Wales has 20mph limit, Clarkson has conniptions

[Thoglette]

For the likes of Jeremy Clarkson, this ‘lefty’ penchant for safer roads is just too pedestrian

Catherine Bennett in The Guardian

Wales has just introduced a default 20mph limit in built-up areas of Wales (that's c. 33kph). The (Tory) leader of the house thinks thats “absolutely insane” .

The Times çlaims that "speed" is the primary benefit of the car. (Death and injury apparently don't affect their subscribers) and calls the Welsh first minister the "nanny-in-chief". The limit is "unnecessary and oppressive".

Clarkson claims supporters (like James May) are "lefties". Which is, apparently, A Very Bad Thing(tm).

Meanwhile, back in reality ville.

One benefit of the Welsh ban is the expected saving of £100m in the first year from fewer fatalities and casualties.

The expectation is that additional delay will be... 63 seconds

[bychosis]

Bring it on. Built up areas ie residential areas should absolutely have very low limits like that. They had conniptions when residential area dropped to 50 in NSW, but that’s still too fast.

[g-boaf]

The more the better, stuff idiots like Clarkson - as much as some here will have conniptions over this supposed "left wing lunacy" of pandering to cyclists...

Lower speed limits are better - I'm used to 30km/h zones - much prefer them.

[jasonc]

stupidity is the norm. my street is parallel to a main road. during school start and finish times the main road is 40...my street is still 50. it's narrower and because little johnny and little jackie can't walk to school, it's full of parked cars...

[bychosis]

stupidity is the norm. my street is parallel to a main road. during school start and finish times the main road is 40...my street is still 50. it's narrower and because little johnny and little jackie can't walk to school, it's full of parked cars...

School zones should be for the full day too, not just morning and afternoon.

[warthog1]

If somebody with the dated attitudes, inflexible thinking and bigoted behaviour of that individual, dislikes something, I expect that a significant proportion of the population would see that thing as likely to be of benefit and forward thinking in nature.

[Thoglette]

And here comes the backlash….
The Guardian reports that the British PM Sunak is
expected to limit powers of councils in England to curb car use

[antigee]

stupidity is the norm. my street is parallel to a main road. during school start and finish times the main road is 40...my street is still 50. it's narrower and because little johnny and little jackie can't walk to school, it's full of parked cars...

School zones should be for the full day too, not just morning and afternoon.

and reflect actual walking routes / traffic movements not just be roads immediately adjacent to a school doing traffic / ped/ cycle surveys isn't rocket science
...my suspicion is that here in Melbourne VicRoads is pretty relaxed about rat running in adjacent roads as it some way reduces driver perception that congestion is an unavoidable problem

[g-boaf]

And here comes the backlash….
The Guardian reports that the British PM Sunak is
expected to limit powers of councils in England to curb car use

So:

A Department for Transport source described the policies as “speculation”.

They are completely locked down and will ready to put into action at the right moment. I understand bureaucrat and politician language quite well.

[am50em]

30kph speed limit for Fitzroy-Collingwood if state government approves.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-11-15/ ... /103104332

[bychosis]

I particularly like this quote "It's happened all around the world, in particularly built-up areas — the sky hasn't fallen in."

Serious question: do we still need school speed zones if the overall limit has dropped to 30? How do we manage them if they are going to match the surrounding speed limit? Is it just an increase in parking and phone penalties in these areas to differentiate? Do we just drop school zones altogether? I’m still in favour of school zones - and think they shouldn’t just be morning and afternoon but all day. I’m also in favour of 30km/h limits.

[zebee]

I'd prefer traffic free zones around schools in pickup/dropoff so sprogs have to walk a little.

Mind you that would make Lane Cove Rd (major traffic artery, 70kmh, 3 lanes, but also a school zone in North Ryde and Macquarie Park) a bit fun in term time.

[Mr Purple]

I'd prefer traffic free zones around schools in pickup/dropoff so sprogs have to walk a little.

Mind you that would make Lane Cove Rd (major traffic artery, 70kmh, 3 lanes, but also a school zone in North Ryde and Macquarie Park) a bit fun in term time.

Me too.

Our primary school has a 'drop zone' frequented by the same cars (usually SUVs) every week. Behind the drop zone there is a 'no stopping' yellow line zone and behind that the school crossing.

The cars are frequently banked up through the drop zone, through the yellow line zone, and often through the crossing. This is in a narrow street so they're blocking all through traffic down that street.

Even if you must drive, maybe consider walking say the final 100m to the school FFS? And if you decide to park in the crossing outside your kid's school I'm pretty sure the punishment should be immediate execution.

[jasonc]

I'm ok with traffic but the only parking within 500m radius is public transport and disabled car parks

[am50em]

30kph speed limit for Fitzroy-Collingwood if state government approves.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-11-15/ ... /103104332

And Police don't like it!

https://www.drive.com.au/news/victoria- ... um=partner

[bychosis]

It’s pretty sad that he had to say it ‘ridiculous’ out loud. Sure, think it to yourself but give the opportunity to assess what happens after the trial and then make your opinion public.

I’m guessing his first reaction was that the two councils are going to want police on every street to enforce it. Reality is, it largely becomes self policing with a little bit of presence from highway patrol a the start. I’d be surprised if many of the new 30 streets had much traffic going if 40 anyway due to the nature of the roads being narrow and just naturally slower.

[Cyclophiliac]

30kph speed limit for Fitzroy-Collingwood if state government approves.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-11-15/ ... /103104332

And Police don't like it!

https://www.drive.com.au/news/victoria- ... um=partner

He shouldn't be holding a position like that. There's plenty of evidence that reducing speed limits reduces road trauma. To say that "no one will obey it" is just a lie.

[Thoglette]

He shouldn't be holding a position like that. There's plenty of evidence that reducing speed limits reduces road trauma. To say that "no one will obey it" is just a lie.

Unfortunately to say that "no one will enforce it" is just likely to be the truth, if minimum passing distance laws are anything to go by.

Or even the enforcement of the speed limits in the areas he’s so concerned about. Based on my time regularly driving in near-country Victoria a few years back (airport to Beaufort via Melton and Ballarat ) is that the limits are ignored by many & basically not enforced. And then there’s the large crop of fruitcakes who are going 10+ above and have to pass NOW, regardless of rules, on coming traffic, or road conditions.

I saw many, many near misses.

What might Victoria’s version of Operation Pedro (payback) be?