It’s about time we threw out the 70mph speed limit

It does not matter what speed you do – there’s always some fool prepared to roar past you in their (often company) Audi or BMW to gain 30 metres of space and it always seem to be those drivers!

I disagree, 70mph and below is a perfectly adequate speed as the majority of cars are built with doing 70mph in mind; even 6 speed cars.

You’re forgetting the cause of accidents, it’s not speed, it’s speed differential. If you up the limit to 90mph; lorries, busses and slow moving vehicles that are uncomfortable above 60 or 70 mph will now be travelling up to 30mph slower than those doing the new speed limit. This closing speed is what causes accidents.

I rarely drive above 70mph and I rarely ever see other cars ‘thrashing past’ or ‘inches from my body work’. You do get the odd speed demon but I quite regularly find myself in the middle lane overtaking a lot of other vehicles whilst maintaing 70mph on cruise control.

I still thing we should stick to 70mph, for our own safety and our children safety also. If we didn’t had any law, we will be leaving in a jungle.

I think Claire has answered her own question, it’s not the capability of the cars that matters but the capability of the drivers and many aren’t safe at 50 mph let alone 80. Raise speed limits on motorways and the speeds will increase to a bit more. Limits are best left where they are especially whilst cars have to share motorways with slow moving lorries (56 mph) and coaches (62 mph).

If we keep our braking distance with front of your car , we will see minimum accident but some people drive their car like race and bumper to bumper, and without giving indicator and keep lights off in dark and rainy days.This people causes many accident and gives their misery to the safe driver.Their licence to be taken away by DVLA as they breaking the highway code.We have seen that many new drivers ignoring highway code after passing their test. The dangerous disease spreading is not to give indicator. Everyone is driving above 70 mph so what is credibility of Highway code? Highway petrol car enjoys their above 70mph speed !…Stick with 70 mph, If you allow them to drive 80mph, they will drive 90mph. It will bring More accident,more misery, and more insurance claim .So stick to the limit

“Let’s face it, many of us don’t stick to 70mph”
Yes, but just because we all do it doesn’t mean it’s right, does it?

Spending a fair amount of my spare time in big white vehicles with blue flashing lights and sirens – and hanging out with people who drive them with the flashy lights & sirens going – you hear a lot about people who can’t handle their vehicles at the best of times. And the messes they get into.

Before we could even consider upping the speed limit we need to ensure people are better able to handle their vehicles at the current limit.

*gets off high horse*

It is time to change our HIGHWAY CODE before we threw out the 70mph speed limit.
1. Keep sufficient breaking distance.
2. Keep compulsory lights on during rainy and dark days.
3. Fine the driver for not giving indicators.
4. Those who drive more than 20 mph near roundabout should be fined.
We hope which team will start new topic about what people need new changes and suggestion for Highway code..

I like driving fast, or should I say, used to. Now our motorways are far too congested at the best of times and driving at speed has just become more stressful and frustrating. I’m happy to cruise along at around the speed limit, often catching up with others (yes, Audi and BMW drivers – you know who you are!) at the next traffic queue whilst I’ve had a less stressful journey and consumed far less fuel.

However, I have driven all over France, on their relatively empty, but expensive, motorways. There, you can cruise along at the speed limit of 130kph/80mph (the best autoroute journey I’ve done is the A75 down to Montpellier and over the incredible Viaduc de Millau). Maybe motorway tolls, scrapping road tax and reducing duty on fuel is the way forward.

I’ve also learned that there are some useful things you can do at a slightly slower and stress-free pace: buy a set of language CDs and listen to them whilst driving is one. Learning all the words to albums by The Kings of Leon, The Script, Mumford and Sons, and Plan B so you can sing out loud and with confidence at their next live performance is another. Having a pleasant cabin, a DAB radio and a satnav connected to a RDS/TMC receiver certainly helps!

Also, over time, I feel I’ve developed a sixth sense with my driving that often allows me to get to my destination without breaking the speed limit or by annoying other road users or breaking the law just as quickly as others who do, simply by thinking a little laterally at times. I’ve stopped sharing these tips with people because they only work the fewer that people know them!

