Should we have higher speed limits

[Fazda]

South African drivers are simply not mature enough for deregulated speed limits. Heck South African drivers aren't mature enough to obey the current rules of the road, nevermind more progressive rules.

^^ Well said.

 

[longboy]

I never go above 100km/h in freeways/highways and always drive in the slow lane. Saved me a ****-ton of fuel over the years. If it's long distance I then drive at 110km/h. I managed to narrowly avoid those speeding bastards who decide to cut lanes because their turnoff is coming off many times...

 

[Dolby]

Freeways are ok at 120km/h - maybe 140km/h is more ideal.

BUT I hate the silly 60km/h/80km/h our - for example - Northumberland, Beyers Naude, Christian DeWett etc because they're perfectly safe anyway and one almost get the impression it's purely to generate money.

On the topic of stopping distance - anyone have any idea or stat on what a 1970s car took to stop at 60km/h and 120km/h?

 

[longboy]

On the topic of stopping distance - anyone have any idea or stat on what a 1970s car took to stop at 60km/h and 120km/h?

A helluva lot of more time. At 60km/h you will need approximately 25 meters to come to a dead stop. At 120km/h the distance is around 61 meters. This is for a car with ABS so an older car will need a bit more length of open road to stop.

 

[Mogo]

A helluva lot of more time. At 60km/h you will need approximately 25 meters to come to a dead stop. At 120km/h the distance is around 61 meters. This is for a car with ABS so an older car will need a bit more length of open road to stop.

What about Taxis with cardboard brakes?

 

[Fazda]

Freeways are ok at 120km/h - maybe 140km/h is more ideal.

BUT I hate the silly 60km/h/80km/h our - for example - Northumberland, Beyers Naude, Christian DeWett etc because they're perfectly safe anyway and one almost get the impression it's purely to generate money.

On the topic of stopping distance - anyone have any idea or stat on what a 1970s car took to stop at 60km/h and 120km/h?

Here are a few:

Here are the test results of the other cars in that Motor Trend issue (Jan., 1964)

Braking, 60-0 mph

1964
Plymouth Sport Fury-------------- 134 feet
Chevelle Malibu SS---------------- 162.5
Ford Fairlane Sports Coupe-------- 158.5
Mercedes 300-SE----------------- 142.5

Read more: http://www.city-data.com/forum/auto...ican-cars-cant-stop-well-5.html#ixzz3AjX1rwW5

 

[Ancalagon]

Interesting

2011 Jaguar XJ------------------ 128 feet---------- $77,575
2011 Volkswagen Routan SEL----- 136 feet---------- $39,300
2011 BMW Z4-------------------- 119 feet---------- $64,225
2011 Porsche Boxster Spyder----- 111 feet---------- $67,820
2011 Audi S4 Quattro------------- 118 feet---------- $53,500
2011 Ford Shelby GT500---------- 116 feet---------- $55,330
2011 Cadillac CTS-V-------------- 114 feet---------- $69,490
2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid------- 137 feet---------- $31,650

And going back 10 years:
2001 Audi L8 L quattro------------ 124 feet---------- $72,525
2001 Cadillac Seville STS---------- 119 feet---------- $53,895
2001 Jaguar Vanden Plas---------- 118 feet---------- $83,950
2001 Lexus LS 430---------------- 123 feet---------- $68,681
2001 Mercedes S430-------------- 119 feet---------- $86,855

Some of the above have about the same stopping distance as a $3,500 (when new)...
1969 Ford Fairlane 351------------------- 126.1 feet
1966 Dodge Dart GT V-8----------------- 133 feet

Perhaps it is fair to say that the thing that has the biggest influence on stopping distance is not the car but the speed? Would not surprise me.

 

[LaraC]

Perhaps it is fair to say that the thing that has the biggest influence on stopping distance is not the car but the speed? Would not surprise me.

There is also reaction time of the driver that must be taken into account.

 

[Dolby]

Oh interesting

 

[silver6933]

This is for a car with ABS so an older car will need a bit more length of open road to stop.

BS. ABS does not cause you to stop faster in a straight line.

 

[Chevron]

BS. ABS does not cause you to stop faster in a straight line.

Correct.

 

[SauRoNZA]

BS. ABS does not cause you to stop faster in a straight line.

You should elaborate on that statement so that it makes more sense "....in the hands of a professional".


In the hands of every man using an average...it brings the average stopping distance way down because people aren't slamming on brakes and going full lock.

Not to mention combined damage done without ABS (from spinning off) versus damage down with ABS (not spinning off and remaining controlled).

 

[SauRoNZA]

Perhaps it is fair to say that the thing that has the biggest influence on stopping distance is not the car but the speed? Would not surprise me.

It's the weight.

It's safe to assume that most cars these days run about the same levels of braking equipment in the same classes of car at least. So item primary problem with moment is the weight that needs to be reduced.

