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 have clarified that the dual carriageways where I am, merge into single carriageways (no barrier whatsoever),

I haven't commented about that point since you mentioned it way back. It's not me you are discussing it with.

@Retroflex I said that it can have. A dual carriageway has no restrictions on the number of lanes. It is merely that one direction is a separate carriageway to the opposite direction and then number of lanes on each of the carriageways is irrelevant. I’m not surprised you are struggling with the concept of single and dual carriageways if you also misread can as this road exists.

@JohnVirgo I apologise, I've been awake all night in pain, and have taken high strength painkillers, so I'm feeling a little drowsy and confused.

@2020BetterBeBetter I'm not struggling with the concept thanks, but you seem to be a little bit goady... Nothing better to do with your Sunday morning?

@Retroflex - If there is no barrier (concrete/metal/grass whatever) then it is a single carriageway and single carriageway speed limit applies (barring a different speed limit being indicated by signs).

It does not matter if there are are one, two, three or more lanes. Physical separation between the two different directions flows of traffic is a dual carriageway, no physical separation it is a single carriage way.

The single/dual terms refer the carriageway not the lanes.

If the dual carriageway you are referring to has no physical barrier separating the two directions of traffic it is a single carriageway with two lanes which goes down to a single lane single carriageway.

If the two lane section is separated by a barrier but then changes into a single lane, with no barrier between the flows, it is a dual carriage way which turns into a single carriageway. Hence the NSL will change at that point .

@LoudBatPerson RTFT

I had no idea that dual carriageway could be single lane, I'm pretty sure my driving instructor taught me dual carriageway = 2 lanes! I've been driving for 6 years.. every day a school day..

Can't actually believe @LoudBatPerson tried to mansplain something I already clarified... Anybody else want to jump on?

@Retroflex I was replying directly to a comment you directed to me.

@2020BetterBeBetter no no, you were definitely being goady, and full of your own self importance if you are judging someone's ability to drive based on your own hypothetical 10 lane dual carriageway... And I'm not dim at all, but thanks for your faux concern...

@Retroflex you said, upthread:

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...

. I have merely said that lanes are not what makes a road a dual or single carriageway.

I am also not a man

@LoudBatPerson my comment directly to you was clarifying what it is like where I live. I didn't not need, want, nor ask for you to regurgitate the highway code?
I have also clarified your second point, but do continue to waste your time...

My god, the number of people on here who openly say they speed is shocking.

Nothing is so important that it's worth risking yours and other people's lives.

Be patient ffs and stick to the speed limit. It's not okay to do 80 or 90 as lots of people have claimed. The limit is the limit for a reason, and that is a MAXIMUM limit, not a speed that you MUST travel at. If weather conditions mean you have to drive slower, so be it.

@WannaStay I do apologise for your thread being hijacked... It seems like every one wants to have their opinions heard even of others have said the same thing over and over.

@Retroflex well the Highway Code rules are national, if you want to be sarky to people they will be sarky back. 🤣

In the initial comment of yours(which I replied to) you stated that when two lanes going into one and the NSL changes. This is a common misconception that I was pointing out was incorrect.

If you were highlighting that when there is a barrier and then no barrier the limit changes, maybe you should have been clearer, particularly as that had nothing to do with the situation that had been described but the user going over the roundabout.

Maybe roads are quieter where you live

Yeah, the M25 is famously quiet 😂😂

While in UK up to 70mph depending on speed limit and conditions.
Abroad... Up to local speed limits and conditions. Which means I have done over 100mph on the Autobahn briefly. It was a mixture of exhilarating and terrifying... My comfort speed was 80-90 max. British motorways and duel carriageways don't feel safe at that speed though.

Thane the A1... It varies between motorway and A road, the number of lanes varies the traffic type varies (including agricultural vehicles on the A road bits). Officially the limit is still 70 through all of this, but the feeling of safe speed varies.

@LoudBatPerson I already clarified, directly to you over an hour ago!

I'm pretty sure if you're reading skills were better you wouldn't have posted this comment thinking you were clever "If you were highlighting that when there is a barrier and then no barrier the limit changes, maybe you should have been clearer"

My god, the number of people on here who openly say they speed is shocking

Nothing is so important that it's worth risking yours and other people's lives

You do realise that speed limits are more or less arbitrary numbers plucked out of the air? Exceeding them, while illegal, doesn't automatically result in death and destruction. UK speed limits are probably broken a million times or more a day and absolutely nothing bad happens.

There is no equation that I am aware of that will determine the absolute "safe" speed limit for any stretch of road. The only way to be perfectly safe is for everybody to stay at home.

An indicated 70. If I remember rightly my speedo is pretty accurate but I haven't checked in a while. I rarely drive on roads with a speed limit above 50 actually.

In my car the steering starts to feel light and twitchy at about 75 or 80, so that and the engine noise discourages speeding.

Tbh I think in a car that's in good condition and not practically an antique, 80 is safe on motorways and similar standard roads. But it'll still earn you a fine and points when you're caught so with cameras everywhere nowadays, best not to.

Which means I have done over 100mph on the Autobahn briefly. It was a mixture of exhilarating and terrifying

German autobahns can be an interesting experience. I recall 'tootling' along at 95, with the general flow of traffic, in the inside lane and glancing in my mirror to see a motorbike in the distance in the outside lane. By the time I glanced away he was past me, I swear he was doing 200mph, it was nuts. Also had two sports cars racing each other which was pretty frightening On the other hand I found that at the first hint of rain everyone suddenly started doing 40 which was weird to me as I'm used to doing 70 in such conditions and think nothing of it.

Italian motorways are also an experience. There's a lot of ignoring lanes and sticking to the 'racing' line.

I tend to do between 75 and 80.

Im surprised how many people say they stick to the limit though as a major problem where I live is people doing drastically UNDER the limit.

Only yesterday we were on a motor way where someone thought it was acceptable to drive at about 50.

Althiigh speeding is wrong, driving more than 10mph under the limit is just as dangerous

Driving too slowly can be a menace, we came upon a young lad doing 40 in the middle lane of the M1 a couple of years back. That is very dangerous. A lorry or car towing a caravan doing 50 in the inside lane on the other hand is to be expected.

@Retroflex well I do apologise, as the first message I responded to you on clearly stated that you considered a road going to one lane signalled it being a single carriage way, as shown on the attached. You were replying to a poster speaking about a dual carriageway which narrowed to one lane (who at no point mentioned it becoming a single carriage way) and started to talk about the speed limit decreasing to 60 on a single carriageway .

You will also notice that I my reply which caused you to become so worried about I did say at the end of you mean a road that starts with a barrier and then hanged to one without the barrier the speed limit will change. So was agreeing with you if that is what you meant. However based on your initial post it wasn't clear.

I read your reply to mean that both roads you mentioned had no barrier based on the comments in your initial posts.

I am not sure why this thread has seemed to get you so riled up, I guess you are not having a good day. I hope tomorrow is a better day for you.