FabSwingers.com forum: Motorway speed/driving

By (user no longer on site) OP
28 weeks ago

So I do a lot of motor way driving. For the past two months I've been driving from Manchester to Wakefield (550 miles a week) via the M62. And I've noticed that 95% of drivers now do average 60 mph. But its not just the M62, M56, M60, M25 ect. Why? I think it's a combination of various factors; economy/fuel price, speed cameras, congestion and road works. Also Trucks use to have a maximum speed of 57mph, but now they easily exceed 60! The motorways are so incredibly congested now. Our motors were built for x amount of traffic, but they have all exceeded it, thus we are now using the hard shoulder during peak hours.

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By *elsh_naturist_coupleCouple
28 weeks ago

Newport

I dont do as much driving as you only 25k a year, but my view is driving standards have dropped!

A lot of drivers don't have the confidence or the ability to drive at speed, in heavy traffic or busy cities.

When I learnt to drive you were always told that when you pass your test is the time you really start to learn. You watch so .any drivers and they still drive like they were on there lessons they don't develop any further.

There are lots more people on the road so that also means more good drivers and more bad driver's.

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By *ellhungvweMan
28 weeks ago

Cheltenham

I think that might be motorway specific speeds OP. My experience of the M5, M4 and M40 makes me think that the average speed hasn’t really changed but the max top speed has increased dramatically since electric cars and bigger SUVs have become more common.

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By *mileyculturebelfastMan
28 weeks ago

belfast

Using the hard shoulder is wring and dangerous.

Obviously youre not a professional driver.

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By *YDB75Man
28 weeks ago

East Yorks

Trucks are limited to 56mph but can legally do 60mph on the overrun for a short period of time. The EU set 56 but uk law is 60.

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By *rasshopper201Man
28 weeks ago

kendal

I drive at least 250 a day sometimes more and find that for me 58 to 62 the best cruising speed as it’s great for economy which over a year makes a big difference in costs also my van is now on 340.000 miles and still runs like anew one also people forget tyres corners and acceleration braking I get 70 plus thousand out of my tyres and there carrying full 3 ton all the time these electric cars with instant power wear tyres out a lot faster but for me its because I own my van and I pay the bills for it and the fuel aswell most people don’t it’s there employers job to do that that’s why they drive like they do

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By *ddy86Man
28 weeks ago

Abram

I don't do a lot of motorway miles anymore, but used to. Whenever I'm on them now it's usually late nights. But by god, the difference in driving on them during the day, even outside of rush hours, is sometimes lethal.

A couple of weeks ago I was on the m62 heading over to Sheffield & at the peak there was someone in a BMW 3 series doing 40mph in the middle lane. Just chilling out.

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By *alandNitaCouple
28 weeks ago

Scunthorpe

To be honest, most motorways are not congested, lane 1 is nearly always empty

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By (user no longer on site) OP
28 weeks ago

"Using the hard shoulder is wring and dangerous.

Obviously youre not a professional driver."

During rush hour or when the motor way is busy, the signs tells you to use the hard-shoulder. Its been like this for a number of years now.

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By (user no longer on site) OP
28 weeks ago

Trucks are limited to 56mph but can legally do 60mph on the overrun for a short period of time. The EU set 56 but uk law is 60. "

Truck drivers will do 60 mph all the way from Manchester to wakefield for over an hour. Its very common now.

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By *heGateKeeperMan
28 weeks ago

Stratford

"To be honest, most motorways are not congested, lane 1 is nearly always empty"

^^^^

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By *andadbodMan
28 weeks ago

Liverpool

then you get the eejit doing 55mph in the middle lane and not moving into the inside lane for anyone 🙄

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By *gent CoulsonMan
28 weeks ago

Secret hideaway in the pennines

When I went over to Wetherby last week on the 62, lane 1 and 2 were just full of wagons, not one doing more than 58, which is a ball ache when it slows everyone else down, but I do have to agree, the general standard of driving does seem pretty poor, cars siting the middle lane doing 50 when the inside lane is clear, cars driving withing a couple of feet of each other, even seen that with hgvs

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By *vonne5exMan
28 weeks ago

Doncaster

"Using the hard shoulder is wring and dangerous.

Obviously youre not a professional driver."
obviously he talking smart motorways

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By *vonne5exMan
28 weeks ago

Doncaster

I personally can do hundreds of miles a week on my travels, I'd say it's the smart motorways with cameras that bring the speed down, on the other es without cameras it's driving as normal

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By *he MinionMan
28 weeks ago

Surrey

I cant comment about motorways up north but the driving on the M25 is awful.