You can drive legally at 80mph (130km/h) on French autoroutes and that speed feels safe and comfortable. Most German autobahns, like our motorways, are so crowded for most of the time that it’s impossible to really put your foot down. On the occasions you can, I’ve felt comfortable up to about 100mph – until a big black BMW or Merc comes up behind at an enormous speed and you have to get out of the way. I think the French have the right balance – and I think the accident statistics on German autobahns suggest that their unlimited speed isn’t great for safety.

I remember the ‘temporary’ 70mph speed limit being introduced – partly as a fuel saving exercise, partly because of accidents in fog (it was introduced in December) and partly because some car manufacturers were using the M1 as a test track at speeds between 150 and 200mph. It is true that in 1965 few cars could sustain speeds in excess of 70mph, and that is probably why so few people objected at the time.

My own view is that 70mph is anachronistic. Cars have evolved, braking distances in particular have significantly reduced and the handling of vehicles under heavy braking has also improved. I would welcome variable limits, with a fine weather light traffic limit of 85mph reducing dependent on traffic conditions. Of course, that latter point depends on the ability of the police/highways agency to accurately monitor conditions in a timely fashion – not always easy. Who hasn’t driven past fog signs in clear sunlight (and vice versa)?

The caveat, of course, is whether drivers can drive safely at any speed. There is a need to leave adequate space to the car ahead, to take account of road conditions, not to drive with a mobile in hand, apply makeup, eat breakfast etc. etc.

I would welcome the variable speed limit idea but I think we all need regular re-training and perhaps a test every 5-10 years. I find it hard to reconcile the fact that we are spending £billions on building those extra lanes on our motorway system when it is acceptable behaviour for many drivers to get into the ‘fast lane’ as soon as they can (and therefore clog it up) instead of adopting the ‘overtaking where appropriate’ principles as stated in the Highway Code. I am saddened by this behaviour (and other dangerous stunts) as I enjoy driving, so long as it’s safe!

We need a wide ranging review of speed limits based on SLICE (Sensible Limits, Informed, Cautioned and Enforced).
The Sensible Limit for most motorways in good weather conditions is 80mph but this should be reduced during heavy rain and poor visibility. Then we need clear signs to show what the limit is (informed), warning signs to caution drivers who are exceeding the limit and consistent enforcement.
The M25 to M3(south) junction is limited to 50mph for no obvious reason – this is NOT sensible!
But when are we going to change the driver training and testing process so that new drivers can be taught how to drive on motorways? We need a system whereby “N”ew drivers are restricted for a period after passing their practical test and during this time they must successfully complete further professionally delivered training including driving on high speed, limited access roads and driving in the dark.

Higher speed limits would be fine in the dry as long as something is done about the increasing number of drivers who tail gate.Tailgating and driving inappropriate to the the conditions are the dangers, not speed in itself

Speed limits – what speed limits? The only ones that (other) people seem to take any notice of are those managed with cameras, whether fixed or average speed

There are so many things that are more likely to cause accidents than higher speeds on motorways (where appropriate). How about overtaking on the wrong side (lane dodging) – we have all seen it and know how stupid it is. How about enforcing the ban on hand-held mobiles? Stupid drivers moving into the space one driver has sensibly left behind the car in front – so that everyone else has to brake, and 5 minutes later the ripple effect brings everyone a few miles back to a standstill. Driving while tired. Hogging the outside lane while driving at 70mph because ‘that’s the limit and I’m a self-appointed limit enforcer’. The list is almost endless, but too many people blame speed which generally has nothing to do with it. A lot more courtesy all round, a lot more thought and consideration.

Enforce speed limits like mad!! Everywhere!! Would cut down that awful CO2 some people think is a pollutant.

It is strange but when there are average speed cameras operating the traffic seems to flow quite nicely usually. But there are always idiots who don’t care about other people or the law.

And in Germany half the autobahns have a speed limit of 130k and the police used to hand out huge fines to those who exceeded the speed limit excessively.

Quote: “Modern cars are more than capable of cruising quietly and safely at 80-90mph and above.”

