Speed Limits | The Ultimate Guide

Everything you need to know about how to decide what speed limit it is.
Become a Channel Member / @ashley_neal
Dash Camera Affiliate Links. NOW USE CODE 'ASHLEY'
Car - Viofo - viofouk.co.uk/...
Motorcycle - Innov - innovv.co.uk/a...
Motorcycle, Bicycle and Equestrian - Techalogic - techalogic.co....
XNITO Cycle Helmets - xnito.com/ASHLEY137 Use code 'ASHLEY137' to recieve 10% off your order
Aoocci C5 - aoocci.com/?re... | USE CODE 'ASHLEY' for 18% off!
Social Media
www.ashleyneal...
/ ashleynealdrivinginstr...
[e-mail]
Amazon Links
Sony a6400 Camera - amzn.to/2xVCrn0
Sony A7C Camera - amzn.to/3JUvUIa
Tascam DR-10L Microphone - amzn.to/3M8P0fd
Sony FDR X3000 Action Camera - amzn.to/2YVoPDh

[@eddyrourke5514]

Just do 40mph all the time, seems to work very well for many road users.

[@robg521]

In my rural area there are loads of people who do this. You get stuck behind them doing 40 on a 60MPH road, and then when it changes to 30 as you go through a village they continue on at the same 40PMS speed. 🤷‍♂️

[@666armarda]

I notice many people doing this. I think they are driving in their comfort zone; the fastest speed for the road they are on which feels safe (to them). They clearly only care about speed when they notice speed cameras so it’s a purely selfish act. Don’t care about anyone else.

[@hozzer68]

@@robg521you beat me to that, I was just about to make the same comment 😂

[@ZachAsaD]

@@robg521I swear I see this exact comment all the time 😂

[@androidcaller7902]

And so annoying when the overtake you in a 20 or 30, then do 40 everywhere else in the National. Hold back, deep breath, and put radio 4 on 😡​@@robg521

[@maureenwright7001]

I got into an argument with someone recently over his van and national speed limits. He drives a transit and I said he needs to be aware that on national speed limit roads the speeds for vehicles the size of vans and larger are different than for cars and motorbikes. I told him dual carriage ways are max 60 miles per hour and single lanes are max 50 miles per hour. He said I was wrong and now he’s doing a speed awareness course 😊

[@PedroConejo1939]

In my experience, a significant number of van drivers don't know/care about this, and I'm not talking about the ones with a second row of seats.

[@ezziz4084]

In my experience a lot of car drivers don't know about this either and they drive so close up my arse on these roads that the only way I know that they are there is the shine of the lights around my vehicle XD

[@PedroConejo1939]

@@ezziz4084 You're right. I'd like to change my answer to 'it's pretty much universally unknown'.

[@karoln7078]

As a van driver, this rule is a load of bollocks. Meanwhile those SUV EVs weight more then a transit and still allowed to do 70mph.

[@derekheeps1244]

It relates to the weight ( MAM ) and vehicles in excess of 3500Kg are subject to the lower limits , besides AN vehicle towing a trailer , and larger HGVs can be subject to even lower limits on certain roads . Also vehicles over 3500 Kg are not permitted to use certain roads ( such as the West Approach Rd in Edinburgh ) and of course attention has to be given to weight restrictions on certain bridges . Other less well known restrictions include that in any work vehicles it is illegal to smoke in them in Scotland , because such vehicles are classed as being the workplace , so workplace smoking restrictions can apply in lorries , vans , buses , taxis and company cars ; in addition it is illegal to smoke in ANY VEHICLE where children under the age of 14 are present .

[@JesusLovesYou-nd1rz]

Impatience around speed limits is a big cause of problems on the road. I have found it to be very common A) for drivers to tailgate in a speed limit area and B) to overtake when you enter into a speed limit area.

[@zah465]

Yes this and also when speed limits change on a 2 lane road just after a junction or something. I always wait until I'm at the sign before accelerating but get swamped by people who speed up too early, only to end up doing the same speed I want to do when the limit changes.

[@youknow6968]

Very true, the frustration element has not been correctly judged in the blanket implementation of 20 mph limits.

[@androidcaller7902]

​@@youknow6968that was pure ideology!

[@youknow6968]

@@androidcaller7902 what was?

[@grimsbyhackney479]

@@youknow6968 I think he meant the 20mph limit(s) are pure ideology. I might be wrong though.

[@smilerbob]

15:18 “You can’t accelerate until you’re passed the signs” I wish everyone on motorways would understand this that when the limit is 40mph and you are approaching the NSL sign…you still need to be doing 40mph at that sign not accelerating up to NSL (different limits for different vehicles) to be at speed at the sign For reference…I am talking the enforced limits that are on smart motorways not the advisory limits on standard motorways 👍

[@Jonc25]

Unfortunately, you could be driving at 40mph for no reason because they don't always show an NSL after an incident or slow down. 😮

[@smilerbob]

@@Jonc25 Travelling the motorway network overnight I became accustomed to the speed restrictions, lane restrictions and generally poor signage for nothing. There was one occasion where I we were all shunted to lane 3 with red X’s in lanes 1 and 2 with a speed restriction of 50mph imposed. It transpired they had scheduled some overnight roadworks that got cancelled but the system still set all the motorway signage 🤦‍♂️

[@jameskole3584]

We are fortunate that we have speed cameras just before the temporary speed limits on some roads returns to national speed limits. In some it creates the opposite problem of people slamming their brakes to 40mph, when they were already doing at or below the 50mph speed limit.

[@Jonc25]

@smilerbob Those daft motorways are a disgrace and need scrapping, but instead they are spending zillions putting in more emergency areas. pathetic.

[@theaikidoka]

I wish everyone was aware that you can't accelerate up to the new limit AFTER after you passed the sign on any road. Also that you have to decelerate down to the new limit BEFORE you reach the sign. To be fair, sometimes you don't get much warning of a change, and sometimes the change can be drastic but that won't cut much mustard with Police.

[@radishpea6615]

00:17, the oncoming car is doing the same as Ashley ! 8:26, single carriage way road, national speed limit is indeed 60 except..... and the exceptions were not listed and so a driver trying to do 60 gets impatient with a driver doing 50 as the impatient driver is unaware of the speed limit governing the vehicle in front. What about motorway speeds. Would have helped if the speed limits for other vehicles had been discussed. That was no way the ultimate guide to speed limits.

