Variable speed limits?

I was on the m25 recently and saw that they have variable speed limits which change throughout the day. Also the speed cameras (of which there are loads) also adjust so that they are always at the same speed as the limit.

The reason that they do it on the m25 (according to them) is to prevent conjestion and to help the flow of traffic. However wouldnt this be a good idea on all roads?

I know it would be expensive and would take many years to implement but i think it would make the police more popular and would be a fairer system. It would show that the police are not just trying to gain revenue from speed cameras but that they are there for safety.

For example there may be a road which is a 30 (or possibly even 20) mph limit due to there being a school. However is this really a good limit? If you had variable speed limits the limit could be lowered to 20mph between 8:00 and 9:00, then raised to 30/35mph between 9:00 and 15:00 THen lowered to 20mph between 15:00 and 16:00 (or maybe later for after school activities) and then finally raised to 40mph between the end of the 20 limit and 8:00

There could even be a higher speed limit in the very dead of the night.

This is just an idea people so dont start neg repping me (again) for just suggesting it.

Anyone think this is a good idea?

Reply 1

username68316

Yeah, nice idea, but Its just some pedantic people might find it confusing and start complaining :biggrin:

Reply 2

L0RA

I dont really think theres a need for it, most schools i know are on residential roads which would be unsafe to do above 20 even out of school times due to children playing. I also dont think it would be a good idea to have a higher speed limit at night because it just encourages people to drive faster.

The M25 confuses me because the limits at 40 when i'm struggling to get above 15 :wink:

Reply 3

gbduo

Whenever i go on the M25, the limit is 40mph and there is no traffic on the road! Seems to be alot of police wanting to catch you speeding though...

The cameras are always active no matter if the variable speed thingies are lit or not...if you go through them and doing a ridiculous speed like 90mph, you will get done. Doing anything before that though and you should be OK :biggrin:

Just slow down when you get to the gantries!

As for the variable speed limits on all roads, i agree that it is a good idea on like busy dual carriageways and roads that are interconnected towns but not in them so much, however residential areas that have 20,30,40mph limits should stay the same and be more strictly enforced if you can go faster out in the sticks...

Better would be to have no limit on the motorways and A roads that are basically motorways and then for the police to cane your ass if you speed in residential areas where it counts.

Graham

Reply 4

SuperhansFavouriteAlsatian

Agreed. It's not like you have people crossing motorways, and if you crash at 70, you're as dead as if you crash at 90.

Reply 5

OBScene

gbduo

The cameras are always active no matter if the variable speed thingies are lit or not...if you go through them and doing a ridiculous speed like 90mph, you will get done. Doing anything before that though and you should be OK :biggrin:

Just slow down when you get to the gantries!

Actually, apparently they're only active when there's variable speed limits, plus if you get a ticket from one and contest it the CPS always drop your ticket because the type of speed camera (Serco) has only been approved by the Home Office for use singly - as on the M25 they're acrosss all lanes they're no proof that radar from other cameras or aircraft didn't interfere with the measurement :smile:

.

I wouldn't try it, but according to Pepipoo there's a lot of speeding offences where police don't follow procedure and so your ticket isn't valid - the police rely on the fact that most motorists don't know the law so won't contest, and if they do contest it the CPS just drop the case so it's "withdrawn" rather than "police lost", and bad publicity is avoided.

Reply 6

Kingspharm

I still wouldn't rather take the risk! No speeding ticket is better than a successfully contested one... :smile:

I think variable limits are a very bad idea. Take the M42 for example - they have them on there. From my experience, traffic is a lot worse and slower now than before the cameras went up. I always stick to 70 rather than risk it on the theory that the cameras are only on when the limits are on the screens. Fine if you've got cruise control but otherwise trying to maintain your speed at 70 is very difficult and IMHO less safe than driving at a safe speed in relation to other vehicles on the road.

Reply 7

flyboy123

I wasnt thinking of using them to try and help traffic flow but as a more sensible way of driving at different times....is it really necessary to have to stick to 20mph when going past a school at 3 in the morning?

Reply 8

Mad Vlad

I read somewhere that because of the software on the M25 variable speed limit, if one single bulb on the matrix display for a lane doesn't work, the gantry Gatso for that lane won't function.
Still, I wouldn't want to risk it.

Variable speed limits work in theory, but as soon as you start getting people going too fast or driving too close, you get the concertina effect where congestion happens because everyone brakes just that little bit harder to avoid the car in front.