Fernando Alonso lashes out at new Spanish speed limit

Almost half of the German Autobahn has no speed limits and it's statistically proven that crash record is pretty much the same on the unrestricted sections as on the ones with speed limits so I doubt safety is much of an issue from that POV

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Originally Posted by eu

Almost half of the German Autobahn has no speed limits and it's statistically proven that crash record is pretty much the same on the unrestricted sections as on the ones with speed limits so I doubt safety is much of an issue from that POV

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Aha, be careful! The restricted sections are restricted for a reason, i.e. they have lots of curves, junctions are really busy etc, than the unrestricted sections which are generally quieter, and have better alignments. So it's not easy to compared the two.

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Originally Posted by Mark

Aha, be careful! The restricted sections are restricted for a reason, i.e. they have lots of curves, junctions are really busy etc, than the unrestricted sections which are generally quieter, and have better alignments. So it's not easy to compared the two.

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it's like that saying about statistics and bikinis but then it still proves that speed is not the only issue when it comes to safety. I feel safer and more comfortable doing 150 km/h on a highway then sometimes doing 80km/h on regular roads. And then there's the other factor, like the other day when I drove for 11 hours I don't know how much safer would it have been if I had driven for 14 hours within the new Spanish speed limits and that brings me back to the topic, some might have problems staying awake after such a journey.

Yep, personally I do 80mph on motorways. I find that 70mph is too slow and I do feel myself losing attention. Road safety seems to be based around slow is best, which is true in many instances, as the slower you hit something the better.

But around half of motorway accidents are due to a driver losing concentration or falling asleep at the wheel. It's 10 years since the UK's biggest train crash caused by exactly that issue.

You're ability to react to situations is a bell curve, if you're sitting there with literally nothing to do, when something happens the requires immediate intervention, your response time will be significantly less than if you were busy, were talking fractions of a second, but it makes a difference. They recognise this fact even with train drivers, who can often face long periods at a constant speed and of course no need to steer, but yet need to respond instantly if there is a signal. Which is why they must acknowledge every signal they drive past - even green ones, just to make sure they're alert.

So the Alonso's claim of not being able to keep attention at 110km/h have some merit.

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Originally Posted by donKey jote

That's quite a comment too. :dozey:
Maybe was one of the worst in Europe say 10 years ago (before all the new Europe joined :p ), but it has now apparently improved to a level similar to Finland and would be pretty average ;) :p
http://www.etsc.eu/documents/copy_of...Memorandum.pdf
http://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_s...fatal_2008.pdf
http://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_s...g2001_2008.pdf

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And that is with a climate where ice and snow are not really a factor (the far north excluded). You should have a lot less accidents than we do. But it's good that the figures have come down!

I still think F1 drivers should not comment negatively on speed limits, or lowering them since roads are not race tracks and the lower the limit, the safer it is, if the limit is policed.

Most speed limits were designed around old road systems and old cars that didnt have EBD, ABS, TC etc etc etc. Modern cars are safer at 160+ km/h than cars in the 80's were at 100 km/h. Tyres and suspension systems are also much improved today. Governments need to look at improved road networks and car safety systems and increase the speed limits accordingly. The German Autobahn is a prime example that speed is not a major factor in road accidents, idiots behind the wheel are.

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Originally Posted by 555-04Q2

Most speed limits were designed around old road systems and old cars that didnt have EBD, ABS, TC etc etc etc. Modern cars are safer at 160+ km/h than cars in the 80's were at 100 km/h. Tyres and suspension systems are also much improved today. Governments need to look at improved road networks and car safety systems and increase the speed limits accordingly. The German Autobahn is a prime example that speed is not a major factor in road accidents, idiots behind the wheel are.

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The cars have more safety systems but people should realise that these current cars are crushed like flies in crashes of motorway speeds, I mean Euroncap crash tests them at something like 60 km/h, so while speed may not be the factor in many accidents, it will make the accidents that happen more serious.

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Originally Posted by thunderbolt

for a few manly one with a short memory
i was referring to the past that MS put on him at monaco last year.

so it is no joke that he has been caught sleeping behind the safety car

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Well in that case..................
good one :D

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Originally Posted by eu

well... silly me. I actually thought you pay the toll to be able to get somewhere faster :rolleyes:

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That you do, but not because you can break the speed limit! It's because a toll road will be less congested, hence you can make up time by actually being able to travel at the safe limit set for that road........ rather than stuck behind umpteen oiks towing their caravans, granpa Jo out for a sunday drive refusing to get out of first gear etc.......

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Originally Posted by Mark

Yep, personally I do 80mph on motorways. I find that 70mph is too slow and I do feel myself losing attention. Road safety seems to be based around slow is best, which is true in many instances, as the slower you hit something the better.

But around half of motorway accidents are due to a driver losing concentration or falling asleep at the wheel. It's 10 years since the UK's biggest train crash caused by exactly that issue.

You're ability to react to situations is a bell curve, if you're sitting there with literally nothing to do, when something happens the requires immediate intervention, your response time will be significantly less than if you were busy, were talking fractions of a second, but it makes a difference. They recognise this fact even with train drivers, who can often face long periods at a constant speed and of course no need to steer, but yet need to respond instantly if there is a signal. Which is why they must acknowledge every signal they drive past - even green ones, just to make sure they're alert.

So the Alonso's claim of not being able to keep attention at 110km/h have some merit.

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Don't get me started on train drivers - they don't need to steer, have all manner of warning systems, and yet some still manage to forget that red means stop, despite the previous signal indicating the next is amber and the following red with the use of a double amber. Then there's your tube driver, who's two specialities are opening doors the wrong side and going on strike....... ;)