Horseshoe Pass

slparry · Post by **slparry** » Tue Jun 17, 2014 10:52 am

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-nort ... s-27882945

This is plain wrong! Thousands of road users successfully negotiate the Horseshoe Pass annually at the current speed limit, and have done for many years, however because a miniscule minority have been unable to and have chucked their (mostly cars) into the scenery the majority are going to be penalised.

How does this equate to a democracy?

Why are the majority being penalised for the stupidity of a minority?

The fact that the pass is successfully negotiated by thousands at the current speed limit is proof that the limit is set at an appropriate level, the tiny minority who have had incidents on there have been travelling way in excess of that limit and would be likely to do so if the limit were reduced.

How about policing it better rather than a stupid knee jerk of reducing the limit, until we get to a walking pace and a guy waving a red flag in front of the vehicles!

JamesL · Post by **JamesL** » Tue Jun 17, 2014 12:37 pm

Do we know what speed the ones who came off were doing, and hence whether a 40 limit would make any difference at all?

I expect it's a ruse to split the difference and take it down to 50. Still the wrong solution, but they're politicians, they feel they have to be seen to "do something" and it's easy and revenue positive.

Here in Warwickshire, they're slowly but surely putting anything with traffic that isn't a dual carriageway down to 50 - even when there isn't a person for miles and sight distances of 300m+. But you can still legally do 60 down some crappy lane you'd struggle to do 30 on.

bobtail · Post by **bobtail** » Tue Jun 17, 2014 1:44 pm

Grrrrrrrrr.,

Harry Lime · Post by **Harry Lime** » Tue Jun 17, 2014 3:09 pm

Deleted.

oyster · Post by **oyster** » Wed Jun 18, 2014 6:36 am

The increased policing will occur just after the new speed limit has been posted. The police will be there regularly manning their speed cameras. I am pleased that I was able to enjoy the police free zone when I last went through there.

Dog Tyred · Post by **Dog Tyred** » Wed Jun 18, 2014 6:58 am

Harry Lime wrote:
And I challenge anyone to find a stretch of 2 lane A road in Staffordshire with a limit of more than 50.

H.

The A5 between the A38 and Wall island is still 60! Its only about a mile stretch and dead straight. The trouble is so many single carriageway roads are now 50 limit most gormless drivers assume that stretch will be as well so we travel down it at 48mph... Grrrrrrr!!

The main problem with this change to 50 is that the vast majority of drivers don't know how to spot the difference between a 60 and a 50 but thats another rant.

As for HSP Steve you are absolutely correct. In most cases speed limits are being reduced because of an accident (or accidents) where the existing speed limit had absolutely nothing to do with the accident. If some snot nose kid in a 1.2 diesel Corsa with the original size tyres fitted on its fat rims wants to drive down a 60 mph road at 90 and chuck himself (and his mates) into the scenery what the hell has the 60 speed limit got to do with it?? If the limit had been 50 mph would he have been doing 80mph?? I think not.

Its happening everywhere and particularly in Warwickshire (bunch of complete w*nkers). One incident on a particular corner and they make a 20 mile stretch of road in a 50 rather than just impose a slower limit on the area in question. Why can we not have variable sped limits on stretches of roads ?

As you say Steve, we shall all be driving behind a man with a red flag soon.

And breath

DT

Gromit · Post by **Gromit** » Wed Jun 18, 2014 7:43 am

Yup - set the limit according the lowest common denominator.

Don't get me started on what Oxfordshire have done...

1. A road shows a history of accidents.
2. Said road goes from NSL to 40mph with solid whites everywhere.
3. Because of 2, people get frustrated and then try to overtake slower traffic elsewhere - where it's unsafe to do so.
4. Then that road receives its 40mph limit.

Talking to a former Traffic Cop about all this some time ago and the whole issue makes his blood boil. He described the Oxon 'Road Safety' Partnership as - well it sounds similar to 'Truck Fits'.

slparry · Post by **slparry** » Wed Jun 18, 2014 10:15 am

oyster wrote:The increased policing will occur just after the new speed limit has been posted. The police will be there regularly manning their speed cameras. I am pleased that I was able to enjoy the police free zone when I last went through there.

Apparently North Wales police have now contracted out the camera vans to a private company, who charge the CPS £12 for details of each perpetrator ..... it did cross my mind about the legality of this but I guess they've got it sewn up.

Britisherspy · Post by **Britisherspy** » Wed Jun 18, 2014 5:48 pm

And I challenge anyone to find a stretch of 2 lane A road in Staffordshire with a limit of more than 50.

A515 out of Lichfield, once past the NSL - off you go!

A lot of the rest of it though is 50 tbh