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?

You shouldn't have to "slam on your breaks" to drop from 65 to 60, just easing off the accelerator will quite easily achieve this very quickly.

OP I know a dual carriage way with central reservation that is a 40MPH limit, it's in Kingston/Epsom area.

So Dual carriage ways are not always 70 in England.

Oh fgs, she said where it was national speed limit, not variable speed limits.

YABU

70mph is the maximum permitted speed, not a default speed at which everyone must travel.

If you are having to slam on your brakes, you are too close in the first place.

More consideration and tolerance on our roads would be a good thing.

Aaaaargh

This thread is now a great example of why people continue to believe incorrect things even when the information is provided ad nauseum

Jareth? Head, wall, ready? Arrrggghhh!!!!

I'm sure I remember a time when the national speed limits were temporarily reduced to 50 on single carriageway roads, and 60 on dual carriageways due to oil shortages.

That would make it about 1973.

I think you're right OneHand I was 10 at the time and I'm sure I can remember that Not that I am old enough to remember though.

I was about to make the same point OneHandWrapping (speaking as another old fart gimmer)

I even found this news article to support my memory. It was a temporary thing, purely in response the oil crisis and was never intended to be permanent.

I passed my test (first time ) in 1985 and remember learning the difference between the motorway and dual carriageway (which could have only one lane going each way but as long as they had a central reservation) speed limits (70mph) and the single carriage way national speed limit of 60mph.

The wiki article I linked to had a bit about the oil crisis limits, too.

I can believe a few people would have confused memories as a result of it, but TBH I think most people who're thinking it's 60 just didn't learn to drive where there were any proper dual carriageways, and so didn't know. Maybe?

I didn't know you could have a single-lane dual carriageway, either!

FWIW, one of my mates that I mentioned who didn't know the limit just got in touch and said her dad who learned to drive in the 60s knew it was 70 and took the piss out of her massively!

LaurieFairyCake

I passed 20+ years ago and it was 70 then on dual carrriageways.

To the OP

Yep drives me mad, one of the roads by me ais a 70 dual carriageway but I seem to be the only one who knows you can go over 60.

There were "proper" dual carriageways before there were motorways - I can remember when the M6 was still being built, when we travelled down to England when I was very wee.

It's not that long ago since the M25 was a collection of dual carriageways rather than an orbital motorway.

(FWIW, "single lane each way" dual carriageways are rare but do exist - I know I've come across a section in Scotland)