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Drivers, slow down - especially on country lanes

3:00pm Tuesday 2nd February 2010


We all wish every success to the No Excuse road safety campaign, which aims to significantly reduce the number of people killed and seriously injured on our roads.

While the A35 and A37 are being particularly under the spotlight one hopes that the campaign has the effect of reducing the maniacal speeds by some drivers on all roads - but especially on narrow country lanes.

One wonders at the intelligence level of motorists, in charge of half a ton of lethal metal, hurtling at high speeds along such lanes towards another half a ton of metal.

Often there are only a few inches between the two vehicles – they are literally taking their lives and yours in their hands.

It becomes even scarier on roads, which have no central white lines or cat's eyes. This is surely an anomaly that could be corrected by the relevant authorities and lead to safer driving?

It would do no harm, too, if all drivers in Dorset were encouraged to reduce their normal speeds by 10mph on any road. Formula 1 level of speeding leaves no margin to correct driving errors on Dorset's roads.

We should all take care as well at roundabouts and remember to give way to the vehicle coming from the right.

Ron Kirby, Dorchester.


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popup, portland says...
5:11pm Tue 2 Feb 10

The need for cat’s eyes and white lines has been pretty well debated in recent months regarding the lack of both after the resurfacing of the Weymouth to Bridport road and the general consensus seemed to be that while they are not necessary they are desirable as are the white lines along the edge of the road. As far as the speed issue is concerned I agree wholeheartedly with your comment although there would seem to be a certain proportion of drivers out there that do not seem to understand the concept of speed limits, believing that if it’s a 60mph limit that is the speed that you should travel at and that seems to be regardless of road or weather conditions, a lot of people have their journey timed down to the last minute and if they should get delayed for any reason the foot just goes down even harder and the risks they are prepared to take get greater. The general standard of driving is pretty appalling and this is due to a large extent by the lack of police patrols on our roads. One can only hope that the No Excuse campaign becomes a permanent thing.
P.S The majority of cars weigh one ton plus.

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585, Weymouth says...
6:54pm Tue 2 Feb 10

Ron Kirby said
"if all drivers in Dorset were encouraged to reduce their normal speeds by 10mph on any road"
On some roads, this would mean coming to a halt!

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siratb, Preston says...
3:44pm Wed 3 Feb 10

The problem is the slow drivers. If you get stuck behind one on the country lanes, doing 30 mph in a 60 mph limit it can be very frustrating if you are trying to get somewhere.
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Can I suggest that if someone does not feel confident at driving at the speed limit, then they pullover and let faster traffic past? It is normally always safe to drive at the speed limit for the road in dry conditions, it is the "constant 40'ers" which drive me mad - people who do 40 everywhere, often of the older generation.
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Perhaps the police should give out tickets for people driving too slowly for "driving without due care and attention" to other road users?

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585, Weymouth says...
6:04pm Wed 3 Feb 10

siratb, Preston,
I agree with you but there are those who will pipe up and say that 'you should have started out earlier, etc etc'.
I personally like to get to wherever I am going at what is to me, a reasonably fast speed but below the applicable limit. I enjoy driving and wish that those out for a 'Sunday afternoon drive' or who are not capable or willing to get a move on would pull over or allow the opportunity for those who wish to overtake them.
Another pet annoyance is those drivers who seem to want to check the small print on my rear number plate when I am driving at the legal speed limit when there is nowhere for me to move over or for them to overtake .
Then there are those who sit, at night, in a stationary queue of vehicles in the outside lane, intending to turn right and insist on leaving their right rear indicator and/or brake lights on, dazzling those behind them.
Bring back the traffic police.
OK, rant over (:o))

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popup, portland says...
12:30pm Thu 4 Feb 10

Siratb says it’s the “constant 40'ers" which drive me mad - people who do 40 everywhere, often of the older generation.
Could it just be a case of older and wiser? I drive at a speed that suits me not the car behind.

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585, Weymouth says...
3:10pm Thu 4 Feb 10

"Could it just be a case of older and wiser."
No, older maybe but not necessarily wiser.
I am of an age where I have to renew my licence every 3 years but that doesn't mean that I crawl around in my car.

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siratb, Preston says...
4:03pm Thu 4 Feb 10

I have been a member of the IAM for 22 years. I think speed limits are irrelevant, and many a traffic cop would agree, as one has to drive to the road conditions. There is a good argument for faster speed limits on motorways, and maybe slower speed limits elsewhere. In France the speed limit on the motorway changes if it is raining as an example.
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There are plenty of country lanes where one can drive at the national speed limit safely, yet some people insist on doing 30 mph. This is clearly a danger to other road users, it frustrates people & some may take stupid overtaking decisions. I wouldn't want to force someone to drive beyond their ability, but then these slow drivers should have the courtesy to pull over and let slow traffic pass - as often tractors will do.

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585, Weymouth says...
11:52am Fri 5 Feb 10

"constant 40'ers", lots of them go along Preston Beach road at 40 and continue into town at the same 40 mph speed.

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popup, portland says...
3:32pm Fri 5 Feb 10

There would seem to be some confusion in some of these posts i.e. because you do not want to fly about like some sort of lunatic does not mean you lack the ability to do so merely that you do not wish too, neither does it mean that we all drive around at 30mph or a constant 40mph, speed limits are a MAXIMUM speed for any given road and not the required speed as some people seem to think. We all like to think we are good drivers and at the very least competent but being human we all make mistakes and 99% of the time get away with it the other 1% is the problem and there is always the chance that the guy coming the other way could be having his 1% day. Speed tactually makes very little difference in most journey times very often just a few minutes, having spent most of my working life on the road I can quite categorically say that inappropriate speed does kill. I do not agree that motorway speed limits should be increased most police are quite happy to leave you alone at speeds of up to 80mph as long as you are driving responsibly if they increased the limit to 80mph people would want to do 90mph.

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