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Breaking the 30mph limit

OK not just of interest to Sevens, but I've just been reading the 'Legal Notes' section of a 1956 edition of 'Practical Motorist' which says "It is quite legal to exceed 30mph in a built-up area in order to pass another vehicle which is doing less than 30mph. Having passed, however, the speed must be reduced to the legal limit". Food for thought, though this was almost 60 years ago!

Location: Shropshire

Re: Breaking the 30mph limit

May have been an interpretation in 1956, but current legislation which has been in force since 1984 (Road Traffic Regulation Act, Section 81, subsection 1) states that:

"It shall not be lawful for a person to drive a motor vehicle on a restricted road at a speed exceeding 30 miles per hour."


Location: A lot further south than Sandy

Re: Breaking the 30mph limit

Reckless Rat
May have been an interpretation in 1956, but current legislation which has been in force since 1984 (Road Traffic Regulation Act, Section 81, subsection 1) states that:

"It shall not be lawful for a person to drive a motor vehicle on a restricted road at a speed exceeding 30 miles per hour."





Tell that to all those irritating sods who on principle HAVE to get past an old car, even when it's travelling at or even over the legal speed limit and who then slow down and trundle along in front at a lower speed!

Location: Herefordshire, with an "E" not a "T".

Re: Breaking the 30mph limit

Re: Breaking the 30mph limit

Like the war time fighter aces who had symbols of their kills on the side of their aircraft I should have symbols of modern cars on the side of my Seven because I'm responsible for at least 3 cars being booked. The best was driving into Manchester in the offside lane in preparation for turning right and slowing down for a pedestrian crossing which was on red. The modern behind didn't like that and took to the other side of the road to overtake, he didn't see the crossing on red and more importantly he didn't see the police car in the nearside lane. Naturally I stopped to let the police car to pull out and give chase. I couldn't resist waving to the unfortunate driver after he'd been apprehended.

Re: Breaking the 30mph limit

Eeee, 30 miles an hour. I used to dream of 30 miles an hour. Cambridge City Council, in their accumulated wisdom, are rolling out a 20 mile an hour limit to all the streets in the City (apart from the 'arterials')



Location: Cambridge

Re: Breaking the 30mph limit

Thanks for that Dave, second post this morning to cheer me up.
Be a devil and put a removable sign somewhere on the car.

Geoff - Feeling better already

Location: South Norfolk - Next to Suffolk

Re: Breaking the 30mph limit

I had to undergo "speed awarenes training" after I managed to drive my seven at thirty seven mph in a thirty zone.I was taught there that if I stay in third gear I will be less likely to exeed thirty!as I only have three gears thats easy!The car got it`s own back and dropped oil all over their car park!.

Location: down by the trent

Re: Breaking the 30mph limit


Now let's be honest. You didn'T HAVE to undergo the Speed Awareness Course. It's optional. Unless you're a complete speeding recidivist it's cheaper and less hassle to pay the ticket and take the points.

I would have wanted a copy of the photo as a souvenir (if it was a camera that caught you at 37...)

:)

Location: A lot further south than Sandy

Re: Breaking the 30mph limit

I got done for 34 in a 30 limit in Oxford (first time in over 40 years of driving!) a cyclist was approaching a bus, which was stopped on the left and masking a speed camera, I zipped past the cyclist and the bus, with plenty of time and space in hand, to save restricting the cyclists room and holding up the traffic and flash, I was done...

I don't have proof of that, so you'll have to take my word for it!

Location: Near Bicester.

Re: Breaking the 30mph limit

Reckless Rat

Now let's be honest. You didn'T HAVE to undergo the Speed Awareness Course. It's optional. Unless you're a complete speeding recidivist it's cheaper and less hassle to pay the ticket and take the points.

I would have wanted a copy of the photo as a souvenir (if it was a camera that caught you at 37...)

