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Is there any point even trying to drive 'briskly' on public roads these days?


gangzoom

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I've not had any points on my licence for the last 10 years, and these days I tend to pretty much stick to the speed limit regardless of how quite/empty the roads may seem. This Friday just gone I ended up doing a 40 mile work trip, in the space of 10 miles I clocked 2 police cars and one camera van all positioned in semi 'hidden' locations. No issues for me as I was sticking to the limit, but am sure the BMW driver that was stuck to my rear bumper up until the first camera van was glad I was there, as otherwise I'm 100% they would have got clocked by at least one of these cars.

 

It does make me wonder about whats the point of owing anything half 'quick' these days, all it would have taken for me to get clocked by these car would have a tiny input from my right foot or got aggravated by the bimmer on my bumper to go quicker, and I could have clocked up some points :(. 

 

Over the crest of a hill just after 30mph sign, national speed limit just before. 

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Blind bend, 40mph from national speed limit. 

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National speed limit, 2 mile dual carriageway stretch on an otherwise single lane A road. 

37789973756_331020a912_c.jpg

Edited by gangzoom
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The first one was the real cash generator. Free flowing A road, 30mph limit way before the real start of the village and right at the top of the hill. The is van invisible till you get over the hill but with perfect line of sight of cars coming over the hill. Unless you were already at 30mph they will have tagged you.

 

I just cannot be bothered with worrying about all these things anymore, so essentially stick to the limit religiously, which sadly often equates to idiots glued to my rear bumper.

Edited by gangzoom
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The last one may have just been on the lookout for a marked car thats been reported in the area or doing other checks. Speed checks aren't as high a priority for on the beat cars recently as the number of fixed speed cameras and vans has increased.

 

I've mellowed in my age and have realised that it's nice to have a quick car, but only use it when appropriate. Not at every opportunity.

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100% feel the same way in terms of any point driving for pleasure these days. Couple weekends ago myself and three other mates went for a Sunday morning drive out. Depending on route, you can really get into trouble as roads go from 50 to 30 with little warning. 

 

We went from Tywcross via Tamworth to Cannock along by far the worst road in the Midlands, the A5 east argh it was shocking. After Cannock it's not too bad but the cafe we went to was on the way to Cannock and I'm still expecting a letter through the the door. 

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3 hours ago, gangzoom said:

I just cannot be bothered with worrying about all these things anymore...

2 hours ago, The Bounty Bar Kid said:

I’ve mellowed in my age and have realised that it's nice to have a quick car, but only use it when appropriate. Not at every opportunity.

 

1 hour ago, nissanman312 said:

The older I get the more I think of getting rid of the z and getting a car  for the track instead 

 

We’ve turned into a right old group of sensible old b*****ds :lol:

 

Part of the appeal of my BRZ was the lower speed fun, I think you’ve nailed it though Nic, something for the track is where you can really cut loose. It’s only a matter of time before every car has a mandatory black box that grasses up you to the Feds anyway...

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I guess it depends where you are and knowing the roads. I still have plenty of fun but I'm perhaps wiser as to where to have the fun! The UK is stupidly safe versus most other countries I've driven in, Romanians think nothing of overtaking lorries on unsighted blind corners at night! 

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I can only comment on my experiences and where i drive but when I want a decent drive then time and location is everything. In summer head to the peak district at dawn, or late on a summer evening and you are fine to enjoy some great roads in relative peace. Head to the same roads during the summer holidays, or bank holiday weekends when all the fair weather bikers are out gathering in Matlock Bath and you can bet theres camera vans and police all over the place, or convoys of tourists etc.

Edited by Sargara
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14 hours ago, gangzoom said:

National speed limit, 2 mile dual carriageway stretch on an otherwise single lane A road. 

37789973756_331020a912_c.jpg

That's not a dual carriageway.

 

 

Looking at all the examples, I don't see anything wrong with any of them. One's in a 30 in a village, one's a 40 and the other is probably quite an accident black spot as suicide lanes normally are. No issue with a camera van in a 30, and the other two are regular police cars so if you're not being really stupid then they're not going to bother with you.

