New research shows that 30% of drivers could be risking a ban because they don’t realise their eyesight is too poor to operate a vehicle safely. According to Vision Express and road safety charity Brake, five million UK motorists would fail the practical driving test’s number plate test. Drivers have to read a number plate from at least 20 metres away in order to pass.
Don’t be one of those who contribute to the 2,900 casualties per year due to poor vision. If you have even the slightest of concerns about your vision, book an eye test today. If you do have an accident and your eyesight is shown to be a contributing factor, you could end up being disqualified from driving, with your car insurance potentially invalidated as well.
The eyesight issue highlights a bigger risk though – that some motorists could be breaking the law without even realising that they are doing so. It’s a far more common issue than you might think, as PetrolPrices reveals in its top six biggest unknown risks to your driving licence.
1. Drive with dry feet
What you should wear on your feet when driving has caused some debate over the years. There has been much discussion on whether it is illegal to drive in flip flops or with bare feet. According to the RAC, neither is illegal as long as you are in full control of the car.
When it comes to going barefoot behind the wheel though, the organisation says that you mustn’t have wet feet, because that poses a serious risk to your ability to control the car – and that is illegal.
2. Keep Rover restrained
The image of a dog with its head out of the window, ears flapping in the wind, brings a smile to many of us – until there is an accident and the dog becomes lethal projectile for all those in the canine-carrying car. It also means that dear pooch will be unlikely to survive in the event of an accident.
That’s why the Highway Code states that dogs and other animals must be “suitably restrained so that they cannot distract you while you are driving or injure you, or themselves, if you stop too quickly.” If you are found to be driving with an unrestrained dog, you could lose your licence. In the case of an accident, you could also end up with no insurance cover.
3. Put your foot down
While we’re not condoning speeding, it is an offence to drive too slowly in the UK. Police can stop and charge you with ‘careless driving’ in extreme cases, leading to potential points on your licence.
That might sound strange but research has shown that other drivers can become frustrated with slow drivers and are more likely to make rash over- or undertaking decisions. This leads to an increased chance of an accident.
4. Avoid mobiles and… fast food?
To use a mobile phone legally when in your car, you must be parked up safely with the handbrake engaged and the engine off. Even sitting in a queue at a fast-food drive through could land you in trouble with the police.
Using your phone to pay for the meal while your car is idling is actually a criminal offence. It could see you being prosecuted for using a mobile while driving. Expect an extra large £200 fine and six points on your licence to go with that Big Mac and fries.
5. Watch your medication
The idea of police cracking down on drug drivers inevitably brings to mind a stoned young driver with a joint hanging from their bottom lip, but there are also serious consequences for those found to be driving while on certain prescription medicines. These medications include clonazepam, diazepam, flunitrazepam, lorazepam, oxazepam, temazepam, methadone and morphine.
If you are taking these medicines at their prescribed levels, you are in theory not breaking the law – but any higher and you could face a driving ban. It’s best to check with your doctor when any medicine is being prescribed to ensure you are on the right side of the law.
6. Mute your music
After a long day, it’s not uncommon for many of us to crank up the volume to clear the mind and destress. But be warned – if you play your music too loudly and fellow motorists report you, you could be penalised for causing alarm, annoyance or distress to those round you.
The police may proffer a simple verbal warning. If you ignore it, they have the power to take your car. So please consider your fellow motorists and turn it down!
Should such obscure driving laws be enforced by the police? Or are they a sign of a nanny state that needs to back off? Let us know your thoughts below.
If you are in a food drive in then surely that is private land and the road laws do not apply and only a private prosecution can be taken. Surely if you are paying by phone you would be stopped and with your hand brake on, I know I would.
Graham: Pleased you would stop and apply handbrake before making a phone call but you are mistaken with regards to ‘private land’ and how this applies to the Road Traffic Act. S.192 states that any road which the public has access to is a road for the purposes of the act and as the fast food outlet encourages people to use their ‘road’ then this would apply.
The courts have also held that supermarket car parks are public places for the purposes of the act when the public would normally be expected to have access – i.e.: during opening times.
if that is the case, phone payments should be illegal then. and as its illegal, would someone kindly inform the local constabularies of that fact. My local constabulary, for example (I wont name them in case the message is deleted) is regularly seen driving whilst using the phone, using the phone when the engine is running, etc all of which would be deemed illegal so why aren’t they prosecuted?
Only using a phone for communication is illegal, but playing games could see you convicted for other offences. It would be a brave (even foolhardy) officer who tried to indict a motorist using his phone to pay for his McDonalds though.
