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-   -   Speed limits in Highways and expressways (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian-car-scene/25041-speed-limits-highways-expressways-4.html)

I am sure this rule will hit the KSRTC "super fast" drivers in Kerala very hard! With their average speed requirement of 50 kmph, they will have tough time collecting their "daily bata". Or govt vehilces should be excluded from this rule :)

Or maybe the Santro does not think the Skoda is fast enough or nimble enough to overtake him & hence not giving waylol: - ask a fellow T-bhpian who regularly uses the Mumbai-Pune expressway and he'll tell yourl:

Exactly.
Partly it can be blamed on the ad campaigns and TDs. Much importance is given for 0-100 and 100-0 is almost neglected. How many of us has actually compared the 100-0 factor before buying a car and what weightage was given? How many of us remember the 100-0 figures of our cars?

I agree that most of the accidents on the Expressway are due to bad driving, often on poorly maintained vehicles. One thing that many of our drivers fail to realize is that if you want to do high-speed driving, you have to take care of your vehicle, in particular your tyres/wheels/brakes, etc. I have seen many, many totalled vehicles. And many of the accidents seem to involve heavy vehicles simply going off the left lane and smashing into the railing or stone/concrete barriers. This had to be due to a combination of bad driving and poorly maintained vehicles. A loaded lorry can easily be pushed to the left due to the camber of the road, especially if it is speeding/braking on the left lane.
You can hardly blame the Skoda drivers if the Santros refuse to budge from the right lane and do a sedate 80-100 kmph. My driving style on the Expressway is entirely different. I do much higher speeds, in the 120-145 kmph range, and I prefer to cut lanes to get past slow-moving vehicles ahead. I don't tailgate them and honk/flash, as most of the sedan drivers do. It is a waste of time, your vision ahead gets blocked, braking space gets reduced and most of these fellows don't give way either. Outside the Expressway I seldom exceed 120 kmph because of the braking limitations of my car; An emergency braking situation in my old Santro at 120+ speeds is an experience I just do not want.

It is true however, that some Skoda-types and SUV-types get severe ego problems when my Santro goes past them. They react as if stung by a bee and start their taligating/honking/flashing. I immediately let them go and they then either disappear ahead or more usually just give up due to heavy and slow traffic and let me overtake back. Most of them don't bother, and carry on at 110-130 speeds even if I overtake them.

I personally prefer to frequently overtake rather than be frequently overtaken, for fear of misjudgements by those who overtake me (over which I will have no control). But others may not be comfortable with this style. Ultimately everybody should drive in his comfort zone and always be careful not to exceed either one's own or the vehicle's capabilities. This will go much further towards preventing accidents than speed limits or any such artificial restrictions.

The basic problem in our country is the lack of awareness. Lack of awareness of everything. The licence is also given to people who dont know the first thing about driving. The RTO does not take road awareness seriously. In any other country (well most) no one drives with the lights on Full BEam. Everyone gives way when the right of way is not his. No one honks without reason. They respect pedestrians on the crossing and they even stop at the light before the pedestrian crossing, never on it. The speed limit is in my case needed but the limit should be realistic. They should first implement the rules to go with it. No vehicle should be allowed without working lights. here we find all cars and trucks with either the front or the rear lights not functioning. Taxis park and drive anywhere. On the expressway a carwalla will be driving in the extreme right lane at the lowest speed and will not give you the way. Even as you pass him from the wrong side he gives you a look as if you are wrong

Just an interesting thought, the fine is Rs 200 and the Tariff to use the Express way is 120. (Bombay-Pune), if the limit is 80KMPH, I would just pay off 320 at once and take my ticket and go at 180 instead. Knowing how things work here, I am sure I will get away with this :-) They have 2 cameras on the entire express way thats 120Kms odd, and the newspaper article even tells us where they are,...whats the point of these cameras... when we know where they exist...?