:)


Hi Bruce,
Having taken the option of a "speed awareness course" recently, I took the opposite view that £85 for the course was a better outcome than £100 fine plus 3 points that I would have to declare to the various insurance companies for the next 5 years and, possibly, suffer consequent premium penalties.

Ian Mc.

Location: Shropshire

Re: Breaking the 30mph limit

I'm definitely out of touch! It's 13 years nearly since I retired and I thought the fixed penalty for SP30 was still £60. Inflation must have caught up.

I only found out the other day that there was a legal obligation to notify insurance companies of traffic offences and so I guess on that basis it's probably a cheaper option to do the course. I hope you gleaned something useful from it.

I was an Instructor in the Police Driving School for over 5 years a long time back (early 80s) before moving on to other things. We used to do "Civilian Driving Advisory Lectures" on Wednesday nights once a month. The audience were usually those keen on joining the A.I.M., so it was a bit like preaching to the converted - I guess the Speed Awareness courses will probably follow a similar format but whether the audience is as receptive is another question. A family friend has attended and she found it as boring as shyte, but you can't win them all. She obviously didn't take heed because she's just got done again...


However, no-one is perfect and yours truly has been done twice by fixed cameras over here in Frogland, both times due to my lack of concentration
so I have only myself to blame. However, for a minor infraction (less than 10Kph over the limit) I only got a 45€ fine and 1 point each time.

I am now a reformed recidivist and have been to specsavers.

I can send you some french number plates if that's any help...

Location: A lot further south than Sandy

Re: Breaking the 30mph limit

But back to the original post: When I took driving lessons in 1964 I was, indeed, taught to overtake as quickly as possible, and that a brief spurt over the speed limit was permissible. I was not aware that that was no longer the case; it looks like I need to revise my driving technique!

I have only been stopped twice for speeding, both times in an Austin Seven. The first time I was doing 40mph in a 30mph limit along Stockport Road going in to Manchester, and was told if I couldn't keep up with the traffic, I should find an alternative route! The second time I was caught by a radar trap in Warrington, doing 57mph in a 30mph limit in my A7 van; when I was pulled up further down the road, the copper's opening comment was "I find this very hard to believe, but my colleague says..." No points in those days, and I think the fine was a fiver, but it still hurt!

Oh, and neither time was I overtaking, so no excuses!

Edit: I have just remembered, I was stopped a third time; that was for doing 105mph down the Dronfield Bypass in the 1970s. After a long and stern lecture I was told to get on my way, as the coppers in the 2.5PI Triumph that caught me were testing their equipment and it had not yet been calibrated... phew!

Re: Breaking the 30mph limit

Until recently I have had a return journey of about 25 miles each way to and from
my place of work.
Depending on which route I chose here were 22or23 changees of speed limit.
Only about 10% of the journey was in built up areas.
How on earth is anyone supposed not to break the speed limit?
(Rhetorical question I know)

Location: Bristol

Re: Breaking the 30mph limit

You are quite correct R-R it would have been cheaper to take the points but I have three vehicle insurances that I would have to tell.I think it was £95 for the training and £60 ish for the fine.The training was about an hour of "chat" and the rest of the time watching "you tube" videos not value for money.There were thirty nine on the course and another one in the afternoon at £95 a head,a "nice little earner" for the AA.I will never deal with them again,I have not renewed my subscriotion and have insured elsewhere.Never mind I did learn to keep it in third in thirty zones!

Location: down by the trent

Re: Breaking the 30mph limit

I won a police motorcycling course in the 70s with leicestershire police and had a "rollicking" for overtaking at 30mph on a 30 mph dual carrigeway (there was a load of "plod" bikes in the mirrors!) On the debrief I was told that an overtake was classed as a dangerous manouver and should be carried out as swiftly as possible.I aked if it was ok to exceed the limit and the reply was negative!Most of the critcism I recieved was for going too slow!.

Location: down by the trent

Re: Breaking the 30mph limit

As is so often the case this topic has strayed somewhat...which provides excuse for the following.

