So there I was, at 70MPH on an empty motorway heading back from London. No roadworks, a clear line of sight for a good distance and not a car in view. I did what you, your neighbor, your mate down the pub and even your mother would have done. I put my foot down a little. Though I shall not disclose how fast I was traveling, in fear of environmentalists complaining that a rare breed of frog could have jumped into the road, but it was over 70MPH. I feel this was justified as it was safe at that point to exceed the speed limit, yet had a machine caught me, the cogs and lightbulbs would not have been so sympathetic. The government are currently in talks about raising the national speed limit and my general reaction to this is “about bloody time!”
I would not call myself a speed freak and so if you’re reading my last comment and currently think that I deserve an ASBO, please reserve your judgement. There is no good reason for the speed limit to be 70MPH. Cars today have so many features to aid in preventing an accident that a limit set for cars in 1965 is completely obsolete in 2011. Stopping distances for the average car is fantastic and almost half of what it was in ’65. Also in the unfortunate event of a crash the motorcar today comes with more airbags than children have balloons at birthday parties. Raising the limit to 80MPH is not only logical but a complete necessity in an age where our lives are so busy.
It is about time the government realised that we are not all blithering idiots that aim for lamp posts and tress whilst out driving. Yes, there are some people who should be taken off the road and put into straightjackets but these people will always exist. On a long journey traveling an extra 10 miles every hour makes all the difference.
Do I feel 80MPH is an appropriate limit for motorways? Honestly, I think it would still be safe to go a bit higher. But this is progress and as long as this change is brought in I am willing to compromise on my proposed limit of 90MPH.
