Reduced speed limits in Lincolnshire!!

AndyG · Post by **AndyG** » 06 Aug 2006, 09:03

From what I can remember, from the days I used to have to 'commute' to work in Spalding, 40 mph was something I dreamt of achieving - b****y tractors!

AndyG

Chris Sykes · Post by **Chris Sykes** » 06 Aug 2006, 10:18

Hey all, i live near skegness..... half the time its old drivers that do 45mph on the main road but you can do more if your careful. Just think if they slapped 40mph speed limits on all the incomming main roads. itll add on more journy time and could result into a loss of interest in the area. Look at boston aswell it can take upto 30 mins to pass through more if its really bad!!! they need to sort out the roads and routes not the speeds.

Nigel H-J · Post by **Nigel H-J** » 06 Aug 2006, 12:19

Having read the debate on motorway driving and the use of lanes made me raise my eyebrows, the rules of lane usage is quite clear, the nearside lane should be used at all times with the exeption of overtaking, secondly, on approaching a slip road onto the motorway if a vehicle is seen on that slip road one should have enough time to assess whether or not there would be a need to change to lane two to allow the other vehicle safe access into lane one.

Having said that, I used to drive Artics and there were times when approaching a slip road I had been unable to move over due to traffic overtaking me and as a consequence seen the car driver coming onto the motorway actually stop to await a clear space before proceeding on!!

from a standing start!!!!!! So it does show, in effect, how many drivers are totally ignorant about motorway driving for they should continue along onto the hard shoulder (providing that it is clear) then proceed into lane one when safe to do so.

Speaking of HGV speed limits, the 40mph limit applies to single carriageway roads, I think it is about time the Goverment reviewed this, OK, so how many do you follow that keep to this limit? Not many I can tell you, however, it should now be raised to 50mph for single carriageways, 55mph dual carriageways and raised back to 60mph on the motorways.

Incidentally, it appears that we may after all be going backwards for in 1930 The Road Traffic Act of 1930 abolished the 20mph speed limit and set a variety of limits for different classes of vehicle. There was no speed limit for vehicles carrying less than seven persons :sad:

TobyV · Post by **TobyV** » 06 Aug 2006, 12:56

I think part of the trouble is, the highway code was written back when there were far fewer cars on the road and a also lot of what you do as a driver depends on what others are doing around you (and therefore what you have to do to avoid them if they are being silly, which quite a number of people are!). All very well saying stick to lane 1, which is possible on say the M27 in the evening at a weekend, but not possible on the M25 when theres a fairly uninterrupted stream of slower lorries, caravans coaches etc in lane 1.

I myself have been faced with the situation whereby even though I am well aware I am approaching a slip road whilst in lane 1 and that there will be vehicles merging from the left, theres a constant stream of faster traffic in lane 2 and its therefore impossible to pull out. I think many of the problems I have faced and others from the sounds of their postings, is that theres probably more traffic on the roads than can be safely handled on many roads and at certain times.

Interesting what you say about if you cant get out from the slip road that you can continue on the hard shoulder. I always thought being on the hard shoulder was illegal unless you were broken down or an emergency vehicle

Edit - Just checked my highway code and it says nothing about going onto the hard shoulder if you cant proceed out from the slip road. In the paragraph 238, it says "You MUST NOT drive on the hard shoulder except in an emergency, or if directed to do so by signs"

Nigel H-J · Post by **Nigel H-J** » 06 Aug 2006, 19:16

TobyV, yes, you are right in what you say regarding the issue of joining the motorway and the chances of not being able to gain access to lane one from the slip road is likely to occur once in a blue moon however, given that situation I would not want to be caught out having to join from a standing start, equally for that matter nor would I want to have to force myself into lane one between two heavies that could be driving close together....Think I would rather take the chance of using a couple of more yards or so on the hard shoulder to ensure my safety and that of others.

TobyV · Post by **TobyV** » 06 Aug 2006, 19:42

Hi Nigel, I actually had precisely that situation when merging from the M11 onto the M25 recently. There didnt seem to be anywhere (hard shoulder included) to go to just a metal barrier ahead of me. Luckily the car-caravan combo managed to make lane 2 just in the nick of time to let me out. Had there been an obvious hard shoulder I doubt I would have chosen to do that unless an accident was impending as I would be too concerned about having broken the law on that count.

The thing that gets me about motorway driving is its far less consistant than driving on other roads. In towns and on minor roads the level of concentration required and the triggers that help maintain that concentration seem to be roughly constant. On the motorway you sometimes get many miles of perfectly safe, rather dull constant speed straight line driving that requires you to do little and thus your concentration goes, punctuated by times when it seems everyone and everything has gone utterly bonkers

david balmer · Post by **david balmer** » 06 Aug 2006, 20:09

over here the driving standards are somewhat poor. firstly any lane on the highway ( motorway ) is fare game. forget the rules, undertake pass on the inside and pull out from a standing start infront of traffic going 100km+.
the old sob sob story of it's the trucker's fault he caused the accident. Yea i've had my fare share of gob S**'s pull out infront of me, i was going downhill at 110km and fully loaded. how i missed them i'll never know. over here the speeds are slower than the UK. everything is in kmph. around town is 40kmph, b roads are 60kmph and a roads 80kmph. the motorway is 100kmph.

when travelling in the states many months ago, the company was told by the state police to remove our vehicles off the road. we were governed at 65mph. they said we were a hazard and the truck have to keep up with traffic. including the US trucks at 75mph. some states are 65 others are 75.

now i have a truck that is governed at 90kmph, how depressing on these long straight roads. most accidents happen at night where there is a bend in the road. the dopes fall asleep and then WOW!! off they go.

we are also allowed to turn right on a red light. and if it's a one way system you are allowed to turn on red in the dirrection of flow. never figured that one.

Post by **TSR2** » 06 Aug 2006, 20:29

Dare i say it, but maybe we should take example from the French! :shock: ( Yes I know, but they do get some things right.)

130kph in the dry on motorways (which are excellent)
120kph in the wet on Motortways.

In towns slightly slower, built up areas 40 kph

Seems fair enough in France, but not as mental as in germany.

And I just heard on the news tonight that Tony's mob are going to charge us all for any journey we make based on time of day and roads that we are driving on! :curse: With the money theyu make of Tax on petrol, especially given its current price, plus the price of Road Tax, especially if you happen to drive an HGV, its another Tony Tax.

TobyV · Post by **TobyV** » 06 Aug 2006, 22:26

I remember a sketch (could have been Rory Bremner doing it thinking about it) of Gordon Brown not long after Labour came to power. In it he says "New Labour is about give and take. Give us enough time, and we'll take the lot". And hes certainly living up to that :huf:

Nigel H-J · Post by **Nigel H-J** » 07 Aug 2006, 14:32

On the motorway you sometimes get many miles of perfectly safe, rather dull constant speed straight line driving that requires you to do little and thus your concentration goes, punctuated by times when it seems everyone and everything has gone utterly bonkers

TobyV, definately true, this would/could account for drivers falling asleep when behind the wheel on motorways....I for one am ready to admit that on a number of occassions I have had to pull onto the hard shoulder when driving artics, get out and take a walk up on the nearside of the trailer making out I was looking at a problem (just in case a traffic car stopped) to wake myself up partly due to the boredom that motorway driving brings!!

One of the reasons was that, on occassions, I had to get up at one o' clock in the morning to take a load down to Bristol for a 6am delivery (special mix of liquid sugar so could not be loaded during the day.......only at night) Try going to bed at seven in the evening and getting to sleep!!!!