156mph

[Matthew_McNally]

Surprised we've not had any discussion on this - it was all over the radio the other day

Guy stopped doing 156 mph on the A90

- guy was already banned, but had a new M3

- no insurance

- 156 on an A road - maximum speed 70

its not in this article., but he was also caught going more than 100 mph in a 40 zone.

Don't doubt for a second that this guy deserves prison - you'll not hear any arguments about this from me.

But - what gets me is that the media coverage I heard was playing this like he was jailed for speeding.

Sorry - but this is not speeding - its plain dangerous driving.

Heres hoping he enjoys his time in federal-pound-me-in-the-a$$ prison

[djanderso]

This was (fairly) big news up here (after that so called Scottish Election).

I know that road, and I don't think I would want to go anywhere near that speed and I think it was at night too!

:iraqi-info-minister:

[tony_hetherington]

hey.....you mean the BMW E46 M3 that's limited to 155mph got done at 156.7mph ? I guess he removed the limit then !!!

Anyhow......I agree, it was fast. I agree he shouldn't have been driving.....no insurance, and banned. and I ESPECIALLY agree that the guy should get bloomin shafted in prison for doing 100 in a 40.

HOWEVER.......I think the over-exaggeration about the 156mph on an A-road is a bit OTT

If done in the right places, in the right cars, it is not anymore dangerous than an old lady doing 40 on the inside lane of the M25.

The times I oppose high speed is when it endangers somebody else (i.e. the 100 in a 40, or doing 156mph on a busy M-way)

[Matthew_McNally]

HOWEVER.......I think the over-exaggeration about the 156mph on an A-road (incidentally, this is one very wide, very straight, very barron A-road) is a bit OTT

sorry Tony - there is never any mitigation for 156 mph on a public road.

[wildrnes]

run for cover !!!!! :shutit:

[tony_hetherington]

(i've taken out the bit about it being a straight road....i was thinking of a different one that my friend and i drove up last yr...but it wasn't that one!.....so I plead guilty on that point!)

Can I ask tho (this isn't meant to be argumentative - I'm genuinely curious about your opinion)......firstly, what's your opinion of Germany's autobahn system of unlimited speed in dry conditions, and also - why do you oppose speed in england so much (SO LONG AS....done in the right places, and placing nobody but yourself at risk).

[ricky_is200]

Don't Germany's autobahn's have a better safety record than out roads?

[Matthew_McNally]

Can I ask tho (this isn't meant to be argumentative - I'm genuinely curious about your opinion)

no worries - a pleasant discusion is always fun!

firstly, what's your opinion of Germany's autobahn system of unlmited speed in dry conditions

never driven in Germany, so have no experience on which to base an opinion.

and also - why do you oppose speed in england so much

I don't oppose speed so much - merely said that there was no mitigation for driving on a public road at a speed so excessive.

Chances of surviving any impact at that speed is nil.

Not just of the muppet driver, but any of the poor innocents sods he ploughs into.

(SO LONG AS....done in the right places, and placing nobody but yourself at risk).

Can you define "done in the right places" and explain how you guarantee you put no-one but yourself at risk?

[DaveEllen]

156 is too fast........

If thats what you want to do go to a track day.........

1 slight error on the road & you can kill someone who's minding there own business.

As for 100 in a 40 I'm speechless

[Steve]

hey.. its ok.. it was a BMW owner :shutit:

[tony_hetherington]

The german autobahn's work surprisingly well. Unsure about the safety record bit (tho I do recall hearing it somewhere). I've driven on them a few times (not in anything special, just hire cars) and they really do work well.

I completely 100% agree about putting other's lives at risk. That is without doubt unacceptable and anyone doing it so extremely should indeed be :tsktsk: :tsktsk: :tsktsk:

What I mean about sensible places is - for example - an empty M1 at 4 on a sunday morning. Dead straight, well lit, dry, wide.

I'll be honest, I'm very interested in speed. I hold an interest not just from a thrill point of view (eg track days) but also from a safe driving point of view. I am booked up for courses, IAM, as well as chaueffeur courses and security driving (I love driving so much I want to excel). Within the security driving course I'm booked in for (incidentally, through Bentley) get-a-way driving is a part. This includes high-speed get-a-way, and more importantly - maintaining safety at high speed. I'm keenly interested in the theory, the logic behind it all, and the reactions and skill it all takes.

I realise not everyone with, for example, a Ferrari possesses the skill and reactions, but just to allow you to see why I hold a slightly different opinion.

Please dont get me wrong tho - I am 100% categorically against dangerous driving, and inappropriate speed - let alone RIDICULOUS speed.

[Bazza-old]

only have to think of a tyre blowing out at that speed

whats the stopping distance at that speed???

remember doing about 130 on some french motorway

absolute straight and empty

saw a lorry in the distance and was alarmed how long it takes just to get to 70mph and how quick that lorry came up on us

[tony_hetherington]

only have to think of a tyre blowing out at that speed

a good way to illustrate my point......

a mate of mine (a security chaeuffeur) had a blow out in his 550bhp Escort Cosworth at 140mph (on an Autobahn.....he's Belgian) and, because he knew what to do, and the car could withstand it, he slowed it down, and pulled over to a quiet stop to change the wheel.

Sounds extreme I realise, but it's kinda where I'm going about advanced driving, sensible driving, and knowing what to do.

oh,i'm off home now people, but am enjoying this discussion so be sure i will rejoin in the morning. Night all !!

[Fidgits]

The real issue surrounding speed is weather conditions.. I'm sure we've all seen people flying down the outside lane in thick fog or heavy rain...

The best solution (IMHO) would to have variable speed limits on all motorways, and raise the 'max' limit to 80.