I have only once ever been stopped on the main road for speeding and that was in my slightly tweaked RP years ago, when the limit here was 55 mph.
The car was laden and a colleague had asked me to also deliver a Seagull outboard he had sold. Manoeuvring man and motor into the front seat we managed to smash the mirror.
There was a howling southerly for which the Wellington area is notorious and heading north the laden car was reasonably controllable so we buzzed along at terminal velocity.
Beyond 50 mph the speedo used to roll wildly (The little internal steadying whisker had gone) A patrol overtook and pulled me over.
"Do you know you were doing 60 mph?"
"What me, in this??"

My everlasting regret, I did not insist on a ticket!

Over the last 10 to 15 year the proliferation of radar, lasers etc has had a dramatic effect on speeds generally (with a huge reduction in the road toll)
Enforcement is rigid at 9 kph above the limits of 31 mph and 62 mph, but only 4 kph tolerance on major holidays!! (When the cities often deserted).

I find myself driving slower than ever before, yet hounded far less by impatient others.

It is somewhat absurd that with the now effectively constrained speeds in built up areas, performance of a good Seven is adequate, yet everyone drives vehicles with the power to weight ratios of former racing cars.

Bob Culver

Location: Auckland

Re: Breaking the 30mph limit

Is anybody as cynical as I am when the speed limit is reduced to 20mph in thinking that the AVERAGE speed in cities where 20mph (or below) BEFORE the change is deemed pathetic by the driving public, while after the reduction the same new average speed is seen to be "really quite good". The authorities don't have to improve the road systems and spend money (except of course to provide all the new signage). No wonder there are new jobs in manufacturing!!

Re: Breaking the 30mph limit

Seems a little strange that we have had the same 30 limit since 1930 when you compare the brakes on a 1930 seven with the sevo assisted discs that cars have today,ok there are far more cars on the road now.

Location: down by the trent

Re: Breaking the 30mph limit

phil
Seems a little strange that we have had the same 30 limit since 1930 when you compare the brakes on a 1930 seven with the sevo assisted discs that cars have today,ok there are far more cars on the road now.

... and far more idiots on (and off) the pavement! Seriously though, modern cars are so quiet that a pedestrian is more likely not to notice an oncoming vehicle; just look at how many people (and dogs :)) turn round when an old car approaches.

Re: Breaking the 30mph limit

We've had a 20MPH speed limit on our estate for years which has never been policed so consequently nobody takes any notice of it, 40 MPH is not unusual. The worst offenders are parents taking their little darlings to school.

Re: Breaking the 30mph limit

Dave Mann
...... The worst offenders are parents taking their little darlings to school.
Ah, yes, parents.......
I live almost next to a school, on a narrow lane where parents drive their children there ....... there is often parking chaos (it's double yellow lines everywhere), a local 'shopper' type bus passes at this time, etc., etc.,
Oh, and on the roads approaching the school area, the parents are 'locked-on' to getting to the school, no matter what's in the way, and sometimes "..must take this call" (mobile phone).
I'm in a 20mph area, but it's difficult to go that fast anyway, apart from the lycra clad cyclist who speed down the hill ..... don't get me started on them.

Back to the OP .... about 15 years ago, I had been stuck behind a lorry with trailer doing 40mph (Yes I know that's it's max. legal speed) from Newmarket until we got onto the A505. There's a long straight stretch, probably at least a mile long, there was nothing visible to the horizon, so foot down to pass the lorry + Trailer and flash, camera on the offside of the road, had me at 75mph overtaking...... It didn't count I had been stuck etc., behind the lorry for miles and miles and absolutely nothing coming the other way, even though prior to that a lot of reckless drivers had scrapped by to get past me and the lorry.... £100 fine etc.,

Oh and further along there, a police car sailed by, no lights flashing etc., but apparently Cambridge Police had nothing on file to show one of their vehicles was in the area ....

Location: On the very Edge of Europe....West of Jelbert, Brian, Alastair, Bob and everybody else..