Long distance driving

[Lucan]

When I started driving trucks used to rush the hills and would quite often pass you at 70 in the dips before you passed them again near the top of the hill getting slower and slower.

Still happens. I was driving the M4 in S Wales only two days ago, pulling a caravan, cruise contol at 60 (legal limit for towing), when an artic heavily laden with steel rods passed me at about 75 on a dip, then slowed to about 50 by the time he reached the next hill brow. He and I were counter-overtaking each other on the hills and dips for about the next 5 miles, me at more-or less constant 60.

Other trucks were having the same effect but less pronounced, varying between about 55 and 60. You notice these things more when your own limit is 60 and you are therefore mixing it with these guys. I was not overtaking them unless I had at least a 5mph difference BTW.

 

[507021]

I've driven from Liverpool to Paris and back twice this year, but took several breaks along the way both times.

I do agree on the car you're driving making a big difference though. I think my current car is great for driving long distances.

 

[bramling]

Much comment so far about drivers going slower through M-way roadworks than the limit. My beef is about the ones who go through with a huge space in front of them. I have seen gaps of 100-200 yards in otherwise packed traffic and with miles-long jams approaching the works.

This fractions the road capacity past the works. They may actually be doing the speed limit, but have been super-slow at getting up to speed when they got moving from the jam. Is their attitude that the road is slowed anyway so there is no point in getting on with it?

Most is probably due to dopiness, however some may well be driving in a way that reduces the need to change gear and/or attempting to maintain a more constant speed, thus reducing wear and tear on the vehicle.

 

[richw]

Is there ever commercial pressure from some outfits not to ease of to meet delivery times or preserve fuel economy?

Can’t say I know the answer to that. Not something I’ve experienced

 

[jmh59]

A minimum speed limit of 50mph on motorways where there are no variable limits being enforced would be a sensible move.

I once had a van and a land rover neither of which would exceed 40MPH - mind you, I never once took either on a motorway as I considered it would be grossly antisocial!

 

[Master29]

Crikey, this thread makes me glad I don't drive. People driving for way too long whilst getting angry at other drivers not adhering to their standards is a recipe for disaster!

Personally. I despise driving long distance in the UK. I`m of the opinion it doesn`t matter what app or piece of equipment you use it doesn`t make any difference. You can choose to leave early in the mornings which may make some difference but you don`t need an app to tell you that. Various control systems are available but you still have to be alert, which drains you and yes, I`ve used them. All this " I`ve been driving for 10 hours and I`m refreshed" is nonsense. The arteries of Britain are clogged to the hilt. People who claim their car beams to Scotland or wherever quicker than anyone else are just trying to plug one-upmanship. Look at me. I got there considerably faster than yaooo, to quote Harry Enfield. Just Clarksonism.
Car ads are dumb. You never see adverts where the driver is stuck behind slow traffic or traffic lights. Always in some Swiss mountain.

 

[ilvaporista]

For the last 29 years I have been driving to and from Italy to the UK. Usually twice a year but sometimes up to 5 times a year. Modern cars make it easier but I still enjoy it. Start at 5 am and it usually takes 13-14 hours with the ferry. Best time was 11:05 using the channel tunnel, from Turin to Guildford. Stops at Geneva for fuel, Reims for lunch (MacDonald's), fuel in Calais and a meal on the ferry. For 25 of those years it was just me driving, now I share with my sons. No speeding, cruise control set at 130kph for the motorways in France. I also drive a lot for work covering all of Italy for work. Rome is 6 hours by car, 8 hours to Naples. Driving to Rome for the day is not normal but has been done, Naples is an overnight, not least to visit the miniature rack railway run by a good friend.

 

[bramling]

Personally. I despise driving long distance in the UK. I`m of the opinion it doesn`t matter what app or piece of equipment you use it doesn`t make any difference. You can choose to leave early in the mornings which may make some difference but you don`t need an app to tell you that. Various control systems are available but you still have to be alert, which drains you and yes, I`ve used them. All this " I`ve been driving for 10 hours and I`m refreshed" is nonsense. The arteries of Britain are clogged to the hilt. People who claim their car beams to Scotland or wherever quicker than anyone else are just trying to plug one-upmanship. Look at me. I got there considerably faster than yaooo, to quote Harry Enfield. Just Clarksonism.
Car ads are dumb. You never see adverts where the driver is stuck behind slow traffic or traffic lights. Always in some Swiss mountain.

I don’t see why there’s any “one-upmanship” to it. I get in the car (ideally on a Sunday morning or late on a weekday evening) and drive as far as I’m comfortable with. This may well take me from London to Scotland.

It’s not one-upmanship, it’s getting from A to B as expediently as possible.