[@SuperAd1980]

I can always remember the last time I was done for speeding, 36 in a 30, in a hgv, in Chelmsford at about 2am. There was a diversion through the town as the main dual-carriageway was closed, the sign was very clear "40" as you turned off the roundabout. About a mile in at a crossroads the speed limit changed to 30, but the sign on the left (just before the lights) was integrated into a large square sign with directions, and the speed sign was completely covered by ivy. The sign on the right side of the road was missing completely. There were signs into both the left and right turn of the crossroads, both of which were 30. After going through the junction the next 3 side roads, 2 leading into a housing estate, 20 signs, and the other (on the right) leading to a small business park (car sales), 30 sign. A few hundred yards further on there was a small reminder sign on the left, folded in half and unreadable - reminder sign to me said it's still 40. Another few hundred yards ahead another side street into a larger housing estate road showed 30 on both sides of the turn in, and just past it was another reminder sign - this time turned backwards (and also unreadable). On the right was 1 more turn off the main road which, after a further parallel road (back to those car dealers) was 20 into a tight housing estate. Just past that was a speed camera... 4 of us in the same company were caught within an hour, all diverted off the main dual carriageway. None of us were ever in the habit of speeding - we get paid by the hour! Cameras on the trucks showed, if paused in the exact right spot, where the 30 sign should have been (found it on google maps) and there were 2 frames where a tiny amount of the Red Circle was visible (filmed at 30fps 1080p), and showed every other repeater sign was removed and the side road speed limit signs had been turned backwards - showing 30 if we left the road. (the angle wasn't quite right - but only noticeable if you paused the video at the right spot and looked closely) We were SO miffed that 4 of us were caught, and the companies legal team said we could fight it, but we'd have to take a day off and they wouldn't provide a solicitor. Cost of day off £150 + £250 solicitor = £400 + possibility of a guilty verdict and fine and points and BIGGER insurance bill. Cost of driver awareness course £95... No brainer.

[@zerocool278]

Did you appeal and if you did what was the outcome?

[@illegalopinions4082]

The company should have provided a solicitor for that one. It's situations like that that allow the 0:06 government to act like they do. The situation should've never occurred.

[@SuperAd1980]

@@zerocool278 No appeal. Too expensive to fight, too expensive to appeal. And as I (and the others) had zero points, £95 for a re-education day camp was MUCH cheaper and easier than the MASSIVE cost of potential loosing. Fingers crossed and another year to go and "IF" I ever get caught again I can do another course rather than a fine and points. Points, I believe, cost an extra £150-200 per point, per year, for the time they're on your licence... HGV drivers automatically get more points than normal drivers, meaning even more cost... So 6 points = £1000 extra insurance over the 5 years until it clears + a probable £500-800 fine from the court + Solicitor fee's... No point going through that just to be right. And the only reason we could have been sure, was our company has good camera's all over the trucks... How many others did they get?

[@SuperAd1980]

The company did send the video to the prosecuting police force. Who weren't interested, insisting none of us had points and we weren't bring taking through the court... only the speed awareness camp.

[@gordon861]

@@SuperAd1980 You wouldn't need a solicitor to fight this one in front of a magistrate, no problem with representing yourself. I've done it myself and got a 95-110 in a 70 charge down to 85 in a 70, so just points and a fine. But if your company are not going to kick up a fuss about the drivers getting a speed awareness course then it's probably just worth taking it and sitting through the three hours being told you are a naughty boy.

[@robynrox]

Just to add to that - if you're in Wales, what Ashley said about 30 mph regions applies to 20 mph regions and not to 30 mph regions. In 30 mph regions you will see repeater signs (the dinner plates). In 20 mph regions you will not. If there are roads that "oscillate" between England and Wales (I'm sure I haven't used the right word here but I think I can be understood and I am not sure what the right word is), it would be interesting to know what happens to them, though I suppose they would mainly be trunk routes and as such would have a specific speed limit or be national speed limit roads. Ashley, I never have actually seen a minimum speed limit sign before, so it was nice to see that! I've seen it in the Highway Code but that's the only place I've ever seen it. Thanks!

[@grahambonner508]

Minimum speed limits are often signed on multi lane roads in many mainland European countries. They often apply to only one lane.

[@MrTypo-kc6ib]

Meander would be a good choice. 👍

[@frankhooper7871]

The only place I've seen a minimum speed sign is in a tunnel - probably the Dartford tunnel.

[@mattwardman]

Solution to the Welsh / English confusion is easy-peasy. Let's make 20mph the default limit in urban areas in England too, then we can focus on places where 30mh exceptions are appropriate ! Our new Government seems to be quite thoughtful about long-term strategy, so I am hopeful that things will be less confused compared to the last one where the Transport Minister set some of his policy on conspiracy theories.

[@20samp]

Thanks for this comment. When I last drove in Wales I was always getting confused thinking I'd just missed the speed change back to 30 due to the lack of repeater signs. I'm used to driving in Bristol where there's also a lot of 20 limits, but with plenty of repeaters

[@cwork5485]

Had this problem recently 40mph road heading into a city with average speed cameras on literally almost every lamppost, doing 35, for ages, along the road I spotted a kid on a scooter and was paying attention to him possibly going in to the road. Then I spotted a 30mph repeater sign. Went back over my dashcam footage and saw the change of speed sign that I missed (altjough even this was smaller than usual). Now have to wait to see if I get an NIP. Really annoying as I was being cautious.

[@smilerbob]

It isn’t just attention being taken away when turning into a junction that speed limit changes are missed, it can also be the sign has been completely covered by a tree that the local authority hasn’t trimmed for years, or it has been knocked off by a large vehicle and not replaced. But yes, all to common it is simply inattentive driving which is why, in my opinion, the January 2022 update (not talking about the lack of communication or publicity of the changes) were a good thing as it _should_ make drivers slow more before turning and therefore see everything at the junction before turning, including signage. One thing that is often overlooked in this “must get there half hour ago” world

[@PedroConejo1939]

I've heard, though never tested the information, that in the event of one or both signs being obscured, the limit cannot be enforced (as opposed to does not apply). As I say, I wouldn't want to have to defend that in court, but just now, I passed a 50 mph sign - that I already knew was there - where one sign was completely obscured, the other was a deep shade of green. That is really common round here, and I'm told the LA/Highways really don't like the public cleaning them to make them visible.

