At long last a government has seen common sense and is looking at raising the motorway speed limit to 80 mph, personally I think it should be 90 mph but at least we are getting some common sense!
The current speed limit was introduced in the 70s, miners strike, 3 day week etc; I heard one commentator saying the speed limit should not be raised because the Motorways were only designed for 70 mph which is rubbish, originally there was no speed limit on motorways!
Then we heard how terrible it was that people would be allowed to drive faster on motorways, bunching would increase and accidents would sky-rocket, not to mention the blessed environment but relax we are not going to cover the environment con here although there are a few links below under Further reading
Speed is dangerous but then so is driving itself, it is the most dangerous pursuit you will undertake in your life, the real danger though is driving too fast in the prevailing conditions and too fast can be 10 mph!
I would though ascertain that, in good conditions 80/90 mph is far safer now than 70 mph was when that limit was introduced, cars now are much safer and the current cars can get to 90 mph and stop faster than the cars of the 70/80s could even get to 70 mph, the braking and handling is a million miles away from the cars of the 70/80s and the passenger protection with seat belts, air bags and crumple zones is in a different world.
One commentator said the speed limit should not be raised because the Motorways were only designed for 70 mph which is rubbish, originally there was no speed limit on motorways!
It is time now to take a different and radical approach to cars and speed and I would propose the following:
- Limit ALL cars to a maximum of 70 mph on motorways UNTIL the driver has passed his/her Advanced Driving Test
- Make it illegal to issue insurance for anything other than the standard car until the driver has passed the Advanced Driving Test i.e. maximum 1.0 engine size
- Once the Advanced Driving Test has been passed then the motorway limit can be 90/100 mph
- Do not allow drivers onto the motorway until they have passed a motorway test
In other words the driver must prove he can handle the car and the extra speed but until the government introduces my radical proposal we at ‘Its just life!’ will welcome the new official speed limit when it arrives, then think about it, it won’t actually change speeds on the motorways because the majority of drivers do 80/90 mph anyway!
But to close, a further and more worrying development has come to light, the EU now wants to set our speed limits and it will probably sneak in under the back door, one day our politicians will have the courage and common sense to get out BUT WILL THE BRITISH PEOPLE?
Further reading
Climate Change and the Environment
Motorway speed limit to be raised to 80 mph
Plan for 80 mph motorway speed limit – Financial Times
Now Brussels want to set our speed limits
[…] Speed Restrain To Be Raised, Now Wait With The Politics […]