Safe Speed Forums

Over the last two weeks - in my lunch hour - I've been reading and, as always, enjoying the threads that have been posted here. I've not posted myself as all you fine people have contributed to such an extent that I've felt that I cannot add anything more constructive to the discussions.

However.

*And you knew that one was coming*............

This little bit of pond-life that calls herself / himself "The Sensible Majority" has been the straw that's broken the camel's back so to speak. As such I'm compelled to have a soap box moment.....

You lot - as well as I - am sick to the back teeth of this type of "driving puritan"*. You know as well as I do that they see cars as a meaningless neccessity that merely transports them from A to B, not realising that the mere act of controlling a car is the most dangerous thing we do on a daily basis. People like "The Sensible Majority" (what a misnomer that is.....) cannot be arsed with improving their driving skills. They cannot be arsed with being conscious about their driving standards. They cannot be arsed about being observant and courteous to other drivers.

All they care about is a sign at the side of the road; a circle bounded in red with two black numbers on a white background. That - to these types - is gospel. Nothing else matters.

Now, here's an eye opener for you TSM. Despite what you may think in your genetically-challenged mind, road safety is a little more involved than obeying the numbers and consists mainly of roadcraft. The Art of Driving. I love driving. Even in this country's ever drudge infected roads. It's all about application TSM. Setting yourself targets on each and every drive that, when achieved, give a little glow of satisfaction.

These targets need not involve exceeding the speed limit.

Do you, "The Sensible Majority", constantly strive for the perfect combination of push-pull / rotational / fixed input steering methods? Do you strive to push the envelope of your forward planning and observational techniques? Do you look for the swiftest and safest line through a corner on a trunk road? Do you constantly attempt to take the most appropriate gear for a given situation? I attempt all of the above on every journey, yet I still fail to achieve them all in the same trip.

But I'm fine with that. I can still go out for a drive of a Saturday afternoon just for the hell of it and still have fun. Yes. Fun in a car. Because I love driving. Don't get me wrong, in 30 / 40 / 50mph zones I stick to an indicated 5mph above the posted limit but on trunk roads and motorways I will increase the margin to and indicated 10mph above the posted speed limit. Should I be jailed for that?????

According to the Association of Chief Police Officers, that'll be a "no". They prescribe a margin of 10% +2mph above the speed limit before action is taken, and seeing as speedometers are calibrated to over-read actual speed (under European Law) I am comfortable with my self-imposed speed limits even if you are not. I have the law on my side.

A colleague of mine on another site (who is a Class 1 Police Pursuit Driver and IAM / RoADA examiner) recently stated that the main problem with driving standards in this country is the refusal to learn after their driving test. "Many people can operate the controls. Very few can DRIVE", he stated. I would suggest that "The Sensible Majority" has much to learn.

*Driving Puritan: a person who is concerned that someone, somewhere, is enjoying a drive in a car

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Safe yet Swift.

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Oct 11 Birmingham Half Marathon. I am running for the British Heart Foundation.
http://www.justgiving.com/Rob-Taylor

I don't think that you'll find that year 7 schoolkids are allowed to drive cars - he's just repeating what his teacher told him to think...

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Aquila



Licat volare si super tergum aquila volat...

It was drummed into me that you really learn to drive AFTER passing your driving test.

I passed my test 30 + years ago and I'm still learninng.

Me too, you never stop learning (if you want to survive). I've also just learnt there are three "n"'s in learninng (Sorry Roger )

The misnomer is "learning to drive " before passing the driving test. Like Doctors and solicitors , we practice , and keep on learning.

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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

I hated school, but I love an open stretch of tarmac.

It's the best blackboard (or - in today's educational system - interactive whiteboard) that I know

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Safe yet Swift.

What's one of them?

The I live in the south east of england Patch

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Former Military Police Officer and accident investigator

Maybe you need to visit North Yorkshire - plenty of opportunities for enjoying uncluttered roads up here. Try it and see.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

"Maybe you need to visit North Yorkshire - plenty of opportunities for enjoying uncluttered roads up here. Try it and see. "

Shaddup-ya-face!

I've been out of circulation lately due to a stay in hospital ( the operation was successful, but the food almost saw me off!).

I won't be driving for a while, and I'm actually feeling relieved about that. I used to regard driving as fun, but due to the current draconian automated speed enforcement policy, the gloss has worn off it a bit.

One up for the Driving Puritans maybe. However, it's made me even more determined to support the anti-camera lobby.

There's still the odd stretch of decent road to be enjoyed, unsullied by the work of local authority transport planners, if you know where to look... Depends on what sort of length of road you'd need before it constituted a stretch, mind!

Around my bit of the SE, the side roads paralleling the M4 between J5 and Datchet are quite nice mostly NSL s/c, but they're not all that long. Good fun to cruise along at a safe and legal 60, "overtaking" all the motorway traffic next to you that's slowed due to that perennial favourite "sheer weight of traffic"... The A330/A3095 between J8/9 and Bracknell is a nice run too, or at least it was last year when my wife was working there and I drove that route fairly regularly. Now she's in Uxbridge, and the A412 between Slough and Iver Heath, d/c and NSL for most of its length, with its sweeping curves and gradients raises a smile (except when stuck behind someone who thinks 50 is quite fast enough to be overtaking someone).

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Chris

Thanks for an inspiring post.
I think you are dead right about goal setting - improves concentration and enjoyment.
My goals used to be mostly related to time. Now often related to fuel economy which I find promotes planning ahead, smooth transitions, awareness of other road users.
Interesting how this plays out as I approach a reduced speed limit. First reaction is come off the gas, plus gentle early breaking/changedown if required. Result is a smooth transition from one limit to another. I'm generally a little over the limit as I pass the sign but still losing speed.
Where speed limits relate to increased hazard, I generally feel I'm responding sensibly and safely to the hazard.
What really p**ses me off is the "safe driver" in front of me who sees the sign late, hits the anchors and decelerates to new limit minus 5 (just to be on the safe side) before the sign.
Question: which is really safer: a planned smooth transition or a knee-jerk over-reaction conditioned by the "speed kills" lobby.

so it is ok for people to have a point of view, as long as it is the same as yours, and damn them who take a different view

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now retired

It does depent in part on whether they can justify their point of view, as opposed to having blind prejudice or acting upon misinformation (or having vested interests). Showing that you have an open mind is a particularly useful trait when in such discussions otherwise what's the point?

Absolutely! It's the creed of the Scamera Pratnerships, is it not?

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Aquila



Licat volare si super tergum aquila volat...