I agree entirely…what is the point? More and more traffic lights, speed restrictions etc etc are constantly being introduced but are all pointless if they are not enforced and there are no serious penalties.

Report abuse

The fact of the matter here is that these drivers are often racing from a standing start so speed is not the issue….
If the lights are on green then yes drivers can use the second lane for overtaking but I have not seen this as so much of an issue as the racers using the traffic lights in the same way as an F1 starting grid.
Speed is not the problem – changing the speed limit will not lessen the danger at this junction.

Report abuse

Why oh why do we have to wait till Christmas. Simple solution and cheap, cone off the overtaking lane NOW. Then paint a solid white line and chverons. And to any policemen who want to catch speeding drivers sit in the tyre centre any time after 8.30pm and you can fill your boots with speeding motorists.

Report abuse

Simple fact is it worked with 1 lane for how many years before 2 lanes were put in , The Council wont admit to getting it wrong!! 30MPH is a joke I thought it was that already??

Report abuse

Ros, well said, its so simple, yet so true, But why can’t the powers understand this.

I feel like a recod saying this, but accidents are all down to the ‘perception of risk’ rather than the ‘actual risk’.

The so called boy-racers will not be detered by a lower speed limit as they belive that they are safe now and therefore will not change their behaviour. And even if they did obey the law, because they don’t precieve the risks, they don’t adapt their driving style accordingly – hence lowering speed limits changes nothing and is a hugh diversion of resources and attention from the real problem of deaths and serious injuries on our roads.

Think of it like this. Ask 100 people if they are a bad or dangerous driver and not one will say so. Every driver believes he is safe. Clearly not ever driver is.

It is the lack of perception of the risk that is the problem – that is what needs to be addressed.

There is research which shows that by raising speed limits or doing away with them, such as some German Autobahns and roads in America, creates a perception of risk higher than the actual risk, and so drivers take even more care than might normally be expected and accidents are reduced as a result.

I’ve heard it claimed, and tend to agree, that if UK speed limits were abolished, average speeds would reduce as the public percieved a higher risk and adapted their driving accordingly.

I would be interested to know what Phill Crossland has to say about this sort of research (I assume he keeps upto date and reads it)

Report abuse

Thank you HSJP. I have often reiterated this startling fact that the DfT have know for many years. This is, in the UK, if in an accident (and I emphasise if) you are more likely to be killed in a car WITH ABS than without.

No-one really knows why, but the most likely cause is driver risk perception. In brief, the ABS technology laden car is perceived as far more safer than it really is, hence drivers adapt their driving to a level of acceptable risk, which if the knew the truth, is riskier than they realise. Hence when in an accident, the occupants are enduring a higher level of risk than the non-ABS driver (who believes his car a nightmare on wheels), and so the casualty levels will be higher.

Turning back to roads, I frequently travel the Hardknott Pass in Cumbria, Britain’s steepest road and very treacherous. Indeed many people won’t drive it. I am ware that there was an incident recently with a mini-bus of school children, but other than that, I have never seen an accident or even debris. Never had a near miss nor heard of anything like. It’s because people can see the risk of 20m drops, steep bends etc, and adapt their driving to level of caution that is very often over the top. A similar behaviour can often be seen on the Burway, Long Mynd, Church Stretton.

Now if they straightened and widened the Hardknott Pass, reduced the gradient with cuttings, fenced the sheep off, added traffic lights, crash barriers and islands, and a 30mph limit for good measure, I bet you there would be so many accidents it would be closed on public health grounds.

Report abuse

Reduce speed limit / close off lane / paint more white lines & chevrons etc etc etc.

It’s all pointless conjecture.

Until the primary causative factor in the lad’s death is known, then tabling a solution is futile. It sounds unsympathetic, but road safety needs clear thinking, un-sullied by emotion.

Report abuse

Having driven in New Zealand alot, we could learn thing or two from the Kiwi’s. Down there, if you are in a camper van, you must pull over to let people pass.

It works very well as everyone understands and all you need to do is to slow down at a convienient place, get over and they nip past – no problems.

Imagine trying to get caravans and sunday drivers to do that here!

The next thing you know is caravan towing cars will be expempt from excise duty on the grounds that they are doing a good thing slowing everyone down.

Report abuse