Monday, 12th May 2008
Why the 60kph speed limit?
How refreshing it was to read: The answer to reducing road accidents is more complex than just reducing speeds, as so ably suggested by correspondent Graham Hurdle, himself a road safety and driver training consultant.
For the last 40 years, I have been trying to instil this argument in critics of anybody who travels at anything above walking pace, with little success.
Mr Hurdle goes on: "Enforcement should not be done through speed cameras alone." Right on cue again Mr Hurdle. The biggest problem as I see it is the local councils who all appear to have their own little self-appointed traffic experts, and the ADT that appears to have little control over the doings of these councils where roads and traffic are concerned.
Perfect examples are the improper placing of most of the speed cameras on the island, all the wrong signage everywhere, and traffic calming measures that increase one's blood pressure rather than reduce it.
While on the subject, one cannot but mention the controversial speed camera and speed limits on Regional Road. When the powers that be installed cameras and introduced daft speed limits of 45kph on the Manuel Dimech Bridge, we were assured that this was all for our own safety as otherwise the bridge might collapse.
Fair enough, how thoughtful of them - nice try. What's the excuse for the 60kph limit now? Is the bridge still unsafe and about to collapse, so many million euros later?
As Mr Hurdle so rightly hinted, most cameras are nothing but revenue-making machines and nothing else.
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Comments
It's just simple mathematics. If I can average 50kph on a given journey, I will be on the road for only half the time that I would be if I averaged 25kph.
So for that time my vehicle will off the road. I cannot be involved in an accident. Less vehicles on the road will mean that other drivers can complete their journeys more quickley, which means that there will be fewer vehicles on the road and so on.........
Slowing traffic down has the opposite effect . Journeys take longer, drivers get impatient, more vehicles on the road, adding to congestion, until the whole road system grinds to a standstill.
Most drivers want to get from A to B as quickly as possible, safely into their homes or place of work. So why not let them.
Dual carriage way, in a non-built area over a new bridge! Speed limit set to 60kph.
Who did it is the biggest nerd of all. Or else wants to suck more money from normal drivers!
Anyone saying that doing 60kph on this road is for our safety, please take a hike and don’t drive
Get some real people to set the rules over our roads Dr Austin Gatt.
As someone pointed out the speed limits should be standardised throughout the Island as opposed to every council inventing their own highway code.
(37.28 miles per hour for the senior citizens)!!!
Workers beware as someone is being very successful in taking away your hard earned taxed income before you actually arrive for a day's work, and it is is not the Gudja Local Council who is doing this (they were not even consulted when it was installed!). Where is all the cash generated going, if I may ask?
This 'cash-cow' (speed camera) has to be controlled as the speed limit on this stretch of road is not rational. Going over by even less than 10% are being fined!
Can the present government, which prides itself in having a social conscience, please intervene and rectify the situation!!
The thing is that we think we are always right and whatever is done by the authorities is always criticised by us 'the experts'.
Personally I drive a bike and I wouldn’t stop mentioned cases when I risked my life due to these kind of people. Not to mention the fact that when you tell them to be careful they just laugh in your face or try to run you over….. yeah right…. Civilisation!
This is obviously not the only road with such a problem.
Seriously, I think that in this sector, like many others, the song Pajjiz tal-Mickey Mouse is the perfect representation of the situation in the Maltese Islands.
Are you really interested in protecting other peoples lives and safety? Do you get your kicks by catapulting out of the regional road tunnels, onto the Manuel Dimech bridge, smashing into the back of someone OBEYING the speed limit, fall over the side and then get cut out of your car by the emergency services?
You know fine that your argument that it is in fact slower drivers who cause accidents is total nonsense and to suggest otherwise is just delusional and down right dangerous.
Why do we have 15 kph, 35 kph, 45 kph, 50 kph, 60 kph, 70 kph and 80 kph speed limits? Why can't we do like the rest of the world and set (and stick to!) standards?