Speed limits aren't decided by your car's ability to handle. Your car may feel perfectly poised, and balanced going around at 30, but the visibility may mean that at 30 you would find it hard to stop if there was a child in the road you couldn't see upon entry. Also, if there was, your perfectly balanced and poised car may not be quite to balanced should you slam on your brakes part way around a bend... plus... not every one has a perfectly balanced and poised car anyway. Speed limits are determined by a worse case scenario, as it's the only sensible thing to do. If you don't like it, go to a track day.
Advise from a professional driver. You do realise that, unless the max speed sign has a red ring around it, it is only an advisory. So the sign you are stating, is only an advisory. Simon.
Are you in the UK? Pretty much every speed limit sign you will see has a red ring around it. I can't remember the last time I saw an advisory speed limit sign. I know they exist, but seriously, I have no memory of ever seeing one. Besides... I think we can assume the post we quotes was referring to a mandatory speed limit. We have them here in my locality. They are mandatory. They have a red border, and the entire sign is within a white, or reflective larger area with the the additional warning written underneath. [edit] Even if it is advisory... the OP probably is only considering factor like "I can go around that faster and it doesn't even feel fast" and not, "Ok.. fair point, I can't see all the way around, and if I brake really hard on this left hand bend there is a chance I could lose it, or drift wide into the path of oncoming traffic, which I also can not see". As a professional driver, I would have thought you would realise that. I am an ex driving instructor. Can I ask what you do? Driving for a living, whilst satisfying the dictionary definition of "professional" doesn't necessarily mean your driving standards are higher than anyone else's.
Even a mandatory speed limit is just that, a LIMIT... not a target to be achieved. Mandatory speed limits can still be contained within a larger sign with additional information, such as Junction ahead, School Zone etc, and are usually placed before oncoming, unseen hazards. Besides, unless you know for a fact what is around a corner, I can see no reason to ignore any speed limit sign, mandatory or otherwise. And complaining that you could have gone around faster had you known the severity of the bend is not really the best attitude to have is it?
I only gave him advise to the sign that he didn't understand. Advisory is a caution. It's your choice to go by the Advisory. So if I was going around that bend when the road is full of snow. I know I wouldn't be doing anywhere near 20mph. This is why the sign is their, as a pre caution. My job as a HGV driver. To become a HGV driver, you have to sit a more advance test than a standard car driver. The theory side of things need's a higher pass score in the hazard perception test. (The same as a driving instructor). From doing these test you are made to learn more about forward planning and advance driving when you come to different obstacles. Obstacles, How to try and stop a 44t loaded lorry from the ignorant/inpatient car driver that decides to overtake you 500yrds before a set of lights or a round about, and then slams his breaks on. I just don't understand that these people think they must be mortal of something. What do you think is going to happen if the lorry breaks fail from having to slam his breaks on due to that inpatient car driver not forward planning. (44t hitting a 1.5t car is not going to end nicely). I know that I would be OK, and the effects from this will be like going over a big speed bump. (Not good for the driver who thought he was being clever, which has now had a Artic driven straight over him/her). Simon.
As a HGV driver you'll realise that most of your problems are caused by car drivers who can't use common sense. Hence why I think that you should just make all road signs mandatory, and enforce them. Yes, it will be a pain for those who actually have common sense, but the thing is with most people, especially men, is that they all think they are great drivers, when in fact they are ****. Men equate good driving to how fast they can drive, or how well they can handle their cars. The reality of course, is that has very little to do with being a good ROAD driver for the vast majority of the time. Road signs are usually there to prevent untalented drivers getting into "handling" situations, and to prevent the retarded from forgetting they are not on a racetrack. I'm also amazed there is not more advice to new drivers regarding HGV, particularly articulated HGVs. The times I've seen cars go around a smaller roundabout next to a large HGV, blissfully unaware than the trailer is going to encroach upon their lane
Driving hates: People doing 60 in a 70 People doing 50 in a 60 People doing 40 in a 50 People doing 30 in a 40 People doing 20 in a 30 People up my ass when I'm driving at the limit. No problem with over-takers. People who can move lanes to be polite and reasonable but refuse to. People who move into my lane with zero attention to the speed and flow of the traffic meaning slamming of brakes. A lorry over-taking another lorry at 1-2 mph difference in speeds. It means nothing in travel times. I can think of lots more given time.
