Why death rates INCREASED in 20mph zones

[Frankie]

Ghostrider...what's your hurry ? Just leave the house 5 minutes earlier and drive at 55mph instead of 65mph. Or if you want to drive the whole length of the mainland instead of just to Lerwick, leave 10 minutes earlier. We are not driving long distances in Shetland so the time gained by driving faster and overtaking is minimal.

[shetlandpeat]

He has the right to make his choices, but not always the moral right, as with anyone.

Though as an ex motorcyclist I can understand the thrill, if it goes wrong, there are many more folk involved who have to perhaps put folks lives back together, and all they wanted to do was to get to their destination safely.

A fatal road crash can cost a million pounds by the end, this the tax payer has to bear. So, there is another reason for high fuel taxes/road licence fees perhaps.

 

But to sum it all up it would just be an act of selfishness, a complete disregard of other folks wishes, and the laws of the land and folks safety.

You may think you are good, sadly you will not be good enough and no one would look in the mirror and say "oh it is them, I have no worries"

 

The factor folk always miss is there could be someone earning a living doing a contracted job on the road just ahead, very rare is the occasion folk will slow down though these sites.

[DamnSaxon]

Having done a fair bit of school bus driving in my time (and believe me, that knocks all the "boy racer" out of you!), I've seen plenty of illustrations of why 20mph limits seem to make little difference. Far too many people seem to think that because they're "experienced drivers" they know better than anyone else what's safe. "20mph? Nah, perfectly okay to do 35 along here." The attitude appears to be that just being behind that wheel gives them automatic total understanding of everything that goes on outside. Even when they're parents themselves, they forget that children, no matter how well drilled, can still forget and run into the road unexpectedly - and yes, the difference between being hit at 20 and 30 mph is very marked.

 

Possession of a driving licence is a privilege, not a right. If you can't keep to the rules of the road, that privilege should be withdrawn, a lot more often than it is. 20mph limit? Change down ahead of it. Get used to the engine pitch at 20, and then keep your consciousness right out there in front of you, where it should always be. Be very prepared to show folk that you can still do an "emergency stop" if necessary. It really isn't difficult.

 

As for insane overtakers, well, at least the ones on two wheels are a darn sight more likely to come off worse if they've misjudged, and IME most of them are very aware of that. I always found that company reps were the worst, their next sale apparently more important than anything, or anyone, else.

 

Life isn't a race. Far better to arrive a few minutes late than never to arrive at all.

[tirvaluk]

I see in todays paper they are turning Knab Road,Breiwick Road,South King Harald Street into a 20mph zone, and going to put speed bumps on Breiwick Road, what a waste of money.