Getting a new 20 limit enforced

[GrasB]

How well supported was this 20 limit by the locals? I don't mean was there local support but rather how many of the locals actually supported the limit? If the majority of the locals don't support the limit then it becomes uninforceable as the pure volume of people speeding raises the minimum speed threshold until the volume of people needing to be dealt with is manageable by the authorities. If there's wide support for the speed limit then you've got half a chance of getting it enforced with a resonably low speed threshold.

most cyclists don't exceed the limits for motor vehicles on a regular basis

It's becomming more common around here. Stronger cyclists get to a 20 limit & put the hammer down. Why? Because sitting at around 13-17mph is an absolute nightmare in a 20 limit when motorists are doing 23-25mph. They hand beside you for a long time & then squeze you as the inevtible car coming the other way aproches. You either get up to car speed & sit in the off-side wheel track or slow down to about 5-8mph.

 

[mickle]

Tripe x2. Seems we all love laws that apply to someone else. FYI if you read the post you will note that I didn't say that the limits [at the moment] apply to cyclists. Secondly because such accidents are rare I fail to see why, if they do happen [and sometimes they do] they can be discounted. As for a skewed viewpoint I have ridden and driven just about everything on and off the road fron a unicycle [ouch] to a HGV and although I love cycling I can't stand the attitude of "let's bring in more laws to regulate everybody else" but if any restrictions on cyclists were suggested then there would be a major outcry and loud wailing. By all means bring in the speed limits but let's stop bragging about them not applying to us.
Technology has changed from the days of "clockwork" speedometers and it would be so easy to "regulate" cycling. If you want to keep on with the "Ha Ha, look at me" attitude then fine, p--s enough people off and things will change. I just want to keep on riding free and if that means keeping the speed down a tad sometimes, so be it.
You want respect and consideration from others but don't want to show any back
PS I'd take that chip off the shoulder, youll feel a lot better.

Try reading my post again - you spectacularly failed to comprehend the point that I'm making.

 

[subaqua]

oh and good luck in getting the police to enforce the 20 limit . We have had one in our local area for 5 years at least. doesn't stop the muppets hareing along the road at 40 plus. and thats the Met police on a routine patrol with no blu lights

 

[jdtate101]

Sometimes they do enforce them. My son's school made a complaint about drivers speeding through the 20 zone outside the school and the next day 4 coppers turned up with speed guns and 2 motorbikes. They then proceeded to test all the cars and handed out speeding tickets to quite a few drivers. This went on for 3 days in a row. They also did a similar exercise recently (with the council) for cars parking outside the school, including clamping a few that parked on the yellow zigzag warning lines.
OP, Good luck with getting the limit enforced....

 

[StuartG]

I was Appalled (of Bognor Regis) to read that the police in York had announced they weren't going to enforce the 20 mph limits set up there.

Asleep on the job - and that's the point. Sleeping policeman are more effective at reducing speed and casualties (at least in the landmark London study). They are 24/7 unlike the endangered radar gun toting traffic cop species.

 

[subaqua]

Asleep on the job - and that's the point. Sleeping policeman are more effective at reducing speed and casualties (at least in the landmark London study). They are 24/7 unlike the endangered radar gun toting traffic cop species.

you should come and stand by the ones along the road i live on. they don't deter many and several nobbers try to get airborne from them

 

[StuartG]

you should come and stand by the ones along the road i live on. they don't deter many and several nobbers try to get airborne from them

So the stats are wrong then?

 

[benb]

As far as I am aware the police do not enforce 20mph limits, they rely on the drivers to have self control

Yeah, that's bound to work.

 

[subaqua]

So the stats are wrong then?

I would suggest so based on experience in East London .I did try and raise it at the community policing briefing thingy at Walthamstow , but apparently it is not a priority enforcing 20mph limits.

 

[StuartG]

I would suggest so based on experience in East London.

Aha, the Anecdotal School of Motoring. Can't argue with that

 

[GrasB]

So the stats are wrong then?

Problem is while it may slow down the majority of road users for the worst offenders it's just another challenge.

Witness one pinch point. A ~2km stretch of fairly straight road from a set of traffic lights, used by boy racers as a drag strip. A pinch point was placed 0.5km down the road. Cue the warning bollard getting hit once a month or so times. The original pinch point was removed & a double height kerb replacement placed there, but the same thing kept on happening just the cars never drove away. The problem was eventually solved by regular police patrols between 8:00 pm & 3:00 am.

 

[Globalti]

A 20 mph limit has to be "self-policing", which means there must also be traffic-calming stuff like humps, tabletops, chicanes etc.

Lancashire Police actually encourage residents in our street to report speeders and they log reports on the PNC.

 

[Linford]

Blanket limits are rubbish...drivers ignore them, and their presence across wide areas' trivialise the requirement to have them where there really is a safety issue at given points.

 

[subaqua]

Aha, the Anecdotal School of Motoring. Can't argue with that

I shall borrow a radar gun from work over the wekend and also film for you if you would like. Maybe in SE london you have a local police who G A F .

as you have selectively quoted i take it you have no opinion of the community police meeting and the response there.

 

[StuartG]

I shall borrow a radar gun from work over the wekend and also film for you if you would like. Maybe in SE london you have a local police who G A F .
as you have selectively quoted i take it you have no opinion of the community police meeting and the response there.

You appear to have missed my point and made a wrong inference. To recap - the stats show that London's 20mph zone policed by passive restraints (sleeping policemen) significantly reduce speed and serious injuries. From memory it was from 27 to 17 mph and over 40%.

Passive restraints have the advantage over police with guns of enforcing 24/7 over wide areas. Or is East London indeed different?