Should the Motorway Speed Limit be increased to 80mph?

[Bellend Sebastian]

This is what those fun loving Tory boys are thinking of doing:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-15116064

Although this will undoubtedly be very popular with quite a lot of people, others are very cross about it. Just look:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-15123169

This is the sort of thing that if you'd asked me I would expect most people to be in favour of, but looking at the BBC news website comments there are quite a few that reflect my view that it's a bit odd and unnecessary.

I invite FTers to express their views, which I have EVERY confidence will be as carefully considered and balanced as usual

[ajthefox]

It's a hard one to call.

There's the issue of whether everyone will now do 90 and not 80, but it supposedly will be more strongly enforced so average speed of drivers could come down.

I also read another article earlier in the week that said around half the UK's drivers don't obey the speed limit on the motorways, and surely there is something wrong with a law in our democratic society if so many people don't agree with it.

I'd also argue that people who say speed will increase the amount of crashes are basing that on nothing. Most crashes occur not because of speed but because of a lack of concentration.

Crashes will probably be more serious but then if you don't feel comfortable doing 80 then don't.

[acooling08]

Everyone goes over 70mph anyway.

When the 70mph was introduced it was only supposed to be temporary, and not many cars could manage much over 70mph anyway. We should follow the Germans and have unrestricted motorways imo.

[nothin2seehere]

I disagree - it's a /lack/ of speed on motorways that cause accidents. I nearly rear ended someone myself the other day doing somewhere between 70 and 80. The chain of cars in the outside lane, doing somewhere around 40 rubber-necking an accident on the other side of the road were the problem ones, although no doubt any mph over 70 and a collision would have been my fault. I only saw them after the car in front of me moved out of the way, presumably in answer to their stupid lack of speed.

So yes, make it 80, we don't all do it but the majority do. I feel uncomfortable travelling anywhere above 90, so it won't change my driving style too much.

[Freeman's Wharfer]

One of the most dangerous aspects of the motorway is when some idiot is in the fast lane going bang on 70mph. Most other people drive at somewhere between 70mph and 80mph so you get a tail back behind that idiot and/or people undertaking them.

Something should be done about lorries too. I heard some stat about the percentage of motorway accidents in which lorries are involved the other week and it was pretty high. The number of foreign lorries of this percentage was also worryingly high. Nothing more infuriating on the motorway than a lorry going at 58mph trying to overtake one going at 57mph

[davieG]

In times of congestion it will just lead to longer tailbacks as traffic will catch up that much quicker.

I thought i heard on the news that included in the proposals was that the new speed limit would not be monitored by the police.

[nothin2seehere]

One of the most dangerous aspects of the motorway is when some idiot is in the fast lane going bang on 70mph. Most other people drive at somewhere between 70mph and 80mph so you get a tail back behind that idiot and/or people undertaking them.

Something should be done about lorries too. I heard some stat about the percentage of motorway accidents in which lorries are involved the other week and it was pretty high. The number of foreign lorries of this percentage was also worryingly high. Nothing more infuriating on the motorway than a lorry going at 58mph trying to overtake one going at 57mph

There's no such thing as a fast lane. There are overtaking lanes.

/pedant

[davieG]

I disagree - it's a /lack/ of speed on motorways that cause accidents. I nearly rear ended someone myself the other day doing somewhere between 70 and 80. The chain of cars in the outside lane, doing somewhere around 40 rubber-necking an accident on the other side of the road were the problem ones, although no doubt any mph over 70 and a collision would have been my fault. I only saw them after the car in front of me moved out of the way, presumably in answer to their stupid lack of speed.

So yes, make it 80, we don't all do it but the majority do. I feel uncomfortable travelling anywhere above 90, so it won't change my driving style too much.

That doesn't sound like a speed problem fast or slow that sounds like poor driving.

[davieG]

One of the most dangerous aspects of the motorway is when some idiot is in the fast lane going bang on 70mph. Most other people drive at somewhere between 70mph and 80mph so you get a tail back behind that idiot and/or people undertaking them.

