New Traffic Laws coming in England

[Upt' North]

True story - I was on a Speed Awareness course today ( ) and the topic of 20mph limits was brought up.

According to the chap standing at the front with a laser pointer, they're being introduced to "incentivise people to cycle / walk, which ultimately makes everyone healthier and looks after the planet because people won't be driving"

PS. They really don't like it when you start off one of those courses with a "I'm aware I was speeding, I know why I was speeding, does that mean we're done here?" (it used to be a 50mph limit, I saw the camera, checked the car sat nav AND Google Maps, both said it was a 50, so I went through it at 50. Only it was a 40 and I'd missed the limit change sign, so it zapped me at 46. I went back the next day in daylight to check how the hell I'd managed to miss the signs.).

Yes, but, no but. I'm scratching my head again.......
So I ride to Scotland, about 15 miles away to start riding through the 20 mph zone......so far.......at that point I should drop Er'Indoors off and make her walk through the village/town, explaining it's good for er.
Once she has completed the exercise I can jump on my bike, ride to the other end and collect er. Ride 10 miles and repeat. They are knobbers ain't they.
P. S. DON'T SPEED, or if you do don't get caught.
Ray.

 

[jfheath]

There's one speed limit change near us going from 30 to NSL. About 30 years ago they moved it about quarter of a mile up the road. In the car I still find my find myself accelerating at the place where it used to be. Only briefly, before I realise. It never happens if I am on the motorbike though. 30 years ago I was in my extended 'between motorbikes' period.

It's a learned behaviour. I think if they are going to change the speed limit they ought to change it to something different from the normal sign, because it is so easy to not read it, if you already know that it is there and you think that you know what it says. It must be similar to motion blindness or the moonwalking bear.

 

[ad.hom]

Yes, but, no but. I'm scratching my head again.......
So I ride to Scotland, about 15 miles away to start riding through the 20 mph zone......so far.......at that point I should drop Er'Indoors off and make her walk through the village/town, explaining it's good for er.
Once she has completed the exercise I can jump on my bike, ride to the other end and collect er. Ride 10 miles and repeat. They are knobbers ain't they.
P. S. DON'T SPEED, or if you do don't get caught.
Ray.

You could make er'Indoors walk one way, then back again, to save you the wear & tear on the bike... I'm not sure the helmet would survive the ride home though

 

[LaurieC]

You probably already know Lozzer, but Scotland has adopted 20 mph limits in many towns and villages. I think it started in early 2021. It's a stupid limit where it is used, I'm all for it outside local shops, schools, bus stops etc. but blanket 20's are a real PITA. Your speed limits especially on the D roads were already bad enough.
Upt'North.

@Upt' North
Hi Ray,
Yes PITA for sure. I agree that there are danger areas ,eg schools etc. but usually you travel through these 30km/h zones without seeing any sign of life at all. It is hard to keep to this speed when there seems no logic. It is also hard not to lose your temper with the car behind you climbing all over your arse 'cos he can't see the logic either and so will try to bulldoze you out of his way, or he will use your rear as a buffer 'cos he was busy admiring himself in the shop windows and didn't notice the red traffic light .
I got a 90 euro fine for doing 34 km/h ,never saw the gendarme ,never saw the camera , and it was only a 50yd stretch of 30 km/h limit . Oh well c'est la vie !

On a happier note we are celebrating in the Craft household 'cos I have finally received my French driving licence . Only took 5 months to exchange my UK one . Luckily it arrived before the expiry date in a couple of weeks time [70 yrs].Yey !!!

 

[Yohan]

I looked up a virtual walking tour of Switzerland to see how the "give way to all pedestrians " rule worked. They have yellow stripes on the crossings there . A family were a few yards onto the crossing and a black car whizzed past in front of them at about 25 mph . You might see the same walking video if you look . Does it prove anything ? If the driver was breaking the law he might get a ticket after the film .

 

[ad.hom]

I'd personally be much happier about the news if the law only applied to marked crossings, mostly as you don't tend to find too many of those right on top of a junction.

