Do you think there should be a minimum speed limit on motorways?

gsf1200

You need to read your highway code, I think you will find the minimum speed limit on motorways is 50mph.

Friendly Stranger..

I agree. Minimum speed limits would actually decrease the amount of road rage and accidents. When someone is driving slow, drivers are more apt to become frustrated and they may do something they regret behind the wheel. Also there is the fact that driving slow causes a hazard or an obstacle that other drivers have to deal with. It causes drivers who are actually following the speed limit to put on the brakes causing more delays in traffic. I think a minimum of 60 mph is efficient. Most drivers go above 55 as it stands, so putting it at 60 won't hurt. I think the key with enforcing minimum speed limits is keeping traffic at an even flow and decreasing accidents. Drivers have a hard time understanding that there are minimum speed limits. Laws state that if you are traveling to slow you are subject to a fine. But the problem is the signs and regulations are not posted for all to see. This presents a problem to other drivers. I would like to see this legislation enforced on all high way systems.

Chris A

can't agree more, they should give proper penalties for those who drive way below the speed limit when there is nothing or no need to, if there were roadworks or a queue caused by an accident etc then obviously be another matter but if you was on a long straight 60 road stuck behind a geezer doing no more than 25-30 then its obviously very frustrating. Maybe not as tough penalties as those who go way too fast but there should be something done to sort these people out.
If tehy can't handle the appropiate speed, they should not be allow on the road, simple as

Chewbydoo

Yes I agree with you Peter. some vehicles are prohibited from driving on the motorway because they cannot maintain a decent speed. Unfortunately, the speed was never defined as it should have been. i'm with you buddy.

I drive for a living too.

The Tank

I agree that there should be a minimum speed limit. The Road Traffic Acts permit one to be imposed but they never are in the UK.

However, I also think that people who hog the middle lanes should be prosecuted too. They are the prime cause of "clumps" which is where many accidents occur. AND lorry drivers should give up trying to overtake each other if they can't complete the manouver within 5 miles.

Whilst I have a lot of sympathy and some respect for most HGV drivers they are not always very considerate themselves. I am really hacked off following HGVs doing a 56mph "burn up" on the M3. Sometimes they even continue this into the 2 lane section.Being able to anticpate conditions and diatance is part of being a professional lorry driver.

Incidentally, has anyone else noticed that HGV drivers stopped being "knights of the road" around the same time as they started calling themselves "truckers"? You are not Steve McQueen bowling along empty USA interstates rabbitting away on your CBs!

Doubtful 360

Yes. If they have a problem they should drive in the break down lane.You would need a minimum of 55 mph so you can keep your truck on the road,but keep checking you rear vision mirror.

UCANTCME

If someone is 'blocking' you or not allowing you to pass you should report them to the police at the next roadside phone.

The police will investigate and notify the nearest patrol to look out for the vehicle.

If the car had a mechanical fault they'll escort it safely off the road, and if there was no fault with the car then the driver would be investigated.

COLIN T

To be honest Peter while i can see your problem and how it annoys you what i don't see is why that extra 6mph is so important to you, it will make very little difference to your journey time anyway.

Brit Boy

I tow a caravan, the maximum I can legally go on a motorway is 60mph. Sometimes in strong winds I need to slow down a bit. There are other vehicles that can't really travel at 60 for various reasons.

I actually have a similar problem with trucks. I usually set my cruise control to 60mph when towing. Every time I come upon a truck I have to decide whether to overtake, which isn't always easy with a caravan, because you have to wait for a big enough gap, and when you pull out you are slowing everything down in the middle lane, and it can take several minutes to get past, or you have to travel slower than you want to behind the truck.

Cant understand why trucks aren't governed to 60 instead of 56mph.

I understand the truckers problem, but think a minimum of 60 is too fast

alec

Why do HGV drivers think that they own the road. While I sympathise with you for getting stuck behind a slower moving vehicle think of the amount of car drivers stuck behind trucks. One of the reasons that trucks & large vans were restricted was to reduce fuel consumption & I suspect that this is what your so called slow drivers are trying to do. By doing 50 mph instead of 70 mph they will be saving a lot of fuel
Driving fast causes me more stress than slow ones as there is nothing more annoying than travelling at the speed limit when the road is about to narrow and some idiot overtakes the considerate drivers who have already changed lane and forces his way in
Did you know that reducing the speed of an hgv by a couple of mph increases fuel economy I know because I used to work in a garage & our more cost conscious customers did this to save money even though the drivers hated it.

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