Monday, 7 February, 2005

Despite thousands of speed cameras on streets and motorways, Britain's in the grip of an epidemic of speeding.

That's the conclusion of the RAC Foundation, which publishes its annual report into the state of motoring in this country.

More than half of us - 55% - admit to breaking the speed limit most days, according to its latest survey.

And, while the problem is bad on the motorways,

[Why is it a "problem"]

it's even worse in built-up areas

[Ditto]

where almost two in three drivers say they regularly break the 30mph rule.

[But do they break "the 30mph rule" on 30mph dual carriageways through "built up areas"?

Or are they just breaking the "30mph rule" on rural dual carriageways?!]

This morning, Breakfast asked: what's wrong with Britain's speed limits - and what's wrong with our drivers?

[Just about everything's wrong with the majority of limits.

And almost nothing with the majority of drivers.]

We talked to Neil Lovell of the RAC

We heard from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents - RoSPA.

And, you sent us scores of e-mails and texts

Read some of your e-mails on Breakfast's Your Comments page

Of the 1,074 questioned, 55% admitted regularly speeding, compared to 45% in last year's RAC Report on Motoring.

The RAC says 30mph limits are the most likely to be ignored, and drivers continue speeding because they do not believe they will be caught.

[No, it's because they don't believe that it is dangerous at that point in space and time.]

There are about 30m vehicles in the UK, which has one of the best road safety records in the world, says the RAC.

[Had, but the formerly falling fatality figures first flatlined with the spread of speed cameras, and now seem to have reversed with over reliance obn them!]

But about 100 people a day are seriously injured or killed on the roads and speed is blamed for a third of road deaths, it said.

[That's less than ten a day, but rising, killed and over ninety mainly slightly (in non DETR terms) injured.

And even the government have now admitted that they are only claiming that speed is a factor (and not necessarily even a contributory one) in a third of deaths!]

Two thirds of drivers admitted speeding in 30mph zones, while 57% said they broke motorway speed limits.

The RAC's Philip Hale said: "We have something of a speeding epidemic on our hands.

"Individual motorists know these risks, yet choose to ignore them."

The RAC's research indicates that people in the North of England are more likely to speed than Southerners.

Men are also more likely to be persistent speeders: 63% admitted to breaking the limits regularly, against 44% of women.

The RAC is calling for graduated speeding fines, so that the worst offenders receive the harshest punishments. It also wants more high-visibility policing.

From:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/breakfast/4242139.stm

 

My emphasis.

[And comments.]

Speeding clamp-down: Monday 7February

 

Post Your Comments Here:

Speeding: Monday 7 February

 

My try:

If speeding were so dangerous they would use the police to stop you instantly. Instead they send you several invoices several weeks after you were snapped not having any accidents (and sometimes not even breaking the speed limit). It really is that simple.

What Would Stop Drivers Speeding?

Monday, 7 February, 2005

More than half of British drivers break speed limits every day, a survey by a motoring organisation the RAC suggests.

The RAC says 30mph limits are the most likely to be ignored as drivers do not believe they will be caught.

Those surveyed suggested that an immediate 12-month ban or an electronic tracking device fitted to cars would be the best deterrents, but the RAC thinks there should be better detection, tougher penalties and more education.

Do you break speed limits? What would be the best deterrent? Send us your views.

From:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/talking_point/4243115.stm

 

My twopennorth:

Do the math. Around 3,500 fatalities a year, 85% of pedestrian self inflicted. Majority of others down to joyriders, car thieves, police chases, getaway drivers, drunks, drugs, real dangerous drivers, etc, etc.

But if you insist we can ignore all that and blame it all on the "average" driver. He does 12,000 miles pa and there are about 30 million of them. So the "average" driver would have to speed daily for for eight and a half thousand years to kill.

Get a grip. If you are worried about Speed Killing: train pedestrians to keep on the pavements.

 

Don't make cars that go faster than the limit. A 1 litre engine is adequate for almost all personal driving.
Tom Lee, Guernsey

Hahahahahahahahahhaha

Guernsey?!

It's five miles by seven!

And it's not even a rectangle, but a triangle!

The only bit of dual carriageway is about a hundred yards long.

And the speed limits go from 5mph to a mind bogglingly fast 35mph!

 

Second try:

If Speed Kills why do they want trains, which can't steer round kiddies and takes miles to stop, to travel the rail roads at 186mph. They must be loco!

 

I've had a few goes at getting one in, but no joy so far. My latest:

When so many people are breaking a law, there must be something wrong with it. Does anyone really think that a 40 (or even 30!) limit on a dual carriageway makes any sense at all? No - so why impose it? Could it be simply to catch perfectly safe drivers who are driving at a sensible speed for the road? We should get back to having our limits set by real traffic engineers and the police, instead of the anti-car windbags who have taken over the task.