Damn, I'm glad we are beginning to see the same light. I can see your point about making sign's mandatory. But like the Advisory sign on that bend stated 'Advisory'. 'It's all down to driving to the road conditions'. Simon.
So how do you feel about driving on a 2way A road which is a national speed limit, behind a lorry that is bounded by law to drive no faster than 40mph on a single carriage way? Is it the lorry drivers fault that he/she is holding you back? But yet car drivers are happy to overtake lorry drivers and sounding there horn and usually waving a finger or 2 to the lorry driver that is only doing his/her job? As for a lorry driver overtaking another lorry on a motorway. We are bound to drive economical (Using cruise control). Being sat behind a slower lorry effects your fuel economy. You can not set your cruise to the same speed as the lorry you are following. It is impossible for 2 lorries to travel at exactly at 90.00kph. The effects of say my lorry travelling at 90.00kph and the lorry I'm following 89.90kph, is forever trying to adjust the cruise control to try and match the vehicle I'm following. 1-2mph makes a big differences when you are driving upto 9 hrs a day. Unlike car drivers who can drive for as long as they like. We are bounded to driving regulations. Lets say you are a continental driver (Driving all over Europe). So your lorry is travelling 2mph faster that any other lorry. Lets do the maths. 2mph x 9hrs = distance travelled. 18miles extra. Times this by the 5 days you work 18x5 = 90miles further travelled. So when it comes to watching a lorry over taking another lorry at 2 mph more. You can now understand that at the end of the week, that driver will have managed an extra 90miles. Which is a saving on his fortnightly maximum driving limit of 90hrs. This is why car drivers have no clue what's involved in driving a HGV truck. Simon.
I'm trying to think of a time when a lorry has driven under the conditions you state, but I can't. If a lorry is driving too slow anywhere I whip past them, minus the horn and finger.
Personally, if it was not for the risk of taking other road users/pedestrians with them, I'd let natural selection take its course. It's a tricky one: how can you make people behave wiser? One idea involved testing new drivers on an obstacle course (simulating real life situations, including suddenly crossing pedestrians) and letting them drink alcohol to the extent they thought they were still 'safe' drivers before doing the test again. Video the whole thing as a memento. Another would be to let them test-drive an HGV under instruction on the same course. Let them get a feel for what it means to drive a 44t machine. Another might be a visit to the brain injury rehab centre to talk to some drivers or their victims. Or attend a seminar where parents talk about what it was like to lose a child to a drunk-driver. Then meet a drunk-driver (preferably while still doing time in prison). Compare and contrast. This may seem elaborate for a driving exam, but current exams test driving proficiency and awareness of the highway code. That is not enough. People's attitudes need adjusting as well. This is about getting people to realise that when you get into a car, you take responsibility over a tonne of metal capable of moving at 100+ mph.
I've not read the whole thread but will contribute none the less. I drive one of the smallest cars out there and get treated accordingly 'you're small and ****, you can't go fast so I'll treat you like crap'. Few examples: coming off a roundabout in the left hand lane in a convoy with a mate and there's a bloke in a 206 next to me. There's about a cars length between me and my friend in front, perfect braking distance for my reactions and the age of my car. The 206 then proceeds to cut me up, pulling into the small gap between me and the car in front with NO INDICATION WHAT SO EVER! Naturally I give him a beep just to say "what are you doing? That's pretty bloody unsafe" nothing exactly aggressive. But he's obviously not in the wrong! Coming home yesterday, going through a village and coming out of the village there is a sharp blind S bend that you can never really exceed 25mph on. Following a van and half way through this S bend he stick his hazards on and stops. So I can't see an effing thing and have to try and get around him. I pull up beside him and give him a look as if to ask why the hell he thought that was sensible and he gets really arsey with me! Example from my sister: bloke stopped at an empty junction on his mobile phone :| She gives him a quick beep and goes round him, he proceeds to chase her all the way home... What annoys me is when people are clearly in the wrong and yet they are the ones that get really angry at you when you give them a non-aggressive beep or notice. My other pet hates include, as has been stated, people not concentrating on driving. On their mobile phone is the worst one and I'll happily have a go at someone if I see them doing it! People not indicating or following the 'mirror, signal, maneuver' guidance and people generally being inconsiderate, like I said, I drive a small car so get it a lot. As for my driving habits, I stick to 30s, 40s and 50s a lot more strictly than I stick to 50s or 70 speed limits. TLDR: I hate other ***** on the road.
