Am I the only idiot that sticks to the 20 MPH limit?

[QuiQuaiQuod]

Get cars up my chuff revving, cars speeding past, yet theyre never caught. I go just 1 over and I'd prob get stopped!

But apparently the highway code ISN'T law so why do some people take notice of it and is that why most people do NOT?

and most areas where I live are 20 mph now- its ridiculus and prob causes more emissions!

Why do people insist it's safer when the actual DATA show it's not?

Post-truth?

Why do people insist it's safer when the actual DATA show it's not?

Whatever the data says, it doesn't give you the right to break the speed limit.

In this case, the law is an ass. That doesn't actually mean I speed in 20s BTW.

Why do people insist it's safer when the actual DATA show it's not?

It's easy to believe. Let's face it, the reason the speed limits are being lowered to stupidly low levels (even when the upper limits in some countries are being raised where new developments have made travelling at such speeds safer) is because it is the cheapest way to show "something" is being done about RTAs. Doesn't need proof that it works; it's a visual way of showing that the LA cares while in actuality sweet FA is being done because of a severe lack of funds.

Actually dealing with the real issues is far too costly, because a lot of it comes down to roads being far too narrow in our towns and cities and that cannot be easily (and cheaply) rectified.

Why would you not stick to the speed limit? This is the very upper limit it is deemed safe to travel on a particular road. It's not a target, it's a limit. Drive to the conditions, sometimes 20 will be too fast for the conditions. Government stats say 80% of drivers break the 20mph speed limit. This is why it's Un-enforceable. There are simply too many doing it. Exactly the same with mobile phone use. It IS enforced but there are so many you simply can't catch all of them.

Most of the Highway Code IS law. If it says MUST it's part of the RTA, if it says SHOULD it's advice but contravening it could still be prosecuted under dangerous or careless driving.

Come back and say breaking the law is safe when drivers have stopped killing five people A DAY. You are driving two tons of metal with massive kinetic energy should there be a crash. Take responsibility for the lethal machinery and drive in accordance with your license that you need to be on a road. Pedestrians, cyclists, horses etc are there by RIGHT. Vehicles are dangerous so are there by licenses, drivers should remember that.

Great post wibble

The limit is 20 in the small village where we live, we stick to it as do most people. The roads are narrow and winding some people have to park on the road as 15 century house were not built with garages! So it is dangerous to go too fast especially when the bus comes through, tractors, and the man driving his horses. If you want to go fast live by a motorway

Road near us with downhill limit of 20 it’s actually hard to do and feels weirdly slow. Has speed camera and most people I know me included got caught there. I always follow limit now don’t want anymore tickets

Apparently more people are choosing to walk in 20 mile zones in cities which can only be a good thing. The less reliant we are on cars in cities the better.

Interestingly there was a recent report that said pedestrian injuries had increased in 20 mph zones because pedestrians were more likely to walk out without checking than in a 30 zone.

Depending on the road I might go quicker because I'm a terrible human.

I do 30 in the 20s 🤷‍♀️

I follow the flow of traffic with my driving, if someone is doing 20 in the 20 I don't tailgate and get annoyed, but I've seen plenty of people do just that. If someones doing 30 in a twenty I'll do 30 behind them.

I don't know where all these posters live that follow the 20 signs. They don't live in my part of England that's for sure.

People are so idiotic about driving speed. If your entire commute of ten miles were in a 20 zone with no other traffic congestion or stop lights/signs/roundabouts/crossings to slow you down, you’d get home ten minutes later than you would at 30. However no one has a commute like that. If you add in the fact that you’re spending at least part of your commute on 30, 40, NSL roads, and motorways, plus all the other congestion and reasons to slow down and stop, you’re looking at an average difference of seconds, not minutes, to the length of your journey because of 20mph limits. If death rates have gone up, it’s not because of the limit but rather because of the slack-jawed selfish idiots who think they’re more important than everyone else (several of whom have shown themselves on this thread).

I would say though that I wish speedos were more accurate at low speeds. When I’m dead on 20 the signs that read your speed back at you flash 15 or 16. I imagine that’s frustrating to the impatient bellends behind me and it makes them act even more dangerously by revving and looking to pass dangerously.

I always drive slowly round schools during school time as I know how unpredictable children are . I don’t otherwise though

I live in London surrounded by 20mph roads. I vary rarely stock to them and will often do 25-30 on the roads where it is reasonable to do so. Eg long straight roads, not near schools or lots of hazards. I will slow down on roads where 20 seems logical or if I’m in an area where I don’t know the roads. But doing 20 round here just causes problems as it’s unnecessary and everyone around just gets really annoyed.

Also, there are speed cameras on some of them.

Never seen a road at 20, which is really slow, unless it's near a school at school start/end times only. Obviously keep to it then. Is it a city thing? I don't tend to drive in cities as public transport is often easier/cheaper than parking.

It's seems to be general policy where I am to convert most 30mph roads to 20mph. Including major routes with no residential properties or schools directly on them, and no pedestrians alongside them because anyone travelling along the road would take a bus.

Why would you not stick to the speed limit? This is the very upper limit it is deemed safe to travel on a particular road.

The routes in question have been 30mph for decades until changing recently, and if post up-thread are to be believed, the people who deemed 20mph to be safer are wrong.

I know it’s hard without context but this is the sort of road I’m talking about

My street is a 20 and has lots of elderly people, kids and dogs running about so you can bet that I'm going 20.
The Main Street nearest me is 30 so I was going along there last night when a couple of eejits were right up behind me then flew past me, another car turned into the street ahead also doing 30 and they got stuck behind them instead. I actually laughed out loud.

It's not just about accidents. It's partly about de-prioritising cars - making the streets more pleasant for pedestrians and cyclists, and making car journeys such a pita that people use other modes of transport. If you don't like that, you are a gas-guzzling climate change denier and you're opninion worth nothing.

Why would you not stick to the speed limit? This is the very upper limit it is deemed safe to travel on a particular road.

"The routes in question have been 30mph for decades until changing recently, and if post up-thread are to be believed, the people who deemed 20mph to be safer are wrong."

Are you a highways or planning engineer? Are the people in the "my road doesn't need to be 20mph" Gang? No? Ok, so someone with relevant experience and qualifications has looked at the road in question, and the ones surrounding it and decided the limit can be lowered. The picture below shows a couple of hazards that may seem it wise to have a 20 limit.

I got a ticket and 3 points for doing 27 in a 20 zone so this is enforced. Since then I’ve stuck to the limit, but this annoys other drivers.

👍🏻 wibble

It is enforced at random in my town. One village has permanent speed cameras and then the police do random visits all over with speed guns. Wish they would visit my road again as it is used as a race track. Never mind people driving at 30 in a 20 zone, they tend do 40-50. In areas where there are children I understand why it is 20. I had a little boy just run across the road from in between parked cars, in front of me, last week. Had I been going at 30 I would have hit him. At 20 I had time to see him and react.

Yes, yes you are. But I applaud you for it, if that helps?

I follow the flow of traffic with my driving

I'd much rather you made up your own mind. I guess that makes me weird.