Drat it!

[RogerL]

Mine showed a 40 mph limit on a local busy town road, and it has never ever been 40mph. When I updated the navigation software to the Spring 2025 release it corrected that error and now shows 30mph, and goes red if I exceed it by 1 mph or more. It uses GPS to know where it is, but its nav software to show speed limits for where it is located.

The problem with using satnav to identify speed limits is that in-built systems are usually out of date and don't reflect changes in the limits - even online satnavs like Google Maps or Waze aren't totally accurate.

The mk1 human eyeball and brain is still the best there is - but very under-utilised.

 

[Dustydog]

If there is a system of street lights, with less than 180m between them then that is a "restricted road" and is subject to a 30mph speed limit. No 30 signs are required. However if there is street lighting, and it's say a 40mph limit then there must be signs at thge beginning and end of that limit AND repeater signs at regular intervals, the distance between them used to have a maximum limit, but now it's just a "reasonable" distance.
Frightening how many people don't know what a

Mine showed a 40 mph limit on a local busy town road, and it has never ever been 40mph. When I updated the navigation software to the Spring 2025 release it corrected that error and now shows 30mph, and goes red if I exceed it by 1 mph or more. It uses GPS to know where it is, but its nav software to show speed limits for where it is located.

Does it recognise the temporary speed reduction to 20 mph during school opening and closing times?

 

[Dustydog]

If there is a system of street lights, with less than 180m between them then that is a "restricted road" and is subject to a 30mph speed limit. No 30 signs are required. However if there is street lighting, and it's say a 40mph limit then there must be signs at thge beginning and end of that limit AND repeater signs at regular intervals, the distance between them used to have a maximum limit, but now it's just a "reasonable" distance.
Frightening how many people don't know what a restricted road is.

Strangely not the same in Wales which we experienced over the last two weeks.

They seem to have deliberately engineered “entrapment”😢

Betws-Y-Coed is a classic example. The speed changes five times , or more?, over two miles. Drops from 60 to 40 then within 100 yds down to 20 for 50 yards, back up to 30 for 200 yards and back to 20. Remains 20 all the way through the main drag then up to 30 and onto 40.
There are no repeater signs. No painted speed limits on the road. Unless you are razor sharp you can easily miss the 20 signs🤬 My distances are approximate but you get the gist.

Entrapment? Well when you see the brand new yellow 30 foot poles loaded with four speed cameras pointing in both directions 🙉🙉🙉🙀🙀.

Between us we are expecting three summons, or will we be lucky?

 

[otherclive]

Does it recognise the temporary speed reduction to 20 mph during school opening and closing times?

No, does yours?

 

[Dustydog]

No, does yours?

Too old now. I don’t believe a word it says🤪

 

[Buckman]

Leaving Great Witley village for Worcester you need to need to go up an incline and as you crest the incline the car speeds up although you have have it in CC or the Limiter switched on. Also only one house on the left hand side as it is all farm land around there. The van is parked just past the incline to trap the unwary who although exceeding the speed limit by maybe 5mphget caught because they were not quick enough on the brake pedal.

This has absolutely zero to do with safety as checking records there has never been an accident on that stretch of the road. It is purely a money making honey trap!

 

[otherclive]

Too old now. I don’t believe a word it says🤪

Although I can set the nav to warn me wrt particular hazards. It will notify me when in proximity to a school, but it doesn’t know the times the 20 mph lights will flash. It does know other things like animal crossing areas. But I don’t have these things set as life has too many boings and I don’t need others.

 

[woodsieboy]

For my sins I have done 2 in person courses, 10 years apart, and in my opinion they are nothing more than money generating exercises, the most recent , 24 attendees paying £88 each so over 2 grand per course, and minimum 3 courses per day.
Positives, well presented by professional presenters, 1 was a driving instructor and the other was ex police, did give cause for reflection particularly speed limits, and figures displayed with regard to journey times versus speed.
Also didn't need to declare course attendance to my insurer.
I also now know what is likely to happen should I encounter a pile of cardboard boxes in the midle of the road when travelling at 40mph, thanks to a Top Gear type demonstration video
Also had a letter from Avon and Somerset Police telling me I was exceeding the 20mph speed limit in Glastonbury in March, 2 sides of A4 to tell me Community Speed Watch had observed my vehicle exceeding the limit, no picture evidence provided and no speed stated, pity they don't respond so promptly to more serious crimes in my view.

 

[otherclive]

For my sins I have done 2 in person courses, 10 years apart, and in my opinion they are nothing more than money generating exercises, the most recent , 24 attendees paying £88 each so over 2 grand per course, and minimum 3 courses per day.
Positives, well presented by professional presenters, 1 was a driving instructor and the other was ex police, did give cause for reflection particularly speed limits, and figures displayed with regard to journey times versus speed.
Also didn't need to declare course attendance to my insurer.
I also now know what is likely to happen should I encounter a pile of cardboard boxes in the midle of the road when travelling at 40mph, thanks to a Top Gear type demonstration video
Also had a letter from Avon and Somerset Police telling me I was exceeding the 20mph speed limit in Glastonbury in March, 2 sides of A4 to tell me Community Speed Watch had observed my vehicle exceeding the limit, no picture evidence provided and no speed stated, pity they don't respond so promptly to more serious crimes in my view.

