It does concern me that global warming is being caused by the hot air generated when these buffoons open their mouths.
Journey times increased.
Speedometers non-compliant.
Distance signs to change. Get real.
Auto Express
18th October 2006
Speed limit cuts
MPs' metric move to cut limits
Speed limits should be slashed to just over 40mph on motorways, say MPs
And they've devised a cost-effective way of cutting legal limits on all roads in a stroke.
Nia Griffith, Labour MP for Llanelli in Carmarthenshire, wants UK speedsigns to be read as kilometres per hour instead of the familiar miles perhour - and 70kph on M-ways equates to 43mph.
This would cut the limits by two-thirds without having to replace a single signpost.
The radical call came as MPs discussed climate change last week. "A national speed limit of 50mph would make roads safer," said Griffith.
"And I suggest we interpret all signs in kph, so 30mph would be 30kph - around 20mph. And 40mph would mean 40kph, or 25mph. This wouldn't cost a lot."We all want our cars and the freedom to use them. But why could we notdecide to have a much reduced speed limit? Few people realise how much of an economy they can make by travelling more slowly, but at present they are unable to do that without feeling they are holding up other road users."
Backing the suggestion, Lynne Featherstone, the Lib Dem MP for Hornsey and Wood Green, N London, added: "This is a good idea, and it would be very cheap to implement; the ease with which ordinary people can do things and the cost of the proposals is important."
Meanwhile, MPs have been asked to vote on graduated speeding penalties without knowing what the final upper thresholds would be. The new measures in the Road Safety Bill have been debated in Parliament.
The idea would bring in fixed fines and points for different speeds. It's thought that doing up to 39mph in a 30mph zone would bring two points withup to 45mph attracting three.
Drivers travelling at more than 46mph would get six points.
But MPs don't know the upper limit over 46mph.
Brian Gregory, of the Association of British Drivers, said: "It's absurd that MPs are voting without having all the facts."
5 comments:
Has there been a calender shift? I didn't think that it was April 1st...
Neil,
Can you add the following to your blog comment on behalf of myself and Paul Wesson, the orginator:
The speed limits were set some considerable time ago when engineering was less safe and cars were more dangerous. Car manufacturers know the speed limits and have designed cars for optimum use at those speeds.
Speedometers are at their most accurate at 30mph since this is the speed upon which they are calibrated. Changing the speed limit means that all speedos will be calibrated at the wrong speed and do not read as accurately at 30kph.
Engine revs are also set so that they are optimised to achieve a certain speed for a given amount of revs. Most engines are fuel efficient at 50-55mph (80kph) - the average speed people drive on 60mph roads. Gear ratios are selected and calculated based on target speeds. Has nobody ever noticed why engines seem to over-rev at speeds in excess of about 80, or when the wrong gear selection is made. Gear ratios are designed to take a driver smoothly up to about 60mph in ordinary saloon cars.
Dropping the speed limit to 43 mph will be a disaster for car manufacturers, it will generate an increase in greenhouse gases since nobody will be driving their cars efficiently, there will be an increase in wear on clutches and gearboxes and petrol consumption will go through the roof if all 5-gear cars are driven in 4th.
Industry will incur costs that will wipe out many companies. If you go to multimap, or any such other route based computer, all timings to destinations are based on an average speed of 55 mph.That is how industry calculates its costs. People have bought houses and built factories based on these assumptions.Bus timetables have been calculated on the basis of the current speed limits. Traffic movements (even the congestion charge) are based on certain assumptions. All motorways since 1962 have been assumed to be geared to a 70mph speed limit. All traffic calculations have been based on the speed limits in force for over 40 years. A sudden and unnecessary change will cause mayhem.
If anybody can disprove anything I've said please do so be reference to factual material. I don't have time to prove everything I've said, but have seen all of the information somewhere in recent years.
dave
all I will ever see if I see a 70 sign is 70 MPH!
I was educated in imperial and don't have a clue what anything else is nor do I want to know
I would have the Perfect excuse for Legal speeding then would I not!
"I would have the Perfect excuse for Legal speeding then would I not!"
Er, that would be no...
(Although I understand where you're coming from!)
Would the proposed speed limits be universal, or would the exclude ministerial cars.
After all Mr Prescott seems to avoid tax on his 2 (or 3 Jags) so why not ignore the speed limit as well?
And in case anyone wants to know, I had always been a labour voter, until the labour party turned into the dictator party they are today.
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