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Mar 18, 2008
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Yesterday I was travelling down the A1 in my car not towing the van ,I kept an eye on my speedo as I was doing 70-75mph.I glanced in my mirror and coming up fast in the outside lane was a black freelander towing an ace caravan.He passed me in a flash,I estimate he must have been doing at least 85mph.So if your reading this Mr freelander driver ,as you intend to kill yourself in your flying bomb outfit sooner or later ,please do it on an empty road and don't involve anybody else.
 
Mar 13, 2009
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well roy i agree with what you say ,it is indeed a bomb outfit just waiting for something to go wrong or a disaster to happen,.this sort of thing as happened to me a few times while towing and i just slow down and let them get ahead as far as they can and well out of my way,..only last year while returning along the A66 from the lake district a outfit was gaining on me fast while aproaching a steep hill and he was soon past me, obviously flat out,..ahead was a motor home and he was quickly past that as well and soon gone,further along the road there was a lay by and i know what you are thinking and you are right,..there he was in front of the car with his bonnet up looking worried with his hand to his face and what looked like wisps of smoke rising from the engine,..i must add also that his outfit did'nt appear to be a good match ,the van appeared to be far too big and heavy for the car??
 
Mar 14, 2005
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Roy

I do not condone the car with caravan if they were speeding, but I might point out that you admit to doing 70 to 75, which is also speeding.

Are you exempt from the law?
 
May 21, 2008
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Speed has it's place and towing a caravan is definately not the place to be rushing around.

You might be a triffle presumptuous to slate Roy for doing an indicated 70/75 Mph on the A1 As to my knowledge the majority of it is dual track. He would have to be very unlucky to get a ticket for it.

BTW John, when did you obtain your PHD to enable you to gain a proffessorship. What was you study subject?

I have my engineering credentials after my name and spent 5 years getting them. Then 27 years perfecting the knowledge.

:) Steve L.
 

Parksy

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Nov 12, 2009
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Academic achievements are not necessary to qualify for membership of this forum. Provided that user names chosen by forum members are in good taste in accordance with the rules of this forum their forum identities are a matter for themselves.
 
G

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Actually Prof, he stated "he kept his eye on the speedo and was doing between 70-75mph" so that would mean about 72-73mph by the speedo?and no car speedo is that accurate at that speed, so quite possibly was not breaking any law. on the other hand the car caravan outfit was breaking the law by at least 10 mph!
 
Mar 14, 2005
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Speed has it's place and towing a caravan is definately not the place to be rushing around.

You might be a triffle presumptuous to slate Roy for doing an indicated 70/75 Mph on the A1 As to my knowledge the majority of it is dual track. He would have to be very unlucky to get a ticket for it.

BTW John, when did you obtain your PHD to enable you to gain a proffessorship. What was you study subject?

I have my engineering credentials after my name and spent 5 years getting them. Then 27 years perfecting the knowledge.

:) Steve L.
I was awarded my title for physics by a number learn'd gentlemen at an notorious academic establishment in the South West.
 
Mar 14, 2005
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Hello Steve and John(me),

Ignoring the flippancy regarding titles (see comments ;-)

What relevance does the road number and number of lanes have when considering whether or not to obey or exceed the speed limit?

The fact that many people do speed, does not change the fact they are breaking the law. It is up to the law keepers to prosecute. Some Chief Constables have been on record as stating they would like to adopt a zero tolerance to speeding, so 71 in a 70 limit is still speeding and could attract a prosecution.

If a person knows the error of their speedometer, then why quote the inaccurate figures, especially as it indicates a flagrant disregard for the law?

If you don't know the error of your speedo, then you have no business in exceeding the 70mph mark on it.

It is really strange that several people on this forum have no hesitation in admitting to speeding and thus breaking the law, yet they wont ever consider exceeding the 85% weight ratio, which has no legal relevance!
 
Jan 31, 2010
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Geez!! Prof - I suggest you get of your high horse.

I'm with John (me) on this.

Roy said his speedo was reading 70-75 mph which is indicated. In reality he was not exceeding 70mph at any point.
 
G

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"If you don't know the error of your speedo, then you have no business in exceeding the 70mph mark on it."

Now that is a funny statement, Why? because no where did Roy mention he did not know how accurate his speedo was!

And in my defence, [like I need one]I merely pointed out something concerning speedo inaccuracy that you a prof, of physics of all subjects, should blatantly know,before taking such an issue!

