Road Safety Strategy Unveiled

[Cret]

If it stops the minority of tossers who want to use open public roads roads as a means to live out some boyhood fantasy then all the better

That's just the problem with this speed limit mentality though. It won't make a jot of difference to the kind of idiots you're talking about (i.e. the kind of people that usually end up spoiling the privileges others have).

 

If/when speed limits are introduced then a few things will happen. Firstly some people won't be affected because they drive below said speeds already. No problem.

Secondly, some people who used to drive very quickly will slow down somewhat and possibly get a speeding fine occasionally if they do go over the new limits & get caught. Not really a problem as you might say the speed limit is having some effect in slowing them down a bit.

Thirdly, the real xxxxxx drivers that are the sort involved in the majority of accidents caused by reckless driving are likely to decide that if their loony speed antics are being spoiled by speed cameras/speed traps etc on their old favourite race tracks then they'll go elsewhere.

This doesn't mean they'll take up rally driving as you might wish but instead they'll go hell for leather along twisty, narrow country roads where you commonly encounter i) hedges that stop you seeing what's around the next bend, ii) xxxx all over the road from farms iii) poor road surfaces iv) a horse or herd of cows or drag racing combine harvesters potentially round every corner. Problem!

 

Now based on the fact that the xxxxxxxx fringe WILL continue to drive like morons with complete disregard for other road users (and I strongly suspect they will), driving as they do on aforementioned narrow country roads is going to FAR MORE dangerous and likely to result in accidents and innocent casualties than if they did it on more open roads. And, no, I'm not attempting to condone that kind of reckless driving, far from it, but it would seem logical that when it's done as it is at present it's likely to be the lesser of two evils so to speak.

 

It would of course be better to concentrate on the berks the likes of which Ripsaw has just mentioned as I suspect it's generally the ones who drive through crowded town areas with such disregard for others that are likely to be the same ones causing the lion's share of the accidents.

[Uni]

Yep, the boy racers love Douglas - despite there being a Police station plonked right near those round-a-bouts.

 

Saw this one guy in a green Saxo VTR, going round the Sea Terminal Round-a-bout [ no joke ] - the top half of his body hanging out of the window, arm slumped right down near the floor (fag in hand).

 

LOL @ Estate

[Jay]

car was leaning right over as he sped round the roundabout  and onwards towards the new bridge

Jesus H Christ!!....sounds like you were caught up in the Wacky Races! You sure you werent overtaken by Peter Perfect trying to escape the Pursuing Anthill Mob?

[Cret]

Must admit I'm continually surprised too that considering the bottleneck & sea terminal car parks seem to be the favourite places for wheelspinning & tyre screeching etc that they never seem to get rollocked for it considering they are in such close proximity to the police station.

[ans]

From your previous posts on this I assume that you're the kind of person who finds driving a chore - just a way of getting from A to B. I feel sorry that you can't share my joy of cars and bikes, but wonder if there's something that you DO enjoy that I may find odd?

You assume incorrectly. However, I don't need to go fast to enjoy driving. You're not enjoying driving, you're enjoying racing. There's a subtle and huge difference. I don't doubt there is a ton of stuff I do that you would find odd, unfortunately for your argument, none of them involve me driving a ton of metal on a road at speed.

 

Nobody who enjoys driving/riding will welcome blanket speed limits. It's a manifestation of the nanny state. It's politically correct. It's a sop to the high proportion of Manx drivers who can't drive properly. And it's nothing to do with penis envy, boy racers or midlife crises.

 

Actually, your arrogant stance is precisely the reason I welcome speed limits. 'Oh I'm too good at driving', 'I can handle the speed', 'You should learn to drive'. 'Blah' It's just pap coming from the mouths of men who furtively shuffle the change in their pocket when they read Top Gear.

 

I relish feeling in complete control of a machine. It's not so much about speed - I rarely do over 100mph on the Mountain, but LOVE the fact that I can do so legally as long as I don't get it wrong, and can prove (if pulled over) that I'm driving or riding safely with due consideration of road conditions.

As long as you don't get it wrong? But I thought you were the ultimate in drivers, imperious on the road, without fault or fear. You LOVE the fact that you can go fast. Do you strap down your chubby to prevent the air resistance?

 

This Island has a huge number of good, safe, fast drivers - with our motorsport heritage that's hardly surprising. Arbitrary speed limits will simply mean that instead of being 'tuned in' to driving, their CPU's will be idling at 60mph and there'll probably be MORE accidents. There'll be no motivation for people to hone their skills.

 

If they are incapable of maintaining concentration at 60mph, they shouldn't really be driving faster should they. Are they physically asleep when doing 20mph past the local school?

 

It's not about saving 5 minutes - but why the hell should we all trundle around like drones at the speed of the slowest? In nature and in life, sustainable and safe speed is encouraged and applauded.

Sure, it's not about those five minutes, that's right. It's all about your LOVE for speed and your own desire to inflate your own sense of self worth and satisfaction.

 

My message to the anti-speed lobby...if you can't hack it on the roads, look at improving YOUR skills and driving ability before you seek to drag the rest of us down to your - often appalling - level.

 

My message to the anti-anti-speed lobby...unlucky, it's coming whether you like it or not. Obey the law or you wont be driving anywhere at all kids.