It could be 10 lanes wide and people would still stick to the outside 2 lanes.

As somebody mentioned above, its not congestion, i mean the quantity of cars, its poor, selfish driving that creates the traffic.

Have you ever been under taken on a motorway ? No me neither. But i do love seeing people getting annoyed when they get undertaken. If they would just drive in the correct lane it would make everybodies journey so much more pleasant !

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By *he MinionMan
28 weeks ago

Surrey

Smart motorways = Death traps.

I pray nobody ever breaks down on one

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By *oonwitch_and_RainbowCouple (FF)
28 weeks ago

Bradford and Stockport

"Smart motorways = Death traps.

I pray nobody ever breaks down on one"

They have done. Some of them have died.

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By (user no longer on site) OP
28 weeks ago

"I cant comment about motorways up north but the driving on the M25 is awful.

It could be 10 lanes wide and people would still stick to the outside 2 lanes.

As somebody mentioned above, its not congestion, i mean the quantity of cars, its poor, selfish driving that creates the traffic.

ey so much more pleasant !"

I use to live in Kent and I use to drive on the M25 a lot. Now its changed so much.

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By *londebiguyMan
28 weeks ago

Southport

People driving on motorways and not understanding the lanes,how to use them for overtaking is the worst for me.

So many clueless and dangerous driver who undertake.

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By *londebiguyMan
28 weeks ago

Southport

"Smart motorways = Death traps.

I pray nobody ever breaks down on one"

They are death traps and they know it.

That's why they had to go back to add the emergency areas at the sides of them.

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By (user no longer on site) OP
28 weeks ago

"Smart motorways = Death traps.

I pray nobody ever breaks down on one

They are death traps and they know it.

That's why they had to go back to add the emergency areas at the sides of them."

The problem is all motorways in the UK are over crowded. Thats why the high ways agency made it legal to drive on the hard shoulder

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By *arleycplWoman
28 weeks ago

Frodsham

Over the past 10 years I have usd the M62 and A1, on average 450 miles a week,

The problem is driving standards are dismal, not long ago I was on the A1 at tea time, normal busy traffic, when I and several others cars were past by a Golf, probably doing 75 mph plus, he was on the HARD SHOULDER!!! It's not a smart motorway.

There's nothing wrong with smart motorways, the problem is the drivers, there's thousands of miles of Dual carriageways, they don't have a hard shoulder,

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By *ittleMissCali_MrDJCouple
28 weeks ago

wonderland.

"To be honest, most motorways are not congested, lane 1 is nearly always empty"

I thought lane 1 was my personal lane on some journeys

Cali

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By *og and MuseCouple
28 weeks ago

Dubai & Nottingham

All the experts on here should get together and advise the government how to fix traffic , then when that’s done set a training program up to teach everyone else how to drive properly.

Problem solved

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By *alandNitaCouple
28 weeks ago

Scunthorpe

"To be honest, most motorways are not congested, lane 1 is nearly always empty

I thought lane 1 was my personal lane on some journeys

Cali "

It can certainly seem that way some days

Cal

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By *inaTitzTV/TS
28 weeks ago

Titz Towers, North Notts

I'm quite happy tucking in behind a lorry on the motorway and staying at a steady 55mph or whatever. It's great for fuel economy, I might get there 5-10 minutes later, but that's no big deal. I avoid all of the worries of having to accelerate and brake by getting up to 70 only to have to come back to 60 when someone else causes it. It's almost relaxing.

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By *ime2TingleCouple
28 weeks ago

South Essex

Can’t see how EVs can be blamed for a speed increase on the motorway. Most choose to increase range by reducing speed just under the national limit.

I also avoid smart motorways if at all possible, the concept that you can limp to a lay by certainly hasn’t been my experience of breaking down in the past.

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By *hefoxesofpenCouple
28 weeks ago

chester

Standards are shocking.

M6 towards Scotland up towards Cumbria

Regularly deserted.

Car in middle lane doing 60.

I went from inside to outside to inside to overtake it

Had the temerity to flash me and give the the finger.