 

I spent all of last weekend in Wales in the Impreza, hooning away like I've never hooned before. Amazing roads, some great chances for practicing overtaking, and in all that time I saw but one police car who gave me a warning flash as I overtook another car as I briefly hit 80 in a 60. Sensible policing! Everywhere else I was doing no more than about 65 on the dial, which is plenty enough to have bags of fun and no copper or camera is going to touch you. In a 30 I did 30, in a 40 I did 40 etc, only in the NSL sections did I hit the 80mph on overtakes to minimise my TED. It was absolutely amazing, and proof that the fun in driving isn't doing a ton on the motorway but accelerating between 20 and 60 on the twisties.

 

People are getting caught by cameras and police because they're idiots, and they deserve to get caught tbh. 30 and 40 zones are there for a reason, 50 zone are mostly ex-60 zones that you know are going to policed to catch people who think they can still do 60, and big DCs and Mways are so open that it's like shooting fish in a barrel. If you get caught in any of those places, then I have no sympathy. Choose your places for exciting driving and no-one will bat an eyelid: Do it in stupid places, and you're going to get hammered.

 

 

If people stopped speeding for a year, there's be no money left to fund more cameras or have coppers sat there waiting for the easy catch. Everytime someone gets caught, they're simply encouraging more enforcement.

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a lot of the fun has gone out of trying to drive quickly on public roads for me, I leave that for trackdays - not only because only on a track can you actually push a car to 100% of your ability (100% braking force, and 100% cornering force, which would be hugely irresponsible on a public road).

 

but also because you're sharing the track with other like minded enthusiasts - as opposed to on the road, where it feels like you're battling with endless swarms of slow cars, poor sightlines, tractors, caravans etc etc... just get a track car, get on track and drive how you want to drive.

 

if you pick the right track like Cadwell Park or Oulton Park, its pretty much like a pleasant A road through parkland, except with no speed limit. And on a trackday we can do 200 miles in a day quite easily, try finding anywhere in the UK where you can drive flat out for 200 miles - the wilds of Scotland might have some longish stretches, but eventually you'll get stuck behind something.

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See, I get a huge amount of satisfaction from dispatching slower cars on the road, especially when you see a train of ten cars sitting behind a lorry and you simply time your overtakes to pick them off one at a time. That for me is a key skill on the roads, and one I relish. Easily as satisfying as nailing the apex on track.

 

Trackdays are great, but they're a different kind of fun to a road drive. Tbh (and this will sound ridiculous) but I even enjoy driving on a busy motorway: Being able to spot the gaps and keep as constant speed as possible, whilst all the time keeping left whenever you can (which is quite easy with the amount of MLMs still out there)... Yeah, it's entertaining and again it challenges me as a driver.

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My view is that it comes down to how you would define spirited driving. As Dan says (reminds me I am agreeing too much with him at the moment, must get that checked out) sensible spirited driving on a NSL country road within the speed limits is a great way to enjoy driving without risking your licence. If the definition of spirited driving is breaking the speed limit on roads where limits are there for a reason then sorry but no sympathy here and you deserve any ticket that comes your way. Police are, in general, not there to be picky or ruin everyones day but to stop idiots speeding in zones where at those speeds the drivers are a threat to life. Sure there are times when speed limits drop from 50 to 30 but they are sign posted and its not a big deal to actively brake down to the right speed in time. 

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I totally agree with you old timers Col and Dan about 30s and 40s, they’re not for playing. But this grinds my gears.