As for the Police and phones, they have a large exemption already to use radios and there’s the other exemption for emergency calls. Given the nature of their work it would be hard to prosecute them. Who would enforce it anyway?
I believe the law was amended because people were racing etc in private car parks and the Police were unable to stop them.
I’m with you on this Graham, most fast food outlets, the usual suspects, are not on a road. You generally turn off the highway to enter their private or leased car park.
I know of many bumps and scrapes that have happened in such places and insurance companies are not interested as they consider it off the highway. Conversely though they will cover damage that happens on your own property I.e. if you were to spill paint over your car depending on your level of cover they will pay out.
Madness really.
It may be private land but in law it also constitutes a road as it joins a point A with point B so technically it comes under the Road Traffic Act legislation. On the other hand how different is it to getting money out of a wallet then putting change back in or using a credit card
Chris, I drive at a speed at which I feel safe. I do, on occasions, have cars queued up behind me and at the first sign of a straight stretch they overtake and disappear into the distance. I can only assume that they can see around bends and through hills and hedges. Some years ago I was a passenger in a car where two of us went home, after a stay in hospital, and the other two went to the mortuary.
It is not a requirement that you drive at the speed limit on all sections of the road, sometimes it is wise to slow down and adjust your speed accordingly. This is something you acquire with experience and age, if you live long enough.
Richard, if you are aware of queues forming behind you then I would suggest you are travelling to slowly. This causes frustration amongst those willing to drive at a reasonable pace.
Also, check the highway code regarding holding traffic up, it is not only advisory and courteous to pull over and let faster moving traffic past but an offence to allow this situation to arise.
I have seen on more than one occasion both farm traffic and cars being stopped by the police for this behaviour. IAM states Make progress at all times according to the conditions, this includes, horror of horror, overtaking slower traffic.
Over 40 years driving experience, road, track and IAM approved. I study both the roadcraft manual and highway code regularly to keep up to date with driving matters and road ettique, can you say the same?
Frustration causes accidents and often the root cause of frustration is the 40-45mph plodder.
I grew up in a farming area. ive never YET seen a tractor pull over and let the queue pass, nor have I ever seen them pulled over by the police, even when the police have been in the queue.
as an aside, a retired police traffic sergeant once told me that in that situation, they had to pull in once the queue had followed for a quarter of a mile or exceeded 7 vehicles, whichever occurred first, at the first opportunity, (which should be including wide verges as tractors are designed to be off road vehicles)
It’s an offence to go too slow? I really do wish that the Police would prosecute more 40mph “mobile chicane” drivers. You know the ones? Those holding up a mile long queue by doing 40mph in a National, 60mph limit.
It will be an offence to change gear soon, anything the greedy government can get a few quid from than your in the dog house.
Its true we are becoming a nanny state . Which is one of the reasons I voted Brexit, but
certain things like loud music can be annoying and thoughtless parking can be annoying.. With loud music its usually because they have their windows open .Parking can be down to a drivers mental attitude ,and driving ability..
or the simple fact that the parking bays are now too small for modern cars. to prove the theory, I own a run of the mill family hatchback. a Ford Mondeo to be precise. I also have a couple of friends with Mondeos of similar age (2007-2014 model) so the three of us went to the local Asda car park (although it could have been ANY car park but it was the nearest to us) late in the day, when the car park was less busy.
the 3 cars were lined up, perfectly straight, perfectly central in the bays, mine being in the middle of the 3. it was IMPOSSIBLE to open the door more than a few inches. it may have been possible to get my ARM through the gap, but that was ALL.why cant they stop being greedy and make bays bigger? either that or be held responsible for the damage caused by others when using the car park?
The UK is near the top of the list of the safest countries in the world to drive. And why? Good infrastructure, high vehicle safety standards – and adequate road safety laws. People who bleat on about restrictions on their potentially dangerous driving habits are the ones most likely to cause accidents – and deaths. So shut up, buckle up and suck it up!
Hi Jen. I have reason to believe that you are correct on the basis that the entrance/exit routes to the parking areas including the markings such as GIVE WAY/STOP apply just as they do on the public highway.
From the perspective of the insurance companies there is no such thing as private land where the public has legal access such as a Supermarket car park. I am not certain about ‘other’ public car parks that are for example council or third party controlled/operated.
The rules of the road including Clunk/Click are offences if not buckled in,this will also include using a mobile phone whist driving around the supermarket parking area.
