How Slow Can You Go?

[NotAllThere]

Yes accident rates will go up because you do have to keep an eye on the speedo when the difference between 20 and a bit more isn't noticeable from the drivers seat

We have loads of 30kph zones around where we live. It's really not hard to maintain the correct speed. You do it by listening to the engine noise*. Seriously if you can't maintain a constant speed without looking at the speedo, you should probably not drive.

Furthermore, it's not proven that the number of collisions goes up. Nor that it goes down. But it is pretty much proven that the severity of any collision is reduced.

The residents on my street recently voted to make the top half of the street (which is a cul-de-sac) a play zone. Max speed 20kph.

*If you've an EV, you've only yourself to blame!

[ladymuck]

We have loads of 30kph zones around where we live. It's really not hard to maintain the correct speed. You do it by listening to the engine noise*. Seriously if you can't maintain a constant speed without looking at the speedo, you should probably not drive.

Furthermore, it's not proven that the number of collisions goes up. Nor that it goes down. But it is pretty much proven that the severity of any collision is reduced.

The residents on my street recently voted to make the top half of the street (which is a cul-de-sac) a play zone. Max speed 20kph.

*If you've an EV, you've only yourself to blame!

My car does 20 mph in second gear just rolling along without touching the accelerator.

Maybe EVs should have a feature where it announces the speed you're doing every 30 seconds like some annoying back seat driver.

[vetran]

My car does 20 mph in second gear just rolling along without touching the accelerator.

Maybe EVs should have a feature where it announces the speed you're doing every 30 seconds like some annoying back seat driver.

Didn't know you had driven me?

To be fair both multiple speed cameras & I agree my wife's rear end is one of her best features!

[tazdevil]

We have loads of 30kph zones around where we live. It's really not hard to maintain the correct speed. You do it by listening to the engine noise*. Seriously if you can't maintain a constant speed without looking at the speedo, you should probably not drive.

Furthermore, it's not proven that the number of collisions goes up. Nor that it goes down. But it is pretty much proven that the severity of any collision is reduced.

The residents on my street recently voted to make the top half of the street (which is a cul-de-sac) a play zone. Max speed 20kph.

*If you've an EV, you've only yourself to blame!

Certainly can maintain a speed (even in my new Civic e:HEV) but sometimes the speed limit is just to low for the road. For instance the A58 Wetherby Road at Scarcroft Leeds was originally 40/50mph but is now 30mph. It's a nice straight wide road and normally clear with little pedestrian footfall on the good quality footpaths. Going at 30mph feels very slow and 20mph would be abominable for no gain. I'd be surprised if the accident stats in Wales improve with a 20mph blanket speed limit but high blood pressure issues might increase the strain on the local NHS Me, I'm using adaptive cruise more and more and admiring the scenery more but oops that's taking my eyes of the road!

[Lance]

If you cannot keep your vehicle under the speed limit then try having 12 points on your license. That focuses the mind.

I think 20mph is a great idea for most urban roads. Local authorities can up to 30/40 where they want and is appropriate.
After 2 years we'll know if deaths have reduced and if they haven't then maybe ditch the idea.

[NotAllThere]

Certainly can maintain a speed (even in my new Civic e:HEV) but sometimes the speed limit is just to low for the road. For instance the A58 Wetherby Road at Scarcroft Leeds was originally 40/50mph but is now 30mph. It's a nice straight wide road and normally clear with little pedestrian footfall on the good quality footpaths. Going at 30mph feels very slow and 20mph would be abominable for no gain.

Try coming off the German Autobahn where you've been cruising at 110mph for an hour, and then have to slow down to 50mph!

[tazdevil]

If you cannot keep your vehicle under the speed limit then try having 12 points on your license. That focuses the mind.

I think 20mph is a great idea for most urban roads. Local authorities can up to 30/40 where they want and is appropriate.
After 2 years we'll know if deaths have reduced and if they haven't then maybe ditch the idea.

Dumbing stuff down doesn't improve things generally and criminalising normal drivers won't improve road safety. Most of the bad accident stats are caused by the type that don't care and will hoon around anyway. If 20 is safer than 30 then surely 10 is safer than 20 and so forth and when are cyclists and scooters going to be licenced and speed limited and subjected to the rules? In recent times the nearest I've been to being an accident statistic is when cyclists nearly take me out on pavements or walking along quiet country roads. People aren't sheep and treating them as such simply ends up with more people being nervous numpties.

[tazdevil]

Try coming off the German Autobahn where you've been cruising at 110mph for an hour, and then have to slow down to 50mph!

Yep done that and nearly wrote myself off in my younger days when I misjudged the speed and entered a service area a bit quick needing a heavy dose of brakes to stop. Those were the days when I drove from Rotterdam to Milan none stop in a car with full LPG and petrol tanks only stopping for a quick pee

[Lance]

Dumbing stuff down doesn't improve things generally and criminalising normal drivers won't improve road safety. Most of the bad accident stats are caused by the type that don't care and will hoon around anyway. If 20 is safer than 30 then surely 10 is safer than 20 and so forth and when are cyclists and scooters going to be licenced and speed limited and subjected to the rules? In recent times the nearest I've been to being an accident statistic is when cyclists nearly take me out on pavements or walking along quiet country roads. People aren't sheep and treating them as such simply ends up with more people being nervous numpties.

• Reducing the speed limit != criminalising normal drivers.
• You are 5x more likely to be killed if hit by a vehicle doing 30mph.
• Yes 10 is safer. Good idea. Why not have 10mph in busy urban areas.
• Cyclists licensed??? hahaha. You gonna license a 5 year old?
• Cyclists are subject to rules already. Read the highway code. No they don't have to obey any speed limits but they are not going to exceed 20mph on the flat.

Anyway. We'll know after 2 years if this is a bad idea or a good one.

[vetran]

Here you go Brake's page

https://www.brake.org.uk/get-involve...uk-road-safety

and WHO

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-s...affic-injuries

Wear a seatbelt be 25-59 female , car occupant (travelling at appropriate speed) then you stand a far better chance of survival.

If you have a death wish be a retired male on a bike going at 100 without a crash helmet.