What with all the reports of "safety" cameras not working, not being turned on, not being effective at reducing road deaths, councils are looking at other ways of slowing traffic through their boroughs down, from chocolate teapot "SLOW DOWN" signs, through to average speed cameras going through villages.
I for one, usually drive miss daisy around on public roads, but I admit, there are times I do break the limit (usually at 2 or 3 in the morning in the van, and even then, its not by much).
The question is, what makes you drive slow, or what will make you drive within the limit (if you don\'t already). What would be the most cost effective and productive way to reduce speeds in your area?
Personally, I think more police officers on patrol would not only drastically cut speeds but all other crime as well as putting officers in much better positions to respond to emergency calls. The main problem now is that only 10-15% of workers in a police station are actual uniformed patrol officers that go out dealing with crime, the rest are senior officers, specialist "teams" (that let the uniforms do the legwork), or civilian staff. So next time you get burgled and wonder why it takes so long for the police to turn up, its because neither of the two or three uniformed officers attached to the local police station are available as they are dealing with the accusations and counter accusations of "harassment" of neighbours in the local council estate.
Getting caught speeding and almost losing my license slowed me down. Now I set my cruise control at the speed limit and leave it there. I get a perverse satisfaction overtaking the queues of people behind Traffic Cop Cars on motorways in the knowledge that I\'m doing so perfectly legally.
topless ladies on the side of the road? hehe
Mobile police vans / camera\'s are effective i think
The only thing that has made me cop on when driving fast is after two of my mates hitting a tree in a 106Gti. Both dead on collision.
Silly mistake the driver did and cost both their lives
Since then I\'ve slowed down as there is more to it then just death. Family\'s distraught, angry and friends heart broken in the aftermath
Having my wife and/or my children in and I very rarely break the speed limit. Also in built up areas/where kids are playing/public areas.
Infact anywhere that isn\'t a motorway or quiet country road although I\'ve still had surprises on those too, tractors etc even a horse and cart.
I personally think its all about the persons attitude. If your a bit of a wanker you will likely drive like one.
Quote from: Will66;859637Getting caught speeding and almost losing my license slowed me down. Now I set my cruise control at the speed limit and leave it there. I get a perverse satisfaction overtaking the queues of people behind Traffic Cop Cars on motorways in the knowledge that I\'m doing so perfectly legally.
Did you get caught by a "safety" camera or by an officer?
Here\'s a different angle,
My personal observation would be to say that generally people may well have slowed down anyway because so many people now attend track days where you can legally go fast,
Eleven years ago when the club formed we could not get track days off the ground and now lots attend, so this is maybe due to the realisation that it\'s dangerous going fast on the road but also with the advent of so many ways to be trapped for speeding with the potential loss of licenses
Quote from: Skifledanabit;859642Did you get caught by a "safety" camera or by an officer?
Two by a camera, one by an unmarked Skoda.
What Clive said about trackdays too, it\'s a far more fun driving quickly on the track than the road, lot safer too.
There is a really simple solution to reducing accidents and getting people to drive more slowly and carefully.
Forget all the safety equipment such as airbags and seat belts, do away with them and make one simple cheap addition that is mandatory on every car car.......................
A sharp metal spike that sits about a foot away from your face coming out of the center of the steering wheel.
Quote from: HaywardRotary;859652There is a really simple solution to reducing accidents and getting people to drive more slowly and carefully.
Forget all the safety equipment such as airbags and seat belts, do away with them and make one simple cheap addition that is mandatory on every car car.......................
A sharp metal spike that sits about a foot away from your face coming out of the center of the steering wheel.
That\'s going to make itching my calf during a long motorway journey a bit... \'awkward\'. :Tongue1
I slow down when I percieve a hazard on danger up ahead.
I drive a lot smoother than my partner but am more likely to prioritise looking at the road and vehicles around me over keeping track of the speedo.
Cheaper Track days :)
Always drive more chilled after a decent Track day gets it out of the System ;) its just you can blow £500 quite easy doing one.
Quote from: Kodiak;859683That\'s going to make itching my calf during a long motorway journey a bit... \'awkward\'.
Depends how well you can deep throat...
Fear of losing my Licence, is a priority, and of course having a blowout and hitting something, or Somebody at high speed! and the grief caused to all.
Quote from: HaywardRotary;859652There is a really simple solution to reducing accidents and getting people to drive more slowly and carefully.
Forget all the safety equipment such as airbags and seat belts, do away with them and make one simple cheap addition that is mandatory on every car car.......................
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Don\'t say that too loud was only reading a couple of days ago that there looking at options for Restricting the speed of new cars so you would pass into a speed limit and the car would slow down for you so the knock on effect would be to slow down all the other cars not fitted with such devices or Banning Car Modification effectively killing the UK Tuning market stone dead a bit like how they have done it in France (cheers EU)
I say make the cars Faster, by Natural selection it will improve the Standard of Drivers :) just might get a bit messy for a couple of years :D
Less horsepower
I found it came naturally with maturity/age and i dont mean that in an arrogant way. Also the state of the roads these days, its pretty pointless charging around like a nutter as there is just too much traffic and generally you wont get anywhere much quicker unless you are prepared to take significant risks or drive like a total tool! Especially in town.
I was followed the other day in rush hour traffic through town by this guy and i have never seen such appalling driving, he would leave a gap then accelerate within inches of my bumper, hang there for a bit, drop back and repeat the process time and time again, the road ahead of me was line to stern of cars, i couldnt have gone any faster if i wanted to, he was getting so wound up, you could see him seething in the mirror!
What would make someone like that slow down, nothing, well maybe death! He obviously did not have the intelligence to realise it was rush hour and someone can only go as fast as the traffic would allow.
Personally i think its all down to character, no amount of signs, speed cameras etc will slow some people down as they think they are above it all and they will never get caught or crash.
Accidents and deaths will always happen on the roads, its the only the road safety partnership and health and safety bods that think they can prevent accidents.