People who drive 40 everywhere

Yeah I was looking at stats a few years old, it was around 15% or below but now it’s 20%. Still not a third though.

So why would they be comfortable doing 40 in a 30 if they don’t know the area?

You must be one of those drivers.

Thank you for making sure everyone understands. Hence why 20mph limits outside schools and in some other places are put in place.

Still think that whilst some of the responses are just people who want any inconvenient road user out of the way (probably those who hate cyclists as well), there are some of the drivers referred to who are hiding medical conditions.

I think what some posters are failing to get is that speed doesn't necessarily cause an accident, but if the vehicle is travelling at speed the chances of a fatality are higher.

Research has shown that a person is around five times more likely to be killed when hit by a vehicle travelling at around 30mph than they are from a vehicle travelling around 20mph.

And according to the UK numbers exceeding the speed limit and / or travelling too fast for the road conditions contributed to 28% of fatalities

Ooo I'm glad this is still going!

Just got stuck behind a brand new Cooper S going 20 in a 30. Hit the 60mph two lane road & sped up to 25! The CARAVAN between us overtook him. We overtook after a while. Then the caravan proceeded to drive at 35mph & in the middle of the road. We got to the next 20mph village & guys, guess what...

Insurance industry statistics from 2022

More like 15%

Speeding clearly reduces your ability to react and avoid a collision. It obviously causes accidents.

Well yes, and all those other factors cause accidents too.

It's a "factor", not a "cause". The number of accidents "caused" by speeding is a lot lower. There are nearly always other factors such as being over the alcohol limit, being on drugs, not paying attention, vehicle faults, accidents "caused" by others such as a pedestrian not checking before walking into the road, cyclist not stopping at junctions, etc. You have to be very careful with statistics.

Speeding is estimated to be a factor in around one third of all traffic fatalities in the UK so yes it causes accidents.

Drivers and riders who are travelling at inappropriate speeds – exceeding the speed limit or driving too fast for the conditions – are more likely to be involved in a collision and their higher speed means the collision will cause more severe injuries, to themselves and/or to other road users.

ROSPA quote.

I'm not sure speeding causes accidents (except where you are going ludicrously fast eg round a sharp bend) but it does make them worse.

I agree that not looking properly or pulling out when you don't have time are much more likely to cause an accident. A few weeks ago I witnessed a nasty motorbike accident when a driver pulled across his path. She simply didn't see him. I have no idea how he wasn't killed - he didn't even break anything despite flying a few feet through the air. It wasn't his fault at all, she just didn't look properly. But if he had been speeding, I have no doubt that he would be dead.

Try wearing the Cloak of Invisibility.*

*Riding a motorbike.

And the biggest cause of accidents is failing to look properly - I’d be interested to see the correlation between inexperienced drivers and accidents caused by failing to look properly.

Well that’s why you shouldn’t be driving at 40mph in a 30mph zone as the OP says and it goes without saying that inexperienced drivers are often precisely the ones who speed.

Speeding and tail gating cause more accidents than slower or inexperienced drivers

@MereDintofPandiculation I always leave quite a large gap between me and the car in front on open roads so yes it would take a second or two for the gap between us to narrow significantly (I absolutely loathe tailgaters).

@BIossomtoes you questioned whether I knew how to brake gently up thread.

Why are you asking me? I’m a shit driver who shouldn’t be on the road so anything I say is completely invalid.

It'll take a lot less than that! Two seconds is a long time in a car. Actually, I think I've misunderstood your post because up thread you said what are you achieving by “tickling” the brakes? Unless you’re sending a message to a tailgater taking your foot off the accelerator will have the same outcome.

@MereDintofPandiculation yes but that will take a couple of seconds, by which time you will have had to have braked, probably unnecessarily.

The car should know. You should be conscious of the distance between you and the car in front and take action to maintain it. Of course that's far easier to do if you're maintaining a decent stopping distance and not tailgating. (Sorry - I see you were talking specifically about tailgaters) The time when I do tap the brakes gently is if I'm rounding a bend and see a queue ahead of me that the car behind can't possibly have seen yet.

@BIossomtoes what are you achieving by “tickling” the brakes? Unless you’re sending a message to a tailgater taking your foot off the accelerator will have the same outcome.

parkrun500club · Today 11:35

And engine braking is much better for your car.

It depends on how you do it. If you lift off entirely and quickly, it increases stress through the clutch plate, but not if you do it gradually. Short shifting is even worse for your clutch. I come off the accelerator before braking, unless someone is close behind.

On the other hand, engine braking and short shifting to lose speed on motorbikes is taught to learners, as most have multi-plate oil bath clutches and can stand a lot more abuse.