You weren't the bloke in the free lander? i ask because it seems you are more taken by a possible poster infringing the law by 0.5 mph, than of a vehicle towing a caravan at 10 mph above its legal limit.. Chill out
 
Apr 7, 2008
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We were on our way home today from the Cotswold's, when a caravan that came on to the M40 at Banbury, passed us at terrific speed, i was on cruise control at about 58mph, even the wife commented as to how fast the van was being towed, when we got further up & just round onto the M42, a message came up queueing traffic, i got off at the next junction & headed towards Warwick so we could pick the M69 up....

Then on came the traffic news......

M42 blocked northbound between J5 & J6 due to a jack-knifed caravan.......

My wife said i wonder if......

We will never know .....

It took an extra hour to get home & every thing of ours is in one piece......
 
Dec 30, 2009
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Sprocket, I was going in the oposite direction at @2.30pm and saw an accident at that juction, didnt see what it was as I was being overtaken by another HGV. Heard it on the radio that it was a caravan, well the traffic by then was queueing bact to the m40/m42 juction.

Bet your glad you got off the motorway

Kevin
 
Apr 7, 2008
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Kev

It was one of those gut feelings you get, went up the slip road & round the round-a-bout to see how far traffic was standing, it was as far as we could see into the distance....

So we took a de-tour towards Warwick..
 
Mar 18, 2008
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Actually Prof, he stated "he kept his eye on the speedo and was doing between 70-75mph" so that would mean about 72-73mph by the speedo?and no car speedo is that accurate at that speed, so quite possibly was not breaking any law. on the other hand the car caravan outfit was breaking the law by at least 10 mph!
Sorry my intention was not to cause so much controversy,can I just clarify a few things.Firstly I was travelling south towards Newark on the A1Motorway.Yes prof I hold my hand up I was possibly just over the 70mph limit although my speedo does read slightly high having had it checked.The point I wanted to get over was the flying bomb was exceeding his speed limit by 25mph,please don't equate me with him.
 
May 21, 2008
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Hello Steve and John(me),

Ignoring the flippancy regarding titles (see comments ;-)

What relevance does the road number and number of lanes have when considering whether or not to obey or exceed the speed limit?

The fact that many people do speed, does not change the fact they are breaking the law. It is up to the law keepers to prosecute. Some Chief Constables have been on record as stating they would like to adopt a zero tolerance to speeding, so 71 in a 70 limit is still speeding and could attract a prosecution.

If a person knows the error of their speedometer, then why quote the inaccurate figures, especially as it indicates a flagrant disregard for the law?

If you don't know the error of your speedo, then you have no business in exceeding the 70mph mark on it.

It is really strange that several people on this forum have no hesitation in admitting to speeding and thus breaking the law, yet they wont ever consider exceeding the 85% weight ratio, which has no legal relevance!
Take a chill pill "John". Road rage is prevelant out in the big wide world, brought on by berks who think they know better than everyone else (General comment before you get on your hobby horse)without encouraging PC rage to erupt. As long asRoy was on the dual track sections at the time he was inside the parameter before a patrol car would get interested. I expect he even slowed down to let the idiot go off into the sunset to wreck his caravan.

Atb Steve L.
 
Mar 14, 2005
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Gareth & John (me)

I am perfectly chilled thank you, and my trusted carthorse Dobbin is incapable of going more that 15mph at full gallop.

If you read my first response I clearly stated that I don't condone the action of the tower, but it is hypocritical for someone to point out another's offence whilst committing the same offence themselves.

Why was it necessary for Roy to boast about speeding, albeit less than the tower? The greater offence does not cancel the lesser.

I agree the scale of the offence is different, but simply speeding is breaking the law.

The postings speak for themselves, and I will not add further to this thread.
 
Apr 10, 2010
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If you don't want to add to the thread then why put a comment in Cooler's post one day later.

The holier than though attitude is a bit sickening.

Have you never exceeded the speed limit in your driving experience?

The important aspect hear is that some idiot was towing well above the speed limit with a trailer attached.
 
Jun 28, 2010
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Im afraid to say, i speed on a daily basis. Its not that i go out each morning and think about all the laws i can break but i find it all too easy on todays roads, in todays quiet and cushioning cars that i find myself drifting along with a chain of cars at 35-40 in a 30 and anywhere between 60 and 80 on motorways. In fact, if i travel at 70 on amotorway, i find myself getting in the way of most other drivers.

Its only when i snap out of the hypnotic daze that driving seems to promote these days that i realise and try and drop the speed down, images of those horrible TV speed kills adverts flashing through my head. Within 10 or 20 seconds, im holding up a chain of cars.