I think I would just be grateful that courses are offered as an alternative to fines and points on a licence, which would also have to be notified to an insurer.

 

[Buckman]

I think I would just be grateful that courses are offered as an alternative to fines and points on a licence, which would also have to be notified to an insurer.

Most insurers seem to turn a blind eye if the infringement was not high i.e. 37mph in a 30mph zone. The one time I did get caught, the fine was £60 and no change to my insurance premium. Over the next 4 years no increase to insurance premiums.

 

[RogerL]

Most insurers seem to turn a blind eye if the infringement was not high i.e. 37mph in a 30mph zone. The one time I did get caught, the fine was £60 and no change to my insurance premium. Over the next 4 years no increase to insurance premiums.

Insurers aren't notified of the speed involved so can't do it on that basis.

 

[Buckman]

Insurers aren't notified of the speed involved so can't do it on that basis.

No idea, but I was asked and it was ignored and no difference in the premium.

 

[borderbilly]

No idea, but I was asked and it was ignored and no difference in the premium.

Same as me, no increase in the premium. I got done 2 years ago at Powburn, Northumberland, £100 fine and 3 points, wasn't even offered any course. Noticed the paperwork came from North Yorkshire constabulary.

 

[GaryB]

I work in Wrexham regularly where a lot of roads are now hit with the 20mph restriction. One such road has the standard 20mph sign as you enter it, BUT the repeater signs dotted along the road until you hit the 30mph sign at the English border (approximately 1 1/2 miles) on the Chester Road are not to the usual standard, the "2" of the 20 is actually a caricature of a Welsh dragon!

 

[Jcloughie]

Strangely not the same in Wales which we experienced over the last two weeks.

They seem to have deliberately engineered “entrapment”😢

Betws-Y-Coed is a classic example. The speed changes five times , or more?, over two miles. Drops from 60 to 40 then within 100 yds down to 20 for 50 yards, back up to 30 for 200 yards and back to 20. Remains 20 all the way through the main drag then up to 30 and onto 40.
There are no repeater signs. No painted speed limits on the road. Unless you are razor sharp you can easily miss the 20 signs🤬 My distances are approximate but you get the gist.

Entrapment? Well when you see the brand new yellow 30 foot poles loaded with four speed cameras pointing in both directions 🙉🙉🙉🙀🙀.

Between us we are expecting three summons, or will we be lucky?

It was about 10 years ago that I was caught and did my awareness course. But it did feel a bit like entrapment. I was a few miles outside Brecon. I passed the 30mph sign as I was slowing down. (Which is what I normally do, though obviously technically wrong). The van was hidden about 5 metres behind the sign. Because of the bend in the road, going fast was not practical. I was doing 36 and still slowing.

However. The Welsh did something I have not seen in England. They have warning signs quarter of a mile ahead to say a 30 limit was ahead.

It could be argued that the Welsh police are trying to engineer a greater public awareness. But I think I would be happier if they concentrated on dangerous zones.

John

 

[RogerL]

It was about 10 years ago that I was caught and did my awareness course. But it did feel a bit like entrapment. I was a few miles outside Brecon. I passed the 30mph sign as I was slowing down. (Which is what I normally do, though obviously technically wrong). The van was hidden about 5 metres behind the sign. Because of the bend in the road, going fast was not practical. I was doing 36 and still slowing.

However. The Welsh did something I have not seen in England. They have warning signs quarter of a mile ahead to say a 30 limit was ahead.

It could be argued that the Welsh police are trying to engineer a greater public awareness. But I think I would be happier if they concentrated on dangerous zones.

John

There are places in England with countdown markers to the 30 limit but these are technically illegal as they contain the 30 in a red ring but positioned outside the limit.

At one time the North Wales police declared that they wouldn't use the APCO/NPCC guideline of 10% + 1mph but would prosecute at 0.1 mph above the limit - more for the PR effect as their equipment accuracy would have been challenged a lot

 

[otherclive]

It was about 10 years ago that I was caught and did my awareness course. But it did feel a bit like entrapment. I was a few miles outside Brecon. I passed the 30mph sign as I was slowing down. (Which is what I normally do, though obviously technically wrong). The van was hidden about 5 metres behind the sign. Because of the bend in the road, going fast was not practical. I was doing 36 and still slowing.

However. The Welsh did something I have not seen in England. They have warning signs quarter of a mile ahead to say a 30 limit was ahead.

It could be argued that the Welsh police are trying to engineer a greater public awareness. But I think I would be happier if they concentrated on dangerous zones.

John

There are some 30mph countdown signs on the A429 Fosse, and I've seen them in some other places. Legal or not they focus your mind on slowing down such that as you enter the 30mph limit you are at or below 30mph.

 

[Jcloughie]

There are some 30mph countdown signs on the A429 Fosse, and I've seen them in some other places. Legal or not they focus your mind on slowing down such that as you enter the 30mph limit you are at or below 30mph.

We are off for Sunday lunch in Banbury this weekend. Means a fair bit of the Fosse way. I will keep my eyes open for them.

John

 

[otherclive]

We are off for Sunday lunch in Banbury this weekend. Means a fair bit of the Fosse way. I will keep my eyes open for them.

John

There used to be a set heading northwards entering Halford.

 

[otherclive]

Still showing on Google Earth picture is south bound direction.

 

[volts]

Had to do a online one. Eye opener and you learn something. Our guy was very enthusiastic