[@smilerbob]

@@PedroConejo1939That is one thing I wouldn’t want to put to the test! There is one near me that you may know on the lanes towards Repton. The signs are covered by trees and the paint on the road is either faded or obliterated into potholes. It catches a few drivers out and some do wonder why I am slowing from 50mph to 40mph The LA’s can be hard work sometimes. They don’t want anyone cleaning them yet if your hedge grows around one then you must cut and clean it 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@Sudgen]

I have seen 70MPH signs on the motorway on a recent trip to Scotland

[@MrTypo-kc6ib]

The distance between lampposts setting the speed limit comes from the Road Traffic Act of 1934. This said that any road with street lamps not more than two hundred yards apart was a built up area unless otherwise stated by signs. This was to repeal the 1930 RTA which removed all speed limits for the average car. 😮

[@DeathSc00p]

For an 'Ultimate Guide', a few things were missed. Temporary limits (e.g. due roadworks), changeable limits (e.g. on smart motorways), differing limits based on size of vehicle, limits on slip roads/on-off ramps, limits on private land (e.g. supermarket carparks), advised limits on sharp bends on motorways, to name a few

[@redtela]

Welsh default of 20 was also missed

[@jonpowell9011]

Add to that trailers.

[@alanmorrison163]

@@DeathSc00p Scottish limit of 40mph for HGVs on single carriageways

[@alexquant1335]

Millennials: what's a dustbin lid?

[@smilerbob]

Gen Z: What’s a dinner plate?

[@kdmq]

I'm a millennial and I can assure you I've seen Oscar the Grouch's hat many times.

[@dan8ch523]

The roof of a 1-bed

[@PedroConejo1939]

I completely agree with the point about the signs being missed at junctions. I often miss them because of focusing on the other things, usually things that are potential hazards. Thankfully, I can do a quick check on the sat-nav, though I recognise that's not 100% accurate. I do like it if there the limit-change signs are either well before, or somewhat after a junction. In truth, you're rarely going to get into too much trouble for speeding in that gap.

[@smilerbob]

I often wonder if all speed limit changes should be marked like they are in some villages. 30mph in 300 yards… 30mph in 200 yards… 30mph in 100 yards… 30mph now And for side roads just a gentle sign facing the direction of travel on the main road to say 20mph with a left arrow. They do it for other things like humps, bridges and width restrictions so why not speed limits? It would take away the added cognitive load of turning into a side road from a faster carriageway

[@Gingerharry2011]

​@@smilerbobone issue though, this intelligent (effing stupid) speed assist system can't tell the difference between advance warning and actual commencement signs. Could cause lots of either auto braking or beeping in affected vehicles

[@smilerbob]

@@Gingerharry2011 Ah, the so called driving assistance technology that neither assists nor drives. They could, with some cooperation between manufacturers and sign makers, do something with those signs so onboard technology doesn’t pick them up. Such as an invisible square around the sign that only the cameras see, or 4 dots around the circle. But we know that will never happen as that requires common sense and companies to share technology between themselves. You would’ve thought the industry would have leanred from the EV debacle where there are different charging pods for different vehicles that aren’t compatible between each other. By all means have different ideas but cohesion between companies and having a standardised platform for all is the only way things will work better Apologies for the rant, I write software but also work with people who don’t share what they have done so you end up reinventing the wheel as it were to then find out the two pieces of software don’t work together

[@gordon861]

@@smilerbob It would cost too much to start adding a bunch of signs on the lead up to a junction telling you the limit is going to change and would vastly increase sign clutter. There also isn't a proscribed sign that could be put up to do this so a new one would need to be designed. You would also have people complaining that a limit wasn't signed correctly when they get caught at a limit that isn't signed like this, which is one of the reasons you are not allowed to add 30mph repeaters (or 20mph in Wales).

[@grimsbyhackney479]

The thing I love about the comments, on Ashley's videos, is how everyone is so perfect and it's the "others" that are the problem.

[@calvinjonesyoutube]

Its true. We are brilliant. Shame about all the morons on the road. Wonder why they never watch youtube?

[@chrisl1797]

@@grimsbyhackney479 I like to think that most people who watch the videos are at the better end of the skill set of drivers (not perfect, no one is, but I have a feeling most of us know what we are doing)

[@paul756uk2]

They're mostly young'ns who've just passed their test and know everything there is to know.

[@MiguelSantini19-57]

​@@paul756uk2Aye, my neighbours son was like that. He lost his licence for drunk driving within six months of passing his driving test.

[@theaikidoka]

I don't think you've looked at the comments on many of his videos, or indeed seen any of the Viewers Fails videos. My opinion is that most viewers are honest about their own weaknesses, but comment on things they have learned to avoid doing (often as a result of failing) or methods to stop the problem developing.

[@frankhooper7871]

I've often thought there ought to be a "speed limit reduction ahead" sign, maybe 100m or so before the change.

[@alanmorrison163]

@@frankhooper7871 we get quite a lot of speed limit countdown markers on the approach to limit reductions.

[@EvilGav]

Quite funny you talking about carriageways, as I literally had this conversation with someone getting ready for their theory test in the last week. We discussed the oddities around it, such as there are some 4 lane dual carriageways that aren't motorways and some very rare single lane dual carriageways/motorways - the latter can be found on a short section of the A329(M) as it crosses the M4. Just as an aside as well, I find a lot of people miss that it is a speed *limit* not a speed *target*. There are many occasions where the posted limit will be an unsafe speed to be driving at.

[@Jonc25]

The UK is far to ambiguous towards speed limits, poorly maintained, poorly lit, and designed to catch anyone out where there are speed cameras. needs a complete overall and rethink.

[@cornishalps9870]

Well the UK has the 12th safest roads per 100,000 inhabitants. Better than Germany and most other European countries. I equate this to the lower speed limits and technical nature of our roads as well as our very defensive driving. Most drivers don't have as much tolerance for poor driving here as opposed to France or somewhere were you just ignore it and carry on with your day.

