Driving standards

[boxbrownie]

1 hour ago, chris p bacon said:

 

but for me it is 50, and 60 on a dual carriageway, when for a car it is 60 & 70

Yes but at least you know the correct speed 

[royaloak]

3 hours ago, Joseph_Pestell said:

 

Agreed. I think that part of the problem is that a lot of drivers don't actually know that the national speed limit on single carriageway roads is 60. Many seem to think that it is 50 (as evidenced by a quiz a few years ago on TV).

I am more concerned about the number of people who think any road with 2 lanes going in the same direction is a dual carriageway and therefore 70mph!

[royaloak]

19 hours ago, boxbrownie said:

I never understand people who say “well I’ve only had one/two and I’m fine to drive”........I know for a fact in the evening if I feel like a glass of wine after just one glass I feel a bit more relaxed, and I certainly don’t want that effect on the road!

Back in my younger days my driving (if I was to get behind the wheel, which I didnt) would probably have been less affected by 8 or 9 pints than it is affected by 2 pints these days, I used to drink so much that I rarely got tipsy never mind drunk, now I can feel the effects of 1 pint.

 

Please note I wouldnt be going anywhere near a steering wheel in either case.

Edited January 8, 2020 by royaloak
Edited for clarity.

[rockershovel]

6 minutes ago, royaloak said:

Back in my younger days my driving was probably less affected by 8 or 9 pints than it is affected by 2 pints these days, I used to drink so much that I rarely got tipsy never mind drunk, now I can feel the effects of 1 pint.

 

Fie Sir, surely you jest! I used to have something of a reputation, in my younger days, for repetitive exercises featuring the bending of the elbow, and I have no recollection of ever thinking (when sober) that I was fit to drive at such times. 

[rockershovel]

14 minutes ago, royaloak said:

I am more concerned about the number of people who think any road with 2 lanes going in the same direction is a dual carriageway and therefore 70mph!

 

National speed limit on a Dual Carriageway is 70mph - but note that a Dual Carriageway is defined as any road with a physical divider between opposing traffic flows. A single unbroken carriageway is NOT a Dual Carriageway, regardless of the number of lanes; but it MAY be signposted to any speed not exceeding 70mph. 

 

[royaloak]

7 minutes ago, rockershovel said:

 

Fie Sir, surely you jest! I used to have something of a reputation, in my younger days, for repetitive exercises featuring the bending of the elbow, and I have no recollection of ever thinking (when sober) that I was fit to drive at such times. 

I could have worded it better, I obviously didnt drive after 8 or 9 pints, the point I was (badly) making was my cognitive skills were less affected by 8 or 9 pints then, than they would be affected by 2 pints today, not that I would be going anywhere near a steering wheel in either case.

 

I have edited the original post to clarify what I meant which wasnt what I wrote.

Edited January 8, 2020 by royaloak

[Reorte]

Although it's not exactly a comparison with real world driving when I was at university there was a driving game in a room next to the student union bar. Variation in performance as a function of beer consumed was quite obvious! (personally speaking IIRC one pint didn't make much difference, two did although I usually didn't actually feel any different).

[Ian Abel]

7 hours ago, Enterprisingwestern said:

 

Isn't that the whole point of cruise control though, using it correctly when the traffic levels are suitable?

One doesn't use it irrespective of road conditions, traffic, rain, visibility etc.

 

Mike. 

Then there's "adaptive" cruise control, a whole new entity to discuss argue about. I find it works very effectively, then again I'm in the US, but frankly the traffic conditions/situations are overall not much different in the more built-up areas...

[PhilJ W]

6 hours ago, Reorte said:

Although it's not exactly a comparison with real world driving when I was at university there was a driving game in a room next to the student union bar. Variation in performance as a function of beer consumed was quite obvious! (personally speaking IIRC one pint didn't make much difference, two did although I usually didn't actually feel any different).

