Speed limit change on country roads.

[Frikkin Evil]

See the article - http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2009/03/09/speed-limits-on-country-roads-are-to-be-cut-to-50mph-115875-21183691/

I personally think that this is the government trying to score points with something that will have very limited effect. Setting a limit on these roads will not stop the kind of people who are killing themselves and others on country roads by driving at twice that speed, usually late in the evening, and sometimes whilst intoxicated.
Meanwhile, the rest of us are forced to trundle along in 4th gear, or use our judgement but risk getting caught by the autobahnpolizei. How democratic.

[Coyoteboy]

It just a joke. People make bad decisions about their cars handling or judging distance/speeds when overtaking and so everyone has to be slowed to a craw. Bunch of morons.

[tc]

totally shocking whats the point in doing this  all its going to do is cause more problems  hold ups traffic jams road rage all because were all doing the same speed  totall nightmare

[Rob_A]

They love making the figures sound worse than they are! Where as if you put them into context...

2,946 people killed on UK roads, of which two thirds were on rural roads.

So 1,944 people killed on rural roads, of those only 29% had speed as a factor.

That is 564 people killed on rural roads due to speed.

According to the DVLA there are 35,000,000 registered drivers in the UK, so 0.00161% of UK drivers are killed on rural roads due to speeding!

Ok, so of those 35million not all are regular drivers, but heck, even if you half the amount of registered drivers (which is probably an extreme) that is still only 0.0033% of 'regular' drivers. So to save that tiny fraction they will put the other 99.997% of people through misery.

Hello nanny state 

[nev520]

just another example of this country screwing normal working folk.
although i love my country i find it harder and harder to stay here!!!
there isn't a week goes by without some politician telling me what is good for me and what is bad for me.

I've had enough, and me and mrs nev will not be staying here for ever, we intend to move/work abroad within
the next few years, don't know where yet, but somewhere there is no "big brother" telling us what we can and cannot do.

[simonst205]

The great armies of bureaucrats in this country have to keep coming up with these ideas to justify their existence. Just another idea to p*ss most of the population off. It seems a long time ago when it was fun to live in this stupid country.  Get out if you can!

[ChrisW]

For further irony, after the recent ranting about 'drug-driving' in the press and local government the following details were published:

In the Northumbria Police Service area there were 38 deaths caused by road traffic collisions. Of these, 6 were killed by drivers who were above the legal alcohol limit, a further 10 were found to be under the influence of drugs.

For those who can't be arsed with the maths, this means that 22 people were killed  by drivers who were sober and , apparently, able to control their vehicle.

Though, I think, here lies the problem: control. Maybe educating drivers on how to control their vehicle so they are not map-reading, applying make-up, talking on a phone, reading the paper, eating a sandwich or drinking will mean they will actually be watching the *BLEEP*ing road and conditions!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm all for road safety, however, as previously stated, a change of limit is not the answer. Let's face it, on a de-restricted rural road in poor conditions certain drivers will still 'aim' for 50-60mph, if the limit were changed will they drive any differently? I doubt it.

10p spent

[Frikkin Evil]

Having bailed out the banks with our money, maybe they're planning on funding police budgets from increased speed camera activity? Well, they'll be laughing on the other side of their faces when no-one gets caught because we've all lost our jobs and can't afford to drive around.

Sorry for starting a thread which has reminded everyone how pathetic Britain is getting.

[paul_gt4]

good job i moved over the border there to the republic of ireland a few weeks back.

[Frikkin Evil]

Please can everyone sign the petition if they think the plans are ludicrous...

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/noNSLreduction/

Cheers.