[@paul756uk2]

​@@cornishalps9870but you don't equate it to the limit of slower speeds due to the amount of traffic on UK's roads? There are lies, damned lies and statistics as Mark Twain said and you can't judge a countries driving standards by statistics alone. I've driven extensively in Europe over the last 30 plus years, particularly in France and Germany. Germans tend to be rule followers and stick to speed limits more than we do here. Their approach to cyclists is exemplary and having cycled more in Germany than the UK, I've never felt under pressure by drivers. Germany is a nation of cyclists or rather, people who ride bikes. They have to give way to cyclists and pedestrians in ways that require attention rather than making it idiot proof like we do here, an example being traffic lights at crossroads. We stop the traffic completely to allow people to cross whereas a driver turning right on a green light has to give way to pedestrians there. It seems to work and keep the traffic flowing. They sensibly turn off traffic lights in some places at night or when traffic flow is low. Thing is, you treat people like idiots and they end up acting like them. I won't talk about Belgium. That's another universe as is Italy.

[@Monkeh616]

If you think the UK is ambiguous I invite you to spend a while driving around the US looking for signs.

[@isaacplaysbass8568]

Distinguishing a single from a dual carriageway - a useful tip for explaining the difference is "the football test" - if you can roll a football across the road from one side to the other without being impeded by a central reservation, strip of grass, etc. then it's a single-carriageway, but if the structure of the surface of the road is separated and interrupted then it's a dual-carriageway. Is this a good guide to single vs dual?

[@stuartmills8548]

How about concentrating on the driving instead of gobbing off and taking your hands off the wheel..? Sorry I forgot, you're another driving 'expert' 😂

[@laceandwhisky]

Yer bike battery sounds like its fried and overcharged so buckled plates if lead or chem battery burnt out, usually its the rectifier/regulator However could be the battery so check both. You'll need new battery. This happened to me iver a year ago, melted some generator wires😢

[@MK-1973]

Interesting video Ashley, thank you for it. Like the reference to dustbin lids and dinner plates! I think similar applies with repeaters in national speed limit areas as with 30mph limits but in reverse. What I mean is on a rural road if there aren't street lamps and there are no repeaters it's probably a national speed limit. If there are streetlights and it's a national limit you probably will see repeaters confirming that (though not on a motorway).

[@peterthompson9854]

17:00 single lane roads separated by a physical central reservation 70mph? This is a heated discussion I have been having with people who should know.

[@ronniebrown6225]

Ashley, I drive HGV/LGV and this video reminded me of a TM I had a few years ago, she pulled me into the office one day and went through the tracking of my journey a few days previous. and she said I had been speeding on the M9 motorway, she said I had been doing 58mph at the time when in her words the speed limit for an HGV was 56mph. She was not for accepting it when I pointed out the speed limiter for the truck is 56mph for any road unless signs dictate otherwise, but the actual speed limit on a motorway in the UK for a truck is 60mph. it took 3 days 2 other TM's and a highway code book to convince her otherwise, thankfully she is no longer with the company.

[@Jonc25]

Some of the A55 in North wales is marked 70mph, not NSL signs.

[@bobanob1967]

And Scotland

[@chrisl1797]

Yep. Always confusing to go from 70 to ..... errr .... 70

[@Jonc25]

@chrisl1797 Not confusing at all, but is it confusing to van drivers, etc?.

[@andyalder7910]

It is a Non-motorway Special Road rather than an All Purpose Road so NSL does not apply, without the 70 signs you could drive as fast as you wanted.

[@danpreston564]

Speed bumps are standard in estates where I live, doesn’t matter if it’s 20 or 30.

[@rebrandftw]

I live on a 20 mph restricted council estate with speed bumps and chicanes all the way through it and there's also two primary schools on the estate.. I see absolute morons bombing it around the estate sometimes doing like 40 or 45 all the time! I wouldn't be shocked if they weren't full license holders! 🤷‍♂

[@Eric_Hunt194]

"Blurt" is an underrated insult, but you need a Scouse or Wirral accent to really pull it off

[@DrDSCT]

Would be good to do something that raises awareness of the different speed limits that apply to vans etc. Also, for example, travelling down the A90 which has average speed cameras and some van drivers don’t realise they are exceeding the speed limit for a dual carriageway. Cheers.

[@R04drunner1]

Useful video as ever Ashley. I like that you mentioned a scenario I commented on under another video: check your mirrors before accelerating at a change (up in limit). I was in a 30 zone, coming up to a NSL sign, checked my mirrors before accelerating and saw a BMW driver behind me just starting an overtake BEFORE he was allowed to. I held off (even lifted off the accelerator) until he was safely past. The frustrating thing is, I was then stuck behind him doing 50 mph in a 60 limit. Had he not pulled that illegal manoeuvre, and had I not responded by waiting for him, I could have been well away and he would not have been held back. Still, make it a non-event, right? 😀 Yes, in-car systems are not very accurate. Mine seems to think a local 40 mph is actually a 70 mph limit! And the cameras usually miss the change in speed limit signs when I turn into side roads, usually beause the signs are right at the entrance to the side road so they are not in the camera's field of view. SCOPE FOR A SPEED LIMITS ULTIMATE PART 2 PERHAPS? It would have been interesting to see you cover the fact that speed limits are different depending on different vehicles. If you are driving a van, for example, the default speed limit on a single carriageway road is 50 mph (10 mph less than cars). On a dual carriageway, the van speed limit is 60 mph while cars are 70 mph. Also speed limiters are worth mentioning: fitted to certain vehicles as mandatory, and will be fitted to cars from July 2024. Finally, worth mentioning that many speed limits (such as on flashing gantries) are only advisory UNLESS they have the red circle around them, in which case they are mandatory. The key thing to remember is always to drive at a safe speed regardless of limits: you need to be able to safely stop in the distance you can see to be clear, for example. And, in poor weather, reduce speed. In France the speed limits are dropped if the cars need to use their windscreen wipers. Not a bad idea but unenforceable in the UK I think.

[@Jonc25]

The flashing gantries are advisory, but have a collision, and you could be held responsible if above that advisory speed.👍

[@jaycee330]

9:22 You may be thinking of the former spur A6144(M) in Carrington, Manchester, which was about 1 mile long, and was a single carriageway. It's no longer the case (downgraded from a motorway to an A road and 50mph), and the only such motorway now is the A38(M) in Birmingham. (Aston Expressway)

[@ClarkeDesign]

A nice tip is also to look for when speed limit signs are NOT there. If you are on a larger road and look into a side street and there are NO 30 signs, then you are also on a 30 limit on the larger road (as there are no signs to change the limit). I also wish that there were more 30 repeater signs. This is all about safety, so why no reenforce the 30 limit, especially on roads that suggest a higher speed, or that have recently changed to 30.

