Move 70mph To 80/90mph On Motorways!

[mcwatson]

I'm going through a placid time with my driving at the moment.

Whereas before, I'd never have anyone over take me on the motorway cos I was always going faster, I now am going through a period of trundling down the slow lane at 60mph-70mph and quite enjoying it (turning 30 this month so not sure if I'm starting to feel old!!). Also trying to get better fuel economy as costing too much.

But driving at this speed has made me realise how fast the average number of cars travel. They are all whipping past me at 80/90/100 or more mph. And some get very arsey when they see me poodling along at 70mph.

So this prompts the question. Should the authorities now review the national speedlimit and consider up'ing it. Afterall, cars are hugely improved, ABS is a life saver, braking is far more sophisticated, I believe the braking distances in the Highway code book are still the same as donkey years ago and I think there are more accidents on the motorway where people are pulling out from slower moving cars than those going at a high speed. I'm sure most accidents start by vehicles changing lanes/pulling out/whipping across to get on or off at a junction!! And higher European speed limits don't show any increase in accident rates, I believe the German Autobahns actually have a reduced accident rate (albeit the accidents they do have are probably a lot worse).

I just think that having an 80mph or 90mph speed limit wouldn't do any harm.

Any thoughts? Apologies if this subject has been done already!!

[Fargo]

i agree the limit should be upped,, but you know what will happen, your still drive 10mph over that limit..

[Matthew_McNally]

I believe the German Autobahns actually have a reduced accident rate (albeit the accidents they do have are probably a lot worse).

←

a commonly held mis-belief. Sure Mat C will be along shortly to comment on the state of autobahn driving.

[PhoneDrome]

Speed limit on a FREE motorways makes no sense if you have seperated lanes.

I like my autobahn (I live in the north of Germany. Not much traffic here )

But be sure. Where a speed limit is set, it will never be upped Never.

Do gumballing to Soltau next year. Feel the Autobahn experience. It's not the driving on higher speed for a long time. It's the hard acceleration and reving that makes fun. Eating 220CDi for breakfast or just pick behind a 530d. So much fun with this cars. It's marvelous.

(Me: Done Bonn - Flensburg in 5 hours last Friday by legal driving )

[Rob]

germany is 5 mins from me and i can say that the driving i have experienced here isnt the best by any standards and the road is crap which doesnt help.

[mudzs]

I think it should be upped to 80 mph and more than that in the early hours of the morning say 1am to 6 am as there is no one else on the roads .

[Jiberjaber]

Theres more to take into account though in terms of the impact capabilities of th estructures and the sight lines of the roads, the size of the characters on teh signs.....

It's not as simple as just upping the speed limit unfortunatly.

[wills]

I think 80mph is fair now.........................

[Fmrl]

I think the maximum speed limit should only be increased if the rules for what vehicles can legally use the motorways was also tightened up. It's all very well being able to travel at 80 or 90mph but what happens when you come upon a lorry travelling at 50 in the slow lane, being overtaken by another lorry travelling at 55, which is being overtaken by a hgv doing 60 in the righthand lane?!!

It would be nice if there was a minimum speed limit but I guess that would just push more lorries onto the A and B roads, etc. etc.

Increasing the speed limits just means more congestion (more cars reaching a traffic jam quicker therefore bigger queues, more delays, more accidents, etc.). Isn't this the reason why the M25 has variable limits down to 50mph?

Increasing the limits overnight or when there's not much traffic on the roads might be difficult to enforce, plus it can actually be more dangerous at night (tired drivers, not much traffic on the road means you don't concentrate enough, etc.)