In the absence of some kind of teleportation where one can get from A to B in an instant it’s making the best of a bad job. If some people happen to also find it at least partially enjoyable then all the better.

 

[HOOVER29]

Better than the train & a hell of a lot cheaper too.
Example:
Burton-On-Trent to Newquay for 3 people £440 with 3 changes.
Plus a £20 x 2 taxi journey to Burton Railway station & back.
By car there & back £50.
7 hrs 40 mins train journey time with taxis included
I’ll use the car as it takes me 5 hrs door to door & that’s taking my time.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I once had a van and a land rover neither of which would exceed 40MPH - mind you, I never once took either on a motorway as I considered it would be grossly antisocial!

Any vehicle you do take on a motorway has to be capable of 40mph, so these may well not have been legal to take there anyway!

 

[Bletchleyite]

I get frustrated with people doing 30-40 in a 60, when there's good visibility and weather conditions. People driving like that shouldn't be on the road.

That sort of depends what kind of 60 you mean. There is a quite strong argument to reduce the single carriageway NSL to 50, but to uprate certain ones to 60, the likes of the A5 past Shrewsbury would be examples (though they really shouldn't have built that on the cheap in the first place, it needs to be dualled). Some Council areas have basically done that anyway by shoving up 50 signs.

The other advantage of doing this would be to near-remove overtaking, as almost all other vehicles on single carriageways in England and Wales[1] are allowed to do 50. Which would significantly reduce accidents caused by it.

And there are of course "60s" (NSL) on which 30 is more appropriate for much of it - plenty of small country lanes, for instance. It's a limit, not a target, after all.

FWIW, though, I do see what you mean - "Sunday drivers" and members of the FART club (Forty All the Ruddy Time) are an issue, and if they do wish to do that they should periodically pull over to let the queue pass, as the Highway Code asks them to do.

[1] England and Wales changed the limit for lorries on single carriageways from 40 to 50 to improve safety by reducing overtaking - most lorries were doing this anyway in the 90s and early 2000s but with more enforcement slowed down in more recent years. Scotland however did not and it's still 40 north of the border. Reference: https://www.highwaycodeuk.co.uk/cha...speed-limits-for-lorries-in-england-and-wales

 

[radamfi]

The Netherlands seem to have created a more useful hierarchy of single carriageway speed limits. The official speed limit on single carriageway roads is 80 km/h, however large areas of the countryside are covered by 60 km/h zones so that has become the de facto speed limit on unclassified roads. Higher standard single carriageway roads are designated as "Autoweg" and have a 100 km/h limit.

 

[nlogax]

Any vehicle you do take on a motorway has to be capable of 40mph, so these may well not have been legal to take there anyway!

That's a rule I've never been aware of..so in effect there's already a minimum of 40mph motorways?

 

[Bletchleyite]

That's a rule I've never been aware of..so in effect there's already a minimum of 40mph motorways?

It seems I was misinformed on this having done some more research - but the major classes of user that aren't capable of 40mph (cyclists, pedestrians, <50cc motorcycles) aren't allowed. I'm not aware of any rule saying you can't drive under 40mph on a motorway.

 

[Ianno87]

It seems I was misinformed on this having done some more research - but the major classes of user that aren't capable of 40mph (cyclists, pedestrians, <50cc motorcycles) aren't allowed. I'm not aware of any rule saying you can't drive under 40mph on a motorway.

Incidentally I don't think I've never seen a Smart Motorway sign display anything less than 40.

 

[MotCO]

Incidentally I don't think I've never seen a Smart Motorway sign display anything less than 40.

I always thought that 30 mph was the minimum speed, but don't know if that was my misconception. THere are minimum speedlimits on some roads (blue circle with speed limit), for example the Dartford Tunnel.

Anyway, if there was a minimum speed limit, I'd love to be able to do that on the M25 in the rush hour!

 

[bramling]

That sort of depends what kind of 60 you mean. There is a quite strong argument to reduce the single carriageway NSL to 50, but to uprate certain ones to 60,

Don't see the point of this.

Those who have poor hazard perception and speed selection judgement will continue to have it, and will continue to do whatever speed they choose, and it just messes things up for everyone else.

Meanwhile, those areas where 50 mph is judicious due to specific hazards will no longer stand out.

 

[nlogax]

Incidentally I don't think I've never seen a Smart Motorway sign display anything less than 40.

Am sure I've seen 30 once where half the lanes were closed due to an accident.

I always thought that 30 mph was the minimum speed, but don't know if that was my misconception. THere are minimum speedlimits on some roads (blue circle with speed limit), for example the Dartford Tunnel.

It's a minimum of 10 through the tunnels isn't it?

 

[alxndr]

The other week I had 30s on both the M25 and the M3. First time experiencing variable speed limits and didn't enjoy them at all. Makes it more stressful having yet another thing to keep your eye on.