Very true. Cars have improved enormously in the last 40 years. Sadly, drivers haven’t.

Vision, reflexes, ability to concentrate for long periods of time, etc. are exactly the same as 40 years ago, and 40 years before that. And remember it isn’t only YOUR reflexes that matter.

Traffic has increased enormously, and (anecdotally) distractions, frustration, aggressiveness and impatience have all increased.

I’ve driven high powered BMWs and Volvos on unrestricted German roads at speeds up to 140mph. Believe me, it’s absolutely terrifying and I don’t think any sane person would argue that it’s safe. Oh, and you wouldn’t believe what it does to your fuel consumption.

Cars might have got safer and more capable, but humans haven’t. The law is now 70 and most people think 80-90 is acceptable. Make it 80 and people will be justifying 100 mph.

Higher speeds are bad for road safety, its bad for those that those that don’t want to drive at high speeds being ‘bullied along’ by speed freaks, its bad for the environment and it raises stress in the driver.

70 mph is the MAXIMUM speed in perfect conditions, that means daylight, dry, low levels of traffic, adequate stopping distances and a car in perfect condition, correctly maintained with properly inflated tyres.

Yet when its heavy rain, poor visibility, night time etc people still drive like too fast, too close and wrongly anticipate what others are going to do.

Very few drivers lift their vision to look far enough ahead to properly ‘read the road’ and make good decisions to keep things flowing smoothly. This is why we get sudden tailbacks, because a bad driver has read the road wrong, suddenly had to break hard and caused a knock on affect. This doesn’t happen in places where the speed limit is lower. Actually lowering the speed limit to 60 mph creates a smoother, more consistent drive and a lot less stressful journey.

What happens on the M25 with variable and mostly lower speed limits from 40 mph, to create this smoothing effect should be used more often country wide.

Keep 70 the maximum and enforce it better.

I think the time has come to actually lower the speed limit to 60, both to reduce the environmental impact and also to keep a better flow of traffic. But I also feel it’s right to increase the minimum speed from 40 to 50.

However, I also believe in stricter enforcement of traffic regulations, and stopping people cruising in the middle and outside lanes would help the general flow, and also improve road safety.

While our cars have become more capable at speed since the 70mph limit was introduced, our roads have become much more congested and we have become more concerned about the environment. I think these factors have about cancelled each other out and 70mph still seems about right. Our roads are amongst the safest in the world, and certainly much safer than German or French roads. Perhaps the 70mph limit has something to do with this. I would be very surprised if increasing the limit did not increase fatalities, and there is no doubt at all that it would increase CO2 emissions. Currently all cars can cruise at 70mph, so speed differentials are minimal but would definitely increase if the limit were to rise substantially. It’s not the 70mph limit that is to blame for excessive and unpredictable journey times – it’s the congestion. Tackle that.

Although the 70 mph speed limit was introduced when most cars would barely get above this speed, there were also many fewer cars on the roads. On two lane motorways there would be too high a speed difference between the lanes for safety if the upper speed was increased.
If there was a Minimum as well as a Maximum speed limit on each lane this would perhaps reduce the speed difference and have the benefit of geting the “middle lane regardless of speed” drivers over to the appropriate lane.
Does 50 to 70 for the nearside lane, 60 to 80 for the second lane and 80 to 100 only if there is a third lane, sound appropriate?

Well I’m heartened by the sensible majority who believe that 70 mph is fast enough. I agree!!

I totally disagree – in all aspects –

And you “say “every accident (AKA CRASH) I’ve been in occurred at 5 – 20 mph” May I point out that repeated crashes does NOT point to a competent driver.

I for one am sick and tired of being tail-gated by incompetent drivers – who flash their lights to try to force me out of the way when I am driving at the maximum speed allowed – what ever that is.
And – directly I get out of their “god given” way – zoom up to the next driver in front and do the same,

I personally like to see everyone INVOLVED in a crash have to take the test again. – I assume that you are well under 65?

I haven;t had a crash or conviction in 64 years of driving daily – why should I be forced to be retested when I have proved to be at least safe by not having a crash?