[@thomaselliot2257]

I frequently witness cars on single carriage way national speed limit roads going faster than me when i go at 60mph

[@bobbyg309]

Absolute snoozer of a video 😴

[@kingboy76]

The legal definitions 'built up area' and 'restricted road' re 30mph limits in terms of the Road Traffic Regulation Act do include specifications for the distance between lamp-posts. It's explained in detail on the Wikipedia page for 'built up area (Highway Code)'

[@sIightIybored]

Which means dual carriageways with enough lamp posts should be 30. But clearly that is insane so that law is not as clear cut as that. Like the A55 at 53.2345235,-3.179994, standard dual carriageway, loads of lights. But clearly not in an urban area and with national speed limit signs.

[@andyalder7910]

@@sIightIybored There are NSL repeaters on that stretch of road, 53°14'23.9"N 3°11'13.1"W for example. Since it's the North Wales Expressway there are even 70 signs in some stretches but not in that particular area.

[@sIightIybored]

@@andyalder7910 NSL on a restricted road is 30mph. Is my point.

[@andyalder7910]

@@sIightIybored Think you need to look up the definition of National Speed Limit. It's defined under The 70 Miles Per Hour, 60 Miles Per Hour and 50 Miles Per Hour (Temporary Speed Limit) Order 1977.

[@sIightIybored]

​@@andyalder7910 the answer to my question was in the Road Traffic Act 1960, the dual carriageways are trunk roads that didn't have lighting installed before 1957. Otherwise they would be 30mph.

[@chrisl1797]

I'll give you one thing about 20mph zones.... it would be much quieter outside the cottage I am on holiday in. 50mph limit outside.. and very noisy.

[@NooBiker]

In London there are many roads where the limit is 30 and there are speed bumps. So the rule of "if there are speed bumps, it's probably a 20" doesn't apply to all places. How far should you go without seeing a repeater sign before you twig you may have missed a speed limit change? Near me, there is a section of single carriageway road with NSL repeater signs. They're on lamp posts - to avoid people getting confused and thinking it's a 30! What is it with Triumphs and electrics... 🤦‍♂ been an issue with them for ages!

[@thefrenchareharlequins2743]

You should add a clarification, none of this applies if you drive something expensive and German

[@driving_all_over]

Nice one Ashley, good video as always Unfortunately the motorway you’re thinking of was downgraded in 2006 and is today a 50 limit. It’s the road off M60 J8. The (temporary permanent) one at the end of the M58 at Orrell is still there though and was definitely 70 the last time I drove it. There’s also the Walton Summit spur off the M61/M65 roundabout as well. Another weird quirk with speed limits is the ones on non motorway special roads like the A55 around Colwyn Bay and Conwy. Those have no maximum speed limit so have to be signed with 70 signs and repeaters instead of national speed limit ones.

[@jaycee330]

The A6144(M), the bane of SABRE at the time. The other one is the Aston Expressway A38(M)

[@driving_all_over]

@@jaycee330 There’s also the Walton Summit spur and the temporary permanent eastern end of the M58 as well

[@deelitedmanchester4302]

9:10, _"Is there a single lane motorway?"_ I think you need Auto Shenanigans! 😁

[@GiggsIsLegend]

On the A13, sometimes we have a new limit posted in the middle of 2 average speed cameras. So it goes: 50mph road. Camera. 30mph sign. Camera. I've never understood which limit the cameras are calibrated at, as they're on either side of a new-limit. Any ideas?

[@JBEAN]

On the topic of single and dual carriageway national speed limits. There's an odd section of road near me, where it's a single carriageway national speed limit, so 60mph. But it changes to a dual carriageway (on the same straight road) for about 500m before then reducing to a 50mph limit, but still on the same dual carriageway. I often see people speeding up to 70mph after it becaomes a dual carriageway, but they stay at 70mph even after the 50 sign, until the roundabout not much further down the road. People just seem to ignore the 50mph sign and keep speeding up to 70.

[@ganrimmonim]

Yep there is one in Manchester, off the M60 it's very short. I think basically they never got around to finishing it.

[@TheRip72]

It was the A6144(M) Carrington spur, which linked a roundabout from the A6144 to J8 of the M60. Long sliproads from the M60 to the A6144 would have performed the same role & these would have had a motorway classification right up to the roundabout with the A6144,so I guess this was the thinking behind making it a motorway. It has been de-classified now & is no longer a motorway. I guess this was simply a change of thinking?

[@gordonrice6483]

I think that the exception in Manchester may have been the Carrington Spur Road A6144(M), now the A6144 since 2006. I think due to its Motorway status it was 70mph even though it is a single carriageway. However it is now 50mph since loosing it's Motorway status.

[@ChrisNeary86]

I wish the system in the US was as dependable, but it's random and driving on back country highways you can join new road and not know the speed limit has increased for a good few miles here. I was driving on the M40 (the M-Floority) last summer while visiting and roadworks had reduced traffic to lane 3, with no signs on the gantry but a metal 50mph sign propped up with sandbags. Did I miss some unwritten or rule? Because doing exactly 50 in the only available lane, with a mandatory speed restriction (wasn't an advisory limit sign) I had some blurt behind me riding my back bumper and flashing the headlights for my having the audacity to follow road signs correctly. Maybe he wasn't paying attention and missed the sign. As soon as lanes 1 and 2 opened back up I smoothly moved back to lane 1 where they continued to follow me at 50 for half a mile before getting bored and speeding off. Was also not a marked traffic/police officer vehicle and there were no orange or blue beacons. Why, yes it was an Audi. Why do you ask? 😁

[@RicardoAndre88]

Yeah, something that's not common here is the minimum speed limit. For example, in Portugal, motorways have a minimum speed limit of 50kmh. And the different lanes usually have different minimum speed limits. If a A road (called IP - itinerário principal) or a motorway (auto-estrada), going through a mountainous terrain, and have 3 lanes, the right lane is for trucks (no minimum speed limit), the middle lane will have a minimum speed of 70kph and the left lane (for overtaking) will have a minimum speed of 90kmh.

