Can someone explain to me 20mph speed limits...

[SpurMeUp]

I've accepted that driving in London is actively being made to be as slow, dull, and frustrating as possible. As you say needless bottlenecks - the roads leading to Finsbury Park that were two lanes shrunk into one. Was already congested prior.

There is one road that was 50 mph dual carriage way when I've moved into my house about 8 years ago. Fair enough it was reduced to 40. Now its been cut to 20.

You have to have Waze on permenently now to avoid the jams, and to help you navigate the closed roads and £60 fine no entry signs. All my routes accross town via the back streets are defunct. And you find that the richer the area the more they close the roads. Letting the poorer people suck up all the fumes and traffic.

Bus lanes...used to help after 7 or on a Sunday....gone. Driving in town was never that much fun, but it is actively being made worse. Godness knows what the collective lost hours are, and what they might be worth to the economy!

 

[Baleforce]

I've accepted that driving in London is actively being made to be as slow, dull, and frustrating as possible. As you say needless bottlenecks - the roads leading to Finsbury Park that were two lanes shrunk into one. Was already congested prior.

There is one road that was 50 mph dual carriage way when I've moved into my house about 8 years ago. Fair enough it was reduced to 40. Now its been cut to 20.

You have to have Waze on permenently now to avoid the jams, and to help you navigate the closed roads and £60 fine no entry signs. All my routes accross town via the back streets are defunct. And you find that the richer the area the more they close the roads. Letting the poorer people suck up all the fumes and traffic.

Bus lanes...used to help after 7 or on a Sunday....gone. Driving in town was never that much fun, but it is actively being made worse. Godness knows what the collective lost hours are, and what they might be worth to the economy!

Been driving in London for 25 years, it’s always been like that, imo, it’s better now than it was when I started.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

Research has shown that one in 40 pedestrians die when hit by a car going at 20mph, compared to one in five at 30mph.
It feels like you are almost at a standstill, but will add about 20 seconds to your journey, so just suck it up.

The big time suckers in traffic are actual traffic jams, traffic lights etc. Doing 20 gets you quite far across a town quite quickly IF it all flows at 20.
1 mile in 3 minutes is fine if you are going a couple of miles across a town.

I’d love to do 1 mile in 3 minutes
I’m also fine not killing someone in an accident an hour numbers are 100% right

This site has the explanation of speed with distance and time that people don’t get taught

Is 80mph worth it? - Rio Driving School

Does driving at 80mph really make a difference and what do you need to consider? Will it save you time?

riodrivingschool.co.uk

It’s a good read IMO

 

[Danishfurniturelover]

Its the pot holes that are tinkling me off.

Some so big they jar my back driving over.

 

[scaramanga]

I’d love to do 1 mile in 3 minutes
I’m also fine not killing someone in an accident an hour numbers are 100% right

This site has the explanation of speed with distance and time that people don’t get taught

Is 80mph worth it? - Rio Driving School

Does driving at 80mph really make a difference and what do you need to consider? Will it save you time?

riodrivingschool.co.uk

It’s a good read IMO

Stopping distance is a terrible argument - there's far too much variation in quality of cars to have a one size fits all measure.

I can probably count on one hand the number of times I've needed to leave more than reaction distance to the car in front in the last few months.

 

[Lilbaz]

Stopping distance is a terrible argument - there's far too much variation in quality of cars to have a one size fits all measure.

I can probably count on one hand the number of times I've needed to leave more than reaction distance to the car in front in the last few months.

Also creates traffic with the knock on effect. A car changes lanes. The car behind in that lane slows down. The car car behind slows down even more. 4 cars back one almost has to stop.

 

[scaramanga]

Also creates traffic with the knock on effect. A car changes lanes. The car behind in that lane slows down. The car car behind slows down even more. 4 cars back one almost has to stop.

Like the people who wait until the car in front has moved at a green light.

If everyone moved off when the light went green you'd get far more through each change.

 

[Chrissivad]

Like the people who wait until the car in front has moved at a green light.

If everyone moved off when the light went green you'd get far more through each change.

This 100%

Frustrating when it's a short light and you have someone not ready to move when the lights change.

 

[Lilbaz]

Like the people who wait until the car in front has moved at a green light.

If everyone moved off when the light went green you'd get far more through each change.

Some lights have timers on now. Has that helped?

 

[scaramanga]

Some lights have timers on now. Has that helped?

Not seen them. Have seen those ones with the handy "pre-lights" that looks like bicycles. They're really useful for telling you when you engage launch mode.

It's not always the first person though, the second and third just want a big gap before they move. It doesn't make sense - at the speed most people pull away at, the stopping distance is virtually nil.

 

[johnola]

Stopping distance is a terrible argument - there's far too much variation in quality of cars to have a one size fits all measure.

I can probably count on one hand the number of times I've needed to leave more than reaction distance to the car in front in the last few months.

The gap is also there to permit cars to change lanes.

 

[scaramanga]

The gap is also there to permit cars to change lanes.

Those lines between lanes mean the car joining needs to give way.

There's no need to create the space, they can wait for one. Anyone who has successfully matched the speed of the lane they're joining only needs a car length plus a few feet anyway.

 

[johnola]

I had a year driving with the black box telematics and am much better for it.

I drive like a chauffeur with comfort in mind.

 

[johnola]

Those lines between lanes mean the car joining needs to give way.

There's no need to create the space, they can wait for one. Anyone who has successfully matched the speed of the lane they're joining only needs a car length plus a few feet anyway.

And if there is an obstacle in the lane they are in you are condemning them to a collision.

 

[Lilbaz]

Not seen them. Have seen those ones with the handy "pre-lights" that looks like bicycles. They're really useful for telling you when you engage launch mode.

It's not always the first person though, the second and third just want a big gap before they move. It doesn't make sense - at the speed most people pull away at, the stopping distance is virtually nil.

They have them in asia. Some places in europe too. For pedestrians aswell. Although bangkok has them for 5 mins. Which is ok if you want to cross one fast road. But i was staying near the trainstation and wanted to go 7/11. Only 100m away. 4 crossings though. Took me half hour to get there and back.

 

[scaramanga]

And if there is an obstacle in the lane they are in you are condemning them to a collision.

Or braking.

 

[johnola]

Or braking.

They’ll still have to change lanes.

 

[scaramanga]

They’ll still have to change lanes.

Sounds like their problem.

 

[johnola]

Sounds like their problem.

Could be your lane.

 

[scaramanga]

Could be your lane.

They shouldn't be in it.

My lane's for the people that put their brave pants on in the morning.