On Sun, 30 Oct 2005 14:16:26 +0000, Uno Hoo! wrote
No such driver exists, other than one the never ever exceeds 24mph (or possibly lower). The problem is that one cannot be 100% certain all the time of the speed limit - I can tell you that I've found myself uncertain on many occations for a variety of factors :
1) The signs simply are not there.
2) The signs are so badly obscured that they might as well not be there - favourite for this being the sign embedded in a hedge, but the ones just up the road from my house are a sort of green, with sort of slightly darker green numbers and border !
3) The signage is misleading. A popular one if a sign placed right at a junction (especially a Y junction) so if you miss it's partner you are never sure which road it applies to.
4) Signs placed where the absolute last thing you want drivers to be doing is look at the signs - such as the approach to complicated junctions (which usually have an excess of signage to divert your attention from the goings-on), or approaching a hazzard.
5) The signs are inconsistent (or contradictory). I am certain that I have seen a motorway roadworks where one of the signs read a different number to the rest.
I've actually considered fitting an on-board camera so that should I get pulled (I've manged a clean licence for 25 years so far, in spite of driving 'enthusiastically') I can review it, and if the signage isn't right have some evidence for a defence. ISTM that although technically the driver is still innocent until proven guilty, the way the evidence is presented and accepted it is to all intents and purposes the other way around. As it stands, if one gets a penalty notice through the post :
a) You probably can't remember where you were, what speed you were doing
b) Unless it's local you can't just pop back to check the signs
c) Even if it is local, especially in the case of temporary restrictions, the evidence to aquit may have been removed.
