Speed limit on motorways

[kwicky]

Should this be reduced to 62 mph? This will help the planet and at the same time cut fuel consumption.. Many motorists exceed the speed limit already but with overhead gantries measuring average speed it could be easily enforced.

Coaches and HGVs already have speed limiters set to about 62mph so could this should be extended in all transit vehicles and maybe in future to all vehicles?

[Panic Button]

Better to increase the parts of the motorway that have variable speed limits. Everyone is brought down to more efficient speeds (efficient use of congested road surface I mean)

Also get technology in that does it properly, like the M42, not the steam driven rubbish by Heathrow.

[kwicky]

The reason I suggested bringing the speed limit down to 62 mph was that to get even flow on a congested motorway then obviously you have to adjust the speed near to the vehicles with the tightest restriction (ie coaches and HGVs which have limiters fitted). Most tend to drive to this imposed limit.

A futuristic picture shows driverless vehicles separated by about 2 vehicle lengths which brake and accelerate in tandem. This would prove much more efficient than acting independently.

[Dassie]

bazmoore

By freight on rail I was talking about the long-distance motorway distribution, eg Manchester to Bristol, the way it used to be done in the 60's.....not picking up at your local railway station ..duh!

From the rail depot it would then be taken by local transport to Tesco etc

[light186282]

NO - Kwicky, clearly does not have a job where you need to be attending several appointments in a day. The roads have not kept up with the growth in cars - all of which pay road tax (unless your a swan eating illegal imigrant), and we pay fule tax: the more miles you do, the more tax you pay.
What we should have is ROAD TAX strictly for use on roads (East Anglia for example does not have ANY motorways). We should be able to get compensation & credit back from government when they don�t repair roads on time (that makes you late and consequentially start speeding).
It always seems to me, that the only people who want to save the planet, slow us down are people who never have to be anywhere urgently and on time. And if we did slow down SO WHAT - the Chinc's would gladly take the spare energy to build more high rise buildings in China !!
Put the money in to the roads, improve them, ad fast lanes to the motorways 150 MPH (like Germany), and let all the sandal warning, lentil soup eating ride horses to their public office jobs.

[Panic Button]

Kwicky, you obviously didn't read sddsdean's answer.

Trucks have their limiters set at 56mph.

62 is above the speed limit for a truck on a motorway.

Coaches are set at 62 I believe.

As regards your future vehicle which brakes automatically, does your computer ever freeze up and not respond? Would you trust it to always stop your vehicle?

[kwicky]

light??? you are very wrong. I spent 10 years as a professional driver and did about 100K miles a year and I was paid for each job, not by the hour. The M11 covers part of East Anglia. Even though driving above the speed limit you still see these selfish B... coming up fast in your rear view mirror. Maybe they should put heart monitors of those caught speeding.

[BRIGHT SPARK]

Keep fighting amongst yourselves lads.The government will raise the cost of fuel again and again and you will all think its for our own good.

[kwicky]

This is the true situation regarding speed limiters:

http://www.vosa.gov.uk/vosacorp/newsandevents/ pressreleases/2006pressreleases/28-12-06speedl imiterlegislation.htm