My many years in Canada, first these cameras had to be removed beacuse according to canadian law "These cameras violated the right of privicy" ..lol..
Then when they got Radars, we could buy radar jammers (More like a scanner which lights up eveytime it came near a Police radar..so there will always be ways to drive fast, if you can afford a fast car you can afford the gadgetry for it to pass the cops.)
I hope this rule will stop the 120KMPH SANTRO driving in front of me on the express way and trying to think he has the right to stick in the fastest lane. Sorry buddy, I dont care if you drive a Santro or a Skoda, when someone comes behind you, Honks or doesnt , shows lights off or doesn't , GIVE way it is basic driving manners, if he over takes is secondary, GIVE HIM RIGHT OF WAY!!! this will stop half your crashes anyway.
Another astonishing fact I find in this country is that most of the drivers here are illeterate, what does he know about braking distance, AquaPlanning, or any such physics, to him he has just graduated to a faster AutoRickshaw.

I hope these Speed Limits come in soon, and if they are set at like 60 odd even better, will stop a lot of trouble on our roads, just we will have to get the Radar dectors..:-)

Just my thoughts.

I drive often on the express way and yes I do go about 200kmph easily, and I have come across a lot of Santro's (Indica 's are not worth even mentioning.) Someitmes I have been forced into the second lane which has pissed me off, not because I moved there to be over taken but because I had to OVERTAKE!! I generally overtake and come back to the second lane unless I am above 150Kmph.

Today I was traveling in Maharashtra ST bus from Mumbai to Pune, and found that it religiously stuck to the speed limit. All the other vehicles whooped past at speeds of 120-150 (my guess). It made me wonder at the efficacy of the speed limits imposted on Indian roads.

The max speed on highways is set at 80 kmph on most and at 100 at some of the better ones. The modern cars are capable of doing up to 250, if not more.

We habitually overspeed, and are quite okay with it. I was wondering

- What is the use of setting speed limits on highways?
- Why are speeds fixed so low by the government?
- Who is at risk by the high speed? (Passengers of the vehicle / Passengers of other vehicles / Jaywalkers)
- Should the government consider raising the speed limits?

Any inputs on this?

Regards,
Aroop

I too try to maintain speed under the max speed limit on highways.

But then its very frustrating to see other cars flying past with absolute no regard to the law.
Now whether the law is justified or not is debatable, but then as responsible people with good road manners shoudn't we be following it even though the probability of getting caught otherwise may be low?
Afterall it is likely that someone from the traffic dept might have actually objectively analysed and then decided to fix the max speed limit on that section

There lies the answer.

This is a wonderful post which deals with a highly relevant topic. Thanks!
Yes we guys habitually overspeed. We talk blithely on the forum of hitting 140-150-160-180 even but we havent been bothered so far with highway speed limits.
I admit that I myself havent observed the speed limit signs on the highways I usually use - the Bangalore Mysore NICE road and the Bangalore Madras highway. And Ive merrily been buzzing along at 100-110-120 in general. Thanks for getting me to open my eyes - let me reasonably try and follow the speed limit on these roads from next drive onwards.
But your last query is relevant too - I think the government should consider raising the speed limits at least on the better highways - but they should also ensure that the people and animals who need to cross the road are also provided for properly.
There lies the trick - and I m not sure our government is sensitive to these needs at all.

Ok - Point to be noted here -

If the speed limit is 80, and if i am also doing 80 and i am on the right lane - am i doing anything wrong for the one who is behind me and wants to overtake?

IMO there is nothing wrong technically. I stick to the right most lane and maintain constant 80 - 90 KPH. I am constantly being overtaken from the left, I don't bother. But I never drive during night time.

Hi,

The right lane or the right most lane is only for overtaking. You are supposed to come to the left or middle lane after the overtaking is over.

The question of maximum speed / overspeeding is a different matter.

I think one should still give way to vehicles approaching from back. Afterall even if you dont give way from the right the other vehicle might resort to dangerous overtaking maneouvre from the left.
Further its better not to try and enforce law by yourself as that might get one into a serious trouble. People in most cases obey laws only due to the fear of fines and harassment. Of course over a period of time the laws might become morals when people are more aware but thats a long way to go in case of highway driving

Yes you are wrong, irrespective of your speed, if someone comes behind you to overtake, you have to move to left lane, without slowing the faster vehicle down.