To ask what speed on a dual carriageway....

[WannaStay]

Hi all,

I want to ask you, what speed do you do down a dual carriageway that is NSL? I mean you personally.

I know the limit is 70mph.

I do stick to 70, because it was drilled into me by my dad. I am sure I have broke the speed limit at some point in my driving life, if only briefly, think we all have.

But back to it. What speed do you do? Also what speed do you think is acceptable max? My DH does 80 and thinks most do so.

Also I am asking what speed your speedometer says. I know they are out some what but just to keep it simple, for me lol.

I can understand that it is a macho thing with some immature men; a bit of penis-waving. *

Or "fanny flapping" by some immature women. Men don't have the monopoly of being pricks on the road.

@LoudBatPerson for clarification, where I am, there are dual carriageways, which then becomes a single carriageway (with no barrier between lanes), its common here, and yes, the national speed limit does change from 70mph to 60mph on those roads...

Depending on the car, you don't need to. If I switch mine on it does it automatically. The car is a clever little fucker and can read the speed signs and if the limiter is on sets the upper limit accordingly. If there are no speed signs it tries to get the info from the sat nav. If I can't do that, then the limit is what I've set the upper limit to.

It's a tiny tiny step to making it compulsory ...

I used to drive through a radar trap at work every day and the speedo was only ever 2 or 3 MPH out.

I haven't drive for a while now, but I always stayed at 65-70. Everyone occasionally goes over, but I think consistently driving at 75 and higher is unacceptable.

Honestly, life is weird. If you dont breastfeed or wean your babies too early you are the scum of the earth apparently, but it's ok if you drive at 80mph and potentially kill and maim loads if people!!!

I'm not sure that driving at 80 on a NSL dual carriageway does kill and maim many people in comparison to driving at 70 on a NSL dual carriageway.

It's the driving at 40 in a 30 limit that tends to drastically increase deaths and serious injuries on our roads, or driving at 60 on A roads that aren't fit for it.

I drive on the M8 a lot and absolutely nobody pays attention to the speed limit, it’s mental. It goes between 50, 60 and 70 throughout and pretty much everyone does about 65 no matter what stretch they’re on

Last weekend there were flashing signs advising a 40 limit and nobody slowed down. I drive at the limit (weather conditions permitting) but on that motorway there doesn’t seem to be any rules

@biker47 "And here's proof in writing, that people don't know how to drive. 1. A dual carriageway can have any number of lanes from; 1 upto as many as you like,"

No, a dual carriageway can have two lanes, the word "dual" gives it away! I think you are getting yourself confused with a motorway but then again, if you knew how to drive you'd know that already...

@JohnVirgo I have clarified that the dual carriageways where I am, merge into single carriageways (no barrier whatsoever), I guess because that's what I'm used to I can't imagine it not being the same everywhere...

@TabbyMumz

Calm down a bit.

No, a dual carriageway can have two lanes, the word "dual" gives it away!

Lanes are different to carriageways. As a competent driver would know.

* * No, a dual carriageway can have two lanes, the word "dual" gives it away!

Not heard of 3 lane Dual Carriageways? And I don't mean motorways.

I drive on the M8 a lot and absolutely nobody pays attention to the speed limit, it’s mental

This is true. Though at busy times everyone might be doing 30.

The M8 is a bit of an odd one though with it's constant increase and decrease in lanes and junctions going off the fast lane. In fairness I like it much better since the M74 was finally completed and took a good chunk of the traffic with it.

In the dry and when traffic conditions allow, I generally drive at an indicated 75-80. This is well within ACPO guidelines for prosecution, ie 10% + 2mph.

In the wet, I drive much more slowly.

@DGRossetti @PhilCornwall1

I think you're being deliberately obtuse, I was replying to someone who said a dual carriageway can have any number of lanes...

No, a dual carriageway can have two lanes, the word "dual" gives it away! I think you are getting yourself confused with a motorway but then again, if you knew how to drive you'd know that already...

Yes, a dual carriage way can have two lanes but it can also have one or ten. There are three types of road - single carriageway (can also have as many lanes as you like), dual carriageway (also as many lines as you like) and a motorway. A dual carriageway is merely separated from traffic in the opposite direction by something physical such as a grassy patch, a barrier or boulders etc. A single carriageway has nothing at all to prevent someone driving in one direction moving into the lane of someone driving in the opposite direction.

So yes, I do know how to drive.

I think you're being deliberately obtuse, I was replying to someone who said a dual carriageway can have any number of lanes...

You should have made yourself clear then.

A section of the dual carriageway near me has 3 lanes for a number of miles. It doesn’t magically become a motorway.

@WeeSleekitTimerousMoosey the M74 has taken a lot of the traffic away from the M8, but I've noticed a few times heading north on the M8 around Kinning Park where you can either use "the new road" as I'm convinced it will always be called or continue over the Kingston Bridge, there is still heavy traffic, with a speed limit of 20mph on each potential route, but due to the traffic jams you can't actually get to 10mph...

Nor do motorways always have more than 2 lanes.

The aforementioned M8 is two lane for large sections.

@Retroflex No, a dual carriageway can have two lanes, the word "dual" gives it away!

No sorry. The carriageway is the road in each direction not the number of lanes. So if there's road going north/south nothing in between northbound and southbound but say there's 2 lanes for each direction then that's a single carriageway. If there is a physical barrier (such as the metal barriers or some grass) between the north and south bound then it becomes a dual carriageway as there officially 2 carriageways regardless of the amount of lanes each direction of the road has.

I speed most places on dual carriageway or motorways but I'm very strict about stopping distances etc. I don't speed through residential areas or near schools.

Retroflex it is called the new road and always will be. Just like junction 29 still has 'the new' Irvine road flying over it even if it has been there for 30 years now

You are right about the Kinning Park junction, it gets very busy, but there don't seem to be the hour long sitting at a standstill trying to get through the city centre hold ups there used to be. More slow but moving.

@2020BetterBeBetter I wasn't replying to you with my comment?

Typically though, a dual carriageway has 2 lanes, can you please tell me where the 10 lane dual carriageway is? I'd quite like to drive on it myself...

About 75- 80 in good conditions.

IRL I know very few people who stick to 70MPH on a dual carriageway. MNers are amazing at not breaking the law and speeding though.

As long as the road conditions are good and you leave a safe stopping distance I don't think 80 is horrendous. The people doing 100 however...

@RunningNinja79 rtft