192mph........hero!

[oldtom]

Hero? No, I think not. The subject of this piece of news from the BBC news website today is simply a moronic criminal who is still not prepared to enter adulthood at 42 years of age. Being grown up requires some personal responsibility in many things and not least, respect for other people. He has been sentenced to 28 months for his behaviour which I suspect he will manage standing on his head as I should be surprised to find that he has never before served time in HM prisons. Regardless, he will be back in the community in about a year or so but will be subject to the remainder of a 10-year driving ban.

I wonder how long it will be before he discovers the world of EAPCs and their potential for allowing him to return to his favourite pastime of exceeding legally limited speeds? When he discovers this site, I fully expect he will be quick to enquire how he can de-restrict an EAPC so he can do the journey to his tattooist in double-quick time.

One day, the courts will take speeding seriously and recognise it as dangerous driving. When a few morons find it's not just a slap on the wrist or a few weeks banged up but 5 years or more, perhaps more people will adhere to the speed limits instead of making their own empiric judgement about what speed is reasonable. One thing is for sure though; less people will die on our roads if speed enforcement is introduced.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-northamptonshire-34744459

Tom

 

[EddiePJ]

Would I be correct in assuming that his daughter had been in the car as well?

Lost for words.

 

[Jimod]

I was riding along a motorway on my motorbike one day, I was doing about 140 MPH when I saw a car catching me. It was a Ferrari which passed me like I was stationary. I didn't think he/she was mad, bad or evil. I was impressed. No children or fluffy animals were hurt or killed that day by either of us.

 

[D C]

Sounds like wind up Tom time!

 

[Jimod]

Sounds like wind up Tom time!

Nope, it's perfectly true. I've travelled at those speeds many times on my motorbikes. Whilst doing it I've never crashed, never been hurt and never hurt anyone else. Better still, it wasn't viewed as bad by the other people on the road. It wasn't even illegal. It was in Germany, a country where people aren't so uptight as some of the old folks on here.

 

[anotherkiwi]

I loved the German autobahn. The radiator cap blew on my Lancia Fulvia 1.3S Coupé after a few hours at 160 kph. Could have been embarrassing but after immediately understanding the source of the problem (clear blue sky + rust coloured water on the wind shield) turned the motor off and free wheeled to a conveniently placed service station. Still doing 110 kph when we turned off the autobahn...

 

[RobF]

Nope, it's perfectly true. I've travelled at those speeds many times on my motorbikes. Whilst doing it I've never crashed, never been hurt and never hurt anyone else. Better still, it wasn't viewed as bad by the other people on the road. It wasn't even illegal. It was in Germany, a country where people aren't so uptight as some of the old folks on here.

The problem - as I'm sure you grasp - is that if something goes wrong at those speeds you are no more than a passenger.

That's also true at a lower speed, but the increased speed increases your chances of injuring or killing someone else.

It matters not if you kill yourself, but the relatives of the person you do kill will understandably be a lot more miffed than if you were only doing, say 60 or 70mph.

Speed limits don't come into it.

 

[Jimod]

The problem - as I'm sure you grasp - is that if something goes wrong at those speeds you are no more than a passenger.

That's also true at a lower speed, but the increased speed increases your chances of injuring or killing someone else.

It matters not if you kill yourself, but the relatives of the person you do kill will understandably be a lot more miffed than if you were only doing, say 60 or 70mph.

Speed limits don't come into it.

And yet, there isn't carnage on the de restricted parts of the autobahns. If you're killed, it doesn't matter if the car was doing 30 or 130 mph. Your logic seems to mean you'd like to see everyone driving at about 20 mph everywhere.

 

[RobF]

Your logic seems to mean you'd like to see everyone driving at about 20 mph everywhere.

Opinion rather than logic, but the faster you go, the more you are pushing the odds.

Fine on an empty race track, but not on a public road.

It's a matter of degree, in ebike terms I think it's OK to ride a dongled ebike at around 17/18mph where I judge it safe to do so.

That's just as illegal as hammering along at 25mph+, which I regard as bordering on irresponsible.

