www.safespeed.org.uk/stats/graphs.html
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These are my own opinions, and not necessarily those of all Toads.
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Excellent use of facts. What is alarming is that average journey speeds are falling in the UK due to congestion yet we are seeing an increase in fatalities and serious injuries recently.
Could this be due to drivers taking greater risks out of sheer frustration? It doesn't make it right, but it might explain the anomaly.
No Dosh - but then who has?
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Seeing as the manufactureres are being forced to make cars ever safer in a crash, and thanks to congestion and traffic calming measures we seem to be driving ever slower, it doesnt make much sense does it?
Unless like you say, drivers are getting so frustrated with constant queues, red lights and speed cameras that when they get the chance their throwing caution to the wind.
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Probably several factors involved, among them:
Frustration leading to risk-taking.
Having to get through smaller gaps due to heavier traffic density.
Lack of opportunity to practice driving at higher speeds leading to impaired reactions at lower speeds.
More unlicenced and foreign-trained drivers.
Better driver protection giving a false sense of safety.
Fewer police patrols.
More distraction (signs/cameras/mobile phones/in car entertainment/etc.)
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Fewer police patrols.
I believe that in the past the traffic division made up about 15% of a police force but post-GATSO et al, this is down to about 5%
More distraction (signs/cameras/mobile phones/in car entertainment/etc.)
Was driving up the M6 just after Boxing Day and kept on seeing these police signs asking for witnesses to accidents. Not only did I find these very distracting but they also started causing jams as people slowed down to read them. IMHO these were some of the most stupidly placed signs that I have ever seen and were possibly the biggest "officialy placed" distraction I have come across whislt driving!
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Talking of more distraction, I was driving on the M4 on New Years Day, looking at the electronic signs - you know the ones, an orange light in each corner standing on the central reservation.
Anyhow, one of these signs read 80!! My friend in the passenger seat saw it too. Anyone seen this before, or know what it means?
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It means that the control room operator has long fingernails and hit the 8 on the computer keypad instead of the 5.
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So no failsafe to ensure that 70 is the maximum value.
If these were legally binding it would make an interesting case, although I guess 99 might be the maximum they can manage. I must admit I did speed up, just to be safe!
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Other distractions on the roadside:
The current fashion for hipster jeans with accompanying G-string.
Just after Christmas I saw a young lady running along the side of the road in the pouring rain. Every few steps she would grab her jeans and haul them up as they clearly aren't designed for running (desp[ite Levis' ad to the contrary). As I drew level she mistimed her "grab" and they went south, as far as her knees.
Needless to say I did the gentlemanly thing and burst out laughing. No choice really, can you imagine the headlines if I'd stopped and offered to help?
Not entirely sure how I missed the parked car I was passing at the time, but it made my day!
No Dosh - but then who has?
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