It will also include being caught eating and drinking at the wheel whilst the car is in motion or with the engine running even though the car may well have the handbrake applied and not in gear.
I think it is now possible for the police to go onto private land, i.e. Supermarket car parks etc if I am incorrect then I apologise profusely
Driving too slow? We’ve just been in holiday in East Anglia where parts of a very narrow, winding road was ‘out of the limit’ i.e. 60 mph – we had maniacs whizzing towards us of at least 60 – how they missed us is a miracle! A realistic mph would have been 30 – it was certainly dangerous to drive any faster.
Sorry Jean but these comments demonstrate the difference between basic operation of a vehicle and the ability to drive one.
Drive to the conditions, absolutely but suggesting 30mph on a de-restricted road in all but the worst roads in the works conditions proves incompetence.
I often travel to the S.W of England, Devon,Cornwall also in the Highlands and drive on some of the narrowest roads in UK, rarely are speeds as low as 30mph required in a modern vehicle and good observational skills in use. No wonder locals hate the holiday season with this approach. Take the IAM training, wheel shuffling apart the there is a lot for the casual vehicle operator to learn, possibly even becoming a driver as a result.
As the article states, it is an offence to drive with eyesight below the required standard (6/12 on the Snellen Scale). However, 6/12 is HALF the average visual acuity of 6/6 and is poor eyesight, so many people are driving under the impression that they are safe drivers, because they meet the required standard. The problem is exaggerated at night, and people on the cusp of the limit should not be driving at night or in conditions of poor visability. I am convinced that many accidents are caused by drivers with poor (but legal!) eyesight, as well as those whose eyesight does not meet the standard and I strongly believe that the standard should be raised. Although it would save lives, it won’t happen, because of the knock-on effect of fewer car sales, lower tax revenues, problems with people getting to work, and so on.
Vision Express are no one to comment they made a right mess of my prescription spectacles though not as bad as a mate of mine who after getting headaches found the cause to be,wait for it,they had put the prisms in the specs they made for him the wrong way round.
A McDonalds car park or drive thro is private land and therefore not illegal to pay for your meal with a phone.
I suggest you look at S192 Road Traffic Act 1988 and associated case law and remember that ignorance of the law is no defence.
As soon as the anti motoring organisation Brake is mentioned, I know that what follows will be at best ill considered drivel, more usually complete fabrication, supported by no evidence whatsoever.
And your evidence for that is?
Perhaps the Police or government would like to bring in some legislation to stop HGVs overtaking others on dual carriageways. No problem if the manoeuvre is carried out with some alacrity but sitting for mile after mile while one passes another with a speed difference of about quarter of a mile per hour is not too good for anybody’s karma except, perhaps, the HGV driver in the outside lane.
You can’t be fined for using Apple Pay at a drive through its privat land. The Highway Code has no legal jurisdiction on privat land
Patrick. The drive thru is covered by the Road Traffic Act (s.192) and the Highway Code has no ‘jurisdiction’ but failing to comply can be used as evidence against you for many offences.
It has been an offence to drive too slowly in the UK for many many years.
A car park or access to a fast food joint has been considered part of the highway since they came into use.
Government actually preempted these.
So hard luck and remember ignorance of the Law is no defence.
When I was a commercial driver we were kept up to date with Law changes, so we had no excuse.
before we joined the EU british law forbade you from driving in flip-flops, sandles, bare-feet and heels (taken to be any heels greater than 1 inch) and certainly never stilettos
It was normal for women drivers to carry a pair of “flats” in the car, to change into
I knew several men in shorts and sandles (why did our dads keep wearing their military issued shorts after the war) and several girls/ women who were wearing “heels” to be fined and endorsed under “due care and attention” £60 fine and an endorsement (3 points on modern licence) and £60 was a lot of money in the 60s (double a good non-managerial wage)
should have added
it was also common to be fined and endorsed for “inconsiderate driving” if going slower than conditions allowed…
e.g 25 on clear 30 road or 35 on clear 40 road
and in them thar days a white sign with a black stripe meant “derestricted”… any speed that was safe… preston to london in 2 1/4hrs on “new” motorways.
BTW does the dartford tunnel still have blue and white round signs for MINIMUM 30mph ????
Very true, as was getting out of your vehicle with the engine running without a fully quailfied driver in the car got you a years ban automatically, and not leaving your side lights on in the hours of darkness got you a £5.00 fine,
Remembering those days when the cars electrical system was only SIX VOLTS, leaving your sidelights switched on for 12 hours in the winter months soon earned you some fines, plus every morning you had to get the staring handle out to start the bloody car.