[@mckenzie403]

I’m surprised the old Golf was saying 110mph on the M57. Set to default German Autobahn speeds or the car was getting kph and mph wrong. 🙃. That road could be thinking M602 spur into Manchester when you come in from Liverpool. That’s got 60 signs on it.

[@andrewkb5211]

Speed awareness course advised more than 3 streetlamps in succession = 30 mph limit. Thanks for info about single / dual carriageways. 👍

[@demil3618]

I can't see much of an issue with speed limits in the UK 1. You get a fair deal: All speed cams are bright yellow by law (as well as police when checking speed). Traps are not allowed (like in the rest of Europe). 2. Most newer vehicles have a speed limiter that you can set accordingly. Nice tool, very helpful and you can just keep your foot down.

[@stevesmith7530]

As was taught to me way back in the mists of time, "New road, new limit?". What can mess things up a bit is something I see a lot of here, the limit on the "main" road will drop for a roundabout, usually at a point where you are already well below the new lower limit for the junction. Then minor roads off the roundabout will either have that new limit, or a completely different one that may be higher or lower than both the roundabout, and the main road. The lamppost information is valid. In the absence of other information, the limit is 30 if lampposts are present. The legal term is "restricted road", which I believe dates back to the times of there being no speed limits elsewhere, they having been abolished in 1930. The Road Traffic act introduced restricted roads and the 30 limit in 1934 and made them permanent rather than having to be annually renewed by parliament in 1956 (when 40 & 50 limits were introduced, with mandatory repeaters), and the national speed limit introduced in 1965, along with the 70 limit for motorways. So, in general, without repeaters, lampposts are a valid indicator of speed limits. The only real confusion can come from whether a stretch of road has a "system of street lamps", or whether it is just a collection of lamps at say a junction. But then a junction where street lamps are deemed necessary is likely worth an adjustment of speed anyway. Then there is the potential for confusion with the blanket 20 limit in Wales that is now under review as 30 and NSL are the only two limits that do not require repeaters. I just checked my dates, and found out something else interesting. When speed limits were abolished in 1930, road fatalities went down, and went back up again with the introduction of the the 30 limit in 1934.

[@QuentinStephens]

You asked about 70 mph limit signs: there are explicit 70 mph speed limit signs in places in Scotland, typically motorway sliproads, and I think (I could be wrong - it's been a decade) that there were some on the motorway this side of the Channel Tunnel. You spent quite a time on single vs dual carriageway roads but I think you should also have addressed single-track roads. At least in Scotland they are no different from dual-track roads and the speed limit for single-track NSL roads is 60 mph; I don't know about the rest of the UK. Lower limits can be imposed. Lastly I think you should have emphasised a basic point: the speed limit is a limit, not a target.

[@JoshAston23]

I recently encountered a taxi going 50mph in lane 2/2 on a 70mph dual carriageway, while I was stuck behind a lorry and parallel to said taxi. Needless to say i had to 'undertake' it and ovetake the lorry to give myself appropriate space.

[@MartinParnham]

Most of this I already knew thanks to both my lessons and a speed awareness course I went on about 10-11 years ago! The only thing I question is the dual carriageway bit as I’m sure I’ve seen “dual carriageway ahead” signs and when you get there, there’s no CR. A genuine question now: I’ve heard people say (in comments on this channel as well) that on motorways, lane 3 is for 10% + whatever arbitrary number. Are they actually correct, or is the limit the same in all 3 (or more) lanes?

[@donvito1973]

You should mention exceptions by vehicle type towing and larger vehicles.. you see lots of larger vans and trucks pulling large trailers doing 70.. and of course.. Wales.. assume everything is 20..

[@johnrigby7373]

I recall a road with two speed limits just outside Redditch. If you drove towards Redditch it was 30 if you drove away from Redditch it was a 40 limit. Took the council a few years to get their act together. Lamp post distances was taught in the 80’s and was part of the driver manual in the early 90’s.

[@Phlash1]

Was that not an anti congestion tactic 😊

[@hozzer68]

My new car keeps telling me I’m speeding when I pass an 7.5T 40mph sign in a national speed limit road, then it won’t change until it sees another sign saying different. Bloody EU nanny state.

[@malcolminstone4213]

I reckon this film could have been cut to about 15 seconds, including the intro. My film would be,regarding speed limits...drive within the law. It's really really not that hard.

[@davidrumming4734]

Just a few observations of mine… Few drivers slow to the max speed indicated ahead before they pass the sign. Likewise few keep at or just below the speed limit they are leaving before they pass the sign for the next section…if you do, you may get overtaken. There’s also, a growing minority of drivers that don’t speed up for the speed limit they are in. I have noticed an increase in this on my work route….50 zones and drivers doing 35-40….without any other traffic in front of them….very strange.

[@Kromaatikse]

With that M56 speed limit of 110 - it would actually be reasonable for that to be 110kph, which is 68.35 mph - pretty close to the actual motorway speed limit in the UK.

[@kevinpowell5241]

spacing of street lamps Traffic Regulation Act 1988 s81 an offence to exceed 30mph on a restricted road, s82 defines a restricted road as having street lamps spaced not more than 200m apart, somewhere there is a definition of street lamps being 3 or more. S81 does not apply to special roads, motorways, ad the road authority can amend the speed limit om restricted roads and sign it. Hope this clarifies the confused not on street lamp spacing near the end

[@SiRhodesDriverTraining]

Few extra things Ash, I always reiterate that Built Up doesn’t mean buildings. Loads of people think a built up area is houses, pavements etc but, in terms of speed, it’s any road that has a continuous chain of streetlights & no other signage. Like you said on the wide road, it’s 2 lane dual Carriageway but it’s a 30. Scotty rd is a classic for that. Cheesy phrase I use is “ always go off signs, not scenery “ meaning think of lampposts etc, not what the road look like. 30 repeaters will be in 30 limits when there isn’t street lighting so, for example, a hamlet / village in a rural area where either side is national speed limit. May be worth doing a video on advisory speed signs also, the ones that haven’t got a red circle around them.

[@McGubbins42]

Single lane motorways? Many slip roads qualify. The westbound M621 used to go down to a single lane at J3 but they've just finished widening it.

[@mrcellophane99]

I read, several years ago, that speed limits can't decrease by more than 30 MPH. i.e. a 70 limit can't end and become a 30 limit. Have you heard of this ?