Really? So you haven't been stuck behind a ASDA/Sainsbury/Tesco/Morrison's/Wiseman/Walkers/Mcdonalds/Petrol Tanker etc lorry on a single carraige way at 40mph? These drivers are professional drivers, who are doing there job by the book. As for tipper drivers, I find these type of lorry drivers unprofessional and give us HGV drivers a bad name.
While I'm not sure it's necesary to go quite that far I do think the driving exam needs a major shake up. Certainly needs to get away from this idea that driving a car is a right, not a privilege. I'd like to see the introduction of a mandatory mininum hours of instruction before you're allowed to take the test, a minimum number of extra hours of instruction you're required to take before being allowed a retest, a limit on the number of times you're allowed to retest within a certain time period, a compulsory two part test that includes what is currently covered by the Pass Plus scheme, and retests throughout your life.
Everyday I'm on the road, I guarantee to see at least 1 accident. Most of these accidents, are cause by the driver's not driving to the road condition (driving to fast). I think they need to add these speed awareness course's to your driving test. This will make people more aware at what could happen from speeding.
I wasn't really disagreeing with you. Just saying that I was surprised that you assumed all speed limits signs on the approach to bends and hazards were advisory. Maybe I misunderstood you. HGV drivers have a very hard job, and most car drivers don't appreciate it. They especially do not appreciate the amount of space a HGV needs to turn, and I'm always amazed when car drivers sound there horns at HGV who have to move left prior to turning right and vice versa... and that they may need both lanes on roundabouts. I used to teach this as a Driving instructor. It appears however, that some driving instructors teach you how to pass a test. I on the other hand, used to teach how to drive. There is a difference.
This is indeed true. This is why now driving instructors can not teach students test routes as when it comes down to the test, the examiner can now tell you to follow signs to a destination. This gives the new driver chance to show the examiner that it's not down to memorising a test route and that it gives the driver a real world test. Simon.
Stick a metal spike on the steering wheel?? Cars are too safe now people think they are invincible inside their steel cage. You really want to try getting round Edinburgh by bike, first i knew of a First bus the other day was its wake as it passed at 40 (in a 30) about 1m from me. I've had taxis cut me off for no other reason than to get to the back of the traffic queue a few seconds quicker, the list is endless. Most of my trouble in towns is from professional drivers i'm afraid thats not a job title to proud of any more.
I hate people with no fecking road sense. I hate people who have no fecking idea what lane they should be in, or where they should be on the road. I hate people who are so stupid and cautious as to be a rolling road block. the biggest problem with drivers is most think they are above average link, I've seen figures of around 80% thinking they are above average +/- 10% depending on scource. With that sort of arrogance we're destined for stupidity. Am I a good driver? Hell no. I'm impatient, I go to fast, I cut people up, and I don't suffer fools. But the big difference between me and 90% of the other road users is I KNOW what I do wrong. I'm a qualified minibus driving instructor, I know the highway code as I have to teach it. I've got 20,000 hours driving experience on things from bikes to HGV's. I don't always follow the highway code, I don't stick to speed limits, but when I do something wrong, like undertake, I know why it's wrong, I know the risk. I've driven in many other countries and most are better than drivers in the UK. The drivers in France, Germany, Switzerland know the rules of the road, they have lane discapline. I'd rather have French drivers then British. British drivers suck. You can't go down a road in the UK without some f*$kwit breaking the highway code, and whats worse, they don't even know they're doing it. They don't know what they are doing is wrong, or more importantly WHY it is wrong. Which may sonud like a contradiction (how come they are wrong when they don't follow the code, and you say you don't...) but there is a big difference between understanding a rule and breaking it and ignorance of a rule and breaking it. I could go on for pages of post with the finer points of this. But the bottom line is. If you think you're AN ABOVE AVERGAE driver you are a liabilty on the road.