All laws apply equally on private land or public places, simple fact, I’m a magistrate so know it only so well. Murder someone on private land and you think you will get away with it?
Are you sure that the Road Traffic Act applies absolutely everywhere?
I don’t think so!!
Frederick: You may want to look at S192 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 and associated case law. However, you are right, the RTA does not apply ‘everywhere’ and in some cases ‘not all of the time’.
Err… not quite. There are a lot of offences that apply only in public places. For example, ‘going equipped for theft’ – you can’t commit that sat in your own living room.
What about the drivers that drive for miles with only one hand on the wheel while the fingers of the other hand are busy digging bogies out of the drives nose, is this not driving without due care and attention .
The laws are definitely not the same on private land as they are in public places. There must loads of examples, but one that springs to mind is that I can keep my vehicle on my own private land without VED and be breaking the law.
We hear that eating and drinking whilst driving is dangerous. However, I have not heard anyone suggesting that smoking whilst driving is dangerous. Smoking is similar to eating and drinking in that one hand needs to be taken of the wheel (although not continuously). In addition there is the need to light the cigarette and the possibly of a red hot cigarette end falling into the lap (Ouch) and smoke getting into and irritating the eyes. It could be argued that smoking is even more dangerous. Any ideas why seemingly it is not deemed to be dangerous?
When the petrol tanker drivers were ‘driving too slowly’ and driving ‘without due consideration for other road users’ what did the police say?
You’ve guessed it!
They said, “They are not committing any offence”.
Would the magistrate care to comment?
Do you remember the chaos caused by tanker drivers some years ago, when they drove in two or three lanes at 20mph.
Perhaps the magistrate could tell us which two offences they were committing?
At the time the police said that they were not committing any offence and not a single person corrected them!!!
If it’s an offence to drive too slowly then why are tractors & jcb’s not stopped and drivers prosecuted for driving at 20mph towing bloody great overloaded trailers on dual carriageways with a 60 or 70mph speed limit?!!
Enough police to enforce any of this ? That would be good !
The law cannot touch you if you are parked ( on private land ) using your phone on private land ( such as Mcdonalds ) to pay for your meals, you are on private land not the public highway.
So if the highway code also applies to private car parks, why do road markings, is one way signs not mean anything, equally disabled parking etc.
One the apple pay etc options at a drive through, surely if the outlet offer this option they are equally complicit in breaking the law, so why would they not be stopped?
On the subject of SLOW drivers about 80% of the drivers in this country seem to think speed limits are for ‘someone else’. When travelling at 30mph (in the 30mph zone) the number of angry tail-gaters is enormous. It appears to me that generally most drivers think they can travel as fast as they like – based on the chances of them being caught. I regularly walk my dog in a 30 zone and invariably people fly past me at 50 plus mph with a complete disregard for everybody else in this world. It is just another example of the ME ME ME culture which has developed over the years.
EVERYONE should be aware that alsmost 2000 people are killed – yes KILLED – per annum in UK apart from the 20,000 odd injuries. This attitude of it willl never happen to me needs to be reduced and generally more care should be taken. Just imagine YOUR husband/wife/child NOT returning home tonight or laid up in a hospital for months with life-changing injuries. DON’T JUST GO FROM A TO B, DRIVE from A to B. Driving is a skill which very few people seem to have mastered.
To one who has mastered the skill of driving, apparently, please be aware that you are almost certainly NOT driving at 30mph. If you checked with GPS (satnav), you’d find you’re only doing 27 or 28. Car makers deliberately set speedos to over-read.
this is correct and was brought out as a legal requirement. The reason was, back when the original Mini was launched, it had a central speedo. if the speedo was 100% accurate, when looking at it straight on, it would be fine, but as you look across at it, particularly when the needle was vertical, it would appear to under read, with discrepancies varying depending on the physical size and positioning of the driver, hence the 10% over read was brought about.
What measurement equipment do you use when ascertaining the speed of passing vehicles when you’re out walking your dog (safely restrained on a lead, naturally), and how is it calibrated?
I see the “know alls” and grumpy old men are out in force. Why cant you, just, accept some very well meaning advice?
Haha, well said.
