Lower Speed Tolerances - Whodathunkit

[TheDemonLord]

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science...01457516303591

Eighty-four young adult participants drove under conditions where they could be fined for travelling 1, 6, or 11 km/h over a 50 km/h speed-limit. Stricter speed enforcement led to greater subjective workload and significant decrements in peripheral object detection. These data indicate that the benefits of reduced speeding with stricter enforcement may be at least partially offset by greater mental demands on drivers, reducing their responses to safety-critical stimuli on the road.

Apparently looking at your Speedometer instead of the road decreases your hazard identification and response times.

I should note that this is a small study with a limited sample size (only young adults) - but it does suggest that what drivers have been telling the policy makers for years has a rather large nugget of truth to it.

[Moi]

Speed is a more objective result - you were doing 53km/h, the instrument indicates that... Looking at other aspects of driving introduces a level of subjectivity - just how to you decide when a driver's actions are "inappropriate" or "dangerous"? If you want to make a prosecution stick then being totally objective probably removes the chances for a barrister to get the driver off on a technicality...

However, the more subjective assessments may well be the assessments which might lead to a lower road toll...

[TheDemonLord]

Speed is a more objective result - you were doing 53km/h, the instrument indicates that... Looking at other aspects of driving introduces a level of subjectivity - just how to you decide when a driver's actions are "inappropriate" or "dangerous"? If you want to make a prosecution stick then being totally objective probably removes the chances for a barrister to get the driver off on a technicality...

However, the more subjective assessments may well be the assessments which might lead to a lower road toll...

I agree in part, but for me this comes down to lazy policing - its far more easy to say 55 km/h with a radar result therefore ticket.

And so long as they are issuing tickets, they are 'doing something' about the problem, and they can give the brass nice graphs to show that 'they are making a difference'.

[caspernz]

Meh, none of this surprises me really. I'm mildly amused why so many feel the need to "do the limit plus the prevailing tolerance, minus 1 km/h" as if just doing the limit or flowing with the traffic at 5 km/h under is a chore...

Make it a habit to travel at the limit and it becomes second nature, but that's just not manly enough I suppose...

[Moi]

I agree in part, but for me this comes down to lazy policing - its far more easy to say 55 km/h with a radar result therefore ticket.

And so long as they are issuing tickets, they are 'doing something' about the problem, and they can give the brass nice graphs to show that 'they are making a difference'.

Precisely...

[old slider]

I find it difficult to maintain the exact speed limit and find that travelling in unison with the other traffic much better (easier) on my concentration and allows me to focus on whats happening rather than continuously checking the speedo and trying to make any corrections. Cell phones and those who struggle to keep appropriate following distances are more of a worry than being a few clicks over some specified speed, I often see 100kmh road signs in country road areas where 70km is a more appropriate speed.

[jasonu]

I ignore the 4km tolerance myself in the interest of safety but was forced to take notice of it when I have had a cop following me on a couple of occasions. It was quite scary having to ride looking at the speedo most of the time. I was actually in town which I think is more dangerous when doing it as there are many more hazards far more closer than on the open road.

Lucky you didn't feel the pressure to speed up and crash.

[swbarnett]

Make it a habit to travel at the limit and it becomes second nature, but that's just not manly enough I suppose...

I suppose you'd be quite happy with being told which end of the bus you're allowed to sit in based on your skin colour?

[Akzle]

Meh, none of this surprises me really. I'm mildly amused why so many feel the need to "do the limit plus the prevailing tolerance, minus 1 km/h" as if just doing the limit or flowing with the traffic at 5 km/h under is a chore...

Make it a habit to travel at the limit and it becomes second nature, but that's just not manly enough I suppose...

i've been largely exceeding the posted limit for the most of my xmas driving.
seen a half dozen cops on the road. (3 mopping up some idiot(s)) and more recently 2 on aucklands western ("temporarily 80"), both of which i passed at ~95 with aught so much as a wave.
didn't hear any wankery about a 4km tolerance. and the highest road toll. wunnit?

[george formby]

"Make it a habit to stick to the speed limit..".

I'm not one for becoming habitual on the road but this statement struck a chord.
About 50%of my daily commute is on a posted 80kmh road. With the tourist traffic, Nana's and Grandpa's, trucks etc, the 100kmh stretch is usually about 80kmh, too.
I have to make a concerted effort to get my speed up to 100kmh when I get the chance, to avoid being "that guy" holding everyone up, the daily commute has turned me into a tootler.

A decent ride on our splendidly twisty roads soon gets me sorted, though. And the beauty of a bike is the ability to be really naughty, briefly.

[caseye]

I ignore the 4km tolerance myself in the interest of safety but was forced to take notice of it when I have had a cop following me on a couple of occasions. It was quite scary having to ride looking at the speedo most of the time. I was actually in town which I think is more dangerous when doing it as there are many more hazards far more closer than on the open road.

Serious question.
You ride a big bike now.
Yet here you tell us that when being followed by the Police you had to keep looking at your speedo, what for?
do you not know what speed your bike is doing at particular revs, in each gear?
Do you not know approximately how fast you are going by the simple expedient of looking at your surroundings the road side furniture, the traffic in front of you and across from you and know to within a k or so what speed you are doing?
Yep, you have really learned a lot since growing up and getting into your big boys pants.
Fuck me, someone put me out of my misery.
This knob can't tell when to brake, when to avoid approaching animals, where there might be black/any! ice, yet they don't need to improve their riding skills, because they know all they need to know about motorcycling.
Worse he stiffens up and starts watching the dials when there is a nice Policeman behind them. What about the kids on the footpath, the stray dogs coming at you from all diretions, what about the traffic lights that have just gone yellow/Orange!
Mr Policeman just wants to know that you can ride competently, I'd wager that any practiced copper will pick you for exactly what you are. An ACCIDENT waiting to happen.
Get off our roads.

[Scuba_Steve]

What? lower speed tolerances & higher inforcement doesn't work
Who would have thought ay, I mean with all these highly successful low tolerance holiday periods they've been running the last few years

[Swoop]

...they are 'doing something' about the problem, and they can give the brass nice graphs to show that 'they are making a difference'.

I'd disagree.
The graphs are showing what "they" are doing isn't working.
Period.

Dumb people doing the same thing over and over yet expecting different results = mentally retarded fuckwits forming policy in gubbinment departments.


Perhaps they could start with driving/vehicle operator skills?




It's nice to know that there is a 4kmh tolerance happening. Is there? I've seen nothing to that effect, so 130 is the normal average to maintain on the open roads.

[caspernz]

I suppose you'd be quite happy with being told which end of the bus you're allowed to sit in based on your skin colour?

No I'll sit where the hokey pokey ice cream is being served. You missed the point chap...

[swbarnett]

No I'll sit where the hokey pokey ice cream is being served. You missed the point chap...

What I took your post to mean was that you're happy doing whatever your "betters" tell you to do, irrespective of wether the stated reason makes sense or not. Was I wrong?