🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1993Jan22.170111.8420@praxis.co.uk>, martin@praxis.co.uk (Martin Croxford) writes:
|> > 
|> > So, do you propose having massive limit signs that list all the various
|> > different limits under different coditions. Or maybe change all the limit
|> > signs for changing displays.
|> 
|> I don't propose "having massive limit signs" (tho "changing display"
|> signs are an interesting possibility). I am trying to make the point that the
|> speed limit signs are not necessarily an indication of the safest maximum
|> speed.  

You are quite right, at least in principle, but we all unfortunately have to
live in the real world. It is certainly true that speed limits are not
necessarily (or even often) the maximum safe speed for a given set of road
conditions, but what practical (and that includes reasonably cost effective)
measures could propose to have altering speed limits. Consider:

If speed limits on roads in general varied according to conditions (be they
amount of traffic, time of day, weather, whatever), I would imagine it would
be very difficult to frame effective legislation to prevent *either*:

a) Requiring too much of the police (I doubt they would want to have to make
the day-to-day judegment calls a=on this issue, they have plenty enough to do
already). Ask the police, they tend to prefer to enforce clear-cut laws than
ones they have to make judegments about. Especially on this scale.

*or*

b) Making a defence of "but I thought it was sensible, even if the police
didn't" possible. This would be disasterous (in my opinion) for road saftey.

|> 
|> In an ideal driving world drivers would be penalised for driving with
|> excess speed for the conditions, rather than just "speeding". Cameras
|> will faithfully record evry vehicle that breaks the speed limit - how much
|> better if the camera could faithfully record every vehicle that is
|> travelling with excessive speed.
|> 

This is clearly true, and equally clearly not practical. Even if we could
afford this sort of technology, how could you get agreement on what is a
reasonable speed for a set of conditions. I couldn't imagine being able to
frame it in law to cover all situations (any lawyers care to comment on this?)
and I would imagine that it would lead to far *more* prosecutions for breaking
"limits": evidence seems to suggest many drivers consitently over-estimate
what they can safely do in their vehicle.

|> Training all drivers to the level that police drivers are trained would do
|> more for road safety than rigorous application of the law. 

Almost certainly true. Can't see it happening: imagine the expense, but I
certainly wish it was true.

The other issue in all this is how you factoe road-worthiness of the vehicle
into the equation of what is an appropriate maximum speed. Ouch.

-- 
Dan Crow
daniel@scs.leeds.ac.uk