I have no problem with sticking to UK motoring speed limits, but I don't pretend to be an omniscient authority on the matter - it's all just my opinion.

 

[flecc]

I have no problem with sticking to UK motoring speed limits,

I have a big problem with UK speed limits which only fit a tiny amount of the time. At least the Germans have the sense to try to fit them to circumstances.

For example the speed limit past my local primary school is 20 mph, but when the 4 to 20 year olds are pouring out and with them and parents milling around, nothing above a fast walking pace is safe and in cars we crawl past. But for the near 90% of all hours of the year when the there's no-one going in or out or the school is completely shut, that 20 mph is far too slow. There are far better solutions for their circumstance than a speed limit.

There's also better ways of implementing national speed limits which would produce the same or possibly better levels of safety without being stupidly draconian and ill-fitted most of the time.
.

 

[JohnCade]

I have a big problem with UK speed limits which only fit a tiny amount of the time. At least the Germans have the sense to try to fit them to circumstances.

For example the speed limit past my local primary school is 20 mph, but when the 4 to 20 year olds are pouring out and with them and parents milling around, nothing above a fast walking pace is safe and in cars we crawl past. But for the near 90% of all hours of the year when the there's no-one going in or out or the school is completely shut, that 20 mph is far too slow. There are far better solutions for their circumstance than a speed limit.

There's also better ways of implementing national speed limits which would produce the same or possibly better levels of safety without being stupidly draconian and ill-fitted most of the time.
.

Complexity and cost. I don’t like a lot of the one size fits all either but that’s the reason.

On motorways in some countries they have had proper computer controlled speed limits for a long time. That lets the speed limit be changed and displayed in real time allowing traffic to flow at the optimum speed for the traffic density. This lets more vehicles fit on the road without the stop start wave effect which otherwise happens when traffic tries to move at just a couple of miles per hour faster than the traffic density will allow. But here we have silly 1970’s motorway displays that indicate 50mph limits or roadworks when the road is clear. So they just are ignored by many.

As I said it’s all about money, and some of the systems are there but it’s not a priority.

 

[flecc]

Complexity and cost. I don’t like a lot of the one size fits all either but that’s the reason.

On motorways in some countries they have had proper computer controlled speed limits for a long time. That lets the speed limit be changed and displayed in real time allowing traffic to flow at the optimum speed for the traffic density. This lets more vehicles fit on the road without the stop start wave effect which otherwise happens when traffic tries to move at just a couple of miles per hour faster than the traffic density will allow. But here we have silly 1970’s motorway displays that indicate 50mph limits or roadworks when the road is clear. So they just are ignored by many.

As I said it’s all about money, and some of the systems are there but it’s not a priority.

We have those motorway systems here too John, on the M25 for example and widely popular too. I've often benefited from it.

And cost doesn't always rule out better solutions, the school speed limit I had in mind could be better dealt with while making a big cost saving.

At present there's a set of four speed humps and 20 limit signs, which as I've remarked are always inappropriate, too fast when a limit is need but too slow the majority of all hours whan not needed. Like all speed humps these cause considerable road damage and the council has to regularly patch up both the humps and the following road surface which also breaks up.

Many of our schools have a flashing beacon outside to warn at the appropriate times that children will be entering or emerging, switched by the schools and this system works perfectly.

Therefore a simple solution is a flashing beacon and a pair of illuminated speed limit signs, plain white when switched off but displaying the appropriate number when switched on, which could be much slower like the 10mph maximum suitable for our school. Coupled to a day and time switch with a school override in 30 minute steps for variation occasions like sports days, it's a cheap and simple solution which would be a saving over the installation of speed humps and the constant repairs they occasion. There would also be the environmental benefit of avoiding the 24/365 damage to vehicle shock absorbers etc that the humps occasion.

There's also a completely cost free way of correcting the eratically policed and often draconian way in which all our general speed limits operate.

These problems just need imagination and an open mind to solve.
.

 

[oldtom]

A complete re-think of the philosophy of road use is required. There is no need to particularly change any laws as such; just provide enforcement with harsh penalties for offenders until the message hits home.

Living in a free country doesn't entitle anyone to do as they please with impunity!