Back in my drinking days it was reckoned that more than 1.5 pints of beer put you over the then limit. The limit has since been reduced making anything more than a pint of beer (or equivalent) being enough to put you over the limit. Mind you back in those days my usual drinking holes were within walking/staggering distance of home and I used public transport to take me to work. 

[newbryford]

1 hour ago, PhilJ W said:

. Mind you back in those days my usual drinking holes were within walking/staggering distance of home and I used public transport to take me to work. 

 

After going to the pub?

 

[PhilJ W]

4 minutes ago, newbryford said:

 

After going to the pub?

 

On the morning after.

[Reorte]

3 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

Back in my drinking days it was reckoned that more than 1.5 pints of beer put you over the then limit. The limit has since been reduced making anything more than a pint of beer (or equivalent) being enough to put you over the limit. Mind you back in those days my usual drinking holes were within walking/staggering distance of home and I used public transport to take me to work. 

 

I've got a local within staggering distance (it's along the canal - most awkward time of year is when it's light when I set out and I forget to take a torch - went along with a hand on the wall once). I try to avoid going during the week, not feeling great the next morning combined with having to get the train in to work, which means getting up earlier, isn't much fun.

[turbos]

9 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

Back in my drinking days it was reckoned that more than 1.5 pints of beer put you over the then limit. The limit has since been reduced making anything more than a pint of beer (or equivalent) being enough to put you over the limit. Mind you back in those days my usual drinking holes were within walking/staggering distance of home and I used public transport to take me to work. 

A pint will put you over the limit nowadays, even a half pint is far too risky. So it’s nothing alcoholic at all if you might be driving.

Many years ago I had to reverse my car down a narrow private farm track after drinking 4 cans of beer, one of the most difficult driving experiences I’ve ever had.

 

Brian.

[ejstubbs]

12 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

Back in my drinking days it was reckoned that more than 1.5 pints of beer put you over the then limit. The limit has since been reduced

 

Only in Scotland.  In the rest of the UK it's been 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood (the Blood Alcohol Concentration or BAC) ever since the 1967 Road Safety Act.  However, since the introduction of evidential breath testing machines under the 1981 Transport Act, you don't have to undergo a blood or urine test to establish the BAC: blowing more then 35 microgrammes of alcohol per 100ml of breath is now sufficient for prosecution.  Different ways of measuring BAC, one direct and one via breath, but it's still the same BAC that he law is based on.

 

https://www.drinkdriving.org/drink_driving_information_uklawhistory.php

 

In Scotland the BAC limit was reduced to 50mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood in 2014.  That is in line with a number of other continental countries.  England, Wales and Northern Ireland are now outliers along with Malta and Liechtenstein (Italy has a bizarre sliding scale which starts at 0.05%).

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drunk_driving_law_by_country#Europe

 

(Ironic that just a few posts ago people were complaining about other drivers not knowing the speed limits...)

Edited January 9, 2020 by ejstubbs

[PaulCheffus]

1 hour ago, ejstubbs said:

(Ironic that just a few posts ago people were complaining about other drivers not knowing the speed limits...)

Hi

 

I wouldn't have a clue what the drink drive limit is and it doesn't matter as wouldn't have any alcohol if I was driving.

 

Cheers

 

Paul

[TheQ]

https://www.edp24.co.uk/motoring/norwich-northern-distributor-road-wroxham-road-roundabout-video-1-6457416

The roundabout I use most, it's very hairy at times,, three lanes exiting onto a roundabout  70mph east-west, 2 lanes entering the dual carrigeway the other side. Normal main road 50Mph north south, with exits that have no or little merging lanes. so 3 into 1 is interesting..

Edited January 9, 2020 by TheQ

[Billy Flathead]

11 hours ago, TheQ said:

https://www.edp24.co.uk/motoring/norwich-northern-distributor-road-wroxham-road-roundabout-video-1-6457416

The roundabout I use most, it's very hairy at times,, three lanes exiting onto a roundabout  70mph east-west, 2 lanes entering the dual carrigeway the other side. Normal main road 50Mph north south, with exits that have no or little merging lanes. so 3 into 1 is interesting..