 

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This road configuration is to relieve traffic buildup, then some jerk sits and waits behind a bush. If they wanted to eliminate speeding there, then get rid of the overtaking lane, don’t offer up a space to quickly and safely pass and then wait for someone to hit 67 :shrug:

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There's one of those near the airport (Bishop Stortford bypass for the locals https://goo.gl/maps/fEsyGiGVDo22), and it's a proper suicide lane as it's got broken white lines on the single lane side so you can overtake there too. You can pretty much imagine some drivers' eyes popping out their skull when they see you pull out and start to overtake into 'their' overtaking lane :lol:

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Maybe its an older generation theme as perhaps we remember the roads when they were less congested and policed, my golden era was late 90's and motorbikes, cant help but look at national speed limit general a and b roads now and think, f*ck that, i am glad to be in my daily bus :), but i imagine to a younger driver its all they have ever known.

 

Maybe a lot is do with the areas we live, Ekona mentions Wales and elsewhere the peak district, i guess if you live in more rural areas the opportunities to enjoy a drive are still available.

Edited by Jetpilot
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First two don't look like roads I'd be zipping down anyway, third one yeah I prob would... if they weren't there of course haha.  No ones completely innocent with cars like Z's etc but theres a time and a place (and remember not to get yourself into trouble and take emergencies services away from someone else!) ... but theres still a point I think, you can still enjoy cars these days, in the right place... just

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Pick and choose your roads and moments carefully, country B-roads and the like. keep eyes peeled and don't drive up peoples' arses, Over take when it's safe to do so. That's about all you can do.  

 

I'm not suggesting that it's o.k to drive @ 100 MPH when the limit is 60. What i am saying is, you can have fun up to the limit, especially round some nice bends and enjoy your handling set up. Nothing wrong with that. They'll be plenty of Honda jazz dinosaur drivers doing 40 when they could be doing 60 to over take to leave them in your wake. 

Edited by Rock_Steady
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I got a ticket doing 37 in a 30 2 years ago and attended the speed awareness course to avoid the fine and points. The course really brought home to me "speed awareness". Speed limits are there for a reason. It would frighten you if you saw some of the video footage on the course for example the difference between hitting someone a 30mph versus 40mph. Enjoy your cars guys but operate within the limits. You don't have to speed to have fun in your cars.

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Agreed. 20s and 30s in built up areas are there for VERY good reason are not places to be having a hoon. I witnessed my younger brother get hit by a car at around 20mph when I was a kid, even at that relatively slow speed the impact is pretty bad and he literally got thrown through the air and over 30 years on can still remember the incident vividly. 

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Ok so I am old!! In the 1980’s you could always see police cars in wait, you knew exactly where they would be. I travel the same roads now at similar times and never ( strong but true)see the police waiting like they used to.

Trackdays might seem expensive but imagine the impact that a ban would have on your job, family and pocket!

As for overtaking, think how many “safety” camera clips would be submitted to the police when you ‘safely’ overtake the 47mph brigand, minimising your time exposed to Danger!!!!!

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11 hours ago, Payco said:

I got a ticket doing 37 in a 30 2 years ago and attended the speed awareness course to avoid the fine and points. The course really brought home to me "speed awareness". Speed limits are there for a reason. It would frighten you if you saw some of the video footage on the course for example the difference between hitting someone a 30mph versus 40mph. Enjoy your cars guys but operate within the limits. You don't have to speed to have fun in your cars.

 

While I don't disagree on the whole, the issue i have is roads where NSL limits have been reduced because of accidents. The people who speed and crash will do so regardless of the limit yet the rest of us are the ones who have to deal with the imposed "50mph" limit that was previously a NSL road because of "accident stats". I used to drive these roads at their old 60mph limit, myself and countless others didn't perish in balls of fire but because some biker tops himself doing 85 we all now suffer? its bollocks.

Edited by Sargara
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Public roads exist for the purpose of getting people and goods from A to B. They are not a playground.

The government should immediately ban high powered vehicles, they are completely unnecessary, and impose a maximum limit of 75bhp and countrywide speed limit of 40mph.

This will keep our roads safer, save manufacturers huge fortunes in development costs, and save all of us on this forum an absolute fortune. Since it will then take so long to get anywhere more of us will then be forced to use the new high speed railways at an inflated cost.

I'm off to build a display plinth and glass case for my 370Z so I can just sit and look at it and dream of days gone by ....

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