What is wrong with some people

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By *ophieslutTV/TS
Forum Mod
28 weeks ago

Central

Motorway speed dating,- about as safe as most of the drivers

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By *orba69Man
28 weeks ago

driffield

"So I do a lot of motor way driving. For the past two months I've been driving from Manchester to Wakefield (550 miles a week) via the M62. And I've noticed that 95% of drivers now do average 60 mph. But it’s not just the M62, M56, M60, M25 ect. Why? I think it's a combination of various factors; economy/fuel price, speed cameras, congestion and road works. Also Trucks use to have a maximum speed of 57mph, but now they easily exceed 60! The motorways are so incredibly congested now. Our motors were built for x amount of traffic, but they have all exceeded it, thus we are now using the hard shoulder during peak hours."
…. Trucks have a maximum speed of 60 mph .. most r restricted to 56 for the sake of economics… if a truck exceeds 60 mph , the drivers tacho will flash a warning & potential infringement’s will occur to the driver , depending on the company what action is taken …

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By *hantomfemmeWoman
28 weeks ago

Sligo/Galway/limerick depends on the day

"So I do a lot of motor way driving. For the past two months I've been driving from Manchester to Wakefield (550 miles a week) via the M62. And I've noticed that 95% of drivers now do average 60 mph. But it’s not just the M62, M56, M60, M25 ect. Why? I think it's a combination of various factors; economy/fuel price, speed cameras, congestion and road works. Also Trucks use to have a maximum speed of 57mph, but now they easily exceed 60! The motorways are so incredibly congested now. Our motors were built for x amount of traffic, but they have all exceeded it, thus we are now using the hard shoulder during peak hours.…. Trucks have a maximum speed of 60 mph .. most r restricted to 56 for the sake of economics… if a truck exceeds 60 mph , the drivers tacho will flash a warning & potential infringement’s will occur to the driver , depending on the company what action is taken … "

Absolutely spot on, RSA can spot check the company and request tachos, if speed limits and break times are exceeded their are hefty fines

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By (user no longer on site) OP
28 weeks ago

"So I do a lot of motor way driving. For the past two months I've been driving from Manchester to Wakefield (550 miles a week) via the M62. And I've noticed that 95% of drivers now do average 60 mph. But it’s not just the M62, M56, M60, M25 ect. Why? I think it's a combination of various factors; economy/fuel price, speed cameras, congestion and road works. Also Trucks use to have a maximum speed of 57mph, but now they easily exceed 60! The motorways are so incredibly congested now. Our motors were built for x amount of traffic, but they have all exceeded it, thus we are now using the hard shoulder during peak hours.…. Trucks have a maximum speed of 60 mph .. most r restricted to 56 for the sake of economics… if a truck exceeds 60 mph , the drivers tacho will flash a warning & potential infringement’s will occur to the driver , depending on the company what action is taken …

Absolutely spot on, RSA can spot check the company and request tachos, if speed limits and break times are exceeded their are hefty fines"

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By *lackadderMan
28 weeks ago

Eastbourne

Most people are disproportionately emotive about driving standards (usually other peoples), and parking 'rights'.

I'm not sure what that says about us as a society, other than that we probably shouldn't be driving. Except for me, of course...

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By *orba69Man
28 weeks ago

driffield

"So I do a lot of motor way driving. For the past two months I've been driving from Manchester to Wakefield (550 miles a week) via the M62. And I've noticed that 95% of drivers now do average 60 mph. But it’s not just the M62, M56, M60, M25 ect. Why? I think it's a combination of various factors; economy/fuel price, speed cameras, congestion and road works. Also Trucks use to have a maximum speed of 57mph, but now they easily exceed 60! The motorways are so incredibly congested now. Our motors were built for x amount of traffic, but they have all exceeded it, thus we are now using the hard shoulder during peak hours.…. Trucks have a maximum speed of 60 mph .. most r restricted to 56 for the sake of economics… if a truck exceeds 60 mph , the drivers tacho will flash a warning & potential infringement’s will occur to the driver , depending on the company what action is taken …

Absolutely spot on, RSA can spot check the company and request tachos, if speed limits and break times are exceeded their are hefty fines

Maybe the RSA doesn't have the man power to enforce the inspection of drivers tachos? Which would explain why soooooooooooooooooooooooooooo many drive above the speed limit? Ask anyone who drivers on any motorway and they will tell you what the real world is like as oppose the legality of speed limits should be."
… All Gen2 tacho’s now can b download by Bluetooth so they can check @ any point & as VOSA operates a traffic light system most transport managers do not like repeat offenders, because infringements automatically go straight 2 VOSA when u download your tacho whether it daily, weekly or every 28 days!!

