20 mph speed limit

The Welsh government is going to reduce the speed limit in Wales to 20 mph.
Apparently Scotland is doing the same in 2025

I have signed this petition against it.

Petition · Stop the Welsh Govt imposing blanket 20mph speed limits across the whole of Wales by 2023 · Change.org

 

It's to force us off the roads.
Speed limits are getting lower and lower, then have a sly knack of lowering from 70 to 50 and hope nobody notices until the fine lands on the doorstep.
They seem to be creating congestion, mostly through bad traffic light phasing, yellow boxes so that they can fine you for that, bus only zones, the list goes on.
When it all comes to a complete standstill they will start asking where did it all go wrong.

20 mph is ridiculous on through routes, side roads it's ok.
You just have to wonder what next, a man walking in front with a red flag?

 

I think it's a good thing. If the speed limit is 20, people might slow down to 30. Safer for everyone and less pollution.

 

But it isn't going to be safer, you're still going to get speeding idiots just like now, who don't notice the speed limit whatever it is.
It's going to take longer to get to your destination, making people impatient and causing accidents, and also causing more pollution from slow moving traffic.
What about bus time tables, it takes ages to get somewhere on a bus as it is.

It's as @pete said, it's to force us off the road, and they're forcing us off planes too (not that I ever use them )
I read somewhere that by 2050 the only airports in Britain will be Heathrow, Glasgow and somewhere else I can't remember - just those three.
I can't remember where I read it but I did.

 

Put your hand up if you can honestly say you never exceed 30 in a 30 zone.

How many here live by the 10% plus 3mph rule?

Going from a 30 limit to a 20 limit won't make any noticeable difference to journey times, especially where there's need to stop and start, because it's average speed that affects journey times not peak speed.

Years ago, the speed limit along our sea front was reduced from 30 to 20. People complained a lot. Now people are used to it, and it's still the quickest route across town

 

The thing is where will it end.
Thin end of the wedge and all that.

I can see someone advocating 10 mph speed limits next, but only passed schools, yeah i think that was when the 20mph limit was brought in, now it's being extended to lots of other areas.
But when we all go electric, think of how much battery that will save.

I'm glad I'm not just starting out driving, it used to be enjoyable but they have turned it into drudgery now.

 

Nobody is forcing anyone off the roads. Private car ownership generates far too much revenue.

Driving stopped being fun for me when common sense and courtesy went out the window. As an example, it used to be that if you were driving down a country road towards a blind bend, it was a fairly safe bet that you wouldn't come face to face with a speeding Audi taking the racing line through the bend. And if you slowed down for a blind bend, all the traffic behind would also slow down immediately, rather than speeding up to your back bumper and trying to harass you into speeding up.

Getting out of busy junctions is another one. Someone letting you out can really make your day, where as sitting for ages waiting for a safe gap while loads of impatient people queue behind can be really frustrating. And how much difference does it make if every third or fourth car let's a couple go? Well, my route home from work features a few such junctions, and I always let a few cars out. The journey time difference between a clear run and a busy run is about the same, over a 40 minute journey.

 

We are a 'pilot' for the 20 mph scheme - so the speed limit has been in force for some time now. Have to ask - how can they introduce the Wales wide limit when as far as I am aware we are still at the 'pilot' stage.

Anyway - here's my experience of how it works in practice.

1 - drivers are 'hard wired' to go at 30 mph in built up areas - it's very difficult to suddenly change this mindset;
2 - if you are going to speed anyway - the speed limit is meaningless;
3 - majority of drivers exceed the 20 mph speed limit - but keep to 30 mph;
4 - it's very difficult to drive at 20 mph - cars gears are designed to work best within certain rev. ranges/speeds;
5 - seen this a couple to times - drivers overtaking those going at 20 mph;
6 - pollution levels will go up - higher revving engines - on the road for longer;
7 - reason for reducing speed limits is to reduce accidents - based on this logic - why not reduce limit to 10 mph?
8 - very few accidents are caused by drivers who travel at 30 mph - the more serious accidents are caused by those who go over 30 mph - 20 mph road signs won't stop them;
9 - people are not happy around here - the local Assembly Member has been given a right ear bashing and will be voting against it.

 

I totally agree with you @clanless

 

We just have decaying piles of rubble strewn across the roads, it certainly slows people down.
We were a pilot for those in the early 80s,did we like it, no, do we still have it, yes, they have made up their minds already in Wales,,I'm willing to bet.

On the speed awareness course I was lucky enough to be invited to
They told us to drive in the appropriate gear for the speed limit.
Ist for 10mph
2nd for 20 mph
Ect. Ect.
Won't half burn a lot of fuel and make a lot of fumes, but then they will be able to bring in a local tax on emissions.

 

In my experience common sense and courtesy have always been in short supply, and that is not only with drivers.

 

I've just had to nip into town. On the way back I did a little experiment. I capped my speed at 20mph. Here's what I learned:

My digital readout thing usually tells me I'm doing about 55mpg when cruising. Today it went up to 80mpg

Nobody overtook me. Nobody tailgated me.

I was perfectly able to manage the car just fine.

My car was running at 1500rpm in 3rd gear.

And it took me roughly as long as it normally takes.

 

The entire centre of Edinburgh is a 20 mph limit and with the exception of the main three or four routes into the centre, the rest are being reduced to 20 mph a bit at a time. I quite like it. My old Jazz will travel happily at 20 mph in 4th. To begin with, some drivers got impatient but now, not so much so. The only bad point is the change from 30 to 20 is just a speed sign and in city clutter, they are easy to miss (and going 20 - 30). The big 20s painted on the road are fading out and challenging to see in nose-to-tail traffic.