Speed limit

“ While the limit of 12 miles per hour in built up sections is quite liberal, the 15 mile limit for the open country is altogether too low, and if a new law be adopted the speed limit should be placed at 20 or 25 miles per hour. Automobile laws are bound to prove failures if they do not permit the reasonable and proper use of the machine. ”

“ Some county boroughs have applied a ten-mile speed limit, even though the great bulk of their area is open country; but twenty miles an hour for an automobile is far safer for the public than is most other traffic, regardless of the rate at which it moves.
"Speed", From a Painting by Louis de Schryver, Paris Salon, 1906
Speed, so far as the bystander is concerned, is a very difficult thing to judge, and the automobilist seldom, if ever, gets fair treatment if he meets with the slightest accident.
Most people judge the speed of an automobile by the noise that it makes. ”

“ Every automobile should be equipped with a good speedometer. Speed limits are known to most drivers and if constantly stared in the face by good clear speedometer numbers they are not so likely to exceed them as if they depended entirely upon a sense of velocity, which is merely relative at the best. A motorist is driving along a country highway at a speed of 25 miles an hour, say, when he comes to a village with a sign out, “Speed Limit, 15 miles.” ”

“ I was personally in favour of limiting the speed to twenty-five miles an hour in the open and ten miles through towns and villages; but as all the other members of the Commission felt that in the open country we should rely upon the powers of the present Highway Act, which makes it a serious offence to drive at a speed causing danger to the public, and were in favour of a no-speed limit, [Pg 214] except through villages, I gave way so that our report might be a unanimous report. We made a long list of recommendations for the better regulation of motor traffic. ”

“ Where there is a particular problem with slow—moving vehicles, it might be preferable to prohibit certain types of traffic from the road, as described in section 5; this is likely to be easier to enforce. Where a minimum speed limit is introduced, this will be in addition to the maximum or national speed limit in force. There might be scope to co—locate the signs for both limits, especially the repeater signs; minimum speed limit signs should be mounted below the maximum and national speed limit signs. ”

“ If, owing to the narrowness, profile or condition of the carriageway, taken in conjunction with the density of oncoming traffic, a vehicle which is slow or bulky or is required to observe a speed limit cannot be easily and safely overtaken, the driver of such vehicle shall slow down and if necessary pull in to the side as soon as possible in order to allow vehicles following him to overtake. ”

“ In 1920 most States had a 25 m.p.h. speed limit for rural highways. By 1930 the speed limit most frequently encountered was 35, with a few States having limits of 40 or 45 m.p.h. No highway, regardless of how designed, could be properly fitted to the needs of such a conglomeration of vehicles and regulations. Not surprisingly, deaths and injuries soared.
There were also signs of pessimism in some quarters as to the ability to cope with the unbridled growth in motor vehicle usage through highway construction alone. ”

“ The Committee concluded that it was impossible to fix any safe speed limit but that traveling at a speed of over 35 miles an hour should be considered unreasonable and evidence of reckless driving. The Committee doubted the feasibility of imposing minimum speed limits on heavily traveled highways, even though failure to follow the prevailing speed was a recognized cause of accidents. ”

“ Whilst dealing generally with speed limit signs we deal here with the minimum speed limit sign although it is mandatory, not prohibitory.
On certain high speed roads abroad traffic is prohibited by law from moving slower than a certain specified speed. Powers were taken in the Road Traffic Act 1962 to impose minimum speeds on all-purpose roads in this country and powers have previously existed to impose them upon motorways though none have hitherto been imposed under Road Traffic Acts. Should minimum speed limits be required we recommend the sign at figure 30. ”

“ On two-lane carriageways subject to a 30 mph speed limit, a single sign mounted on the side of the road on which the lane is to be lost may be adequate, although the possibility of obscuration by parked vehicles should be considered. Also all-purpose dual three-lane carriageway roads subject to a 70 mph speed limit. ”

“ The presence of carriageway lighting therefore means that a road automatically has a speed limit of 30 mph with the lamps taking the place of repeater signs. It is therefore of critical importance that, when lit roads have a speed limit other than 30 mph, repeater signs are always provided at the appropriate intervals. Failure to do so undermines confidence in the signing of all speed limits, as drivers have only the repeaters to tell them that the limit is not 30 mph. ”

“ Should an order be made to extend the 30 mph limit into this adjacent length of road, the terminal signs will be moved to the new speed limit changeover point and the repeater signs removed entirely. Regular drivers might not at first realise that the speed limit has changed; they might not notice that the speed limit signs have been removed. A sign to diagram 7032 should therefore be erected to advise drivers that a new 30 mph speed limit is in force (see figure 14-19) . ”

“ Motorists driving these roads were expected to adjust their speeds to the varying radii; and on the sharper curves safe speeds might be considerably lower than the posted speed limit.
In their increasing concern for highway safety, many highway engineers worried about this inconsistency between speed limits and safe speeds on curves. One of these was Joseph Barnett of the BPR, and in 1935 he proposed that all new rural roads be designed according to an “assumed design speed.” ”

“ To be sure, one can also take it on horseback, by bicycle or automobile, according to fancy and finances, and, provided he does not exceed the speed limit, it matters little how he goes. The speed limit naturally differs with the individual. ”

“ There was a limit to what he could stand, though, and it took him many thousands of miles to bring the machine down to a speed compatible with atmospheric conditions of the planet.
The air of the planet seemed thick with traffic, mighty half-million ton lift freighters and passenger ships setting out toward Earth, smaller private machines, but none were slower nor faster than the others, for all were limited only by the acceleration they could stand. There was only one speed limit, that of economical, safe operation, for with all space to move in, there was no need of speed laws. ”

