talkmagic.co.uk

I got caught on camera doing 36mph in a 30 zone I have had to pay for a spead awareness course. I am attending it tomorrow and am not happy I shall follow the instructers when they leave and video them breaking the speed limit afterwards. Not even buses do 30mph, I am not advocating speeding but in my 3.5 if i sneeze 6mph is very easily produced.

Wait until you hear the difference in the probability of fatality of the victim between doing 30 MPH and doing 35 MPH....most speed controlled areas have a history of fatality, while those areas with speed cameras have had several fatalities to qualify for getting a camera. There are also added fuel economy advantages to driving slower.

I'm really disappointed that someone feels that they shouldn't be punished for being 20% over the speed limit.

As Dr Todd says, the limits are there for a reason. Who cares if you're trigger-happy on the accelerator? If you cannot restrain yourself in a 30mph zone in a vehicle, then frankly this would be deemed as not being in control.

Mathematically, you were actually driving at closer to 40mph than 30mph... did you not wonder why there is a distinction?

That extra 6mph—possibly under acceleration—is the difference between a person living, and a person dying.

The long and short of this is, you have by your own admission broken the law. And unfortunately you are to be punished.

And it sounds like the speed awareness course is perfectly suited for you.

I will of course pass your comments on to the family here in Middletown who last year had their daughter knocked off her bike in the village. Thankfully, the driver of the car was observing the 30mph speed limits—and the young girl spent several months in hospital with horrific head injuries. It is speculated that if the driver had been travelling 5mph faster, the girl would now be dead.

DrTodd wrote:There are also added fuel economy advantages to driving slower.

Are you sure that's right? I always thought that the most economical speed was 56mph and economy gets progressively worse as speed decreases or increases away from the optimum 56mph. I think this is one of the arguments against 20mph limits in built up areas.

I'm not advocating driving everywhere around town at 56mph of course! I drive quite a quick car but am very stubborn about sticking to the built up area speed limits, if someone hogs my tail I just slow down even more... it doesn't half wind them up!

Yorkshire Pudding wrote:Are you sure that's right? I always thought that the most economical speed was 56mph and economy gets progressively worse as speed decreases or increases away from the optimum 56mph.

I was always under the impression that there's a sweet-spot in the gear ratio/revs/speed range, which operates around 56mph and 2500rpm.

However, after having driven a range of gas-guzzlers, with my worst MPG ever being approx. 9 miles to the gallon, I can safely say that driving slower in a high gear is far more economic that 'Rev/Slow/Rev/Slow'. Consistent, steady speeds win.

In fact, my Range Rover does almost exactly 30mph on tickover, with no accelerator, and that's 3.5litre V8. The most economic journeys in that is below 50mph. Anything over 50mph and I can practically watch the pound coins falling out of the exhaust.

I think the discussions around the 20mph areas is more to do with the low-revs and air/fuel mixture, i.e. emissions.

seige wrote:I think the discussions around the 20mph areas is more to do with the low-revs and air/fuel mixture, I.e. emissions.

Ah, I see... thanks.

I was caught doing 40mph in a 30 zone last week. I'm not making excuses here, but it was 1am on a Tuesday night, weather was dry, road conditions were good and traffic was very light indeed. When asked why I was doing 40 in a 30 zone, I just told him the truth - it was late, work was sh... I didn't have a great day at work and just wanted to get home. Anyway, I got away with a warning; it was the first time in 15 years of driving that I have been stopped, so perhaps this is the reason I wasn't punished on this occasion.

It is my belief that virtually all motorists speed; I cannot remember the last time I drove through a residential area and the car in front of me was sticking to the speed limit of 30mph (unless there was a big red L on it). I'm not condoning speeding, by the way, as I realise why speed limits are there in the first place. Driving instructors, police (not responding to emergencies), bus drivers, taxi drivers - everyone speeds. If you are caught and punished I don't think there are many valid excuses.

It sure is true that everyone drives over the limit.

I even followed a hearse doing more than 30mph through our village a while back... and surely, their passenger was in no hurry!

But, on a serious note: It bugs me when people get upset about being caught breaking rules/the law. Listen to this one, and please compare: I stood and watched a young spotty emo-a-like going hell-for-leather at a Sainsbury's checkout girl last week. Always an embarrassment.

The reason?

The checkout girl had refused to serve them with alcohol. And they had no ID. Stood in the adjacent queue, I heard pretty much every word, and was gobsmacked that somehow this kid thought that by swearing and getting angry they stood more of a chance of getting away with the purchase.

And, I spent £100 on a fit-yourself bluetooth phone car kit, because like most businespeople, I spend a long time travelling—and on the phone. However, I see very 'important' looking businesspeople driving around blatantly with a phone to their ear. And I bet you they would moan like hell if they got pulled over for it—for the sake of spending a few quid on a carkit. Tossers.

The law is the law, and rules are there for reasons. Sorry to be so stand-offish over this, but I am sick and tired of people complaining about rules when the rest of us try and abide by them.

why build town car that does 0-60 in 5 seconds and has a top spead of 210 miles an hour, its just plain silly.

i have a renault scenice, big automatic lumbering beastie, traded down from a luton van, but suprisingly nippy for a big thing.
my pet peeve is that its comfort zones for the autobox are 34, 45 and 80, obviosely i never to over 70 on the motor way.
anything under 25 and it complains like a walrus with a headache, what i would have prefered were 29, 39 and 65 for the comfort zones, after all its a uk registered car, iv'e never been a leadfoot but its so easy to find your doing over the spead limit even with no power on the throttle.

iv'e been done for speeding twice by the same camera which is a well known revenue generater in our area, so far iv'e been lucky with the rest.