Something should be done about lorries too. I heard some stat about the percentage of motorway accidents in which lorries are involved the other week and it was pretty high. The number of foreign lorries of this percentage was also worryingly high. Nothing more infuriating on the motorway than a lorry going at 58mph trying to overtake one going at 57mph

Is he an idiot if he's not breaking the law and the other lanes are full Saying 'most people' drive at 70 - 80 is just a guess and not a fact therefore not relevant unless you have proof.

Fast Lane

[Daggers]

I invite FTers to express their views, which I have EVERY confidence will be as carefully considered and balanced as usual

I see no difference to driving at 70mph and having a wank to driving at 80mph and having a wank.

Consequently, I am in favour as it means I'll be home quicker to get tidied up afters.

[Bellend Sebastian]

I see no difference to driving at 70mph and having a wank to driving at 80mph and having a wank.

Consequently, I am in favour as it means I'll be home quicker to get tidied up afters.

Most cars I've had start to vibrate alarmingly at about 100 mph so that's probably the optimum speed for what you're talking about.

You dirty devil

[Fox92]

Most people go over 70 as it is anyway. All sorts of things cause accidents though, from going fast to people using the incorrect lane.

[Trav Le Bleu]

Yes increase it to 80, but enforce it more. I adher to the speed limits pretty much all the time (some times you just have to put your foot down and get past an idiot), but when doing a constant 70 I'd say about 80-90% of the traffic is passing me.

I've been like this ever since I got caught doing 56 by the cameras near LRI. Well it is 4 lanes wide - 30 seems so slow through there (I just hope they also got the BMW behind me... )

I can see the argument that if they put it up to 80 people will then drive at 90 though.

EDIT: The fast flying fire-breathing dragons are essential to this or no deal!

[Freeman's Wharfer]

There's no such thing as a fast lane. There are overtaking lanes.

/pedant

Is he an idiot if he's not breaking the law and the other lanes are full Saying 'most people' drive at 70 - 80 is just a guess and not a fact therefore not relevant unless you have proof.

Fast Lane

* Outside lane rather than 'fast' lane then. Pedantic though seeing as the outside lane is naturally going to be the fastest moving lane by the very nature of overtaking and lorries that are capped at a much lower speed tending to stick to the inside lane.

DavieG I wasn't on about when other lanes are full, hence why I said that people then undertake (these lanes would need to not be busy for this to occur).

But I would also stand by the argument that he/she would be an idiot even if the other lanes were busy. I don't think there has ever been a situation in a freely-moving motorway when a car hasn't been able to move lanes within a reasonable timeframe, if the driver travelling at 70mph doesn't do this then inevitably they cause a tail back behind them of people going faster (even if those people are breaking the law).

I think it's widely accepted that most people don't tend to drive at 70mph on the motorway, I'm sure if you took an average speed check of all the cars travelling on a free-flowing UK motorway the majority would be travelling nearer to 75/80mph than 70mph so I would be fairly confident that, had I the means to verify the claim, it would be proved correct. Therefore someone who drives in the outside lane at 70mph is a bit of an idiot for doing so because they're not forced to drive in that lane and by the nature of the motorway the inside/middle lane is more appropriate for the speed that they wish to travel at.

There are plenty of people that travel faster than I do on the motorway and if I notice them behind me I move across immediately if possible (or as soon as possible) to let them through. It's not up to me how fast other people drive or whether they choose to break the law. However it is up to me if I decide to stay in that lane to try and influence that, thereby creating a potentially dangerous situation. However I think it's more about negligance, or lack of awareness, and thereby another reason as to why they're an idiot.

I see the proposal of an increase in the limit not as a 'let's allow people to go 10mph faster than they currently do' proposal but more of a 'most people travel nearer to 80mph as things are and there are no great safety concerns so let's do it' proposal.

[The Doctor]

Make it like Germany if only to shut Jeremy Clarkson up about speed for a bit.

[Bellend Sebastian]

Make it like Germany if only to shut Jeremy Clarkson up about speed for a bit.

Charlie Brooker said this morning that the fact that Jeremy Clarkson would back this proposal must by default mean that it's the wrong thing to do.

