Dear SCP: if it works for speeds below the posted limit, why not for speeds above?
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Gizmo
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PostPosted: Sat Dec 03, 2005 10:57 
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Quote:
as a consequence of both excess and inappropriate speed.


How do they do that then?

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biker
PostPosted: Sat Dec 03, 2005 12:23 
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Bus back advertising is such a good idea, because busses never exceed the speed limit, do they? :lol:[/quote]

The night bus past my house (30 limit) averages, I would guess 40-45.
On my way to work this morning I was doing 40 in a 30, and a double-decker was chewing on my tail-light.

The best one is the daily tip-out of dustcarts at around 06.15hrs- three or four in a line, sometimes two abreast, all doing at least 50 (in a 30).
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botach
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PostPosted: Sat Dec 03, 2005 21:36 
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Gizmo wrote:
Quote:
as a consequence of both excess and inappropriate speed.


How do they do that then?


Inappropriate speed on its own ---ooh dearie me no such thing, must be excessive if inappropriate - ( the limits tell us so ) :lol:

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biker
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PostPosted: Sun Dec 11, 2005 18:56 
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I still haven't received a reply to my e-mail (sent to the pratnership a couple of weeks ago) asking "why am I not just allowed but EXPECTED to use my judgement, skill and discretion when the weather's bad, but FORBIDDEN from doing so otherwise?"
I'm sure it'll arrive any second now.......
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botach
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 12, 2005 21:25 
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Location: Treacletown ( just north of M6 J3),A MILE OR TWO PAST BEDROCK
biker wrote:
I still haven't received a reply to my e-mail (sent to the pratnership a couple of weeks ago) asking "why am I not just allowed but EXPECTED to use my judgement, skill and discretion when the weather's bad, but FORBIDDEN from doing so otherwise?"
I'm sure it'll arrive any second now.......

Like the reply i got when i asked why my local lot enforce on the only straight on one road and regularly at the cross roads further on i see crashes - suggested they might, in interests of safety , try to slow traffic down approaching this crossroad - "not enough stats " was the reply , or was that "not much chance of a quick buck"
That was after several quesations as to qhich b road i was referring to , only one of hat number in that locality.

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