It seems generally accepted that the de facto speed limit on motorways is 80mph, against the de jure limit of 70. Police cars certainly seem to ignore infringments. Yet "CL", writing in HJ's Telegraph page yesterday ( "Statue of Liberty" ) has received a Notice for 79 mph on the M6 in Cumbria. Has anyone else ben done for exceeding 70?
"CL" also indicates that there are speed cameras mounted on bridges. I have seen these but thought they were for flow control information. I have only seen small black ones. If speed cameras, shouldn't they be yellow? Do they flash?
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Speed cameras in most places are often set at the limit plus 10%, so I don't expect the ones on a motorway to be any different!
The boxes on bridges are indeed for traffic flow monitoring, not speed.
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I think you'd be very unlucky to get NIP'd at an indicated 80. However a true 79 is going to be nearer 85 indicated so well into luck pushing territory.
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They're vans on bridges.
Well-publicised in the local press and radio, from what I remember.
Anyway, CL hasn't anything to worry about. He's going to get his speed limiter calibrated (some weeks after the alleged offence). After all, it'd be okay if a copper did that, wouldn't it?
Words almost fail me.
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My understanding is that the M4 stretch in Wiltshire has been declared a 70 limit with no tolerance by the said Wiltshire police force. Certainly it has been reported in the local media that the camera vans will "do" anyone exceeding the 70 limit.
I'm not a regular daily user but use it often enough and I cannot remember the last time I drove through this stretch (Bath to Marlborough) without seeing a camera van on one of the bridges.
I would also say that the publicity has worked as it's noticable that most people do stick to 70 - I always set my cruise for this stretch for the above reasons.
J
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My understanding is that the M4 stretch in Wiltshire has been declared a 70 limit with no tolerance by the said Wiltshire police force.
They also tend to have the camera vans out when its quiet - i.e. 8am on a sunday mornining. You rarely see them out on a busy friday afternoon.....
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A good friend was done for 79mph on the M180 a few years ago. It was a police car parked up a slip road that pulled him up at 6.30 in the morning IIRC. He expressed surprise, and was told it was the lower limit of the guidelines - +10% + 2mph.
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M6/M74 over the Scottish Borders is a favourite for vans on bridges. Plenty of warning signs so no excuses.
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Strange. Once a year I drive up to Scotland and regularly have the cruise set to 85mph and never see a camera. And yes, my speedo is pretty accurate.
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I've been driving up to and back from Scotland weekly for about two months. Seen a few camera vans on bridges so far so they are there.
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The M180 is really bad for that, I had my satnav set down there (when my dad was driving) and it was beeping every few seconds to warn of speed cameras. It is a very empty motorway and I suspect without those speed cameras people would be doing 80/90 down it.
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Thing is if you raised the limit to 80, people would do 90. 90, 100 etc.
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so what is wrong with 80mph, most of europe uses it for their motorway speeds (130kph I think it is).
France has a good idea, two speeds, one for if the road is wet (100kph) and one for if the road is dry (130kph).
Are our motorways that crap in this country that 70mph is the speed limit ?
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I was done for speeding once-fair enough-except that the officer doing me was named "Malcolm Campbell".Think his superiors had a sense of humour.
Edited by jc2 on 08/06/2009 at 09:25
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Are our motorways that crap in this country that 70mph is the speed limit ?
More likely that there are evry few places that you could exceed 70!
I'd go along with the French two teir system as well... though I'd add a rider that the 10% doesn't apply over the 130kph (85mph?), otherwise you end up with a never ending circle of speed increases....
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We have a weird motorway speed limit.
Drive on the M6 through Cumbria on a sunny day, very little motorway traffic and an excellent road surface with great visibility. Travel at 80 mph and a camera van on a bridge gets you.
The alternative scenario. The M6 in the West Midlands, chucking it down with rain, a lot of traffic. However, There's a clear bit and you take your Porsche up to 120 mph for a couple of minutes. Hardly any chance of getting booked for speeding but you then run into the back of the 70 mph driver who pulls into the lane just in front of you. Traffic mayhem, a few deaths, etc.
Does anyone in authority ever think things through logically?
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I agree with variable limits too.
The fact is a fixed speed limit is a nonsense. There are times when it is perfectly safe to do 100 mph on a motorway, and times where it is unsafe to do 50 mph. I know the law needs to draw a line somewhere, but I would be happy to adhere to say a 60 mph limit in wet conditions, if I could do a genuine 80 (85 indicated) with impunity in dry conditions.
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