All these comments aimed at tanker drivers going slow slow should pull their necks in a little, if these lads were doing 60 mph on any road you might have something to moan about it being dangerous but doing that speed you are moaning about is ridiculous,
Did you not see on the tv about the tanker driver in Germany that lost his gears ( the new electric change gear boxes )and rolled over burning a complete village out killing hundreds, do you want that in this country because you want tankers to go faster because they are holding YOU UP, grow up people.
Regarding the comment about not needing Vehicle Excise Duty to drive on private land, I do hope you have declared SORN to the DVLA if the vehicle is registered.
Not sure about quad bikes though.
Agree with the comment about the narrow roads in East Anglia where we often are forced to drive on the verges, risking dropping into a drainage ditch to avoid the 2 brain cells drivers hurtling along at high speeds towards us. Also the annoying drivers who tailgate on narrow winding roads where it is impossible to see oncoming traffic, the sort that will try to make you drive at an unsafe speed just so that they can get somewhere 3 minutes early.
Remember agricultural vehicles carrying heavy loads can not go fast, also I would not recommend trying to head butt a lorry load of sugar beet on a narrow road where they exit a farm.
Patience is needed for safe driving, the slow vehicle in front of you may be too heavy to get out of the way. Better to be a minute late in this world than a minute early in the next.
I was told by a now retired traffic sergeant that if the queue behind a slow moving vehicle such as a tractor was holding up vehicles for more than a quarter of a mile or more than 7 vehicles then they are legally required to pull in as soon as possible to allow the queue to pass. when was the last time you saw THAT happen? I grew up in a farming area and it NEVER happened. even when they could pull off onto the grass verge, they didn’t (its a tractor for crying out loud, theyre built to be off road, not on it!)
Best be careful on A55 then whilst eating me mackies, shaving and texting the wife its easy to drive with your knees but I don’t overtake I only drive at 20mph on there as I can’t see further than the end of the bonnet eye sight is too bad you see.
But I’ll tell you now safest driver on the road I am never been in a crash strangly they all seem to be behind me.
What is “too slow”? 50 in the nearside lane of a motorway? 40 in a 50 limit? 40 on a narrow road with blind bends which is otherwise at the national limit of 60? The police round here are addicted to fixed and mobile cameras, so out of self defence, I do not break the limits, but some drivers are prone to road rage when I drive at 30 in a 30 limit, overtaking dangerously just so that I can catch them up at the next junction or traffic light.
You’re probably NOT driving at 30 in a 30 limit, Peter. You’re driving at what your car’s speedo SAYS is 30. If you checked with a satnav, you’d almost certainly find you were only doing 27 or 28.
Driving at 10% below the limit is never a problem, except for the (usually) BMW drivers 1 metre behind. If someone is older, they are being sensible driving a little slower in many conditions. If someone is not familiar with the road, they are wise to drive slower than those who are familiar. If it’s raining, or when the road is unlit and winding, it’s sensible to be driving slower. If there are pedestrians around, slower is safer. There are many situations when it is a safer, and wiser to drive slower. Some people need to chill. The max limit is simply that, the max.
The legal motorway limit is 70, so driving at 50 shouldn’t be a problem to anyone. It’s only because many people think they are entitled to be doing 80+ that there is a problem, and it is they that are causing the problem.
On the issue of driving on private land what is the legal status of zebra crossings in my supermarket car park? Some drivers go straight over them regardless. Also, who has “right of way” in these car parks? Many shoppers walk behind reversing cars. Equally, although there are safe “avenues” it is usually necessary to cross the traffic areas at some point, mixing pedestrians and motorists together.
Just picking up on one of your points about reversing out of car park spaces. Wouldn’t it be easier if everyone was encouraged, preferably at the learning to drive stage. to reverse into a parking space and then drive out. This is much safer and easier, but only a minority do it. Supermarkets could easily put a gap between parking bays to allow access for trolleys.
Although I agree with reverse parking where you can it isn’t always possible to do it especially if you are a disabled person who has to use a wheelchair. I always reverse Park as this us how I was taught much easier to come out of a parking bay. But since I now use a wheelchair this is not possible making life much more difficult so if people are a little more considerate when in car parks and don’t walk behind cars with reversing lights on it would make like a lot easier for those of us who are disabled.
I would simply use common sense. The zebras were painted there by the supermarket for a reason, to give pedestrians priority to cross. I’m sure the police wouldn’t be very impressed with your right of way argument if they attended the scene of you having run someone over on one.
“While we’re not condoning speeding, it is an offence to drive too slowly in the UK. Police can stop and charge you with ‘careless driving’ in extreme cases, leading to potential points on your licence.
