I wonder, should other drivers hassle someone for doing the speed limit, even if it is on a road that has regular radar trapping sessions?
The speed limit is a 20mph one, which is stupidly slow on a dead straight road ( with the usual traffic calming lumps in the road ) and certainly not one I agree with, but at the same time, I dont feel I should risk points because the person behind ( who sounded his horn and shook his fist at me despite plenty of speed limit signs ) wants to break the limit.
What is the mentality of such people? Is it a moral obligation to serve the needs of other road users first or look after number one first?
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The people you describe are the same ones as jump queues or join trains without paying the fare. Complying with rules is just too much trouble.
Where is this particular 20 limit (curiosity given that we live in the same county)?
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Actually Stu, this gives me an opportunity to ask a related question. Hope you don't mind as it may end up being pertinent to your question ?
I have it lodged, perhaps incorrectly, in my mind that there is no enforceable 20 mph limit in this country. I seem to want to think that these are, and can only be, advisory. We have a stretch of "High Street" near us with humps and 20 mph signs but the limit signs are physically smaller than normal. Same graphic style and colour but only about 30cm in diameter. Most probably wrong but would like to know.
Sorry if this is a hijack.
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Round a part of the Racecourse in Northampton, outside the Freemasons Hall.
The signs of this part seem to be the usual size and at the end it has the end of 20, going into 30 signs.
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That wouldn't happen to be St George's Avenue would it Stu? By some stroke of serendipity my parents used to own a house overlooking Northampton Racecourse. It was a very long time ago ( late 50's / early 60s ) and there was apparently a Technical College at the end of the road. My Mum was a nurse at the time but claimed she was never really off duty as even when at home she was constantly tending to striken motorcyclists at the end of her road when they had failed to take the bend. Just idle curiousity really but I wonder if this is the same stretch where some 50-odd years later the 20 mph signs have been erected ? She will probably approve if so !
Edited by Shoespy on 30/06/2008 at 23:16
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Thats the one my friend and a lovely road it is. Id forgotten the name of it, then when you said that I remembered that is the address of my customer down that road!
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We have a stretch of "High Street" near us with humps and 20 mph signs but the limit signs are physically smaller than normal. Same graphic style and colour but only about 30cm in diameter. Most probably wrong but would like to know.
Taken from Speedlimit.org
"20 mph repeaters are not required within a signed 20 mph zone if the limit is in effect self-enforcing through the use of traffic calming measures. However, if there is little or no traffic calming, 20 mph repeaters are required for the limit to be enforceable."
Edited by Whisky on 30/06/2008 at 22:53
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Funny, but I mentioned this a while back in another thread. Having picked up 3pts a few months ago, I stick rigidly to the limits using my speed limiter on the C4 Picasso. On the A13 at 40mph, people hang on your bumper then shave in front of you when they overtake. The 50mph stretch between Brentwood and ilford is the same. Sometimes, I go at 55mph on the A12 Brentwood to Colchester because it is relaxed.....and i like to look at the 55mpg I get on the run, especially when it costs me nearly 70 squids to fill up with diesel. Everyone is impatient, spend more than 100millisecs at a green light and you get honked, too long turning into a side road? manic face in your rear view mirror. To be frank, driving within the limit should be a relaxed experience, enhanced by the shiny halo of righteousness and general do-goodery....but it ain't so I am afraid.
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.*********
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Whats all that mean? Did I say something i shouldnt?
{yep, you triggered the swear filter in a big way}
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 01/07/2008 at 01:29
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Sounds like a case of road rage to me stu, just stick to the limit and don't let them get to you, you're driving properly and they are not.
I had a similar event today with some young kid and his mate driving about 3" from my cars rear bumper as I was about to seemingly overtake a lorry on a dual carriageway. The kid (too close) couldn't have seen the lorry driver was indicating his intentions to change lane and I was letting him pull out safely. Meanwhile the pimple behind me got himself all worked up and as we all approached the red lights ahead he screamed passed the lorry and gave me one of those baby faced looks that wouldn't scare a spider let alone someone who was on his way to hit around Mach 1.5.
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Everyone is impatient spend more than 100millisecs at a green light and you get honked too long turning into a side road? manic face in your rear view mirror.
I love seeing that manic face. Tailgaters get the stress they deserve.
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Pull off the road and let them pass. It's not worth risking becoming a victim of "road rage". There's no point in just standing on your dignity and demonstrating that you are in the right by not going any faster.
Edited by L'escargot on 01/07/2008 at 08:54
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He was right,dead right,as he drove along,but he's just as dead as if he'd been wrong!
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I am sorry to confess that the other day I was driving down an autostrada in Italy, overtaking a lorry, and driving at the posted 130 Kph limit. Some loon came up behind me and drove so close that I couldn't see his numberplate or headlights in my rear view mirror! I continued to overtake and then pulled in, when I was good and ready. As he sailed past me I gave him the finger and he went ballistsic! Took both hands off the wheel to gesticulate at me - I rather hoped he would hit a rock or get a blow out and crash but he roared off into the distance to go and tailgate someone else! I don't think what I did was at all necessary but at least I wasn't going get points or cause an accident. I was staying on Lake Garda and the Italians are mental! Overtaking on double white lines, on bends, in a tunnel! Not some of them - many of them!
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I have seen Gatso on 20 mph limit road. Didn't dare to test its limit though :)
Also, most 20 mph roads have speed humps, so I try to be kind with the car anyway.
Coming to original topic, one of my friends felt obliged to speed when gestured by following driver.
She got flashed [39 in 30] and received a FPN as a prize for her kindness.
I personally never bother [in spite of some drivers throw abusive gestures while overtaking me after sometime]
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Is it true that if you speed and the car behind follows, only you get flashed?
A bit like forcing hostages across minefields.
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Coming to original topic, one of my friends felt obliged to speed when gestured by following driver.
Standard advice is to pull over and let the impatient driver pass.
She got flashed [39 in 30] and received a FPN as a prize for her kindness.
Does that mean it was a forward facing Gatso that she failed to see?
Edited by jbif on 01/07/2008 at 11:55
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Best advice is to always stay cool, never offer any provocation or gestering (even if it is tempting), drive according to the hiway code, indicate your intentions to pull over and/or after overtaking.
Pulling over and giving way to tailgaters serves to encourage their bad behaviour. However, as an individual you have a choice and it may be prudent to make a judgement to pull over and leave the psycho for others to deal with. Record the number plate of the offending vehicle and time of the incident and report the incident to the police and let them deal with it.
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It is an immutable fact of life in France or Italy that, no matter how fast you are going, a Dyan or a Topolino will be hanging from your backside trying to get past. Yet it never bothers me there. I just adopt a resigned sang froid about it all. Probably cos I am on holiday, not in the daily grind of the rat race.
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I dont feel I should risk points because the person behind ( who sounded his horn and shook his fist at me despite plenty of speed limit signs ) wants to break the limit.
Wave him past if it's clear to overtake....
Some people think that the speed limit in fact means whatever's posted, plus a bit. Never mind. "If they want to go faster, they can overtake, or find another road" (S.W.).
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