Torygraph argues that driving crime is not real crime...

Melanie wrote:

Being new here, can someone tell me whether I should be flatterd :-)

If you feel being likened to one of .uk Usenet's most prestigously
bonkers loons with a home in an alternative reality where speed has no
bearing on safety is flattering, then yes. Otherwise, probably not...

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Ian Smith wrote:
On Mon, 23 Aug 2004 14:36:26 +0100, Melanie wrote:

Would you rather a limit that ensured 90% drove above it, or no
limit, therefore no incentive to drive faster than your comfort
level?

Have you stopped beating your, err, husband?

Husband? Subtle ;-)

--
Melanie xxx

Gawnsoft wrote:
On Mon, 23 Aug 2004 14:36:26 +0100, "Melanie" wrote
(more or less):

davek wrote:
Melanie wrote:
It appears to me that most drivers think of speed limits as target
speeds - at least, this is the only explanation I can think of for
people being so upset by me doing 25 in a 30 limit.

With NO limit there would be NO macho satisfaction to be gained.

Interesting theory. (That's "interesting" in the sense of "utterly
bonkers", by the way.)

Would you rather a limit that ensured 90% drove above it, or no
limit, therefore no incentive to drive faster than your comfort
level?

You seem, mistakenly, to believe that limits cause people to
deliberately drive above their comfort level so as to exceed the
limit.

I have experienced it. Many inexperinced drivers feel compelled to drive
close to the limit, perhaps because of the aggressive attitude of those
behind. With friends in a car too, the pressure is to be "macho". No limit
would mean no "target".

--
Melanie xxx

Peter Clinch wrote:
Melanie wrote:

Being new here, can someone tell me whether I should be flatterd :-)

If you feel being likened to one of .uk Usenet's most prestigously
bonkers loons with a home in an alternative reality where speed has no
bearing on safety is flattering, then yes. Otherwise, probably not...

Ooh, sounds quite glam ;-) Is he a cyclist too?

--
Melanie xxx

Melanie wrote:

I have experienced it. Many inexperinced drivers feel compelled to drive
close to the limit, perhaps because of the aggressive attitude of those
behind. With friends in a car too, the pressure is to be "macho". No limit
would mean no "target".

Says you, but you're a sample base of 1, which isn't a useful sample for
determining policy. Reality check probably needed if you think people
only drive at 40 in a 30 zone because they're trying to go faster than a
limit.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Melanie wrote:

Ooh, sounds quite glam ;-)

Pictures of him suggest otherwise...

Is he a cyclist too?

No. He's too busy trying to distort facts into supporting his
predetermined conclusions and getting publicity for them to have time
for cycling.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Melanie wrote:
I have experienced it. Many inexperinced drivers feel compelled to drive
close to the limit, perhaps because of the aggressive attitude of those
behind.

Indeed. As I said before, I tend to drive at no more than 25 when the
speed limit is 30 and it's almost like a red rag to a bull. All you can
do is refuse to be scared by such tactics and remember that increasing
your speed will only make the situation more dangerous. It may be a bit
priggish, but I'd rather be a prig than a murderer.

With friends in a car too, the pressure is to be "macho". No limit
would mean no "target".

If I have friends in the car, the only pressure I feel is to not
endanger their lives by driving recklessly.

d.

Peter Clinch wrote:
Melanie wrote:

Ooh, sounds quite glam ;-)

Pictures of him suggest otherwise...

Doh.

Is he a cyclist too?

No. He's too busy trying to distort facts into supporting his
predetermined conclusions

Sounds like a lot of the stuff I've read here from cyclists.

and getting publicity for them to have time
for cycling.

--
Melanie xxx

davek vaguely muttered something like ...
Melanie wrote:
I have experienced it. Many inexperinced drivers feel compelled to drive
close to the limit, perhaps because of the aggressive attitude of those
behind.

Indeed. As I said before, I tend to drive at no more than 25 when the
speed limit is 30 and it's almost like a red rag to a bull.

Absolutely ..

However, as I drive a Landrover, albeit a Discovery, it's quite hard for the
******* to intimidate me, no matter what they try.

I have no problems exceeding limits where I feel safe to do so, like
motorways, some dual carriageways, and some NSL roads maybe, but I draw the
line where any habitation is directly off the carriageway, and therefore by
this criteria generally within 20/30/40/50 limits ..

I may have been more reckless in my youth ..

--
Paul ...

(8(|) ... Homer Rocks

"A tosser is a tosser, no matter what mode of transport they're using."

Melanie wrote:

Sounds like a lot of the stuff I've read here from cyclists.

Sounds like you may be trying to tie opinions and thoughts to mode of
transport. It doesn't work like that though.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/