That might sound strange but research has shown that other drivers can become frustrated with slow drivers and are more likely to make rash over- or undertaking decisions. This leads to an increased chance of an accident.”
Does this include driving precisely at the legal limit, whether it be 30, 40, 50, 60 or 70?
I am increasingly being harassed by impatient drivers sitting on my rear bumper when I drive at the legal limit.
There is no question that many of these drivers are extremely frustrated, leading to the strong possibility of them making unsatisfactory decisions, this has happened to all too often already.
what many drivers do not appreciate is that almost all car speedometers over-read. Manufacturers set them like this because it is an offence to have a speedo that under-reads. The legally permitted inaccuracy is -0% > +10%.
My brand new Toyota over-reads a full 10%, and my main dealer has confirmed that this is deliberate and not changeable..
So many drivers who do not have the benefit of an accurate GPS speed readout drive along blocking roads, believing they are virtuously doing precisely 70mph when in fact they are only doing 64. Or only doing 45 in a 50 limit.
Quite right, John Pope. GPS is the best way of getting an accurate speed reading. My BMW reads 2 mph above my real speed.
Are you keeping left at all times except when overtaking? If not, you could be causing an obstruction to other road users. It’s not your job to police other drivers, let them get into trouble if they want to exceed the marked limits.
What’s this “parked up” nonsense? Did you mean “parked”?
I’d like to know why drivers of excessively noisy motor bikes never seem to be stopped and prosecuted.
or drivers of excessively noisy SUBARUS. theres 1 near me, it is as noisy with the exhaust on as a car I had a few years ago WITHOUT its exhaust fitted (it wasn’t a road used vehicle at the time). they do it for performance gains, but the point of restriction is the size of the valves, how free flowing the turbo allows the gas to be and the flow rate of the CAT (where such items are fitted)
if the exhaust valve area/ports are, for example, 1.5 inches in total diameter per cylinder, even on a non cat equipped car, a 4 inch diameter straight through pipe will gain you no benefit in performance over the factory sized 1.5-2 inch diameter pipe which is much quieter! even rally prepared subarus have smaller pipes (and yes, ive been to plenty of rallies to know)
I’m a biker and my bike exhaust is loud but not extremly.As i’m guessing your not a biker probibly never owned a bike. And so probibly don’t know the four word quote.
(Loud pipes save lives) Most bikes are four stroke. The annoying bikes 50cc Scooters engine screaming trying to achieve that extra three or so miles to get to 45 / 50 mph they are loud. Two strokes are loud but not breaking the law as that’s how they were made.Altering them may cause them to run sluggish or mallfunction . What do you know about bikes.
I’m a biker and my bike exhaust is loud but not extremly.As i’m guessing your not a biker probibly never owned a bike. And so probibly don’t know the four word quote.
(Loud pipes save lives) Most bikes are four stroke. The annoying bikes 50cc Scooters engine screaming trying to achieve that extra three or so miles to get to 45 / 50 mph they are loud. Two strokes are loud but not breaking the law as that’s how they were made.Altering them may cause them to run sluggish or mallfunction . What do you know about bikes.Have you ever rode one or know of someone who rides one.
If it is illegal to eat and drink whilst driving how is it Starbucks ,Costa etc can have drive through outlets . And on motorways at that
You’re expected to drive through then park up?
@Richard Petch – I’m afraid you are wrong in saying that “The law cannot touch you if you are parked ( on private land ) using your phone on private land ( such as Mcdonalds ) to pay for your meals, you are on private land not the public highway”
This is incorrect. The RTA ( Road Traffic Act) defines a road much more widely as to anywhere where public have access – this can include private roads / estates / public car parks / drive thru’s etc etc. It doesn’t matter who owns them, if the public have access them then they can be deemed to be a road and the regulations can apply – ask a traffic cop!
Why is it that, when there is a slow driver ahead (Item 4 above), the “car ahead is a Toyota”.
Bob
I agree with David Haverty wrt motorbikes. There is an SOB who screams down the road near my house (50mph limit) at 05:30hrs and the doppler effect suggests that he is well in excess of the speed limit. There is that campaign about being aware of bikes. Very necessary when, quite often, they are travelling 30mph above the prevailing speed limit.
So you are trying to say that the doppler effect only works at high speed, perhaps you could explain how this can be and what this speed is.
