I want to have a go at the 20 mph speed restrictions that are sprouting up all over the place.

While there may be a call for the restriction near schools when the kid go and leave schools. I,  for one, don’t see the point for the remaining times for the restrictions to be enforced.  But that’s not the only problem.  A lot of these places not only have the 20 mph speed limit but there are humps too.  Plus the areas for the restrictions are expanding: the village now has most roads in the restriction area.  Most drivers are aware and slow down regardless of any restriction signs, just by the time of day and the hazards they see.  As for the others, it doesn’t mater what restriction signs are put there; they don’t take any notice of them.

I notice that most drivers don’t take any notice of the 20 mph signs.  For the few days a year that the kids are at school they are normally well taken care of when they leave school anyway.  The entrances of our local schools are normally blocked by coaches and cars, so you’re lucky if you can pass them at 5 mph let alone 25.

There is a town in Gloucester that has a busy through road that passes a school.  Guess what? there is a 20 mph restriction, but, rather than enforce this all the time they use flashing amber lights.  When the lights flash then the 20 mph speed restriction is enforced, when they stop then its back to normal, in this case, 30 mph.  No bumps. An intelligent system that is more likely adhered too than the blanket 20 mph restrictions employed by most towns.

WE don’t need these permanent 20 mph restrictions areas. There is a way to restrict the traffic at schools with out annoying us drivers the rest of the time.

Some housing estates also have bumps and 20 mph areas too.  Do they think that this will stop the joy riders from doing their thing.  I don’t think so.  They use the bumps to see if they can get all the wheels of the ground.   Since they put the bumps down they can now practice their rally techniques.

At the end of the day the only people who come out top are the garages that replace broken springs and shocks that are damages by these humps, and it doesn’t mater what speed you go over them.

There, I’ve let of some steam here.  It’s nice to be able to moan about some thing that may or may not be seen, but that’s what a blog’s all about.