But the lemmings will always find a way to not concentrate. Might as well burn the copies of the Green Cross Code now, at least that'll save a little on the cost of heating!

 

[Andrew Shadow]

Here in Quebec pedestrians do not have the right-of-way if where they are crossing, even if it is at an intersection, is not a designated pedestrian cross-walk or does not have a traffic signal giving them priority. They only have the right-of-way at designated pedestrian cross-walks. Regardless of whether there is a cross-walk or not, the law still places some responsibility on the pedestrian by stating that at all times it is their responsibility not to proceed until it is safe to do so. That would seem to be self-evident, as I will never cross anywhere without looking to see if I am going to get run over, but apparently it isn't.

For years people have been getting told that they always have the right-of-way as pedestrians, and they have taken it to heart it would seem. Routinely I see people crossing the street without even so much as a glance to see if anything is coming, because they have the right-of-way. It doesn't seem to matter that maybe that 80, 000 pound concrete truck that is barreling towards them might not be able to stop in time for them because of the ice covered roadway- we do live in a winter environment after all. Particularly astounding to me is how many times I have seen people who are pushing baby strollers do this. One would think that being responsible for your own helpless child would heighten your sense of caution to some degree but again, apparently not.

I wonder if the depth of the injuries sustained, or if death is a less permanent state, if these conditions are thrust upon us when we had right-of-way.

 

[Bikeric]

Why not educate pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders not to be idiots on the road instead of putting the onus on drivers? Sadly this isn't likely to happen.

Penzance council in its widom has decided to close the main street through town off to traffic so the old, infirm and disabled people can no longer shop in town between 11.00 and 4.00 pm. They have also slapped a 20mph limit on the Promenade and are intent on making this one way with all other traffic being diverted around town. They also intend to put in an extra FIVE pedestrian crossings on the prom so instead of ticking along quietly in third gear, you will have to be in first or second, using MORE fuel and causing MORE pollution and stop every few yards with the engine running for people to cross the road. Yep, that's REALLY going green and improving air quality.

 

[Upt' North]

Why not educate pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders not to be idiots on the road instead of putting the onus on drivers? Sadly this isn't likely to happen.

Penzance council in its widom has decided to close the main street through town off to traffic so the old, infirm and disabled people can no longer shop in town between 11.00 and 4.00 pm. They have also slapped a 20mph limit on the Promenade and are intent on making this one way with all other traffic being diverted around town. They also intend to put in an extra FIVE pedestrian crossings on the prom so instead of ticking along quietly in third gear, you will have to be in first or second, using MORE fuel and causing MORE pollution and stop every few yards with the engine running for people to cross the road. Yep, that's REALLY going green and improving air quality.

Whatever's happened to Cornwall?
I haven't been for probably 20 years or so since I visited a chum in Goldsithney, but all the Councillors wanted to do then was sit in the pub and drink scrumpy. It's progress Ecca, but not as we know it.
I was driving somewhere in the Lothians recently (don't tell Nicola I ventured into er kingdom) and there were two broad cycle lanes on both sides of the road and the space left wasn't big enough to fit your motor in. Totally nuts.
I might expect such nonsense north of the border, but Cornwall?
Ray.

 

[Upt' North]

You might ask if there were cycles galore in these lanes, not a blummin one .

 

[Bikeric]

I've been saying for the last 25 years that we're building a nation of morons - looks we're finally getting there.........
Too many up-country people down here now trying to change everything and completely buggering it up for we locals........
No wonder I'm turning into grumpy old git!

 

[LaurieC]

I've been saying for the last 25 years that we're building a nation of morons - looks we're finally getting there.........
Too many up-country people down here now trying to change everything and completely buggering it up for we locals........
No wonder I'm turning into grumpy old git!

Eric
Not so much a "grumpy old git" but we are in an age group that still has "common sense" and can see the follies around us. Sadly this age group is a minority and therefore has little voice.
I am not happy about being "old" but I would hate to be young now. There again ,if I was young I'd be as stupid as the rest of them so probably would be happy in my ignorance,lol.

