Comments on: Speeding – it’s all in the mind http://metricviews.org.uk/2008/01/speeding-metric-perception/ Commentary on the measurement muddle in the UK Sun, 20 May 2012 19:55:46 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Han Maenen http://metricviews.org.uk/2008/01/speeding-metric-perception/comment-page-1/#comment-19751 Han Maenen Thu, 09 Jul 2009 19:21:11 +0000 http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2008/01/07/speeding-metric-perception/#comment-19751 I am in Ireland and today (July 9) I made a trip from Cork to the celebrated Rock of Cashel. Returning to Cork on the coach, I saw a defaced speed sign near Cahir: ' 80 km/h' had the 'k' obliterated with white paint, so that the sign read ' 80 m/h'. I do not see any anti-metric organisation behind that, just the expression of a road pirate who wants to be allowed to put a heavy foot on the accelerator. However, 80 m/h could just as wel be interpreted as 80 metres per hour! I am in Ireland and today (July 9) I made a trip from Cork to the celebrated Rock of Cashel. Returning to Cork on the coach, I saw a defaced speed sign near Cahir: ‘ 80 km/h’ had the ‘k’ obliterated with white paint, so that the sign read ‘ 80 m/h’. I do not see any anti-metric organisation behind that, just the expression of a road pirate who wants to be allowed to put a heavy foot on the accelerator. However, 80 m/h could just as wel be interpreted as 80 metres per hour!

]]> By: Richard Birkby http://metricviews.org.uk/2008/01/speeding-metric-perception/comment-page-1/#comment-16248 Richard Birkby Mon, 20 Oct 2008 20:14:54 +0000 http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2008/01/07/speeding-metric-perception/#comment-16248 This is an interesting question. I personally doubt that if tested in the European courts (the ECHR or the ECJ) a driver (lawfully resident outside the UK) of a foreign-registered vehicle, charged purely with exceeding the posted speed limit in the UK (as opposed to a charge of, say, dangerous driving caused by excess speed) would end up being found culpable. The fact that the UK posts speed limits in imperial when vehicles from all other European countries do not require speedometers to be dual marked would, in my opinion, render any conviction unsafe. This of course would not, and cannot, apply to drivers of UK-registered vehicles elsewhere in Europe as such vehicles are required to have dual marked speedometers. This is an interesting question. I personally doubt that if tested in the European courts (the ECHR or the ECJ) a driver (lawfully resident outside the UK) of a foreign-registered vehicle, charged purely with exceeding the posted speed limit in the UK (as opposed to a charge of, say, dangerous driving caused by excess speed) would end up being found culpable. The fact that the UK posts speed limits in imperial when vehicles from all other European countries do not require speedometers to be dual marked would, in my opinion, render any conviction unsafe.

This of course would not, and cannot, apply to drivers of UK-registered vehicles elsewhere in Europe as such vehicles are required to have dual marked speedometers.

]]> By: Han Maenen http://metricviews.org.uk/2008/01/speeding-metric-perception/comment-page-1/#comment-11079 Han Maenen Sat, 16 Feb 2008 17:55:28 +0000 http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2008/01/07/speeding-metric-perception/#comment-11079 I read this item some time ago in the Irish Times. However, just I saw a programme on Dutch TV about road offenders. A British motorist was speeding towards Antwerp on a Dutch motorway in order to catch a ship at Calais. His speed was far too high. He was pulled over by the police, and it appeared that he was 'confused', as the British DoT claims will happen when speeds go metric in the UK. He thought in miles; a speed limit sign of '90' on a Duch sign meant 90 mph to him. This 'confusion' cost him 270 euros. If he had exceeded the speed limit with more than 50 km/h it would have cost him is licence for some time, or alternatively a 500+ euro fine. I read this item some time ago in the Irish Times. However, just I saw a programme on Dutch TV about road offenders. A British motorist was speeding towards Antwerp on a Dutch motorway in order to catch a ship at Calais. His speed was far too high. He was pulled over by the police, and it appeared that he was ‘confused’, as the British DoT claims will happen when speeds go metric in the UK. He thought in miles; a speed limit sign of ’90′ on a Duch sign meant 90 mph to him. This ‘confusion’ cost him 270 euros. If he had exceeded the speed limit with more than 50 km/h it would have cost him is licence for some time, or alternatively a 500+ euro fine.

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