Playing devils advocate for a moment, there is no need for cars to do more than 100mph. In european driving conditions traveling at more than that increases the risk to other road users beyond that which is acceptable. The "I need speed to get me out of trouble" argument does not wash with reference to 100mph. So it could be seen as a prudent and sane idea.
On the other hand, how many people, as a percentage, a: actually have taken a car to 100mph plus on the road, or b: do so on a regular basis. The numbers must be miniscule, the problems caused by this even less, so clearly by any measure this legislation is not needed.
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TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
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His point is not merely that cars don't need to travel faster than 100mph; it's that cars engineered for very high speeds require extra crash strengthening and features - brakes, perhaps - that add weight and reduce their efficiency at normal speeds. I have no way of knowing how true this is - how much less would a BMW M5, say, weigh if it didn't have to withstand a crash at 180mph? Does this extra strengthening even happen?
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Its going to happen,probably not because of this particular politico but it will come.It will be dressed up on enviromental grounds,safety,and the quite simple premise that for most of Europe the top speed limit is around 80KMH.
In Japan cars and bikes are limited to 180KMH,which is just about 112MPH and it has been this way for many years.
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I reckon all new cars will be automatically restricted to the speed limits via gps by then anyway, and all they'll do is put a 100mph limit on the Autobahns.
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Placing a speed limit on new cars seems like an awful way to achieve change. Why not go the whole hog, and demand a red flag be carried ahead of the vehicle!
If it is deemed to be desirable from either a safety or an environmental point of view, then perhaps to limit emissions, or to limit the energy used during a test cycle might acheive better results, and would really focus the manufacturers' development effort.
As mentioned above, the 100mph rule could be acheived with nothing more than a software tweak in the engine ECU of an otherwise unchanged car - progress indeed!
Number_Cruncher
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Placing a speed limit on new cars seems like an awful way to achieve change.
However, the application of law, or pertainent considerations, have been crucial in to progress.
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It would make not one jot of difference to my life (or, I suspect, to casualty figures).
However, as is usual in these cases, this is the thin end of a wedge.
The logic will run: Reducing to 100mph had no effect on casualties, so let's try 90mph. Ditto? Ok, 80mph. Oh, OK, 70mph. Lawmakers minds follow this route with so many things. It's illogical, but inevitable, so the time to resist is now.
Unfortunately, as it's emanating from Europe, we have no way of voting out the imbeciles who thought this up. So get used to it and then watch for the ratchet over the next ten years.
V
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There's no doubt in my mind that this will come in sooner or later. One of the reasons why I just bought a sporty convertible is because I suspect that by the next time in my life when I may be able to afford such a car at about 55, they won't exist / it won't be possible to enjoy them any more.
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Unfortunately as it's emanating from Europe we have no way of voting out the imbeciles who thought this up.
You're wrong. "LibDem MEP Chris Davies" might turn out to be a clue.
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Baskerville: "You're wrong. "LibDem MEP Chris Davies" might turn out to be a clue."
Except that if he's top of the right Proportional Representation list, he's effectively safe from anything voters can throw at him.
V
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Do you seriously believe that different versons of a car have different crash resstance - look at wreckedexotics.com and you will soon come to the conclusion that they do not - plenty of photos of written off M5s there and they are no different to the written off 520s except that they were going faster when they hit something solid.
I would recommend anyone to look through the photographs, it presents a true picture of what CAN happen when you travel at high speed - forget the NCAP pictures - you can still recognise the car in those. I would support the idea of limiting to 100mph - how many innocent individuals die un-necessarily in these accidents.
I am regularly overtaken when doing 33/34 (gps calcualted in a 30 limit - including one where he had to go the wrong side of an island to do it!) and 53/4 (again GPS) in a 50 limit I would also support a GPS controlled limit to the road speed. There is no way that these drivers can argue that what they are doing is safe!
And yes - many years ago I reached an indicated 120 on the M1 - I realised that my judgement, and the brakes of the Mondeo, were not really up to it and it was dangerous - even more so if both lanes 2 and 3 were not clear for a mile in front of me. I decided it was not worth it.
It is better to be late and still alive tomorrow rather than just late.
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> how many innocent individuals die un-necessarily in these accidents.
Ooo Dont know. In the uk? most be all of 6 or 7
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TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
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If I said I could save 6 or 7 lives a year (what would that be Europe-wide, a couple of hundred?) at no cost and no inconvenience to anyone, how would that sound? At a rate of £1 million per life it even has an economic benefit.
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Baskerville "at no cost and no inconvenience to anyone"
OK, in the UK alone. Approx 2m cars sold per annum. How much would a tamper-proof speed limiter cost? Remember, for reference, that dim-dip many years ago was estimated at £10 per vehicle. Let's even assume it's the same (though I really do suspect it'd be even more). That's £20M of "no cost".
V
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I am regularly overtaken when doing 33/34 (gps calcualted in a 30 limit - including one where he had to go the wrong side of an island to do it!)
But the proposed 100mph limit wouldn't stop this.
I would also support a GPS controlled limit to the road speed.
So it's always safe to do 30mph in a 30 limit? I'd encourage drivers to use their brain rather than bang along on the limit, which is what they'll all do.
And yes - many years ago I reached an indicated 120 on the M1
Some people do 100+ every day on the motorway, I don't hear of many accidents. Not compared to all the accidents at 60mph in bad weather or when people aren't paying attention.
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Some people do 100+ every day on the motorway
To put that in perspective, some people get to sleep with Paris Hilton. How many more or less I couldn't say, but they are in roughly the same category as far as being an idiot is concerned.
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sleep with Paris Hilton.
they are in roughly the same category asfar as being an idiot is concerned.
Do you mean that people who do 100mph on motorways are idiots Baskerville?
I am sure I am not alone in regarding that as an idiotic opinion.
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Do you mean that people who do 100mph on motorways are idiots Baskerville?
Yes. Public roads are not the place for it. Too many variables and unknowns.
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Public roads are not the place for it. Too many variables and unknowns.
Well, you can argue it, but it's going to sound a bit thin applied to a nearly empty motorway, day or night. There's theory, and there's reality. Theoretically it can be argued that any motoring at all is too dangerous to attempt.
On the level of reality, I don't agree with that or with your claim. 70 isn't that much safer than 100, especially the way some people drive. Of course I don't approve of dangerous or foolish driving, but who does?
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>> Some people do 100+ every day on the motorway To put that in perspective some people get to sleep with Paris Hilton. How many more or less I couldn't say but they are in roughly the same category as far as being an idiot is concerned.
Well there were at least four this morning and I'm only on the motorway for about 12 miles. No wonder Ms Hilton always looks tired!
All perfectly safe (if not legal), no drama, they were probably cruising at around 90ish with a few bursts of acceleration to over 100. Didn't seem to worry anyone else on the motorway either.
What's that old phrase: "Anyone who goes slower than you is an idiot, anyone who goes faster is a lunatic"....?
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TVM wrote: how many people as a percentage a: actually have taken a
car to 100mph plus on the road or b: do so on a regular basis?
Well I do for one, every evening (Mon-Fri).
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