80s The Limit, But Should It Be More?

It was announced this week that the government is looking to finally up the national speed limit to 80mph. I'm guessing that because I used the word 'finally' in this opening sentence, you already know I agree with this idea. For once!

Lets quickly look at the opposition though to see if they have a point.

Safety Freaks. 'ooooh speed kills'
What is it with the UK government? It seems that for a long while now there has been an influence embedded deep into the veins of road safety. an idea that takes total control over how we regulate our roads and what safety measures we have for different vehicles. Speed Kills!!! Apparently. Well I have news for you, Speed doesn't kill, dick heads who can't drive do!

I get it. If we had this accident at 30 no-one would have died, but because we were going 60 there has been a death. But if we were going 30 we probably wouldn't have had the accident in the first place. Was it the speed that made me crash, or that I can't control my car, or that I was driving too fast for the road / situation. Either way speed doesn't kill. Inappropriate decisions in the wrong area can cause accidents that might kill!


Environmental Freaks. 'You'll burn 20% more fuel'
I'm assuming they mean we'll burn more fuel / second, because in my car, if I drift over 80 it actually gets more economic. So to assume that all cars will burn more fuel is un-qualified. Secondly, a 10 mile an hour increase in speed from 70 is about 15% increase, so you would expect to burn more fuel per second anyway. Plus you'll get there quicker and have your engine turned off more, meaning generally less pollution anyway. Or is it more fuel per mile? either way the mile will take less time to complete.

If you look at modern cars they are so so so economic. To the point where they put a 3 litre engine into a transit van, with 2 turbos strapped on, just to get enough power past the ever more restricting emissions regulations to satisfy the drivers needs.

Why 70?
The 70 limit was introduced in 1965, 3 years after the first motorway was built. This was a time when you sat in your Morris and begged it to go faster, hoping that one day you would reach the dizzy speeds of 58mph. Or of course you strapped 4 carburettors onto your mini and flew your way down the new motorways, only to realise you only have 4 gears and the car was trying to take off as you bounced across the fast lane. Cars are faster and safer, they stop quicker and accelerate better, they perform better in a crash and save more lives than there are deaths in vehicles.

An 80 limit will help the economy, with people getting to work quicker, deliveries being shorter and the country just moving faster in their everyday life.

But why stop at 80? I want a dedicated fast lane on the motorways, where you have to drive over 70 to be allowed in them, this should be policed with cameras. If you can't do the speed, drive a different lane. I drive about 50,000 miles a year, so have had a lot of time to contemplate this idea. Like bus lanes in towns and cities, get a dedicated fast lane! In Germany they have the autobahns, unlimited speed limit on long and wide stretches of road, maybe this is a way forward. In France the limit is 85. In the UK we have the slowest roads in Europe. Everyone should be made to take an advanced driving lesson, if you fail you are not allowed on the motorways. This is the future, not restriction and censorship, but training, education, safety and skill-set!

Make Micro-chipping A Legal Requirement!

I got him back! I went through a trail of different government departments and staff, but traced him to the local kennels! No fine from the kennels which I thought was great, they had fed him and looked after him for 2 days but were happy to just let me have him back. There was however a £101.13 fine from the council for using the dog warden! Bloody ridick! I got him micro-chipped too but apparently because micro-chipping is not a legal requirement, the dog warden doesn't have to scan for one, so could still take a found pet to the kennels ensuring another £100 fine for the owner. I say make micro-chipping a legal requirement. I wonder if I could get micro-chipped, might help on the late Saturday nights when resting at bus stops!

Typical Pet Microchip

I am obviously pleased that he was found and picked up instead of being run over or stolen or dying somehow, but they found him outside where we live, and just picked him up and took him away. IF YOU FIND A PET, HE IS PROBABLY NEAR HIS HOME, JUST ASK THE NEIGHBOURS AND THEY WILL PROBABLY KNOW! Don't piss off with him to the vets assuming he is lost from miles away. The vets Raymond was taken to are 6 miles from our house. He was found 200 yards from our house.

I have friends in the city who come and visit me in the country and say that they are always looking out for animals, (as if trying to impress a country man), that they always pick up pets they see lost. STOP IT! How do you know they are lost??????

We're on a road trip at the moment, which he loves as he gets to see everything. We will go and visit my brothers grave and the rest of the living family and spread the word of this post!

Some People Are F***ing Blind!

As I prepare to leave London town, post carnival, I walk to my car and notice that I have yet again got another ticket from the bastards at Camden Town ticketing office. This time I was more surprised as I specifically walked to the car last night to put money on it, as you can see!

Parking ticket with paid-for ticket below it!

I am absolutely MAD! this is the 5th time I have received a ticket on this road, and yes in the past it has sometimes been my own fault, like when I was parked in the right spot, had money on the car, but had also accidentally parked about 4cm over the bus-stop marking, this led to a £160 fine!!!

This time I planned to make my attack direct to the council. Should we start to tax parking officers who waste our time because they can't see, or are just plain stupid? Anyway, I calmed down and started the drive back to my place, 4 hours later I have just arrived home and started putting this into the blog. At the same time I have called the ticket office and explained my disappointment at their inability to dish out a well deserved ticket. I told them that I know for a fact that they took a picture, because this is policy now, and that if they looked at it they will clearly be able to see that I have bought my ticket!!

I don't believe it. She has just got back to me after 10 mins on hold! Apparently the ticket I paid £6 for was completely useless because I was parked in a residents permit holder only area!!!!!!!

As I was saying, some people are f***ing blind, namely me!!

Change Lanes And Get There Faster!

Yesterday I was driving to London and remembered that I had solved the worlds motorway congestion problems! Well at least found a way to reduce travelling time in heavy stop start congestion.

I drive about 50,000 miles a year, resulting in endless traffic jams on motorways and general frustration from crap drivers. All the experts say that when in a traffic jam the best option is to stay in your lane, and you get there quicker. And it is true to say that in the past I have ignored this advice only to end up 27 cars behind where I originally started. There is a better way though and it comes down to timing and knowing that most drivers are crap and slow to react.

Rules are these, in normal traffic the fast lane is generally best, it's the fastest and is furthest away from the slip road. But in heavy congestion, the kind where all 3 lanes of the motorway will be stopping and starting, the middle lane is fastest, every time, fact!

People do realise this but by the time they make their move it is far too late. However generally if you can see epic traffic ahead, move to middle, less cars and moves more freely.

Ok but don't be slow to react, you MUST look ahead, if you see the traffic opening up again get to the fast lane immediately, else you'll be stuck in middle until everyone has gone past you and you might as well never bothered anyway.