I suppose you could argue though that if it does make the motorway more dangerous then it's making it more dangerous for Jeremy Clarkson too, so it's not all bad

[Fox92]

Make it like Germany if only to shut Jeremy Clarkson up about speed for a bit.

[Raw Dykes]

The 70 mph speed limit for motorways was introduced to economise on fuel in the first place, and not for safety reasons, during the fuel crisis in the 1970s. The police said publicly not so long ago that they wouldn't stop anyone doing 80 mph on the motorway. I really don't think increasing the speed limit to 80 mph will change much - people do it anyway, and the police won't bother "giving them a tug" (I hear this on cop shows, like Road Wars, a lot, and it never fails to make me laugh).

I just wish there was a severe punishment for those idiots that potter down the middle lane when there's nothing in the left hand lane. They effectively turn the motorway into a dual-carriageway. They make my blood boil.

[Heart-Shaped Fox]

I dont think I ever go 70mph on the motorway, always 75+. Most cars in the outside lane all go 90mph at times so I'm not sure what difference it will make.

[Guest ttfn]

On some stretches of the M1 where it widens to 4 lanes, in 3 of them traffic is always travelling at 75mph plus.

The 70mph speed limit is outdated and poorly enforced. I rigidly stick to 30, 40 and 50 mph speed limits, but as soon as I hit the motorway my average speed is probably 75. I feel in control at that speed on those roads, I know there's no pedestrians and the police don't enforce it.

80mph but better enforced is a sensible idea.

[Guest Bilo]

The 70mph speed limit is out of date because it's based on archaic stopping distances, they relate to a Ford Anglia I do believe.

It isn't rigorously enforced and everyone always breaks it anyway so I doubt changing the law would make much difference in practice.

I'm in favour of raising it but people need to learn how to use motorways properly, nothing more irritating than some twat hogging the middle lane or driving at dead on 70 in the fast lane. Berks.

[Guest MattP]

Great idea. Everyone does 80 anyway

[pSinatra]

Having been caught doing 37 outside Saffron Lane stadium in a 30 zone........I was sent on a 'speed awareness course' rather than take the 3 pts. You may already know this, but I was told that there is a 10% tolerance of the speed limit plus 3 mph. It's only when you exceed this speed they can legally nick you.

30 speed limit = 30 + 10% + 3mph = 36mph

50 speed limit = 50 + 10% + 3mph = 58mph

70 speed limit = 70 + 10% + 3mph = 80mph

Therefore, it is already possible to do 80 mph on the motorway without being pinched for it. If they were to increase the speed limit to 80 mph, with the same rules applied......you would need to be doing 103 mph before the police could issue you with a ticket. I don't usually go over 80 on the motorway........... anything more than that & I can't hear the stereo for rattling!!

[Guest Bilo]

Having been caught doing 37 outside Saffron Lane stadium in a 30 zone........I was sent on a 'speed awareness course' rather than take the 3 pts. You may already know this, but I was told that there is a 10% tolerance of the speed limit plus 3 mph. It's only when you exceed this speed they can legally nick you.

30 speed limit = 30 + 10% + 3mph = 36mph

50 speed limit = 50 + 10% + 3mph = 58mph

70 speed limit = 70 + 10% + 3mph = 80mph

Therefore, it is already possible to do 80 mph on the motorway without being pinched for it. If they were to increase the speed limit to 80 mph, with the same rules applied......you would need to be doing 103 mph before the police could issue you with a ticket. I don't usually go over 80 on the motorway........... anything more than that & I can't hear the stereo for rattling!!

Please don't ever try that if the new law comes in.

80mph/10 + 8mph

Therefore 80mph+ 10% (8mph) + 3mph = 91mph.

[Tommeh]

It won't change a great deal many will still plough along at 90 and let's be honest I'd say you have to be pretty unlucky to get brought up for that, motorway speeds between 70 and 100 are something I'd say the authorities are pretty relaxed about in this country. For the 4 lane bits eg M1 Junctions 3-5, the new bit at Luton and 24-26 I'd scrap the limit in outside lane.

New drivers should however have to do motorway driving as part of their tests however. So many middle lane wankers out there.