Sat nav’s cannot be considered to be an accurate measurement of speed as they only calculate the speed between two points when measured in straight line, so if the road has bends,curves etc. the car will travel a greater distance than the straight line between two points.
most decent sat navs are designed to take all of that into account. they use GPS to calculate the speed which, shy of an actual measured mile (which would have to be millimetre perfectly measured) and sensors to time the EXACT (to within a hundredth of a second) time to pass those points, is THE most accurate method to measure speed. I have, through my work, access to MANY different vehicles. I can use the exact same GPS unit on the SAME stretch of road, set my speed using the GPS and in almost EVERY case each different vehicles speedo will give a different reading, compared to the GPS unit. using multiple drivers in all the vehicles and set the speed to the same speed on the vehicle speedo, and again, the vehicles travel at different speeds. 3 of the vehicles are the same make and model, although different ages, (6 years between oldest and newest) and the GPS vs speedo readings vary as much as 4mph between them!
The accuracy of sat navs speed reading depends on the sample rate, ie the number of times per second that it updates, you have only got to watch how smoothly the position indicator on the map moves to realise that the update rate is many times per second, so you would have to be travelling very fast round sharp bends before it would begin to ‘straight line’ and thus induce a speed error.
When calculating current speed, Sat Navs use GPS. GPS is accurate to a few metres and the information relied on is updated many times per second. That means that, when getting a current speed-reading, the two points are so close together that any bends, curves, etc. between two points are totally irrelevant.
How slow is too slow? i regulary follow home a bus doing 20mph in a 40mph zone which is full if tight blind bends and hills with no place to overtake, if you come round a blind bend doing 35mph and find a bus practically at a stand this has got to be dangerous or is it just me.
Too slow for the road conditions. Isn’t that obvious?
If you’re on a road with many tight turns and unable to stop at something that may be stationery or slow in front of you then you are driving too fast. It really is as simple as that.
I know someone who is nervous at night and drives at around 10mph and I suspect THAT would be of interest to the police. 27mph is fine. As I was taught at a drivers course – speed limits aren’t a target. Just a maximum. Tailgating is the real danger.
I’m pretty sure you have to be on a road to commit an offence, a drive through MacDonalds isn’t usually on the Queens Highway
Not necessarily. In some cases the law states “in charge of a vehicle”, not “on a public highway”. You can, for instance, be charged with being drunk in charge of a vehicle if you stay in a pub car park and try to sleep it off in the driver’s seat. Ditto with supermarket car parks etc.
By the way, you would probably still be over the limit next morning as well.
David Hackerty, you seem determined on every comment who says others disregard the speed limit, to sound like the ultimate know it all.
We are all experienced drivers David not just you.
Ive been driving for 25 years.
Even if what you say is true about sat navs and people driving slower than they think….it is only by approx 3 miles below according to you.
Those speed limits are there for a reason.
It is not a test to see with what you can “get away with ”
People who tailgate others in 30 or 40 mile zones, who are keeping to the speed limit are immature and ignorant.
I always ignore them let them act like idiots.
I suggest you stop encouraging people to rely on sat navs rather than speedometers, and stop thinking you know it all.
You clearly do not comprehend the reason for speed limits or care about the reasons they are put in place.
I love the one about loud music. There should be a special category of more severe punishment for drum & bass, house and rap.
Patrick, you really need to listen to the other writers, S192 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 defines a road as ‘in relation to England and Wales, means any highway and any other road to which the public has access, and includes bridges over which a road passes’ Any road to which the public has access…. Private grounds and drive tho’s
But middle laners are the ultimate offenders in my opinion
I think this article is great on the whole. In the comments I noticed a great deal of comments about ‘slow driving’. I past my test in Germany a good number of years ago and we were taught about the dangers of slow driving.
The best explanation is slow driving on a high speed road. A road which has a 50/60/70 mph limit.
If you are driving at the recommended speed (which is usually recommended for various reasons) a slow driver can cause enormous risks. All it takes is a bend in the road which doesn’t allow for you to see ahead very well. Yes, you automatically break at bends like these, but if your speed still exceeds the slow drivers speed even by a little, the chance of an accident are very high indeed.
On a Motorway drivers behind a slow driver are much more likely to overtake which again increases chances of an accident as it has the knock on effect.
Driving slowly in residential areas might again increase the chance of accidents due to overtaking and frustration from others, however, I personally don’t think driving slow in these areas is necessarily a mistake, and I’m not a slow driver.
In Germany we have mobile speed cameras absolutely everywhere. This way we do not know where they are, they are not clearly marked like in the U.K., and we do tend to stick to speed limits to avoid points or a fine (if common sense does not help in itself).