My old home town, Bognor Regis , did pedestrianisation of its high street several years ago , similar to what you describe in Penzance. Now they complain that the shops are closing through lack of business.
Why would you struggle to find a parking space in an inadequate car park [pay and display] ,walk hundreds of yards to the shops ,and return carrying your shopping when the alternative is to simply drive to the 3 major supermarkets grouped together in the retail park on the edge of town. Free parking , trolley park, fuel station, etc .Why do those that are supposed to "know" not see or consider the consequences??
Haha ,you are right after all, we are "grumpy old gits"
Laurie

 

[Bikeric]

Eric
Not so much a "grumpy old git" but we are in an age group that still has "common sense" and can see the follies around us. Sadly this age group is a minority and therefore has little voice.
I am not happy about being "old" but I would hate to be young now. There again ,if I was young I'd be as stupid as the rest of them so probably would be happy in my ignorance,lol.

My old home town, Bognor Regis , did pedestrianisation of its high street several years ago , similar to what you describe in Penzance. Now they complain that the shops are closing through lack of business.
Why would you struggle to find a parking space in an inadequate car park [pay and display] ,walk hundreds of yards to the shops ,and return carrying your shopping when the alternative is to simply drive to the 3 major supermarkets grouped together in the retail park on the edge of town. Free parking , trolley park, fuel station, etc .Why do those that are supposed to "know" not see or consider the consequences??
Haha ,you are right after all, we are "grumpy old gits"
Laurie

Laurie, you have summed it up exactly! The way things are going in the UK, it won't be long before I sell up here and join you over in France..... There again, you've got Macron (but maybe not after May?)

 

[ST1100Y]

Another new kamikaze nuisance are those stupid e-scooters...
Erratically, all over the place (in my youth I would have gotten head-slapped by the next cop for such behavior...), then getting dropped anywhere like trash... littered right in the lane, in parking spots, across the sidewalk...

 

[Upt' North]

Another new kamikaze nuisance are those stupid e-scooters...
Erratically, all over the place (in my youth I would have gotten head-slapped by the next cop for such behavior...), then getting dropped anywhere like trash... littered right in the lane, in parking spots, across the sidewalk...

Yes OK, but think how much cleaner the environment is.

 

[Andrew Shadow]

Another new kamikaze nuisance are those stupid e-scooters...
Erratically, all over the place (in my youth I would have gotten head-slapped by the next cop for such behavior...), then getting dropped anywhere like trash... littered right in the lane, in parking spots, across the sidewalk...

I was in Belgium a few years back and saw a lot of that in Brussels. It was both surprising and at the same time sad to see people's lack of consideration for public spaces. Having those scooters strewn all over the place without regard for whre they are left puts a damper on a tourists perception of the city. People just leave the scooters everywhere and anywhere. They were on the road, blocking sidewalks, blocking stairs, blocking entrances to buildings, littered all over parks, etc., etc.. At the time there was a fight going on between one of the scooter rental companies and the city of Montréal. The city was refusing to give them a permit unless they provided guarantees and mechanisms to prevent this sort of thing from happening. At the time I didn't really understand the issue because we didn't have them here and I was not aware of what was happening where they did have them. After seeing what was going on in Brussels, I understood and agreed with the city of Montréal that some kind of controls needed to be in place or we would have the same mess here.

 

[ST1100Y]

Yes OK, but think how much cleaner the environment is.

Yep, considering all the lithium and cobalt mined & processed for them batteries...
And then those imbeciles throw them into the nearest water body... yeah, such vandalism is really friendly for the environment...

 

[mjc506]

A lot of these problems would be solved by just getting rid of the general public

 

[Bikeric]

That might happen if Russia invades the Ukraine.... We'll all be in trouble then...

 

[Upt' North]

That might happen if Russia invades the Ukraine.... We'll all be in trouble then...

Ecca, you've let the country down badly, not to mention Cornwall.......
You know Boris has had a word, what could go wrong . Oh yeah.
Madderdoee Ecca.
And here we were, worrying about a bug.