Tom

 

[JohnCade]

flecc.

That must have come in on the M25 since my time. In Holland I think almost all their motorways are covered by it.

The flashing lights thing is slightly odd in that where I live some schools did have that, but then it was taken out. I don’t know if it was ignored and so changed or what. But now there are twenty limits on roads near schools in what used to be thirty zones.

But many thirty limits in towns are changing to twenty generally. I suppose the reasoning is that the chance of a pedestrian dying when hit by a car at thirty is so much higher than at twenty. I don’t mind driving slowly in small towns, and I suppose we should all get used to speed limits coming down. Many of the major country roads near me are going over to fifty limits too. Which in some cases seem too slow perhaps, but is probably inevitable.

 

[flecc]

Many of the major country roads near me are going over to fifty limits too. Which in some cases seem too slow perhaps, but is probably inevitable.

But these lower limits are pointless since they actually encourage drivers to ignore them. The reason is obvious of course, the more inappropriate a rule is, the more it's ignored. Add to that the near certainly of not being caught on those country roads and the limit has no beneficial effect. But there are ill-effects with inappropriate limits, since once the limit is ignored there is no restraining guidance level and the sky's the limit. Our motorway fast lanes are often evidence of this.

These limits are only made inevitable by the calcified minds setting them.
.

 

[JohnCade]

But these lower limits are pointless since they actually encourage drivers to ignore them. The reason is obvious of course, the more inappropriate a rule is, the more it's ignored. Add to that the near certainly of not being caught on those country roads and the limit has no beneficial effect. But there are ill-effects with inappropriate limits, since once the limit is ignored there is no restraining guidance level and the sky's the limit. Our motorway fast lanes are often evidence of this.

These limits are only made inevitable by the calcified minds setting them.
.

Where I live there are still mobile cameras so you can certainly be caught. Many country roads are unsuitable for higher speeds anyway and like it or not the trend is downwards. The last time I was in Cornwall almost every road as you went further west had a fifty limit.

If motorway speeds were increased to ninety you can guarantee that much of the traffic would be doing well over a hundred. I believe that speed limits are necessary for all sorts of reasons, and mainly agree with Tom that you shouldn’t pick and choose which laws to obey. Apart from those laws which only relate to personal morality which is no one else business, and certainly none of the state's business.

 

[flecc]

The last time I was in Cornwall almost every road as you went further west had a fifty limit.

Even worse below London, much of the road network now being subject to 40 limits. Those changes prompted me to get rid of my motorcycle some while ago, since it wasn't suitable at such constantly low speeds.

I'm not speaking of disobeying laws but of having more sensible and logical ways to apply them, when and what's needed as in the schools example that I gave.
.

 

[tillson]

And yet, there isn't carnage on the de restricted parts of the autobahns.

But you are forgetting that this is the United Kingdom and not Germany where proper people live. Have you stopped in the street and looked at the souls around you? A herd of goats was probably the last thing that most of them drove. Stores are cancelling Pre Christmas sales because customers are stabbing each other to death over a $hitty flat screen Decca telly. Do we really want this sort of person to be granted permission to drive at speeds >100 mph?

 

[JohnMcL7]

I think this is a good indicator of what high speed actually looks like:

I enjoy motorsports and driving at high speeds but not on public roads, I've only been up to around 120mph on the track but what's quite scary about it is how quickly everything happens (you're onto corners far quicker than you'd think) and how much more distance it takes to slow the car. On public roads though I'm a fairly sedate driver as you have to be able to react to other driver's not just your own behaviour and a lot of the time doing a lot of overtaking to try and get quicker up the road doesn't save that much time.

Even aside from the risk the 192mph driver was putting himself and others under, I don't see the point - if I could afford nice performance cars like that they'd be off to track day events where I could properly enjoy them.

John

 

[Crockers]

Bear in mind that if 2 identical cars are travelling on a motorway, but one is doing 70mph and one is doing 100mph. Both brake hard at the same time with the same force. When the car that was doing 70mph comes to a complete stop, the car that was doing 100mph is still going at 71mph and has travelled much further.

Food for thought.