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Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2015 7:46 pm
by KAMIKAZEE DIY
Hi carberry,
You must know the streets of Edinburgh well, how do you think the knew law that's been passed where apparently 80% of Edinburghs roads will be 20mph limit will work out?
I think it will have a lot of teething problems at best, but you could see shorter distance commuters using push bikes and possibly making they're journeys faster than motorists.
If it cuts down on accidents you would have to call it a good idea but at what cost?
Cheers
Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2015 8:47 pm
by Carberry
They already cocked up massively with the parliament and the trams, I can't see this going any better. I think it has been suggested by morons trying to justify their obscene wages and make a name for themselves.
People don't die in accidents at 30mp/h, they die on A roads, B roads and motorways. The research they are using is about fatalities at 30 mphs (5.5%) but people don't get hit at 30mph, drivers slam on the brakes and they get hit at a significantly lower speed.
Traffic won't flow better. They are basing this notion on research done on motorways where putting it down to 50mph traffic flows better overall. Big difference with motorways though where you get idiots driving too close to each other and end up tapping their brakes, then the person behind them taps their brakes a little harder until 10 miles down the road traffic has come to a halt. At 50mph people keep a safer distance, they don't tap their brakes constantly etc Not going to affect people doing 20 or 30 mph.
If they were leaving main roads alone and making it 20mph in residential areas I wouldn't mind but they want to introduce it to some of Edinburgh's busiest roads - slateford, portobello, morningside. Logistically it's going to be a nightmare, traffic lights are set to deal with traffic at 30 and 40mph and the bus service will be messed with (Edinburgh bus service is great).
For businesses that rely on deliveries it will end up screwing them over and costing them a lot of money - if you're driving for 6 hours a day you are now going to have to drive for 9 hours to cover the same distance at the slower speed. No doubt they will try and brush it off though; I was at an accounting lecture where the guest speaker was someone that was involved with the tram project. Apparently the company that won the contract said their contraflow system would not affect traffic or business in the area so there was no need to setup a fund for businesses that get screwed over. They couldn't have been more wrong about that one, lot of people lost their businesses over it.
Can't see it sparking a cycling revolution here, too many hills, potholes and cobbles :laugh:
The government has to accept that at some point people will get hurt and die no matter how much legislation you put in the way.
Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2015 11:09 pm
by KAMIKAZEE DIY
I think road safety campaigners will see it as a victory but can't see many other people agreeing.
I can't imagine Edinburghs traders will be overjoyed as longer travelling times to shops won't encourage non residents to jump in the car for a shopping trip. As a fifer across the bridge I'd be more inclined to go to Glasgow now.
My friends a courier and he says it's a disaster for couriers.
Once it's up and running I don't see it changing though.
The change in drink driving limit was a better move. Statistics showing a reduction of two thirds in drivers over the limit. Hope it continues.
Cheers
Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2015 6:52 am
by michaelthegardener
we have a lot of 20mph zones in Bristol but not the whole city yet its stupid because the speed limit goes up and down like a yo yo on the same road in some cases I find it hard to stick to to be honest but do try 
2 things about it really really piss me off the slogan " a little bit slower a lot safer" I mean its over 30% slower how is that a little bit :p and the fact they have spent millions on new signs 
Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2015 7:04 am
by lutonlagerlout
actually 20MPH is 50% slower than 30MPH
the biggest tragedy for me is overzealous parents ferrying their kids everywhere
they double park,block junctions, try and do a 3 point turn in a busy road,
they have actually made it more dangerous for the very children they are trying to protect
another bete noire of late ,now that we are using the M1 regular and the 25,is the people who treat the slip road hard shoulder as an overtaking lane
as my mate comments
"must be a doctor on call"
LLL
Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2015 9:29 am
by GB_Groundworks
When I lived in Munich if you were in a cycle lane in the park or on the pavement or crossed one without looking you were liable if cyclist hit you even if from behind etc
That guys a tool wants locking up
Posted: Sat Jan 24, 2015 12:15 am
by neatcon
Im also a cyclist, I can assure you he would have swallowed half my helmet if he came at me like that, Ive broken a mirror once on a hiace dozey fcuk was texting and drifting across me I would have been happy to challenge him if he stopped..
Posted: Sat Jan 24, 2015 12:53 am
by lutonlagerlout
topic closed due to incorrect libellous comments