All Blog Posts Tagged 'speed' (3)

It's speed in the wrong hands that kills, or inappropriate speed - the very speed we get at priority and signal-controlled junctions. For all the negative press about "speeding", you’d think exceeding the limit must be a major factor in "accidents". In fact, the DfT attributes only 5% of accidents to exceeding the limit. See P.7 of…

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I've been saying that traffic lights are an unnecessary evil. Second thoughts. They are worse than unnecessary. They cause congestion by denying infinite filtering opportunities. They heighten danger by taking our eyes off the road and stimulating inappropriate speed. They heighten stress and mess with our minds by dictating our behaviour against our better judgement. They incubate hostility by preventing empathy and fellow feeling. They cost the earth to install and run, causing damage to the… Continue

As if they needed it, local councils are being "given permission" by the DfT (Dept for Transport) to create 20mph zones. There is also talk of reducing rural speed limits to 50. I'm all for low speeds where warranted, but new restrictions will open the door to more expenditure on enforcement. Wouldn't it be more sustainable to reform the system to stimulate appropriate speed based on context?