|
|
Post by Big Blue on Oct 25, 2017 12:29:09 GMT
So as we come into the end of BST let me point out what's different since we were last living under GMT (aka real time).
We've had attacks in Westminster, arrests outside Downing Street etc. etc. This puts a strain on security services, including the Met. I am also aware that there have been cuts that have affected the services provided, so that's another cause of the phenomenon I have observed this summer.
Which is: no speed measuring officers on my commute all year.
Last year (2016) there were randomly officers on the Grosvenor Road in two specific points; there were officers one Queen Victoria Street where it's now 20mph and there were frequently officers in the bus stop and lay-by on the A3 at the Coombe Lane junction for Kingston / Raynes Park. In previous years there were marked cars and uniformed officers at all these locations at least once a month each. This year - 2017 - there have been precisely NONE.
Anyone noticed this round their manor?
|
|
|
|
Post by Tim on Oct 25, 2017 12:51:28 GMT
I've seen the scamera van as often as normal but couldn't comment on seeing other random plod doing that as they were previously so rare anyway.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 25, 2017 13:14:04 GMT
The road through our village is a 30 that should be a thirty. There have been a few accidents in the last year or two, and I think 45+ is far from unheard of on a Friday night. I reported it and the local constabulary put in one of those monitoring devices, and afterwards acknowledged a problem that they admitted would not be the highest priority.
Anyone care to guess the percentage of traffic exceeding the limit by more than 10% + 2mph?
|
|
|
|
Post by michael on Oct 25, 2017 13:17:37 GMT
I'd guess at least 90% travel higher than 35mph.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 25, 2017 13:21:35 GMT
65%. I thought that was pretty high, as during the day it's pretty much just the elderly!
|
|
|
|
Post by michael on Oct 25, 2017 13:27:05 GMT
I'm actually surprised it's that low but I think I'm being biased against those who speed in 30's and also making an assumption on the road type which may be wrong. The 30 into the local town is a broad road with cars parked at 90 degrees on both sides. I get tail-gated by buses when adhering to the limit, others who stick to the limit are notable by their absence.
|
|
|
|
Post by Bob Sacamano v2.0 on Oct 25, 2017 13:35:43 GMT
Surely the logical answer is to encourage terrorist suspects to speed everywhere and we solve two problems at once?
|
|
|
|
Post by Tim on Oct 25, 2017 13:38:35 GMT
The road through our village is a 30 that should be a thirty. There have been a few accidents in the last year or two, and I think 45+ is far from unheard of on a Friday night. I reported it and the local constabulary put in one of those monitoring devices, and afterwards acknowledged a problem that they admitted would not be the highest priority. Anyone care to guess the percentage of traffic exceeding the limit by more than 10% + 2mph?
There's a similar problem in our village - the exit from our street is onto a hill that slopes up and curves from the left, we join about 100 yds from the end of the 30 limit and the number of cars speeding out of the village, coming from a semi-blind angle is depressing.
For cars entering the village on that road they're coming down the hill, I'd say that 95% of the cars I follow into the village are doing in excess of 35 when they pass the limit signs. |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 25, 2017 13:39:31 GMT
This is how I described it, Michael:
I notice that there was another accident in this area last night, about 1830. The problem seems to me to be this – there is a mini ‘fast and furious’ culture developing in the village, and Friday night seems to be when they gather – driving in the village is typified by wheelspin, revving and significant speed (both up **** Road and on **** Road. The stretch of **** road from the **** Road junction to the Junction with **** is only 250m long, but has a pub, a supermarket, a fast food outlet, the village club and village hall (all of which require road access at all times of day), as well as housing which parks solidly along one side, a Post Office and a small junction with visibility that is poor.
It's also narrow in the most part, crowns a hill and is not straight, and I omitted to mention that one of these places has a junction opposite, so becomes a 'sort of' crossroads. It's a bit busybody-ish, but I do fear that someone is going to get hurt sooner or later - if so at least I've done what I can.
|
|
|
|
Post by Roadsterstu on Oct 27, 2017 9:13:40 GMT
The road through our village is a 30 that should be a thirty. There have been a few accidents in the last year or two, and I think 45+ is far from unheard of on a Friday night. I reported it and the local constabulary put in one of those monitoring devices, and afterwards acknowledged a problem that they admitted would not be the highest priority. Anyone care to guess the percentage of traffic exceeding the limit by more than 10% + 2mph? Time for you to set up a Community Speedwatch initiative... |
|
|
|
Post by Roadsterstu on Oct 27, 2017 9:25:20 GMT
In response to BB's original post, the Met are vastly better resourced than my smallish county force but the cuts and increased demands mean other things have to be reduced. Sadly, that results mostly in failing to attend incidents within any semblance of a reasonable time frame now. Things like speeding in the villages, which are one of the main complaints that pour in, just don't get resourced as there are far higher priorities. Neighbourhood teams are being dragged back in to clearing the backlog of incidents and so on. We have a small team of volunteers who do speed checks on my area but being volunteers their time and availability is very limited. And as for the camera vans, their policy in our force seems to be to stick rigidly to their "core" sites (like 40mph dual carriageways with no housing in the rush hour) but can we get them out to the villages or housing estates on an evening, where the most complaints come from? Oh no. I've given up trying.
|
|
|
|
Post by PG on Oct 27, 2017 9:27:49 GMT
65%. I thought that was pretty high, as during the day it's pretty much just the elderly! Based on the experience of my 88 year old father's driving, many elderly have far worse awareness of what speed they are doing then they should. He probably does 40 in a 30 sometimes. But then he might also do 40 in a 60 at times. |
|
|
|
Post by PG on Oct 27, 2017 9:28:45 GMT
One local group has suggested that Shrewsbury should introduce across the board 20mph speed limits in all previous 30 limit areas. No, they should just enforce the 30.
|
|
|
|
Post by Roadsterstu on Oct 27, 2017 9:38:02 GMT
Exactly. Who would enforce the 20 anyway? I don't believe a 20 limit, unless past a school or in a narrow residential street, is any good. I'm sure that sitting in 2nd at higher revs is just going to increase pollution levels. The V60 is fine, plenty of torque, but small diesels with gearing that is too high like our Captur will be 2nd gear all the way. It's a speed that would sit between the gears, with 2nd being too low and 3rd being too high. 30 is a 3rd gear speed in the Captur so 20 will be 2nd but at revs higher than ideal. Plus, 20 is just too frustratingly slow.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 28, 2017 9:25:13 GMT
There has been a massive increase in the 20 is plenty boards in this area but try doing that and the reaction is entirely negative with queuing and horn blasts plus unsafe overtaking. As far as I know these are purely resident based rather than legal limits.
|
|
