Zoom!

[andrewducker]

From the observation last night in conversation with Lilian that people complain about speed cameras all the time, but you rarely hear anyone saying that the actual limit should be raised.

Note for for'n types - speeds are in MPH.

[Poll #1257772]

Comments

[endless-psych.livejournal.com]

Us Northen types have 20mph limits around all our schools.

However one worrying knock on effect is that kids seem to have less road sense. Although I couldn't empirically prove that and it is just based on my opinion of just picking up my Dad from work. (kids everywhere)

[chuma.livejournal.com]

These speed limits I have no problem with and are usually only operative during certain hours. However my point stands: If you generally drop road speeds to 20 mph from 30 or 40, traffic will just be diverted to other faster roads. Given the high usage of GPS these days, keying in "avoid 20mph roads" when the maps update, or just marking which roads to avoid manually on a journey to work and back would mean finding a faster alternative route is child's play.

[andrewducker]

Which would push people onto A roads, which are designed for more traffic, and have less pedestrians crossing willy-nilly.

This would presumably be a good thing.

[chuma.livejournal.com]

Not in a big city though, unless you make ALL roads in the city 20mph, in which case you get more congestion at peak times, slower traffic throughput and a range of other problems. Basically it boils down to whether you think avoiding accidents is more important that havign a functioning road system and town.

[johncoxon.livejournal.com]

I concur. I think 30mph is the ideal balance between preventing serious accidents and preventing complete lockup.

[andrewducker]

Big cities you have roads which are clearly there for higher speed travel (London Road, Leith Walk, Lothian Road), and ones that are purely urban (my street, for instance). I'd be fine with higher speed limits on the travel roads, and lower ones on the backstreets. 20MPH on my street would seem just fine to me. It'd be silly for Leith Walk (well, once the construction's finished)