[@sarakershaw7565]

There’s a 60mph dual carriageway in Telford. The A442 Eastern Primary. The speed limit was lowered due to the number of accidents that were happening on it

[@illegalopinions4082]

To touch on yori thumbnail. I think they shouldn't be allowed to put the "potential speed camera" sign up unless there's actually a speed camera within half a mile. Sometimes, I see them everywhere where there isn't a camera, and it feels like a cheap deterrent. There's so much wrong with the deceit. Signs should have meaning and they should be clear and unequivocal. It's not "potentially no entry" it's "no entry". It's not "potentially 30 mpg" it's "30 mph". If the sign is going to be a suggestion then it's pointless.

[@davidbailey1689]

It surprised me, when helping to run a driving course, how many people firmly believed that the national speed limit signs, in Milton Keynes, meant that the speed limit was 40mph. They took some convincing that it was 60mph on a single carriageway road.

[@davidstevens-k6f]

Except where the national speed limit applies (motorways and dual carriageways), the rule of thumb is that all other roads are a 30mph limit unless otherwise instructed. I was taught this on my first day of learning to drive in 1994, but it tells you this in the highway code.

[@demil3618]

What gets me is people jumping on their brakes when the speed limit goes down- instead of just using the gears to slow down (even automatics can do that by lowering the gear limit or using the manual function if available!). I just use the engine to slow me down, it will get you there too (even if not exactly _by_ the sign, but so what?)

[@JohnCarlyle]

9:15 off topic, but why does the guy behind start moving before Ashley has started? I see this all the time, do they just have no ability to see beyond 1 second into the future?

[@gordslater]

If it's a slightly downhill grade and it's an auto gearbox, it could be creeping forward as soon as the driver releases the brake pedal in anticipation of accelerating. I live in a hilly town, a lot of low-speed rear-end at junctions ended up at the body shop for chrome bumper knocks in the 70s/early 80s especially if they had a more powerful creep than they should. Plastic bumpers survive quite well nowadays but nudging is commonplace at certain places, especially at the crossings.

[@jameskole3584]

Even on flat surfaces (or so close to flat you can't tell it's slightly downhill) you can get quite a strong creep from automatic cars. It's something I had to adjust when I got an automatic car, I usually start to get ready move while the lights are changing, now I am factoring in the creep so that I am moving off too early before the lights on my side have turned to green.

[@JohnCarlyle]

I don't buy the 'if it's an auto' idea. I switched to an automatic a year ago after 27 years of manuals. Why would the driver even take his foot off the brake pedal before the car in front has started moving?

[@raymondbenjamins5884]

@@JohnCarlyle Agreed. While it might explain some cases, I think it's mostly just impatience. They see the lights change, so they expect everyone to move instantly. I sometimes even see the people gesturing in exacerbation when I don't move yet, as if I can help it that there are still 5 cars stopped in front.

[@JohnGiles-jv6dx]

Aston Expressway, Birmingham single carriage motorway with five lines😂

[@Skellomaniac]

I appreciate the addition of the minimum speed limit being shown, if I am being honest I never knew what this sign was and always overlooked it thinking it was for something else

[@MartinParnham]

I knew of them but they are not very common and not sure why they are needed.

[@AL-YT-comment]

In Wales, near Cwmdare, I come down a 20 road. At a roundabout turn left onto a road. No signage of any change, still a bit built up and no repeaters. What is the limit? Having looked on StreetView, it turns out there is a large sign at the roundabout partially hidden by a tree. I feel no guilt in not seeing it and continuing to drive at 20…it did feel wrong, but no repeaters. Also, it really upset the Audi behind, which is generally a good thing.

[@Eric_Hunt194]

A lot of 40 roads round my way are very lacking in repeater signs. Call me a cynic, but I suspect the council does not prioritise replacements of damaged 40 repeaters, as a passive/stealth method of reducing speeds and reducing opposition to official reductions in the future.

[@FlavourlessLife]

The A38(M) Aston Expressway. 7 lanes: 3 travelling each direction and a central "tidal flow" lane that can change direction depending on the time of day. No central reservation. 50 mph.

[@WhiteDieselShed]

Some speed changes make sense but when they fit cameras on a 40mph road that had no accidents and then found that it didn't create any revenue so they dropped the speed limit to 30mph. A major A road down to 30 mph and the first set of signs strategically placed in a hedge so they got overgrown within weeks. Then another area that had one accident and they changed the whole area from 30mph to 20mph. The accident involved an uninsured driver doing approx 70mph in the 30mph zone so what does changing it to 20mph achieve?

[@steve3291]

Great driving by the untaxed Astra (KD53 VPE) - he managed to drive over the hatch markings (there for a reason) all to make up two spaces in the queue - probably saved a whole 10 seconds there.

[@RocketJonny69]

Come and do the same video in Wales,20 limit not always signed we’re always uncertain of limit. rural roads have speed limit changes from 60 to 40 to 20 within a few hundred yards of each other which is very confusing and you end up distracted wondering speed limits are.

[@problemchild1976]

It's amazing how some people 1. Can't identify speed limits, 2. Don't know the difference between gateway and repeater signs, 3. Don't even see the signs and finally 4. When they do see them, think they have a better understanding of the risk so ignore them

[@hozzer68]

The amount of vans over 2000kg MAM that don’t realise they are limited to 50mph on national speed limit single carriageway road.

[@markgarnett3521]

Ashley; I love your work and videos and this is a really important topic that does indeed justify its own dedicated video but if you are open to constructive feedback I would like to suggest this is not the best narration you have ever done; you were focused on driving, other hazards and giving us extra tips; I think if you wiped the audio and did a clearer concise voice/over your important messages on this subject y be a lot clearer and easier to follow. Yes I am an armchair commenter who has no idea of the time and effort that goes into making and editing such a video so feel free to ignore this suggestion!

[@robg521]

Modern cars that show your speed limit make you lazy, I notice this when I jump out of my car and get on my motorbike. I am so used to seeing my speed being shown by my car that when on my bike I find myself looking down at the dial trying to see what the speed limit is.

[@bri77uk1]

I drove a hire car with that feature recently - It got it wrong on so many occasions! I really wouldn't trust it. One time, on the M1 it just kept beepimg and flashing 50 at me becaause it missed the National sign leaving some roadworks. Winding me up and forcing me to look through menus to shut it up is not safe! I'm totally put off gtting a new car now, what with that and lane keep assist and auto emergency braking. The tech has gone too far for me. Sorry for the rant!

