High number of speeding offences reported
Ryan Nicolson
A high number of speeding charges have been brought against motorists in Shetland this week.
Police in Shetland have said that they have charged 15 motorists with speeding offences in the period between Monday and Thursday this week, “at various locations” on the A970 main road between Dunrossness and Brae.
It appears that speeding motorists on the isles “are not deterred” by the reported increase in motorists being charged with speeding in Shetland, they have said.
Three drivers have also been charged this week with failing to obey prohibitions on Commercial Street in Lerwick.
Chief Inspector Lindsay Tulloch said: “We do not want to criminalise people but we have to do everything we can to ensure there are no fatalities on our roads and everyone using the road can do so without fear of serious injury.
“I ask drivers to appreciate the danger they cause by ignoring the national speed limit and limits set in restricted areas such as schools and other built up areas”.
Kat
It is at crisis point a sporty blue audio or similar passed us today at about 3pm just after the 40mph as you go passed Sutherlands garage heading north out of lerwick at i guess 80 to 90 mph passing 6 or more cars absolutely crazy
Johan Adamson
Im not sure that there is anything wrong with overtaking in the extra lane going north after Sutherlands, that is what it is for – to allow faster cars to overtake the slow moving – to stop there being frustration.
Im sure the South Road traffic are envious sometimes. Overtaking is not against the law. OK, yes it is if speeding. Surely the issue is appropriate speed – like doing 60 mph when there are pedestrians or next to schools, built up areas, where there is a limit etc?
Haydn Gear
Kat is so right to complain about dangerous driving. It has become an unwanted fad amongst young men ( in particular) who must be so stupid and so bored that they are prepared to risk life and limb ( their own and those of others) to get their kicks. My belief is that the pointless and brainless cavortings of silly,silly moronic types on programmes like Top Gear are partly to blame. In addition , street racing in cities like London take place late at night driving people to distraction.Police keep an eye on proceedings but it still goes on. Not easy for police cars to safely keep up with idiots in illegally souped up cars travelling , as reported, at 134 mph.
Anthony Gilfillan
I understand people that have the need for speed. But keep in mind, just because you think you’re a confident driver, that you are safe because you can drive. Doesn’t mean you’re safe. Just recently there was a news report about a drunk driver going off the road and hitting another car. If you’re going at a high speed and that thing comes at you, what can you do? Swerve? There’s a good chance you’re dead, in hospital or best case scenario, your car is totalled.
Just because you think you’re a competent driver, doesn’t mean everyone else is. Drive safe.
Haydn Gear
Anthony Gilfillan says he understands people that have a need for speed.Would he care to explain ? There are undoubtedly occasions when there is a need for speed such as emergencies ( Fire engines, ambulances, police vehicles, lifeboats) but taking danger to life risks for the fun of it or to assert a sense of bravado is not clever nor acceptable. It is wilful , selfish stupidity of the first order and culprits should be banned and have their vehicles crushed.
Of course, accidents do happen even to competent,confident, safe drivers but there are people who cast aside such standards in favour of dangerous, unlawful behaviour. These are the ones who need to be severely apprehended.
Anthony Gilfillan
Perhaps I should have said a want for speed then.
Try to be less pedantic when reading comments.
Haydn Gear
Johan, you seem to have missed the point of Kat’s letter. Nobody has said that overtaking is illegal or wrong but It was estimated that the Audi was travelling at around 80 to 90 mph. An offence. In addition , about six or more cars were overtaken in one fell swoop. Not advisable by any stretch of the imagination. Suppose there had been a need to suddenly pull in due to an unforeseen hazard. Something would have had to give , possibly causing an accident. My father used to say to me when I was learning to drive “ always drive as if other drivers are stupid”. In short, drive defensively NOT offensively. It seems to me that the Audi driver falls into the stupid category. Better to be ten minutes late in this world than (possibly) fifty years too early in the next.
Johan Adamson
Have you seen this stretch of road? It is the only place in Shetland where there is a lane for overtaking – that is two lanes going up a hill. Very often you are overtaking quite a few things even at 60 mph going up because of slow things and other cars not overtaking. Unless she actually had a speed gun she cannot judge the speed of things. I regularly see traffic pouring down Herrislea hill and I know that although it looks fast, some of them are actually sticking to the 30 mph limit.
Haydn Gear
Johan , it sounds to me that it’s you who needs a speed gun if you think that 30mph looks fast.
As for making speed judgements try estimating your speed when driving by thinking of a mph number before glancing at your speedo to check how accurate you are. I’m not boasting but I can do it to within 5mph up or down. Speed feels different according to the vehicle you may be driving. When travelling at say 50mph in my 4×4 it seems a lot slower than when my son takes me in his low sporty car.
I maintain that it’s better to be safe than sorry. Ease off and keep the undertaker waiting !! Or, if you feel so inclined, speed up and become a statistic. Your choice.
Johan Adamson
You need a fair few horses to go up some of our hills at 90 mph. She is right in that respect, it would need to be a ‘sporty blue audio or similar’.
Haydn Gear
Johan, I’ve driven on the roads of Shetland and I can’t recall any that could be called steep. Gentle slopes maybe but nothing to compare with the really steep roads of Scotland and Wales. Even England has some pretty steep examples in the Lake District. The sharpest inclines I’ve experienced in Shetland ( walking not driving) are on Foula. I doubt that quad bikes would be much use on the hills though I have seen them being driven on the low level road.
Johan Adamson
Im not defending speeding. Im saying this is the safest bit of road we have for overtaking and saying that you (in another car also going at speed) cannot possibly know the speed of the other cars without measuring equipment. Engine power is expressed in horsepower and lots of horsepower enables some to be faster than others going up hills than others.
Haydn I have driven small cars which feel like they need a push going up our hills, that is all.
David Spence
It would be interesting to gauge why people bought a certain model of vehicle in proportion to its top speed, and whether or not this was a deciding factor? The power of an engine could be compared as well?
How often would the said person go well over the speed limit just to test the engine or impress a passenger in the vehicle with them regardless of any safety?
If a vehicle can do 160 – 200mph, why would this be allowed? Why would there not be a limiter to say 110mph installed?
If the law allows such vehicles to be sold, why would this be the case?
Johan Adamson
Good question
I think more and more there will be speed limiters on cars and insurance companies and Companies already want these.
Malcolm Henry Johnson
Johan,
The EU has already sorted this one for us.
https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/news/motoring-news/mandatory-speed-limiters/
Johan Adamson
Thanks MHJ. Electric self charging cars available by then too I would think.
Haydn Gear
It’s an attractive and interesting idea Johan but I doubt that such a short time scale will see the hope come to fruition. Predictions do not suggest that the high cost of EV manufacture will reduce for quite some time to make such purchases viable in the immediate future. Motor production is going through an increasingly lean time and it seems unlikely to me that the decline will bounce back into the black by trying to incrrease the sales of expensive electric cars. Even China where progress has been rapid is feeling the pinch and the clamour for Range Rovers has dropped off.
I wonder how long it will take for SIC to provide an adequate number of electric charging points and at what cost.