to point out that the national speed limit on a dual carriageway is *70* and not *60*?

[LRDtheFeministDragon]

I am sure after the zillion AIBUs about drivers over Christmas this isn't necessary but WHY do some people not know the speed limit?

I know that the speed limit is a limit not a target; I'm fine with people driving at 60 if they think that's the appropriate speed for the road or the conditions. What I'm not fine with is pillocks who slam the breaks on every time they see a speed camera because they're doing 65 and think the limit is 60.

Moaning about this to friends at lunchtime, they did not know that the national speed limit on a dual carriageway is 70, not 60. They've passed their tests, btw, and have been driving for a while.

AIBU to think they're twats and so are the idiots I ended up behind today?

A dual carriageway is a road with the carriageways separated by a central reservation. Each side can have any number of lanes. That makes no difference. A dual carriageway merely means there is a central reservation between the carriageways going in opposite directions.

I know that's not quite the point of the thread but if it's to educate people then it really needs to be right.

National speed limit is 60 if there is no central reservation no matter how many lanes you have on your side.

But yes drivers who speed and then brake when there's cameras cos they are idiots who can't read the big signs at the side of the road piss me off no end.

Another tip, if you need to check whether it's 30 look at the side streets. If they don't have 30 signs them you're in a 30 zone

Unexpected, I was taught that as well - about 14 years ago as well.

Ah, that would make sense then unexpected - if you don't have a dual carriageway it'd have been natural.

But presumably on the theory test you got taught to answer that national speed limit meant 70 on the motorway?

redruby - I think what chipping and others have said sounds good.

YANBU! Following from my thread, I am very up to date with the speed limits and it annoys me that other people aren't!

For a single carriageway the mph is 60, for a dual carriageway it is 70mph :)

hellhas, I know, it just reminded me of it that's all.

There wasn't a theory test 14 years ago. Just a few highway code questions.

eh, I passed my test 22 years ago.

For cars not towing anything etc: National Speed limit 60mph for single carriageway, 70mph dual carriageway or motorway. Dual carriageway can have more than 2 lanes in the same direction but is not subject motorway restrictions such as no learner drivers

Do you all know what to do if your car gets stuck on a level crossing???

I passed my test in 1998 (or was it 1997?) and was one of the first to do the theory test when it was multiple guess choice questions. I got 100% :)

I remember being asked this very question on one of my many failed tests, 24 years ago. When I answered, '70mph,' the examiner looked like this: , but of course said nothing. Afterwards, my instructor confirmed that the correct answer was 60mph.
It's always stuck with me as I felt so embarrassed to have made such a rookie mistake. I'm that it's now 70.
Mind you, I'm definitely not one of those idiots slamming on the breaks at the sight of a speed camera; I drive up to the limit where it's safe to do so (honest, guv), so I never have to break suddenly apart from when I slip up to 80 in the outside lane on the motorway.

The theory test was introduced in Summer 1996

according to here

Get out of the bloody thing and use the trackside phone?

always - what's the difference between teh theory test and highway code questions - just the formality?

But thanks, that makes a lot of sense.

FWIW, this link does rather seem to confirm what people are saying about the 70 limit being in force a long time ago.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Road_speed_limits_in_the_United_Kingdom

ruby - personally, I don't want more signs. But if so many people don't know if's 70 not 60, I thinkk maybe number signs would be helpful. And obviously the examples given earlier in the thread are pretty daft, too!

How weird. I have no recollection! Wiki tells me it wasn't computerised till 2000 so I was pre that. So I must have done a written one. But no memory whatsoever

yule - according to wiki, the national speed limit on dual carriageways has never been 60, so I am wondering what was going on ... can anyone shed light? So many people seem to remember it changing - when did it happen?

This is making me very glad I'm not having to learn to drive again!

Actually I just want to make a special mention of the jokers who put up the variable speed restrictions on the M25.

Why oh why does it say 40 mph when the traffic is virtually stationary????? Especially on Friday afternoons from 3pm...

ruby - yes, true. But don't you drive 10mph under the limit if you're towing in a 50 zone too? I've never towed so not sure, but if memory serves, you do.

It could be then that we don't just need lots of signs, we need a reminder campaign - don't brake sharply for speed cameras, just do the right speed!

Highway code questions were just a handful of 'what does this sign mean' type of questions. A handful at the end of the test.

...which I now feel like I remember revising for

The correct answer to what is the national speed limit would have always been

"for a car it is 60 for single carriageway and 70 for dual carriageway and motorways provided they are not towing blah de blah"

So 60 would be wrong as answer and so would 70mph

I can remember driving on the A127 and doing 70mph as a learner back in 1981 the distant past. I don't recall it being 60mph on dual carriageways at any time in my driving career.

- always, I bet you did revise! I got so bloody nervous about that test where they make you read a numberplate I made my mum driver her car down the road for me to practice.

In retrospect it could be there were more important things to worry about!