Slow moving vehicles.

stormchaser2005

Lot of car drivers breaking the law too, HGV's don't have a monopoly. I don't think it makes any difference what the limit is there will always be that mentality of "get to get in front" and those people will overtake regardless of whether it is safe no matter what speed you are doing

FZR400RRSP

I don't agree.
I think most people speed because they feel the current limits are outdated and silly.
For example, have you tried sitting at 70mph on a motorway?
It's ludicrous in a modern car.
We don't have drum brakes and crossply tyres any more!
So people drive at what they feel comfy doing.
If you raised the speed limits, people wouldn't simply raise their own speed accordingly, because they wouldn't feel comfy doing it.

In other words, if the current limit is 70mph, people will do 80-85mph.
If you raise it to 80mph, they will still only do 80-85mph.
They wouldn't suddenly jump to 90-95mph, because it's outwith their comfort zone.
There was a study/survey done which backed this up.
I can't produce it, so you'll just have to take my word.

I read so many car/bike mags.
I tend to recall stuff I've read, but giving proof is another matter!

PoisonJam

Yeah, the majority of cars out there get a bit too noisy/unsteady at much over 85mph. Not to mention fuel consumption jumps up a hell of a lot...

Bursar

The only problem is that income from speed cameras would drop dramatically. They'd have to think up other ways of generating revenue.

Wild Weasel

I don't think so. I'm certainly aware that the traffic is much greater in the summer months due to the millions of holiday makers that come to visit. I'm seeing loads of Dutch cars around at the moment for some reason. Probably due to their distinctive yellow front number plates.

I'm far, far more likely to get stuck behind a slow car on even a quiet country road in the summer. I can't remember the last time a caravan held me up.

r collison

I'm not having a go at you because you're a lorry driver. I agree car drivers either speed/go too slow but cars are a lot easier to get by than a large lorry.
And I don't have to just get in front, I just want to progress at a reasonable pace on an "A" road

PoisonJam

I live in west Norfolk, and when I come home from London, it's M11, which is only two lanes when you get past Birchanger Services, then the A14 for about 16 miles, then turn off at Huntingdon to go across country. It's exactly 40 miles from there to my house and it's one lane either way, all the way.

What with hordes of lorries and tractors, caravans don't help much.

Perhaps if we ever got a Minister of Transport living in Norfolk, we may at last get a motorway.  

stormchaser2005

The M8 connecting Glasgow and Edinburgh is only 2 lanes most of the way

The M80 between Falkirk and Glasgow has a 40MPH limit! There's roadworks there just now but I'm pretty sure it's always that speed as my SatNav recognises that as the speed limit! That's ridiculous.

stormchaser2005

there's a stretch of the M4 in south wales that has a permanent 50mph limit with speed cameras

PoisonJam

So do I but the law doesn't allow it. I deliver to warminster a couple of times a week with a full trailer although not a full load. I travel down through Bath and  on some stretches of the A46/A36 it wouldn't be safe for me to go faster than the law allows. I could list dozens of places that are the same and even more where people overtake stupidly because they are in such a hurry to get where they are going even though waiting a couple of minutes would give them a safe place to do it. I often get held up behind one of our own waggons heading back to the depot on my way in to work and I start at 3am and have a 30 minute drive. Our roads are at saturation point, there is just too much traffic, being held up and having time added to your journey is just a fact of driving these days no matter how much people might not like it. I live in a rural area, lots of tractors, horse boxes, cyclists and lots of people getting all riled up because they have to slow down and wait. Perhaps if they had a bit more patience it wouldn't be such a big deal? Or maybe if they planned ahead and paid attention to that bit of the road beyond their little bubble they wouldn't drive flat out, brake flat out brake.