“ No automobile or motor vehicle shall be driven or operated upon any public road, street or driveway at a greater rate of speed than eighteen miles an hour, or upon any public road, street or driveway within the built up portions of any city, town or village, the limits of which shall be fixed by the municipal officers thereof, at a greater rate of speed than eight miles an hour, except where such city or town may by an ordinance or by-law allow a greater rate of speed, provided the speed limit shall not apply to race courses or speedways. ”

“ The faster you drive, the higher you’ll bounce when you hit the bumps. Come on, Silas! Deputy Newberry’ll have that gay pair collared in two shakes of a lamb’s tail.”
If the defiant autoists fancied they were to escape the clutches of the speed regulators in that easy manner, they soon realized their error. Farther on toward the village, running the full width of the road, were a series of artfully arranged ridges and hollows calculated to give a severe shaking up to the passengers of any motor car proceeding at a speed exceeding four or five miles an hour. ”

“ Your gentlemen will have to hurry.”
“They may make it if I can get an automobile in town.”
Again she laughed. “Automobiles aren’t popular in Greenbush. Peter Beedy is the only citizen who owns one. He’s been arrested and fined four times for exceeding the speed limit of eight miles an hour. The last time that happened he was so mad he swore he’d never start the machine again, and he had it towed to his barn and stored away.” ”

“ Something like a faint smile began to play around the corners of the governor’s mouth. “How many times have you ridden in an automobile, Judge Wiggin?” he asked.
“Jest about as many times as you’ve rid on the tail of a comet, governor. A good, fast-steppin’ hoss suits me.”
“Exactly. And you’ve driven some fast steppers in your time. No doubt you’ve driven them through the streets of this town at a much greater speed than eight miles an hour, thus endangering the lives of pedestrians and others upon the highways.” ”

“ This is a very [356] doubtful expedient for very many accidents occur when vehicles are traveling at a very much less speed. Even trucks with governors that limit them to 12 or 15 miles per hour frequently have accidental collisions. Laws limiting speeds to 8, 12, or 15 miles through villages while possibly wholesome will not wholly prevent accidents. In congested cities speeds as high as 25 miles per hour are at times not only allowable but highly desirable to relieve the congestion. The driver in such instances must have his wits about him and drive with utmost care. ”

“ And with him, it must be added, vanished all thought of him until on Friday afternoon he reappeared again, having motored down from London a shade under the speed limit, so as to be quite on the safe side. And he always caused the horn to be blown at any cross-road, whether the driver could see it was clear or not. ”

“ The speed limit of six miles an hour is rigidly enforced. Nevertheless, as one experienced motorist told us, if the Simplon pass compels a speed of six miles an hour on the straight course, and one and three-fourths miles at the curves, the Petit St. Bernard ought to have a special speed-limit of three miles an hour on the straight and two guards at every corner. Except the Stelvio, there is probably not a more difficult mountain pass in Europe. ”

“ The traffic calming features ensure that the speed limit is self—enforcing and hence repeater signs are not necessary, although direction 11 (3) does not prohibit their use. Speed limit zones with such features are generally more effective than 20 mph limits relying on signs alone. ”

“ The problem of dealing with information overload increases with age, so that older drivers suffer disproportionately. Terminal speed limit signs should not therefore normally be co—located with other signs, except for simple boundary signs to diagram 2402.1 (see figure 14-22) . At junctions where signs are needed to indicate the start or end of zonal restrictions or a requirement to stop or give way, these may be co—located with terminal speed limit signs if separate mounting would cause one sign to obstruct the driver's view of another. ”

“ The tendency of drivers of all forms of motor vehicles is, and I suppose always will be, to drive too fast, exceeding the speed limit, whether the nature of the road and other circumstances allow or not. The condition of the roads within the war zone is such that to drive too fast spells broken springs, to mention only one result. ”

“ As drivers need to be made fully aware of the speed limit, the boundary sign has to be of a simple design to avoid being a distraction. A speed limit sign must never be incorporated within a boundary sign. If a speed limit terminal sign, to either diagram 670 or 671, is mounted back to back with the boundary sign, any irregularly shaped backing board facing drivers leaving the town or village must be coloured grey. ”

“ Haverstraw is near High Tor on the west bank of the Hudson River.
"My engineer tells me we've got Sergeant Kiefer of the Haverstraw police on the beeper-phone. Go ahead, Sergeant Kiefer! Tell us, what's the cause of the big traffic jam on Route 9W?"
Sergeant Kiefer came in, loud, clear and profane. "Some God damn jerks are obeying the 20-mile speed limit," he said.
"Heh, heh, Sergeant Kiefer," the announcer said. "Remember, you're on the beeper-phone. This is radio, you know! What's that you say about the speed limit?" ”

“ Already the Board of Freeholders of Essex County, N.J., a region much frequented by automobilists, has advanced the speed limit in the country districts to twenty miles per hour. Further changes are expected, and it will probably be but a short time before a man with a “machine” will enjoy the God-given right of “doing what he will with his own.” ”

“ It might still be worth offsetting the main road centre line towards the minor road and using hatched markings to diagram 1040, even if the hatched width is less than 2.5 m. This can create space to help ahead traffic pass right-turning vehicles and make the junction more conspicuous. However, this technique is not appropriate where the speed limit is more than 30 mph, or the carriageway is less than 7.3 m wide. No through lane should be narrower than 3 m. ”

“ Both sisters wore little cottage bonnets, blue motor-veils, and large loose white coats with high collars.
"How can I talk when we're exceeding the speed limit?" said Valentia.
"You usually do. Is anything the matter?"
"No, nothing at all.... Harry's been horrid lately."
"I suppose he is occasionally."
"No, he's not. He's got the artistic temperament, and of course he can't always be the same, poor dear."
"What a pity one can't be an artist without having the artistic temperament! ”