Driving in the UK

Ernie Ball · 07-06-2005 8:09pm #1

I'm planning to take the ferry to the UK this weekend for the first time.

I'm wondering: what would I risk if I were to (accidentally of course) surpass the speed limit?

lomb · 07-06-2005 8:25pm

Ernie Ball wrote:

I'm planning to take the ferry to the UK this weekend for the first time.

I'm wondering: what would I risk if I were to (accidentally of course) surpass the speed limit?

jail, they locked my father up for the night for exceeding the limit by 18mph, and he had to attend court in the uk 3 months later and take time off work etc. dont piss off the cop if u get stopped, thats my 2 pence. mind u i have driven 20000 miles in the uk on irish plates and was only stopped once for a quick check.

astec123 · 07-06-2005 8:32pm

They can fine you and bring you to court, but cant impose penalty points.

FX Meister · 07-06-2005 8:33pm

I've never had a problem driving above the limit in the U.K. Speed limits are there for a reason though. But in the U.K. they have a better idea of speed limits and what they should be than they do here.

lomb · 07-06-2005 8:36pm

astec123 wrote:

They can fine you and bring you to court, but cant impose penalty points.

they can lock u up see above :rolleyes:

astec123 · 07-06-2005 8:39pm

lomb wrote:

they can lock u up see above :rolleyes:

Yes I saw that, thus why I posted without that detail. Being from the UK I do know the laws a bit better than most here would.

franksm · 08-06-2005 9:54am

In Wales, they are quick to impound cars (ie. with the knowledge that you are on your way to/from the ferry and are therefore likely to not pay any fines or make any court appearances.

In England, I'm not sure how they deal with it

Macy · 08-06-2005 11:14am

The North Wales cops are dicks, so take it handy if you're going through there. There were recently dishing out tickets and points to Ambulances and Fire Engines ffs. If you are going through North Wales, towards Manchester/Liverpool, obey all the 50mph zones as the cops always there.

Once you're in England you should be okay. Just go with the flow - should be plenty enough on the motorways anyway. The flow would generally be over 70mph anyway. Also, in the UK, speeding on Motorways considered far less important than here. Insurance companies not arsed, and there was talk of them reducing the penalty points for motorway speeding/ upping the limit.

btw If you haven't driven on UK motorways it does take some getting used to - the volumes, speed, 3 lanes etc. Even though I was driving on them everyday for 5 years it still takes me a while to adjust to them now. Sit it out in the inside lane for a bit and just observe. Totally different to what you'll have experienced here.

Ernie Ball · 08-06-2005 1:10pm

Macy wrote:

btw If you haven't driven on UK motorways it does take some getting used to - the volumes, speed, 3 lanes etc. Even though I was driving on them everyday for 5 years it still takes me a while to adjust to them now. Sit it out in the inside lane for a bit and just observe. Totally different to what you'll have experienced here.

Thanks for that. I spent 3 years in Atlanta where the motorways are sometimes 6 lanes in each direction, so I'm not too panicked about 3 in the UK.

amerden · 08-06-2005 2:20pm

Ernie Ball wrote:

Thanks for that. I spent 3 years in Atlanta where the motorways are sometimes 6 lanes in each direction, so I'm not too panicked about 3 in the UK.

Yes, but the speed limit in the UK is a lot higher and the rules of the road as regards to lane discipline are different.

Macy · 08-06-2005 2:22pm

Ernie Ball wrote:

Thanks for that. I spent 3 years in Atlanta where the motorways are sometimes 6 lanes in each direction, so I'm not too panicked about 3 in the UK.

You'd be surprised how many think the M6 will be like the M4 over here....

Merrion · 08-06-2005 2:26pm

Also wrt. speed cameras there are many different types including the (blue shoe-box sized) trafficmaster ones that time you between different points to work out if you have been speeding or not.

Alun · 08-06-2005 2:31pm

The Trafficmaster ones have nothing to do with speeding. They're just there to detect traffic flows. They could, of course be [ab]used to perform this function in the future, but currently they're not. There are other (non Trafficmaster) cameras mounted on poles, bridges and gantries on some motorways that are also blue, that are part of the SPECS system which does do what you describe.

See http://www.abd.org.uk/blue-cam.htm

Ernie Ball · 08-06-2005 3:16pm

amerden wrote:

Yes, but the speed limit in the UK is a lot higher and the rules of the road as regards to lane discipline are different.

A lot higher?! How high is it?

The rules of the road with regard to lane discipline are the same as here, no?

Alun · 08-06-2005 3:19pm

Ernie Ball wrote:

A lot higher?! How high is it?

The rules of the road with regard to lane discipline are the same as here, no?

Actually the speed limit on M-ways in the UK is now lower than here (where here=Ireland). 70 mph (112 km/h) in the UK vs 120 km/h here.

Ernie Ball · 08-06-2005 3:39pm

70mph is not higher than here or Atlanta.

Nuttzz · 08-06-2005 3:45pm

franksm wrote:

In Wales, they are quick to impound cars (ie. with the knowledge that you are on your way to/from the ferry and are therefore likely to not pay any fines or make any court appearances.

In England, I'm not sure how they deal with it

its funny how this doesnt happen in the north. at least to the bestt of my knowledge

Silvera · 08-06-2005 7:07pm

Strange how foreign motorists get stopped/fined/locked up in England, France, etc and yet here, AFAIK, the Guards mostly ignore foreign-reg cars because it's too much hassle/pointless to fine them?!

Is it because the Gardai don't have a ticket/on the spot fine system for offences other than speeding and seat belts ???

John R · 08-06-2005 7:45pm

No, it's because they don't want all the hassle and paperwork.

IrishRover · 08-06-2005 7:51pm

In England the unofficial limit on motorways is 80. The police probably won't pull you unless you're doing three figure speeds and even then they might not. It all depends on what the volume of traffic is like, whether there's plenty of room ahead of you or if you're tailgating or switching lanes dangerously or cutting people up.

I've never encountered the police on the A5 or A55 in Wales. I heard of their reputation but I think they've been told to ease up a bit now.

Capt'n Midnight · 08-06-2005 8:02pm

Yeah the motorways get a bit of getting used to. Trucks do 50mph in the inside lane. Not flat out like here. So if you are in the inside lane watch out as you can get stuck behind them and it can be awkward to get out in to the next lane if it's busy as they will be doing 70mph.

Also if you leave a safe gap you'll find people cutting in ahead of you. It's mirror, signal, Manovure over there - not indicate, indicate, drift like here. If someone indicates they can be telling you what they are going to do whether you are ready or not, not what they would like to do when you leave a gap.

Driving in the UK

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