These roundabouts are awful in an artic, two lanes become three car width lanes on a sharp bend at the roundabout. Really bad design, but infinitely better than Norwich northern ring road, possibly the worst road I have ever been on, every traffic light a dangerous confrontation.

[royaloak]

14 hours ago, PaulCheffus said:

Hi

 

I wouldn't have a clue what the drink drive limit is and it doesn't matter as wouldn't have any alcohol if I was driving.

 

Cheers

 

Paul

Then of course there are those of us who could legally drive our cars to work, fail the work Alcohol limit and so lose our jobs, before legally driving our car home.

[kevinlms]

16 hours ago, PaulCheffus said:

Hi

 

I wouldn't have a clue what the drink drive limit is and it doesn't matter as wouldn't have any alcohol if I was driving.

 

Cheers

 

Paul

I think it's a good idea to have a threshold that everyone understands (or should).

It's like not fitting speedometers in vehicles, then expecting everyone to drive exactly on the speed limit.

[Jonboy]

I have been known to have a single pint if I am aware I won’t be driving for 4 or 5 hours (e.g. when at long winded weddings). Even if I wanted to drink more I wouldn’t dare as the strength of ales varies so much these days.

[ejstubbs]

6 hours ago, kevinlms said:

I think it's a good idea to have a threshold that everyone understands (or should).

 

The threshold is, for practical purposes, zero i.e. you shouldn't do it.  Anyone who thinks that they know how much they can drink and still be "safe" is kidding themselves.  Same as anyone who thinks that they know how much they can drink and be within the legal BAC limit (which is unusually high in the UK - except Scotland - anyway).

 

https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/alcohol-facts/alcohol-and-the-law/drink-driving-and-the-legal-alcohol-limit/

 

Quote

 

How much can I drink and stay under the limit?

 

There is no fool-proof way of drinking and staying under the drink drive limit. The amount of alcohol you would need to drink to be considered over the driving limit varies from person to person.

 

It depends on: 

• Your weight, age, sex and metabolism (the rate your body uses energy)
• The type and amount of alcohol you’re drinking
• What you’ve eaten recently
• Your stress levels at the time

Even small amounts of alcohol can affect your ability to drive so the only safe advice is to avoid any alcohol if you are driving.  

 

 

[kevinlms]

4 hours ago, ejstubbs said:

 

The threshold is, for practical purposes, zero i.e. you shouldn't do it.  Anyone who thinks that they know how much they can drink and still be "safe" is kidding themselves.  Same as anyone who thinks that they know how much they can drink and be within the legal BAC limit (which is unusually high in the UK - except Scotland - anyway).

 

https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/alcohol-facts/alcohol-and-the-law/drink-driving-and-the-legal-alcohol-limit/

 

 

I don't disagree, but I will only have 1 drink if at all and that's with a proper meal.

 

In Victoria, the penalty for drink driving is strictly enforced (same limits as Scotland apply) and if you fail, even right on the line, it's instant loss of licence, no waiting for the Magistrate!

 

As a self-employed tradie and having a wife who is (hopefully temporarily) suspended due to epilepsy, so I have no margin for error.

[boxbrownie]

50 minutes ago, kevinlms said:

I don't disagree, but I will only have 1 drink if at all and that's with a proper meal.

 

In Victoria, the penalty for drink driving is strictly enforced (same limits as Scotland apply) and if you fail, even right on the line, it's instant loss of licence, no waiting for the Magistrate!

 

As a self-employed tradie and having a wife who is (hopefully temporarily) suspended due to epilepsy, so I have no margin for error.

Better off just having the meal then.....really 

[kevinlms]

13 hours ago, boxbrownie said:

Better off just having the meal then.....really 

I'll just do what I've been doing all the time. It's others that need to properly consider their actions & choices.

[45568]

Should I start a new thread for parking standards...??

Cheers from Oz,

Peter C.