Heavier car therefore needs larger/stronger brakes...or more distance to stop in. Braking technology itself (the actual friction component) hasn't changed all that much over the years but it's the additions like ABS, BAS etc that have made it easier for most people to stop without lockup and therefore losing the car that has made the biggest difference.

So technically stopping distances haven't changed much, it's the ability of drivers to do them consistently that has changed.

Problem is most people don't know how to use ABS because they've never been trained...so in most cases they still end up ploughing into people because 1. Misconception that they will brake better/faster with ABS and therefore keep stupid following distances and 2. When an emergency happens they don't engage the brakes hard enough to activate ABS or if they do they have a fright because of the vibration and instinctively let go of the pedal instead of keeping it held down.

I think every person out there should be forced to the the minimum skidpan and ABS brake test advanced driving courses BEFORE they even write their learners.

 

[SauRoNZA]

I do believe that we could easily do with higher speed limits quite safely.

However long before that can happen we need to do at least three things.

1. Consistent road quality.

2. Driver Education.

3. Road worthy cars.


With even one of those three missing it's impossible.

 

[InternetSwag]

I took a drive with my moms Fiesta today, took it for a nice long drive today, cause I am considering purchasing a 2005~ 1.4l Fiesta and the potholes are everywhere. I usually only drive on 'main' roads and I took a drive through Welgelegen, Plattekloof and Parow North.

There are potholes everywhere, not massive gaping potholes, but large enough to really feel it and mess with your driving experience. If this is what it's like in these rich areas I can only imagine how terrible it CAN be in other areas.

Was not happy tbh with the quality of our roads.

 

[SauRoNZA]

I know around the back of Parow North there is a bit of a pothole problem for the last few months but I can't say I've seen anything special in Welgelegen or Plattekloof.

I find that when a hole appears it gets sorted out within two weeks or so.

Often I wonder how much of it is simply a case of a problem not being reported and therefore doesn't get fixed.

 

[Ancalagon]

It's the weight.

It's safe to assume that most cars these days run about the same levels of braking equipment in the same classes of car at least. So item primary problem with moment is the weight that needs to be reduced.

Heavier car therefore needs larger/stronger brakes...or more distance to stop in. Braking technology itself (the actual friction component) hasn't changed all that much over the years but it's the additions like ABS, BAS etc that have made it easier for most people to stop without lockup and therefore losing the car that has made the biggest difference.

So technically stopping distances haven't changed much, it's the ability of drivers to do them consistently that has changed.

Problem is most people don't know how to use ABS because they've never been trained...so in most cases they still end up ploughing into people because 1. Misconception that they will brake better/faster with ABS and therefore keep stupid following distances and 2. When an emergency happens they don't engage the brakes hard enough to activate ABS or if they do they have a fright because of the vibration and instinctively let go of the pedal instead of keeping it held down.

I think every person out there should be forced to the the minimum skidpan and ABS brake test advanced driving courses BEFORE they even write their learners.

Car weight has been reduced dramatically since the 60's - think of all the new modern materials being used, as well as computer aided design. Everything used to be made with steel - these days, they use aluminium as much as possible, as well as plastic and high strength steel.

A car in an equivalent class will likely be lighter and safer than they were 50 years ago.

 

[Mk786]

Increase 120 limits to 140

 

[The Voice]

Increase 120 limits to 140

Had a piece of sh*t taxi, fully loaded, fly past me at about 140 (I was sitting at 120). Downhill, mind you. But imagine if that that had to make a sudden stop? Another 15+ whose mutilated remains need to be cut out of a wreck? There's simply no way to increasing the speed limit would work. People. Can't adhere to the current laws, much less to more relaxed ones.

 

[SauRoNZA]

Car weight has been reduced dramatically since the 60's - think of all the new modern materials being used, as well as computer aided design. Everything used to be made with steel - these days, they use aluminium as much as possible, as well as plastic and high strength steel.

A car in an equivalent class will likely be lighter and safer than they were 50 years ago.

For sure.

I wasn't comparing equivalent class back then with equivalent class now, I meant cars now in equivalent classes will be about the same in stopping power.

So ultimately it will be the weight difference between different cars and different classes that makes the difference.

But then nobody fits performance braking to a Tata to make it stop faster because it's lighter, they fit it to the heavy cars so that it stops the same as a Tata.

Ultimately the benchmark would be to get all cars within the same base line which is mostly what we see across the board.

The flip side is that computer aided design has made cars more aerodynamic which means they accelerate faster and cut through the air better meaning they don't stop as easily.

End result is that a car from the 60's probably stops better from higher speeds because it's aerodynamically disadvantaged and because it's heavy.

After all as much as the weight adds to the momentum it also helps slow it down. So there would be a fine line between the weight of the vehicle making it go faster but also making it go slower again and the relationship of that to the braking system being used.