[@robg521]

@@bri77uk1 Yep I agree, my office is at a very large and long site, last week I drove past the site and the car was flagging up that I was speeding doing 30MPH in a 10MPH zone [the sat nav was correct showing me on the public road but the speed monitor thought i was in the office car park]. Near where I live a 30MPH road goes over a bridge where there is a 20MPH zone side road underneath, occasionally when going over the bridge the car registers the road underneath and thinks I am speeding when I am not. There are 2 country roads near me where one road road is 40MPH limit and my car flags it up as a 50 limit, and another where it is a 50MPH Limit and the car flags it up as a 40 limit. Fortunately it’s only an indicator on the dial on the dashboard, it dosen’t do anything expect show the what the speed limit is for the road and will flash and pulse if it thinks I am going over the limit.

[@androidcaller7902]

​@@bri77uk1yep, it's madness to buy a new car, if you don't have to.

[@finalscore2983]

There's a single carriageway motorway somewhere, with a lane separating traffic at all times but which lane separates the traffic can vary in order to enhance throughput. Think the speed limit is 50 though.

[@brianmooreshead]

It is something that I do get confused with a bit especially in London because a lot of the roads you mention that are normally 30 where you are based are 20mph here. But then it also differs borough to borough. The road I live on is a one way side road leading up to a main A road. At the junction is a 30 sign on the lamppost on the left hand corner, and on the post on the right hand corner it says 20. Goodness knows what that means. I think someone has turned the sign around. But then further down that main road they've painted 20 mphs signs on the road but none on lamp posts or street signs. All the side roads have the dustbin lid signs on them as well which indicate that they are 20mph and that it would be a change of speed coming onto the main road. It's a bit of a mess really.

[@WayneTulip-zm9gw]

Honestly, the national speed limit is not difficult at all, it’ll vary depending on what vehicle you’re driving and what road you’re travelling on but if someone is unsure they can take a look online, all of the information that you need is available online but honestly, I’m not being funny but if you don’t know these things you shouldn’t be driving.

[@WayneTulip-zm9gw]

16:35 technically any road that has street lights every 200 yards or less is classed as a 30mph zone unless there are signs saying otherwise but obviously we’re not going to pull over and measure 200 yards to find out if it’s a 30mph zone or not, like you say speed limits change all of the time and they’re not going to waste time effort and money when a new speed limit sign is put up.

[@BeasleyStreet]

Speeding pisses me off, its thoughtless, selfish, arrogant, dangerous and stupid,when will it dawn on the idiots that its not acceptable, when someone is killed or hurt, then maybe...

[@izzard]

Do you have enough material to make a (short) "Ashley's Mistakes" video, to remind us that we're all human? ;)

[@ClarkeDesign]

Would love to see you drive on some national speed limit, single lane, dual carriageways. I used to teach on one near Drayton Manor theme park, that used to catch so many people out. Sadly it got dropped to 40, like so many other roads.

[@Tonyh7618]

another good reminder video, i think it's always good to be reminded of things even if your a driver of many years. I live in Cambridge and there is a well known road called the A1307, it has a 50mph section under average speed camera's. And then we have a dual carriageway again under average speed camera's but a national speed limit and you'll be amazed at how many drivers either sit at the 50mph has that's the zone they have just left or they think it is 60mph because they don't understand the difference.

[@MartinParnham]

So, why do people slam on their brakes for speed cameras when they’re already doing 30mph? I demand answers!😊

[@andyalder7910]

5:42 is a speed camera warning sign with the speed limit shown, it is illegal for the Council to post a normal "dinner plate" sized 30 repeater sign in a 30 MPH area that has street lights. The Street light rule is very important, at least to whoever puts the signs up. You will note speed limit signs overriding it on main roads where the road is lit for example, often noticed on fast unlit roads that have lit junctions. Section 82(1)(a) (of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 (RTRA 1984)) defines a restricted road in England and Wales as a road which is provided with "a system of street lighting furnished by means of lamps placed not more than 200 yards apart". Section 81 specifically makes it an offence for a person to drive a motor vehicle at a speed of more than 30 mph on a restricted road. Example of incorrect signage, WA16 0UA. Single carriageway so NSL is 60 but they have 60 signs rather than (unneeded) NSL ones. It isn't a Special Road where the limit has to be posted since NSL does not apply, e.g. North Wales Expressway.

[@kevinpowell5241]

sorry one other thing speed bumps/cushions - yes used on 20mph roads but also very prevalent on residential roads with 30mph limits to reduce traffic speed. the introduction of the 20mph limit has confused this a bit as many residential roads have had the limit reduced but the bumps preceded this.

[@groundcontrolto]

Near me, those transitions from 30 to 40 (or vice versa) on the same stretch road just seem to give numpties the chance to blast past me at the wrong speed while I'm trying to do things right.

[@iananderson8526]

speed limits a lot of people get wrong is with double cab pickups and small vans with rear windows an rear seeats as it all depends on unladen weight the important one is2040 kg if the vecihal is under its 60 mph on a class roads but if over its 50 mph you will find most dont know this limits i hav a isuzu pickup its under but my mate in his navara isover thats a real can of worms

[@chrisl1797]

What about those variable speed limit signs on urban roads? Seems to show a different speed every time I go past. Very confusing.

[@garybrindle6715]

Be aware ,overtaking lanes examples A9 Scotland are 60 mph.

[@cmartin_ok]

Surrey CC introduced speed bumps on many 30mph roads many years ago. The nearest main road to me has them but of course the council won't contribute for the extra wear and tear on my suspension because it needs replacing/repairing earlier than it should. It's also causing more pollution and noise for the residents living on the road as people slow then speed up when negotiating the bumps

[@MrBragle]

quite a few single lane dual carrigways near bham. Mostly used to be 2 lane but downgraded due to width. They are still 70 are they not?

[@Tillyard86]

The screen in my car always tells me the speed limit.

[@stevecampbell7589]

doesnt need to be built up to be a 30 limit. A long country road that out in the sticks can in theory also be a 30mph limit if it has street lights and no speed limit signs. If it was 40 or above, it be signed with repeaters.