Yeh......Raise it to 90mph so many will drive at over 100mph then as they will still drive the same margin above the set speed limit as they always do....
I know what the correct lane discipline is, ta. However, you didn't say the cars in the outside lane weren't overtaking.
With modern day cars the 70mph limit on motorways is absurd.
Very few abide by them but it is the outside lane " hoggers " that are the worst.
You have most of the time three lanes, so if you want to sit there doing 68mph then do it in another lane.
Slow moving traffic is a factor on motorways. Yes excessive speed is too, but we live in a world of impatient drivers, and often it is that impatience that causes the accidents.
IF you are one of those hoggers in the outside lane, have a bit of consideration and move over.
Cars nowadays can travel much faster than their counterparts in the 70's. But the stopping abilities and the gadgets cars have now like anti lock brakes and the likes, put the 70mph speed limit into the joke category.
I think it should be 80mph minimum on the outside lanes only. Most do at least that now, and a lot of the time speed is NOT the major factor in traffic accidents, it is drivers inabilities to pay attention to what is happening around them. I should know riding my massive powerful motorbike, they are oblivious to anything around them, other than their phones and their i pods.
There can only be a single speed limit for all drivers - and it can't sensibly be varied person by person based on ability experience etc.
Also I think it is pretty well established that the people who drive 10 mph over 70 will drive 10 mph over 80, or 90.
If we start raising the limit to 'what people currently drive' it will keep going up with the increase in speed capaibility of cars.
Perhaps the better approach would be to a) mechanically limit cars to 80 and b) design cars with a variable engine setting - be that gears or cruise control - that means it runs most efficiently at the limit in force - ie 70.
Why do people do 90 instead of 70? On a 100 mile motorway journey that will 'save' you about 5-7 mins. Seriously,the non-motorway section of most journeys, or road-works on the motorway, has far more effect on overall trip journey time than what your max speed is on the 'free' section.
Is there just a touch of "I'm going faster cos I'm bigger/cleverer/more important/busier than you (delete as appropriate) in people's insistance on going faster than 70?
I do drive motorways, and I do up to 80 where the rest of the traffic is also doing that, so I include myself in the above musings.
Plain and simple up the speed limit on motorways to 90mph.
As it seems most people who use the motorways are already doing 90mph.
The cars may be safer, but the bloody drivers arn't!!
70 mph is fast enough.
As things stand I don't see what good raising the maximum speed limit would do, except maybe on the toll part of the M6. The M25 is a shambles especially when you get within 25 miles either side of Heathrow. The M1 needs updating, more lanes would be a good start although that would mean another 10 years of bloody roadworks. More bypasses are required to take the pressure off major towns and all cities, with better slip roads on and off the motorways reducing the amount of junction delays.
Of course if there was unlimited free parking at all train stations there would surely be less cars on the road, but that would be for another thread.
BG.
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