A much better idea is that vehicles may drive on either side of the road for the time being, to avoid the shock of changing over too quickly.

A much better idea is that vehicles may drive on either side of the road for the time being, to avoid the shock of changing over too quickly.

But a lot of then are doing that already!

Mainly reps and chavs.

When Holland changed the priority on roundabouts I noted that but I forgot and gave way to someone about to enter only to receive a headlamp flash and an urgent wave - get on with it.

For the young among us, the priority was that those already on the roundabout had to give way to those wanting to enter. About the same time the priority was to give way to traffic crossing from the right, bicycles included, whatever. That was changed too, leading to the deaths of many bicyclists.

BTW - the trend in the UK is to 'traffic calming' and that has led to slower journeys.

BTW - the trend in the UK is to 'traffic calming' and that has led to slower journeys.

Do you seriously believe that? Surely the driver for the traffic lights and speed restrictions is the massive increase in traffic volumes in 55yrs. A route like you mention which cuts over the grain of the land through towns and villages and crosses trans pennine arteries is never going to be quick in 2015.

To average 50ish over that route in 1960 would have required one to drive like a madman.

You clearly know nothing of the local geography and your arithmetic is wrong. 40 minutes for 28 miles works out at 42mph average, not 50-ish.

As I stated, much of my route consisted of unrestricted roads so 60 or 70 was quite legal and safe: now there are only short stretches at NSL and traffic calming measures (random central islands on what were 3-lane roads to make it hard to overtake slow vehicles).

The arithmetic was a quick guess but allowing for urban areas 50 between then isn't that far out. As a Yorkshireman I think I can be credited with some knowledge of the county.

While 70 (or more pre 1964?) might have been legal that doesn't make it safe on roads that roll and curve through moorland etc. The imposition of central islands and narrowings are usually a response to high accdent rates.

And you cannot refute the massive increase in traffic volumes over 55yrs.

The cause of gridlock Britain is too many people wanting or needing to travel too often and too much freight being transported over long distances.

Edited by Sofa Spud on 19/05/2015 at 21:27