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By *vmarisaTV/TS
28 weeks ago

Motherwell

Just hit cruise control and relax aaah.. Mx

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By *anielpiercedMan
28 weeks ago

I do on average 1k+ miles a week with work mainly motorway up and down and across the country and the one thing I've noticed is people seem to think it’s now acceptable to stay in the "fast" lane at 65mph despite there being nothing in the middle lane. Boils my piss that self righteous road captains won't move over, this selfishness causes more issues and isn't safe practice yet there's never police around when you need them.....aaannnddddd breathe, rant over

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By *ittleMissCali_MrDJCouple
28 weeks ago

wonderland.

My pet peeve after middle lane morons, is people that can't understand merge in turn x

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By *hilloutMan
28 weeks ago

All over the place! Northwesr, , Southwest

Driving on UK motorways is like pulling teeth.

Smart highway nonsense, speed and avg speed cameras everywhere, stupid drivers that always stay in the middle lane.

So much more fun driving in continental Europe.

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By (user no longer on site) OP
28 weeks ago

"Driving on UK motorways is like pulling teeth.

Smart highway nonsense, speed and avg speed cameras everywhere, stupid drivers that always stay in the middle lane.

So much more fun driving in continental Europe. "

Me and a friend drove to the south of Spain via France last year

Spanish motorways are sooooo quiet and empty. Well it's nothing like the UK. And France is so pretty.

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By *obilebottomMan
28 weeks ago

All over

It's not just driving, though I experience the motorway morons everyday. From not having a clue how to drive safely to I couldn't care less macho behaviour. Our society sadly has changed to being much more selfish, yob like and uncouth to angry and aggressive mannered to say the least.

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By *hilloutMan
28 weeks ago

All over the place! Northwesr, , Southwest

"Driving on UK motorways is like pulling teeth.

Smart highway nonsense, speed and avg speed cameras everywhere, stupid drivers that always stay in the middle lane.

So much more fun driving in continental Europe.

Me and a friend drove to the south of Spain via France last year

Spanish motorways are sooooo quiet and empty. Well it's nothing like the UK. And France is so pretty."

I recently did an 1200 mile road trip from the Algarve to Northern France. Average highway speed of 90mph. No average speed cameras and sporadic speed camera placement.

Pure driving bliss.

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By *ime2TingleCouple
28 weeks ago

South Essex

"Driving on UK motorways is like pulling teeth.

Smart highway nonsense, speed and avg speed cameras everywhere, stupid drivers that always stay in the middle lane.

So much more fun driving in continental Europe. "

Yes this, spent two weeks on a Grand Tour earlier this year, almost forgot what a pot hole was until I got off the shuttle in Folkestone.

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By *elsh_naturist_coupleCouple
28 weeks ago

Newport

"Using the hard shoulder is wring and dangerous.

Obviously youre not a professional driver."

Think he talking about smart motorways where the hardshoulder gets opened up to relieve congestion.

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By *otsossieMan
28 weeks ago

Hard.shoulder of the M1

"Smart motorways = Death traps.

I pray nobody ever breaks down on one"

This.

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By *hefoxesofpenCouple
28 weeks ago

chester

"My pet peeve after middle lane morons, is people that can't understand merge in turn x"

I'm German. We have a wonderful law there that is roughly called the zipper law. At roadworks of the yellow zip sign is out each lane has to merge in turn or you can get a hefty fine (which can be means tested so it can run into thousands)

Consequently not many ignore it.

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By *otsossieMan
28 weeks ago

Hard.shoulder of the M1

"Thats why the high ways agency made it legal to drive on the hard shoulder"

Christ on a bike.

Thats only in certain places. Not everywhere.

Don’t do this unless the signage tells you to.

And it’s been found (unsurprisingly) to be highly dangerous, so after spending 10 years putting in “smart motorways” in places they are now ripping them back out again.

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By *rasshopper201Man
28 weeks ago

kendal

Give yourself plenty of time and you will get there relaxed as for driving fast if your average speed is 90 you are doing a lot more than that and your getting in to custodial territory when you get out you will see just how much that 10 minutes had cost you

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By *ortheastFarmerMan
28 weeks ago

Northumberland

Just want to clear a few things up....

HGVs are not limited to 56mph for economy, they are limited to 90kph. This is due to EU laws made when we were still part of the EU. Its just carried on since leaving as its easier then changing it and redoing laws.

A HGV tacho head gives a warning at 30 seconds of exceeding the limited speed and an infringement if over 1 minute.

DVSA, vosa got scrapped 2014

Car speedometers are only accurate at production and many factors play into them becoming less accurate. Even at factor level, under EU law, the speedometer can not read over your actual speed and can read upto 10% less then your speed. Your car may say 70mph, but in reality, you could be doing as slow as 63mph.

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