Also stuck for miles behind a car doing 30 in a 60 yesterday. Every time we just about made it up to 35mph we entered a village and went back down to 20mph. Doesn't give you much confidence that they should be on the road when people drive like that, and you're left on edge for what else they might fail to manage or react to.

 

[PeterC]

The other week I had 30s on both the M25 and the M3. First time experiencing variable speed limits and didn't enjoy them at all. Makes it more stressful having yet another thing to keep your eye on.

Also stuck for miles behind a car doing 30 in a 60 yesterday. Every time we just about made it up to 35mph we entered a village and went back down to 20mph. Doesn't give you much confidence that they should be on the road when people drive like that, and you're left on edge for what else they might fail to manage or react to.

For variable limits I just set the limiter and concentrate on what is in front of me. I wouldn't buy another car without a speed limiter.

The second paragraph reminds me of an incident a long time ago. I travelled about 8 or 9 miles behind a car doing a steady 30 on a clear dry road with a 50 limit. When we reached the next town he responded to the 30 limit by flooring the accelerator and vanishing over the horizon.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Incidentally I don't think I've never seen a Smart Motorway sign display anything less than 40.

They can't automatically do less than 40 (they can automatically do blank/NSL, 60, 50 or 40 which is done to prevent bunching in congestion, or where hard shoulder running is not the default if that is turned on you get 60), but I have once seen 20, for this to show someone has to have put it on manually.

 

[alxndr]

For variable limits I just set the limiter and concentrate on what is in front of me. I wouldn't buy another car without a speed limiter.

Not so helpful when the variable limit keeps varying though as you have to be aware of whatever arbitrary limit they've imposed on that section and update your speed limiter/mental note. Limiters do make driving easier though, I wish I'd stuck to my plan of getting one.

 

[nlogax]

you have to be aware of whatever arbitrary limit they've imposed on that section and update your speed limiter/mental note.

I understand there's a two minute grace period between the gantry indication changing and the speed camera catching up to enforce it.

 

[edwin_m]

Not so helpful when the variable limit keeps varying though as you have to be aware of whatever arbitrary limit they've imposed on that section and update your speed limiter/mental note. Limiters do make driving easier though, I wish I'd stuck to my plan of getting one.

As I understand it a speed limiter means you have to put your foot on the pedal but it won't let you go above the set speed. Whereas adaptive cruise control tries to drive at the set speed subject to keeping safe distance from the vehicle in front, and you can give your foot a rest subject to being ready to hit the brake if necessary. I've never used the former but the latter is indeed very useful on active motorways.

 

[bramling]

I understand there's a two minute grace period between the gantry indication changing and the speed camera catching up to enforce it.

I’ve heard moans at work where people claim to have been caught just after the speed had lowered. Naturally I can’t speak for the authenticity of these claims though.

 

[Meerkat]

Chances they were actually breaking the limit before it changed anyway?

 

[MotCO]

I understand there's a two minute grace period between the gantry indication changing and the speed camera catching up to enforce it.

But that's not much help. If your last speed limit was 60, and the next one is showing 50, you'll only notice this when you approach it, and have to slam on the anchors causing potential shunts. It would be better for the speed camera only to be operative after you have passed two gantries showing thre same speed.

 

[MotCO]

Slightly off topic (although this thread has meandered somewhat from the opening post ), I don't understand why so many motorists insist on driving down lanes closed with red 'X'. However, today, in the rush hour on the M25 in Kent / Surrey this morning, there was a 'move over' sign, and no vehicle travellled in this lane for about two miles before the red 'X', nor in the closed section - I was pleasantly surprised!

 

[Bletchleyite]

But that's not much help. If your last speed limit was 60, and the next one is showing 50, you'll only notice this when you approach it, and have to slam on the anchors causing potential shunts. It would be better for the speed camera only to be operative after you have passed two gantries showing thre same speed.

If you only notice it at the point you have to "slam on the anchors" your observation skills are rather lacking, particularly as you know the gantry is coming. Do you also "slam on the anchors" when you see a regular speed limit sign?

As soon as you see the next gantry, which is potentially a few hundred metres ahead, you simply lift off the accelerator (or adjust your cruise control speed down, if you're using that) and allow your speed to drop so you are doing the correct limit as you pass under it.

 

[edwin_m]

If you only notice it at the point you have to "slam on the anchors" your observation skills are rather lacking, particularly as you know the gantry is coming. Do you also "slam on the anchors" when you see a regular speed limit sign?

Some of the early variable limit signs on the M42 are still there, where the 5 and the 6 are very similar so it's easy to miss where a 60 changes to a 50. The later ones are much better with the 6 being curved over rather than very upright like a 5.