DrTodd wrote:Wait until you hear the difference in the probability of fatality of the victim between doing 30 MPH and doing 35 MPH....most speed controlled areas have a history of fatality, while those areas with speed cameras have had several fatalities to qualify for getting a camera. There are also added fuel economy advantages to driving slower.

Actually London is covered with speed cameras regardless to accidents, Ken is introducing cameras to cover the whole of London to impliment a 20 mph limit.

seige wrote:I'm really disappointed that someone feels that they shouldn't be punished for being 20% over the speed limit.

I said I am not happy for being sent on a speed awareness course, you are so self righteous Siege, I guarentee you break the speed limit this week at some point. Did you interject when the yobs were having ago at the girl or is it only on forums that you attack people like this?

seige wrote:As Dr Todd says, the limits are there for a reason. Who cares if you're trigger-happy on the accelerator? If you cannot restrain yourself in a 30mph zone in a vehicle, then frankly this would be deemed as not being in control.

Mathematically, you were actually driving at closer to 40mph than 30mph... did you not wonder why there is a distinction?

That extra 6mph—possibly under acceleration—is the difference between a person living, and a person dying.

The long and short of this is, you have by your own admission broken the law. And unfortunately you are to be punished.

And it sounds like the speed awareness course is perfectly suited for you.

I will of course pass your comments on to the family here in Middletown who last year had their daughter knocked off her bike in the village. Thankfully, the driver of the car was observing the 30mph speed limits—and the young girl spent several months in hospital with horrific head injuries. It is speculated that if the driver had been travelling 5mph faster, the girl would now be dead.

WHAT IS THAT LAST BIT ABOUT?

[quote="seige"]It sure is true that everyone drives over the limit.

I even followed a hearse doing more than 30mph through our village a while back... and surely, their passenger was in no hurry!quote]

Oh, so bycicle808 can confess doing 40mph in a 30 zone and you agree with him that everyone drives over the limit, even you following that hearse.

Siege you need to think before typing, you come across as pompus and rude.
I deserve to be punished as I broke the law, but i feel it unfair and a waste of time doing a speed awareness course for allowing my car to drift to 36mph for a moment.
Trying to be an active member of this forum but you make me feel very un welcome.

I've never really understood people complaining about speed cameras. You know the limit and you know the speed you're doing so there's no excuses and if you don't then you're not paying attention.

It's so easy to hurt someone when you're in a car, it takes just seconds. That few extra mph might well be the difference between you stopping in time and you hitting that kid on his bike.

I'm not saying I'm perfect, none of us are. But a good friend of Dave's was knocked off his bike by a car going too fast and not looking so I've seen what damage a careless driver can do.

I think this connects with another thread on here about driving where I feel that many dont take seriously the responsability of being behind the wheel of a tonne of steel travelling at speed.
Yes most people do speed but surely that doesn't make it right? I think not and feel that campaigns to make it as unacceptable as drink driving would be a good move.
I think that any activity that is done regularly and becomes normal often hides the dangers that are there and the tragedies that are all too often are sometimes a testament to that disregard.

I am NOT complaining about the cameras, I am complaining about being sent on a course!

I am seriously considering if i should be apart of this forum, as much as i love it and have met some great people it is such hard work.

Trickyfied wrote:I said I am not happy for being sent on a speed awareness course, you are so self righteous Siege, I guarentee you break the speed limit this week at some point. Did you interject when the yobs were having ago at the girl or is it only on forums that you attack people like this?

I abide by the speed limit, as I said, I respect the rules are there for a reason. I've lived rurally in villages for 90% of my life, and am a walker/jogger. I therefore RESPECT that pillocks who think it's great to chortle along at 60 miles per-hour through 30 zones deserve their ar$es kicking. 35 through a 30 is within tolerances, but isn't clever.

Second: No, there was no need to interject. Only one 'Yob' was involved, and the resolution came in the shape of a store manager who politely escorted the idiot off the premises.

Third: Yes, if being self-righteous means being proud to observe rules and not bitch about punishments when rules are broken, then I'm guilty as charged.

Fourth: I didn't condone driving over the limit. I even will admit that although I try to abide, I'll admit that yes, sometimes I do look down and realise I'm over the limit.

However... if I got caught, and was forced to do the course, I would eat humble pie... I think what riled me was the fact you seemed to be almost asking for sympathy.

And no, nobody is trying to make you feel unwelcome here... this is a magic forum... the speed awareness course is for your own good. You obviously need it.

You're being made an example of. That is all. Harsh, but true.

maybe take a deep breath and relax a little. A difference of opinion within any subject shouldnt lead tyou to stress out about it. I'm sure no one is deliberately trying to cause your blood pressure to rise.

If you agree with the idea that people shouldn't speed and therefore if caught should be penalised somehow then what do you suggest your punishment should be?
I would actually go with a course and a fine personally as people with greater expendable income can afford to pay the fine but to actually take away someones spare time as well can really make them think twice.