Unfortunatly I think speeding is a daily fact of life and i firmly beleive 99% of drivers do not 'intend' to speed.

However re the OP, its hard to forget you are towing and such a reckless disregard is unforgivable. However, is his crime any worse than the facts of what i admit to every day?
 
Feb 27, 2010
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Its only when i snap out of the hypnotic daze

i drive a lot, and i mean a lot.

i have a speedometer for meauring my speed.

if you are drifting off in to a hypnotci daze then do me a favour, and post where, when and which roads you will be using so i can avoid them.
 
Jun 28, 2010
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Its only when i snap out of the hypnotic daze

i drive a lot, and i mean a lot.

i have a speedometer for meauring my speed.

if you are drifting off in to a hypnotci daze then do me a favour, and post where, when and which roads you will be using so i can avoid them.
Ha ha. come on, im not talking like im asleep. Have never arrived at a place, like work one morning and cant recall anything about the journey? Do you never find yourself just drifting along with other cars?

Heck ive even got a racing license so i know about being alert.

and i have a speedo too. But i spend more time looking at the road ahead than the dashboard.

What im trying to say is, i would offer up eating my underpants if most people didnt admit to speeding unintentionally on a regular basis.
 
May 21, 2008
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Hypnotic daze????

I certainly hope you aren't that complacent on the roads, as they are immediately twice as dangerous as a race track because traffic flows in at least two directions. Holding a race license is no qualification to uphold on the roads.

Now before Proof starts spouting **** about the fact that I'm a test driver engineer, I will add that that qualification does not entitle me to drive outside the laws of the land. Not a lot of people know that any emergency vehicle driver responding to a call, is not exempt from prosecution for any motoring offence if it is deemed that the infringement was not necessary or safe to do.

I agree that 70 Mph on motorway's can sometimes be a danger especially if the general flow of traffic is 80Mph +.

It's a pity that the police have basically handed the motorways over to the highways agencey to run. While I don't condone speeding, I do think that if the police got involved in a stratagy of nicking the vans in the outside lanes and the lane hogger's, they would within months have a motorway network that works more efficiently.

I drove the M5,M42 and M40 yesterday and was appauled at the amount of transit's, etc that were in the outside lane struggling to do 70Mph, then causing bottlenecks in lane 3, with everyone in lane 2 undertaking, followed by motor bike's undercutting from lane 3 to lane 1 and back to lane 3 at speeds estimated to be well over a ton!!

One biker even tried to get sandwiched when he hopped from 2 to 3 trying to overtake a car signalling clearly that he was going to 3. Boy was it close! The car driver realised with seconds to spare and retreated from his legitimate overtake manouver back to L2 to save the bikers life quite litterally.

Nobody is an angel on the roads as Mr or Mrs perfect have not been "invented". But there are plenty of folks out there with halo's that have slipped to the degree that they might not be involved in accident's but have had plenty of near miss's due to lack of concentration.

Atb Steve L.
 
Feb 27, 2010
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i do a lot of motorway driving and dont enjoy it,but its part of the job.

The numbers of drivers that "cruise" in lane 2 while there is nothing to pass in lane 1 is phenomenal. They will sit there mile after mile,passing no one ,even when lane 1 is empty,they just sit in lane 2.The best place to see this is the M18 and M180 which can be very quiet in the evenings and they just sit in lane 2

Then there the "joiners",they race down the slip road, expect everyone to make a gap then jump straight in to lane 2.

The theres the 60mph brigade, again just sitting in lane 2,mile after mile head down in a hypnotic daze....

( this all tends to increase at the start of school holidays where people not used to the speeds or motorways suddenly hit the road network)

What i have noticed and this is just empirical is that the lane 2 hogs seem to be predominantly female and elderly drivers.

Perhaps they feel safer in Lane 2.

On Tuesday coming up the M5 from Gloucester to come back to Sheffield ,all the traffic suddenly slowed,why ,it was a motor caravan, 30mph in lane 1 being overtaken by a lorry going up hill at 50 ,being overtaken by another motor caravan in lane 3 struggling top get to 55.

The worst drivers i have found are youngsters in Corsas who seem to think that they need to sit on your tail pipe and the big beamer drivers who obviously have lane 3 reserved for them,and them alone ,( and yes i was driving a beamer , a reps black one,and my jacket was hung up in the back)

Motor caravanners seem to start out well but soon drop into lane 2 and stay there,while towing caravanners on the whole seem to be quite disciplined and tend to drop into lane 1 as soon as they have passed the slower vehicle.

However,at least the traffic is usually still flowing....just.
 

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