Nothing personal whatsoever here Gary, your honest post just got me thinking. It’s such a shame that it takes something like that to change behaviour. I’ve found that older people are really bad with regards to speeding. I was given a lift recently by a friend in his 70s and he was driving at 45 in a 30 limit and didn’t even think twice. If you hit a pedestrian at 40, they are 80% likely to die, whereas at 20 they are 80% likely to live. Having nearly been killed by a driver it’s a big thing for me. Today I was driving to my Tuesday pétanque game. When the limit went from 40 to 30 I of course dropped to 30 and put the cruise control on. The look of indignation on the driver’s face behind was priceless, as they followed me for the next six miles. But I just don’t care. Let them wait, and maybe learn to drive properly.
Imagine when 30 drops to 20 which is what we have (in far too many places to be honest) - you then get idiots tailgating or overtaking when you’re simply driving appropriately in a town/city.
A year or so now since the changes came in and I have to admit that driving at 30 would now seem excessive and uncomfortable. Odd how we adapt to such things.
Our local village has a 20 limit, so I do 20. I just don’t care if it upsets people. I have to say that the classic old person in a small car driving at 25 in a 40 limit does slightly irritate me, but our car is reasonably zippy and anyone coming up behind when we are doing the speed limit hopefully twigs that we have cruise control on, and that no matter how close they get it will make no difference.
It hit home recently……a 13 year old died at the local pub……at 9 :30 at night. His sisters 18 th birthday party, he was playing in the garden with friends…….the ball entered the road. A car stopped to let him get the ball……another car overtook and wiped him out.
The car speeding was caught on our cctv, but not the impact. Police have taken the evidence, checked our cctv timing with an atomic clock……due back to do a forensic drive past/calibration….very thorough indeed.
The haunting piece………we have audio as well……a loud thump, ……then the brakes……and dreadful screams, it haunts me.
That’s just awful. I can see why it haunts you. We’ve all done silly things I’m sure. I had a Lupo GTi once, like a skateboard with a motor, and it positively encouraged risk taking because it was such fun. Just remember that the accident wasn’t your fault, and do all you can to be a safe and considerate driver. What else can you do?
That’s awful.
I know it’s helpful using CC to prevent you going over the limit but in a 30mph limit it may increase your emergency braking distance unless you have your foot covering the brake pedal continually. Should an emergency arise the CC will still be powering the engine until the brake pedal is pressed enough to trigger the CC cancellation, without CC engine braking would take immediate effect.
Junctions, parked cars, pedestrian crossings would all need a speed adjustment until you could be sure the way was clear.
A long time ago I did some Class 1 HGV training and if I passed parked cars at 30 mph in a 30 limit I have had a ‘telling off’ from my Glaswegian instructor who didnt mince his words!
Don’t worry, I know how it works.
You shouldn’t be driving through a village using cruise control. It’s not safe to do so.
Using the speed limiter would be a far safer option.
I was mixing two scenarios together. I was using the cruise in a 30 limit, not in the village at 20. Anyway, enough lectures, I know when it’s safe and when it isn’t.
My Nissan EV just limits the speed so that anything less is ok.
Phil
Tonight I managed to hear and just about understood that till number 2 in Aldi was being opened.
I live deep in the countryside, I am very conscious that there are oodles of blind bends, on which might be horses, deer, dog walkers , runners many of whom are not on the right side of the road.
It makes me cautious perhaps over cautious or as once described a conservative driver .
I do try not to impede people and if the road is clear I go a little faster than I would like, the amount of times I am overtaken by people overtaking two cars at once is scary
Went to a funeral of a cousin. He developed Alzheimer’s disease about ten years ago and the last five years have been ghastly to watch.
In happier times he introduced me to Naim , in the morning I listened to my latest Naim equipment and gave him some thought and got ready.
Until COVID his wife went everyday , even though he did not recognise her. Somewhere along the line the care home must have been playing Vera Lynn singing “I’m forever blowing bubbles “ she sang along and he responded.
This happened more than once , and each time he responded.
So the coffin did not roll down on the conveyor belt, we were each given a small tube of bubbles and were invited to blow over it.
Nice to see my cousins , suddenly realised I probably wouldn’t see them again as none live in the area and we are not ones for a get together
That’s quite beautiful. If you feel inclined, Google Nada Yoga to have some insight into that.
I’m sorry Ian, that’s the problem with grown old we lose the people around us. Look after yourself.
(Sorry I had to repost as I went to edit it and accidentally deleted my original post 
)
I wondered where you had gone to.
Take care, thoughts appreciated
Best wishes
Ian
Fat fingers and a iPhone are a dangerous combination.
That’s great news! I’m very happy for you.
I suspect many cars have adaptive cruise control now where it will slow below the cruise speed if the vehicle in front does.
I actually don’t like this for motorway driving as if I’ve set cruise for 70 I’d prefer to continue to do that and manually overtake early at that speed rather than the CC system slowing me down, braking and me then having to apply throttle to overtake. Suspect it’s safer overall but a prime reason when you think you’ve got CC set to 70 but are doing 56 due to all the slower cars downstream in the same lane.
As for using CC in towns etc, I actually find it very handy with our 20mph speed limits as it’s darned hard to stick to that (especially uphill in a diesel!) without constantly looking at the speedo and taking your eyes off the road.
I wonder but are all cars CC minimum 20 mph in the UK (our VWs are)?