20 mph speed limit

To me it's not one of those things I'd think about, it's just deep rooted basic knowledge. Like not touching a hot stove because it's hot. Not running full speed into a brick wall because it will hurt. Or not accelerating a couple of tonnes of mass more than necessary if you care about pollution.

 

Most people don't do that anyway, most people drive normally/carefully.

 

Then they won't mind the speed restrictions.

 

At our last parish council meeting it was brought up by some of the locals about having a 20mph speed limit again. We live in a rural area with narrow lanes, not enough room for oncoming traffic, so very few speed. The ones that are wanting a 20mph speed limit are those that like to go out walking, not an issue during the day because we can see them. But going for a walk in darkness without a Hi Vis down country lanes, is just plain stupid, but no, blame the motorists.

 

I agree that it's impossible to be visible, but 'the motorists' (of which I'm one) have a legal response for other road users too. Some of our legal responsibilities include, ensuring our headlights are working correctly, that our windows and mirrors are clear, and that our eyesight is meets the legal requirements for driving. We also have a legal responsibility to drive according to the local conditions, which implies driving at a speed such that we can stop in the distance we can see to be clear. I think it says that in the highway code somewhere.

All that said, I do fully agree about the importance of being visible. Someone dressed in dark clothes on a rainy night is just silly, if they knew when setting out that they'd be walking on country lanes, but we can't make a blanket statement that they're stupid. For all we know their car might have broken down just down the road so they've unexpectedly had to get out and walk to the nearest village or something.

 

Speed restrictions seem to rarely catch the big speeders, my sister got done for doing 2mph over the limit, but there is never a copper around when someone goes passed you in a crazy spot or at an excessive speed.

It the same with all laws, you can make as many as you like, but if you cant enforce them is there really any point

 

People often walk on the wrong side of the road, I find, these days.

 

There is an area of main road past Dalgety Bay which was 60 mph but was reduced to 40 mph. There is a huge industrial estate between the road and Dalgety Bay with a railway cutting on the other side and fields beyond that.
And the reason the speed limit reduction was introduced? Some teenagers decided to play chicken, and in the process, a girl was struck and killed. How is a speed limit supposed to legislate against that?

 

My Mum read my post this morning. She told me off because she said that it come over as being overly 'sarcastic' - which is true - no offence was offered - no more posts like this from me .