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What was the speed limit, again?

Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2016 3:02 pm
by Mr Cholmondeley-Warner
It's going to get harder to find out, and with today's proliferation of multiple speed limits, buffer zones, 20 zones, etc. this isn't going to help.

Article

Re: What was the speed limit, again?

Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2016 3:08 pm
by jont-
"Patrick McLoughlin, transport secretary, said: “Road signs should only be installed on our roads when they are essential. Our common-sense reforms will help get rid of pointless signs that are an eyesore and distract drivers."

If only they'd give speed limits themselves the same treatment :roll:

Re: What was the speed limit, again?

Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2016 4:56 pm
by waremark
I regret removal of the requirement for regular speed limit repeater signs. Why would they be put up if money can be saved by not putting them up, and generated by fining those who have forgotten what the limit is?

Re: What was the speed limit, again?

Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2016 8:36 pm
by WhoseGeneration
My approach will be simple and I'm one who takes care to observe limits but, that said, I do find times when I might question whether I've missed a sign and thus be looking for a repeater. So, my cynical nature suggests to me that this will be manna for those in power with agendas.

Therefore, not sure, I'll default to the lowest limit it could be. 20mph.

Re: What was the speed limit, again?

Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2016 9:54 pm
by Jonquirk
Although they are far from universal you can see the way this is going: most sat navs will display the speed limit for the piece of road you are on. Once you have that giving you a continuous read out the need for multiple signs is reduced. The cost of signs is not just the installation, there are ongoing costs such as cleaning. Last year in Guildford I saw two Surrey County Council workers going round with a short ladder, a mop and a bucket of soapy water cleaning grimy road signs to make them legible again.

Re: What was the speed limit, again?

Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2016 10:24 pm
by WhoseGeneration
Jonquirk wrote:Although they are far from universal you can see the way this is going: most sat navs will display the speed limit for the piece of road you are on. Once you have that giving you a continuous read out the need for multiple signs is reduced.


Nope, unless all those satnavs have some sort of official certification and acceptance by the deciding authorities as to their accuracy.

Re: What was the speed limit, again?

Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2016 4:46 am
by jont-
Removal would be fine if only councils set limits consistently and according to the DfT guidelines, but they don't.

Signs are also often lost behind foliage etc; new cars have cameras that can do speed sign recognition and advise the driver - next generation will of course be more autonomous.

If the cost is a problem, let's make it really simple and go back to NSL or 30.

Re: What was the speed limit, again?

Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2016 10:19 am
by Triquet
All this assumes that your car has Sat Nav (whatever that may be). What about us poor old shed drivers?

Re: What was the speed limit, again?

Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2016 5:52 pm
by TheInsanity1234
Triquet wrote:All this assumes that your car has Sat Nav (whatever that may be). What about us poor old shed drivers?

A nice cheap TomTom would be perfectly satisfactory, wouldn't it?

But the problem is, having to keep on top of map updates, simply because the powers that be often like to change speed limits, resulting in the satnav displaying incorrect speed limits.

Re: What was the speed limit, again?

Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2016 7:16 pm
by fungus
TheInsanity1234 wrote:
Triquet wrote:All this assumes that your car has Sat Nav (whatever that may be). What about us poor old shed drivers?

A nice cheap TomTom would be perfectly satisfactory, wouldn't it?

But the problem is, having to keep on top of map updates, simply because the powers that be often like to change speed limits, resulting in the satnav displaying incorrect speed limits.


That's the point.

A recently retired lady who moved into the area eight months ago and has lost confidence in driving has contacted me to give her refresher/confidence building lessons. She has a fairly new Toyota Auris hybrid fitted with sat nav. One of the local dual carriageways had the speed limit reduced from 70 mph to the magical 50mph three or four years ago, but her sat nav was still showing 70 for this road.

Nigel.