 

Ripsaw: I'm disappointed, that's pathetic, put some effort into it eh?

[Jay]

Very well put Mr. Ans. You saved me a lot of time and effort.

[Bill Posters]

Agree with him or not, ans certainly argues his points well!

[joeyconcrete]

I must admit, when I was younger I used to like being in cars when driving fast. I guess its a young-male teen thing. Then I was in a minor-car crash (no, not a Morris - but it sounded better than a mini..), followed shortly by a 90mph mountain road loss-of-control spin. That immediately changed my attitude, since then I dont like going fast, at all.

 

I can see the argument from both camps, and partly agree with both points of view. Unfortunately, the way the argument stands is "Potential increased road Safety" vs People complaining because they like to drive fast.. In the government's eyes, thats a no-brainer. Even with the "maybe" surrounding speed and its relationship to accidents, the government will take that "maybe"..

 

But, on the otherhand - its the nob-heads who drive fast and dangerously who cause accidents, mainly due to the lack of brain/common-sense. Introducing a speed-limit will have no effect whatsoever on these type of drivers, so in a sense achieves nothing.

 

Another thing, I think people doing 40/50 in a 20/30mph area is more severe than people doing 70/80/90 on open stretches.. Just the other week I was walking down past the school (3.30ish) in governors hill when some old fella must have flew past doing about 40mph - Not a lot really, but when theirs kids riding bikes, crossing etc thats just bad.

 

sh1t - I'm beginning to sound 20years older than I am, so I'm off to get my pipe, smoking jacket and a model railway magazine.

[Cret]

You're not enjoying driving, you're enjoying racing. There's a subtle and huge difference.

I'd readily agree that enjoying driving does certainly not necessarily equate to enjoying driving fast, but drive fast does also not equate to 'racing' if there are no other people that you're 'racing' against.

 

At the same time I'd say another menace driver category are those who drive at relatively sedate speeds but spend most of their time concentrating on admiring the view etc instead of the road and the things they should be paying attention to.

 

Must admit though, the "Do you strap down your chubby to prevent the air resistance?" made me smirk Ans. Presumably they'd need to be driving a convertable & be supremely well endowed for that to make a difference. Doesn't sound like they'd be concerned with penis envy if that were the case!

[Cret]

But, on the otherhand - its the nob-heads who drive fast and dangerously who cause accidents, mainly due to the lack of brain/common-sense. Introducing a speed-limit will have no effect whatsoever on these type of drivers, so in a sense achieves nothing.

Basically what I was saying above, albeit my comment was in a more long winded manner.

[Minnie]

.........the high proportion of Manx drivers who can't drive properly.

Is this sweeping statement based on official statistics?

[=^..^=]

I'm in the middle of preparing quite a long post which will actually point out errors in the statistics which have been used to justify speed limits. As an ex **** employee I know all too well how statistics are intepreted/massaged/presented to give the answers required.

 

Pop quiz though to keep you interested.

 

1. Which western country has the lowest national speed limit and the highest fatality rate per head of population?

 

2. What contributing factor in accidents has increased in the UK since the introduction of speed cameras ?

 

3. What were the two major contributing factor in the open road deaths over the TT period excluding drink driving ? And before you say speed remember that less than 37% of all accidents have a contributing factor of speed. In the TT cases the highest factor accounts for 66% and the second highest accounts for 50%.

[Ripsaw]

Ripsaw: I'm disappointed, that's pathetic, put some effort into it eh?

Leave me alone, it's been a slow day at work and I'm tired.

 

The police park up on the Mountain Road. Hundreds of car pass them and yet where are the lists of court cases in the papers?

 

I won't be sobbing (or suffering a reduction in genital stimulation) *when* the speed limits are brought in. I will however still be of the belief that there are too many drivers on the road who are of the opinion that they can drive in a reckless manner, whatever road they are on, and they can and will get away with it.

 

If I can get my hands on one of the forms, my first suggestion will be a retest at the end of the 'R Plate' period.

 

The R Plates should be a probationary licence in that 'Yes, you have passed a test on a particular day and you will be allowed to drive unaccompanied, but in 12 months (or even better, 6) months, you will come back, retake your test and if you fail, then it's back to L Plates. A motoring offence of any description including parking tickets will result in a return to L Plates'.

 

On an Island this size, spending money on 2 police officers and putting them out on the street is a more financially viable expense than "Road Safety Cameras"

 

Sod income from Speed Cameras, put the Police on commision, then let's see how many blind eye's are turned.

[Observer]

Crikey it's hot in here tonight eh?

 

What I don't understand is, why the fixation with the mountain road and with particularly high speeds? Surely it's a question of appropriate speed (or not as the case may be) As has already been said, you can witness wreckless driving every day in the areas in which we already have limits in place and regardless of any additional limits being set or not, precisely this kind of driver will continue to flout the law with brazen disregard for other road users and their personal safety, limit or not.

 

Perhaps the underlying issue is enforcement? Will the mountain road (or A N other road) be policed any better?

[Uni]

Yeah I think people are getting mixed up, The roads at the moment that are unlimited, should stay that way - speeding on those has been fine for years and years. Do what they want from urban roads, hell stick some more speed-bumps down to properly knacker our suspension/front valances.