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80 mph ?


observer

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80 mph isn't too high providing the conditions permit but consider this.

 

1 make the speed limit 8 mph and all journeys will take ten times longer to complete so at any given time, there will ten times more cars on the motorway hence even more nose to tail stuff.

2 make the speed limit 800 mph though and journey times will be a tenth of what they are now. So at any point in time, there will only be one tenth the number of cars hence greater spacing.

 

it's a bit of a chicken and egg situation I suppose.

 

Bill :) 

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As HGVs are limited to 60mph on motorways, why have you allowed him to get 10 yards behind you when you have a speed advantage of 10 mph?

Has happened to me many a time.

Mainly because as a responsible driver i use the inner lane most of the  time. This means that those that do hog the middle lane tend to leave little or no room for me to get out when i need to overtake a slower HGV. as a result i have to slow to 60 whilst trying to find a gap in the middle lane to over take. this means that i then end up with a hgv in front and one behind (and usually a lot closer than ten yards sometime closer than ten feet).

 

I have also been overtaken by hgv, whilst doing 70mph on the motorway and smiled at the little sticker on the back that says this vehicle limited to 60mph,as they proceed to leave me behind.

 

Perhaps all vehicles should have speed limiters on them set for 70 or whatever the Maximum speed limit will be. That way there should be no problem with speeding on motorways and some people would point out that it would be more economical fuel wise.

 

Personally i cannot see the point in having a car or otherwise that will travel at two or even three time the legal speed limit. At those sort of speed they are not driven they are merely aimed.

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Our Irish & Scottish cousins seem to be the worst offenders for speeding in HGVs, probably because they travel such great distances to get to the London markets with their goods.I remember getting a lift in an Irish wagon many years ago & the driver was telling me that the 3 week old vehicle was going in the garage  that night to have a coach differential fitted which would give it another 10 mph ,but without showing on the tachograph.

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So Obs, are you advocating a reduction in the maximum motorway speed to something safer, e.g. 20mph, to ensure that the nutters can't cause too much damage when they inevitably hit the car in front?

 

Today's smart motorways adjust the maximum speed for the prevailing conditions, and the speed of the traffic is closely monitored to pick out the nutters. So, together with the higher specifications of todays vehicles, the smart motorways should surely allow for a higher maximum speed when the prevailing conditions allow.

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There are  advisory distances for various speeds in the highway code, increased in fog and ice; to provide safe stopping in an emergency. It frankly doesn't matter how modern the vehicle is, if the driver is a nutter who insists on tail-gating.

 

One yard distance for every MPH at least or the 2 chevron markers on some motorways.

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Increased speed = reduced thinking time. As many drivers struggle to think, this provides a recipe for accidents, with higher speeds providing higher incidents of fatality. No doubt, in due course, the technology will emerge to automatically maintain safe distances between vehicles.

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This the same sort of technology that tells you to drive down rivers and sends trucks into bridges or is this the sort that allows you to play games on your phone whilst the car drives itself into the car in front.

 

No doubt it will be fitted as standard but also no doubt it will be fitted with an off switch. (just for those who think they are smarter than their car)

 

Perhaps a better alternative would be a multi person vehicle that would take up to 60 running along a set route, or maybe one with it's own special roadway that could carry more. Oh we already have them called trains and buses.

 

oh well up the Luddites!

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Increased speed = reduced thinking time. As many drivers struggle to think, this provides a recipe for accidents, with higher speeds providing higher incidents of fatality. No doubt, in due course, the technology will emerge to automatically maintain safe distances between vehicles.

 

my last two cars have had this technology and it has been around (Certainly on Mercedes cars) since the late 1990's.... it is called autonomous cruise control (or in the case of Mercedes, Distronic Plus). You set the speed as you do on a standard cruise control and then set the distance you wish to keep from the car in front. The car brakes and accelerates (up to the limit you've set) while keeping the distance you've selected.

 

If the car in front slows, your car slows. If the car in front brakes heavily, so does yours. It was available on the S Class Mercs but is even now available on VW Golfs.... my daughter-in-law has it on her Golf

 

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Notice you've said, " the limit is set by the driver", does that distance increase at higher speeds or decrease at lower speeds; in order to maintain an adequate emergency stopping distance ? 

 

Yes it does (well certainly on my S Class), it adjusts the distance dependant on driving speeds. It also adjusts the volume of the radio and the sat nav instructions at higher speeds to compensate for any additional road noise. It will also adjust the steering; making it lighter when driving around town and more "normal" when at higher speeds to avoid the possibility of any small movements causing the car to move further than intended.

 

It also has active lane assist and active brake assist. If you start to wander out of a marked lane, the steering wheel will vibrate and if you don't correct, the car will do it for you. Brake assist will brake the car if you don't when it detects either a pedestrian, stationary car or a vehicle the pulls out into your lane or out of a junction in front of you.... 

 

It will also detect the drivers movements on long journeys and advise taking a break when it thinks you need one

 

and my Granada has a heated rear window :)

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Also does it allow for changing weather conditions, such as sudden heavy rain or sleet

 

In what way? The S Class's onboard safety systems will compensate for any loss of traction and will also operate the usual wipers and headlights as required. The night vision system is also capable of enabling much clearer vision when driving in light fog or rain.... There are many many advanced systems out there that are available, just that they are expensive and most people wouldn't want to pay the premium on small cars.... I have to say, I value my safety in cars and try to give myself the biggest advantage I can if the worse ever happened which is why I would never ever buy a new small entry level car. I would much rather buy a big top of the range one second hand with all the safety gadgets available.... even if the last one did cost £500 a year to tax it :)

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