Petrol prices appear to have dipped a little from the peak a few months ago, but the days of cheap fuel are gone it seams. I keep being told how hard it is at the moment to be a motorist, so presumably drivers are reducing their discretionary mileage. Has anybody seen any evidence? Sometimes I go out and think its maybe marginally quieter, but other times it feels like business as usual. For example, Reeth was packed when we passed through on the Tan Hill run - the car park was full to bursting. Maybe motorway speeds are down a bit. Does anyone know if total UK fuel usage is being plotted? I did hear a report that said that motorists would start to alter behaviour significantly when the price reached £1.50/litre and there was a forecast that that barrier would be broken this year - but that now looks unlikely.
Thoughts?
Traffic Counts
Moderator: Moderators
Congestion on the M25 is down due to reduced traffic volumes.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7585189.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7585189.stm
Re: Traffic Counts
I dont think motorway speeds are down.Rob wrote:Petrol prices appear to have dipped a little from the peak a few months ago, but the days of cheap fuel are gone it seams. I keep being told how hard it is at the moment to be a motorist, so presumably drivers are reducing their discretionary mileage. Has anybody seen any evidence? Sometimes I go out and think its maybe marginally quieter, but other times it feels like business as usual. For example, Reeth was packed when we passed through on the Tan Hill run - the car park was full to bursting. Maybe motorway speeds are down a bit. Does anyone know if total UK fuel usage is being plotted? I did hear a report that said that motorists would start to alter behaviour significantly when the price reached £1.50/litre and there was a forecast that that barrier would be broken this year - but that now looks unlikely.
Thoughts?
Every single time I have been up to manchester with my dad its common to see cars going 100+ mph, going at 90mph was not enough for some drivers even then they where right up the back end.
I dont blame them though, 70mph is so slow and boring in a car and its much safer going 100+, but the reason that most are going fast still I am guessing is that they are reps in there fast company cars that get the petrol paid for them so they have no reason to go slow.
Last edited by willhub on Mon Sep 08, 2008 4:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Actually 100+ isn't safer. It's much more dangerous when you crash, and you're more likely to crash. It also leads to an instant ban from driving if you get caught.I dont blame them though, 70mph is so slow and boring in a car and its much safer going 100+,
If you're really bothered, I can point you at the relevant research.
Yea I know it leads to an instant ban as 70mph is the max speed limit by law.Arthur wrote:Actually 100+ isn't safer. It's much more dangerous when you crash, and you're more likely to crash. It also leads to an instant ban from driving if you get caught.I dont blame them though, 70mph is so slow and boring in a car and its much safer going 100+,
If you're really bothered, I can point you at the relevant research.
Of course 70mph is safer when you crash as its less force when going into an object.
But does the german motorways not show that going faster is not necceceraly more dangerous as they dont have a speed limit, you get people going 200mph on there motorways and the death tool is much lower.
Ah, the fantasy world of the petrol-head.willhub wrote:But does the german motorways not show that going faster is not necceceraly more dangerous as they dont have a speed limit, you get people going 200mph on there motorways and the death tool is much lower.
Think about it Will, you say faster = safer. Less time to react = safer. Just doesn't make sense.
I don't know the stats for Germany, but have driven there many times. There's actually not that much with no speed limit, most stretches have a rigorously enforced 100/120/140 kph limit. There are many things that effect safety and the autobahns have, generally much lower traffic density. Also without wishing to be overly stereotypical about our germanic neighbours; let's just say that they drive with a little more discipline us anglo saxons.
"But does the german motorways not show that going faster is not necceceraly more dangerous as they dont have a speed limit, you get people going 200mph on there motorways and the death tool is much lower"
Honestly Will, this argument is so shot full of ifs and buts that it holds no water at all in respect of UK motorways. German drivers on German Autobahns at higher speeds *may* be safer but that doesn't mean that UK drivers on our motorways flooring it will be too, since half of them will be on the phone, eating lunch or generally ignoring the rules of the road. I survived many years of long motorway travel as a motorcyclist and was constantly horrified by the standard of UK motorway driving. If you think 70mph in a car is boring, then either try it on two wheels or go by train.
Honestly Will, this argument is so shot full of ifs and buts that it holds no water at all in respect of UK motorways. German drivers on German Autobahns at higher speeds *may* be safer but that doesn't mean that UK drivers on our motorways flooring it will be too, since half of them will be on the phone, eating lunch or generally ignoring the rules of the road. I survived many years of long motorway travel as a motorcyclist and was constantly horrified by the standard of UK motorway driving. If you think 70mph in a car is boring, then either try it on two wheels or go by train.
Well yes 70mph on a motorbike would feel fine, just something about 2 wheel transport that seems to make it faster, like 40-50mph on a road bicycle is insane, feels and looks faster than 80mph in a car!PhilBixby wrote:"But does the german motorways not show that going faster is not necceceraly more dangerous as they dont have a speed limit, you get people going 200mph on there motorways and the death tool is much lower"
Honestly Will, this argument is so shot full of ifs and buts that it holds no water at all in respect of UK motorways. German drivers on German Autobahns at higher speeds *may* be safer but that doesn't mean that UK drivers on our motorways flooring it will be too, since half of them will be on the phone, eating lunch or generally ignoring the rules of the road. I survived many years of long motorway travel as a motorcyclist and was constantly horrified by the standard of UK motorway driving. If you think 70mph in a car is boring, then either try it on two wheels or go by train.
If I ever get some transport then it would be a motorbike over a car, I mean surely a motorbike has better fuel consumption? And is cheaper?
I don't understand?tomf wrote:A comment about the sportier suspension favoured by German boy-racers?the death tool is much lower
Would probably make more sense if it were...
People just need to be further apart on the motorway, for example 70mph its not really going to be safer if you are right up close to the person in front than say 100mph and you are a good 5 meters away.Rob wrote:Ah, the fantasy world of the petrol-head.willhub wrote:But does the german motorways not show that going faster is not necceceraly more dangerous as they dont have a speed limit, you get people going 200mph on there motorways and the death tool is much lower.
Think about it Will, you say faster = safer. Less time to react = safer. Just doesn't make sense.
I don't know the stats for Germany, but have driven there many times. There's actually not that much with no speed limit, most stretches have a rigorously enforced 100/120/140 kph limit. There are many things that effect safety and the autobahns have, generally much lower traffic density. Also without wishing to be overly stereotypical about our germanic neighbours; let's just say that they drive with a little more discipline us anglo saxons.
I guess drivers just need to be abit more careful and leave more space, you get some drivers that are almost touching the back bumper, there was a woman in a 4x4 doing that last time my dad took me to Manchester.
Is that speed limit on most of the autobahns quite recent? I was doing abit of googling and it said "After a coalition of her own party won a vote to introduce 80mph limits" but then again that was october 30th 2007.
-
MichaelCarter
- Posts: 185
- Joined: Fri May 18, 2007 12:16 pm
What about 50 in a 30 zone, while there are people by the road etc? Would 20mph over the limit still be no problem?willhub wrote:they have the speed limit at 70, 90mph would be no problem.
With the speeds, if everyone is doing the same speed it would seem safer,(eg. all doing 90 rather than a range of speeds) but its still no justification for going too fast, as everyone at 70 is even safer still than all at 90.