As for 100 in a 40 zone... :tsktsk:

It's people like this guy that cause roads to be clogged with Gatso's and speed traps..

[Steve]

perhaps we should do a group buy in advanced driving? evasive driving too!

[Matthew_McNally]

What I mean about sensible places is - for example - an empty M1 at 4 on a sunday morning. Dead straight, well lit, dry, wide.

one of the most fundamental aspects of driving is "driving within the limits of your vision".

The article suggested a stopping distance under perfect conditions on 1,000 feet.

so - if you see something - you better hope it is more than 1,000 feet away, or you are in trouble.

I know the M1 pretty well - and the state of the road surface in parts makes it absolute suicide to drive at those sort of speeds - 4am on a Sunday or not

[Wallace]

The police said that the stopping distance was in excess of 400 ft! Also concider if you're doing 80 on a motorway and someone comes up behind you at 70 MPH more than you are doing, do you think you would see him coming?

[Bazza-old]

The best solution (IMHO) would to have variable speed limits on all motorways, and raise the 'max' limit to 80.

the M25 has variable speed limits on surrey section

must admit i havent a clue what it is

it says stay in lane : is this the american way of any lane any speed- seems to get used as this

the gantrys have speed limits on them which obviously change: but dont all other motorways have this - normally governed by traffic speed anyway

the limit is 70mph but the average speed is probably about 80mph

[Bazza-old]

if you're doing 80 on a motorway and someone comes up behind you at 70 MPH more than you are doing, do you think you would see him coming?

if its a b*w you would notice the fog lamps on

[Teddy]

might come across as a bit controversial here. 156MPH on an A road is a bit too fast, but doing 100 in a 40 zone deserves a trip to Broadmoor.

anyway, my point is there should be a difference between overspeeding, inappropriate speed, and dangerous driving.

doing 140 on the M1 on a quiet sunday morning (AFTER JUNCTIONS 1 - 4, pardon me) is overspeeding cos you are doing more than 70, but is it inappropriate speed? NON. Is is dangerous driving? Don't think so.

Doing 50 - 60 in a 30 zone (on built up area) is surely dangrous driving and should be dealt with severely. school kids could step into the road etc. IMO it's far more dangerous than doing 140mph on a quiet MWay.

Again, sometimes you could be doing 50mph in dense fog, heavy rain etc. you are within the speed limit but it's inappropriate speeding and it's dangerous. A couple of months ago, I was driving thru LES ARDENNES forest in Belguim at around 3.30am. I had to slow down to 40mph, and put me blinkers on even though the speed limit for foggy consitions was 60mph.

so my point is commonsense has to be used by all. I mean the law makers, old bill, and drivers. Driving 60 could be far more danerous than 140 depending on where it's done and conditions.

T

[MsW]

HOWEVER.......I think the over-exaggeration about the 156mph on an A-road is a bit OTT

If done in the right places, in the right cars, it is not anymore dangerous than an old lady doing 40 on the inside lane of the M25.

Hmm - disagree STRONGLY

There is no such thing as "the right car" for this type of driving. I doubt even professionals who drive at speeds like this for a living would consider for a moment driving a road car on the open road in this manner.

Would you put your child in a car with this person? :iraqi-info-minister:

I rest my case

[Monster-Mat]

just like to say that the accident rate on german atobahns is equal to uk motorways........

german drivers are assholes...........yes there are de-restricted parts, but large parts of the autobahn ystem are still 2 lanes either side........

however, its average speed is 80-130mph

and amazingly its 1,0 litre polos that are doing it

[Bazza-old]

and amazingly its 1,0 litre polos that are doing it

ah! thats why you need 700bhp :P

[Risky3301]

I read this artical you are all talking about, in the one I read there was another one about some Dic% Head who killed someone whilist speeding and was only FINED £200. Lets all sit down and think about this minute. Fast cars don't kill people but the people who drive them FAST thinking it's safe, just remember one thing, a small POT HOLE in the road is enough to throw any car off balance and once control is LOST it's all over apart from scrapping up whats left and some poor sod dressed in Blue uniform has in form the next of kin.

Also let the punishment fit the crime, if you kill someone whilst speeding, under the influeuace etc, then it's 'life inside',

If you get caught for speeding then you should be banned for min 5 yrs and then made to complete an intentsive driver driver training course paid for by individual and they are not cheap, believe me. when this completed you can retake your driving test and get your licence back.

This post may affend some people but if comes from someone who has been by hit car where the motorist wasn't paying attention and may even been speeding at the time. I am not sure as I flying through the air, I was lucky, I walked away, a lot of people who have been in the same situation have not been so lucky.

[TonyGoose]

I find when driving on German autobahns i'm more alert and focused on what's going on.

100 or 'it won't go any quicker' ... constantly aware something's travelling faster than you ...

As a result, lane discipline seems far better,

you HAVE to get outta the way in plenty of time or be tailgated and flashed by huge mercs and audis B)

On the other hand, i have 2 relatives who both got done speeding in Germany...

and both at speeds below 20mph.

It seems where there's a need for limits, they're there ...

built up areas, before + after autobahn on/off ramps and bad weather for example ...

And where there's no need, progress as you please ...

Concentrating on driving rather than looking for sneaky cops and cameras.

All seems perfectly sensible to me.

Then cross to UK with arbitrary speed limit figure from the 60's plucked out of the air ...

Progress is drone like and artificially restrained = lack of concentration = problems.

Ever notice traffic moving freely ... ooh look, police car doing 60 on inside lane, traffic instantly jammed up ....

So, i vote German... Sensible limits where required ... Unrestricted where they're not.

But then i usually do go for the common sense option