If you are driving at a speed that doesn’t allow you to stop within the visible road ahead then you are driving too fast or carelessly.
Have you considered other road users, such as pedestrians, cyclists, horse-riders who may be on the road in front around a bend. It’s not just slow drivers. They may be driving slow for a good reason.
A speed limit isn’t the recommended speed. It’s a limit. There is no such thing as a recommended speed. You maintain a speed appropriate to the conditions of the road.
I think Urs Chok was only reffering to the German high speed roads and not normal roads of lower speeds.
I believe that we would benefit from a similar system and that includes how drivers are taught to drive in cold weather and driving at night.
I have a friend who was learning to drive in the UK but failed her test twice and under different instructors, when she moved to Germany she was taught a much more thurough way and realised after only 2 lesson how much better they are, she never had confidence in the UK but in Germany she was encouraged to drive faster and not to fear other road user, she was amazed at how much more she learnt from her lessons in Germany, she passed first time in Germany and was confident to drive motorways and longer distances within a very short time whereas most UK drives fear the motorway as we don’t get to experience it as a learner and left to fend for ourselves after we pass our test unless we decide to pay more and do an advance driving course where you can learn how to use motorways.
The other problem with us lacking in lessons on the motorway is that people tend to be lane hogs and stay in the middle lane regardless if they are sticking to the speed limit or going much slower, which in turn leads to bottlenecks and can force some people to undertake be it accidental or not when they are in the inside lane (lane 1) sticking to the speed limit as the other lanes should only be used for overtaking.
@david hutchings A McDonalds Drive Thru could easily be defined as a road – read the RTA Annex 4 for how a “road” is defined. Here is an excerpt from it :
“It is important to note that references to ‘road’ therefore generally include footpaths, bridleways and cycle tracks, and many roadways and driveways on private land (including many car parks). In most cases, the law will apply to them and there may be additional rules for particular paths or ways. Some serious driving offences, including drink-driving offences, also apply to all public places, for example public car parks”.
4/ Avoid mobiles …..etc
Be it private road or whatever, you may be commiting a ‘motoring offence’, NOT a ‘criminal offence’.
A criminal offence is tried in a criminal court, a traffic offence is tried in a civil court
Criminal offence legal definition of Criminal offence
legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Criminal+offence
crime. n. a violation of a law in which there is injury to the public or a member of the public and a term in jail or prison, and/or a fine as possible penalties .
I have checked my sat nav speeds. When I go at the speed limit by my satnav, the speedo reading is 10% above. So where vision is good and traffic is light, and I am using the sat nav, I will use that, but otherwise I use the speedo. I hope to pass the IAM test some time so I practice at keeping within the speed limit, but cheerfully exceed it on a clear motorway. Some roads near me are really dodgy at full speed and to avoid going over the hedge and into the field, I slack off the accelerator at one point to let road speed slack off doing the first corner at 50, the next at 45, the next at 40 and coming up to the 30mph sign at 33mph. Nobody seems to mind except idiot visitors, and who cares what they think.
I sometimes use my satnav to answer calls on my mobile, hands free, but wait until I get to a service station (not a petrol station) before using my mobile proper.. Nothing is that urgent, but if I was waiting for the RAC and my mobile was low in charge, I might well idle the engine to charge it up, but wouldn’t be speaking on it until they call to say how long they’ll be. Ever since my charging point gave up the ghost, I charge both satnav and phone at home.
Some people under stress can’t see all that well, so it’s as well to stay alert and be prepared in case someone makes a mistake. Raising the foot from the accelerator doesn’t hurt and people can pull out without it causing an accident if you are prepared.
I believe Chris Appleby to be wrong in stating that traffic offences are tried in civil courts, they are tried in Magistrates Courts and can go to Crown Courts. Civil Courts are for matters of tort.
Chris Appleby July 29, 2017
4/ Avoid mobiles …..etc
Be it private road or whatever, you may be commiting a ‘motoring offence’, NOT a ‘criminal offence’.
A criminal offence is tried in a criminal court, a traffic offence is tried in a civil court
Criminal offence legal definition of Criminal offence
legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Criminal+offence
crime. n. a violation of a law in which there is injury to the public or a member of the public and a term in jail or prison, and/or a fine as possible penalties .
What about the one speed fits all driver.
They drive at 40mph when they could go at 60 with a long queue behind.
When the limit is 30 they move away into the distance only to be caught up again when the limit is 60.