Scottish Borders speed limit reductions discussed

[mystery machine]

This is the thin end of a wedge:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-12880589

I drove the A708 Selkirk to Moffat (St Mary's Loch) road recently – fantastic driving road. Now, I could see why there might be an argument for reducing the speed limit to 40mph, maybe even 30mph, in a couple of spots where the road runs close to houses, hotels, etc – but to talk of a 50mph running the length of the road just serves no practical purpose other than to cause frustration (and maybe earn the treasury a few quid from speeding tickets). Oh man

How many more of these 50mph limits can we expect to see appear on our rural roads over the coming years?

[sti pretender]

Great road, drove this on the Borders Run couple of years back, agree with reducing it near houses and businesses but 50mph for the length of it would be a nightmare. Also how many pay attention to the 60mph limit just now.

[Jimmy321]

Don't know the road myself but if they are going to impose a speed limit other than the 'default' then there has to be reminder signs ever 500m or so or they can't enforce it, so there will need to be lamp posts or other areas to put them or they will have to put up new posts.

[mystery machine]

Also how many pay attention to the 60mph limit just now.

Indeed, and I guess that's the point – a 10mph reduction is going to make sod-all difference to someone who's hell-bent on tearing along the straights at 90mph, 100mph and beyond – they'll continue hoofing along at that speed regardless (and I don't necessarily have a problem with that, if it's done safely). However, those of us who're out enjoying the bends, travelling a bit closer to the (current) speed limit will end up being criminalised

I have the same objection to the proposal for reducing the drink-drive limit from "80mg per 100ml" to "50mg per 100ml". All that will achieve is to criminalise those in the 50mg to 80mg range... and is that really the group we need to be targeting? Shouldn't we be going after those who drive two, three, four times over the current limit?

Seems to me like more of the usual pish about "sending out a message" and "seen to be doing the right thing", which is apparently political speak for "can't be bothered dealing with the real issues so doing f-all of practical value instead"

You know, the only thing that almost spoilt my run along St Mary's Loch was coming around a bend to find some dickhead in a Land Rover Discovery halfway onto the wrong side of the road. Gladly he managed to swerve back to the correct side before sending me to the great scrapyard in the sky, but I'd like to know what the Borders' Councillors plan to do about that type of blatantly dangerous driving? Eh?

Edited March 29, 2011 by Mystery Machine

[mystery machine]

Don't know the road myself but if they are going to impose a speed limit other than the 'default' then there has to be reminder signs ever 500m or so or they can't enforce it, so there will need to be lamp posts or other areas to put them or they will have to put up new posts.

I believe you are correct and, rather depressingly, that was the only argument given in the BBC report against the proposals!

You should get yourself down there for a drive, it's a belter. From what I saw, it's probably best to avoid the section west of the loch as the road surface takes a turn for the worse as you head west into Dumfries and Galloway. The stretch between Selkirk and the western edge of the loch and is really good though. Mostly well-surfaced and a fair few "see around" bends

[cruz104]

I believe you are correct and, rather depressingly, that was the only argument given in the BBC report against the proposals!

You should get yourself down there for a drive, it's a belter. From what I saw, it's probably best to avoid the section west of the loch as the road surface takes a turn for the worse as you head west into Dumfries and Galloway. The stretch between Selkirk and the western edge of the loch and is really good though. Mostly well-surfaced and a fair few "see around" bends

Well as a Borders lad through and through I have to say this area is slow enough without introducing any of that pi$h. The motorbikes are the problem and on a Sunday afternoon it resembles a race track, it go so bad the police had it covered with police motorbikes in the summer.

Scary thing is I know all of the folk that are discussing it and they are all Mr and Mrs Sensible so they just might cut the speed on that road

So i say to them in my finest political speak

[BalliSTIc]

Also how many pay attention to the 60mph limit just now.

There's a limit?