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Old 14th March 2016, 13:55   #46
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Re: Soon, you will be able to hit 140 kmph on expressways

140kmph is a lot I believe. Highway or anything, till the time people learn to change lanes properly/follow lane discipline, this is too dangerous. I can't imagine how crazy it can get, people travelling at 120-140kmph and changing lanes as per their will.
(I know it should be followed at any given speed, but people don't, do they?)

Last edited by driveanddrive : 14th March 2016 at 13:56. Reason: Grammar
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Old 14th March 2016, 13:59   #47
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Re: Soon, you will be able to hit 140 kmph on expressways

Sorry but I think it hardly makes a difference. To me 140 kmph means that the short bursts of 'pedal to the metal' moments can now be longer but on the other hand, the idiots who really cause accidents (I wonder why I still call it an accident) don't care about the speed limit.

They'll drive the way they want to and don't you for a moment think that speed, limits their innovative ways of causing accidents.

First of all, people rarely get challaned for speeding on most of our national highways. Secondly, idiots cause accidents while overtaking a tractor at a speed of 40 kmph, I've seen buses go down a ditch just because an Alto driver wanted to overtake a tractor. The bus was doing about 90 kmph and I was just behind it. Good that I don't tailgate else it'd have been me & the ditch or me & the Alto!

Thirdly, and probably a point that I keep on ranting about on almost all threads. Its not about the rules so much as its about the implementation. How does a speed limit in a book really get implemented on the road. It doesn't really!!

So until we can correct the several other equally important events that occur on our roads daily, like driving on the wrong side, jaywalking, letting animals roam freely on the roads, issuing license by simply asking somebody to put the car in first gear and prove that they can drive by taking the car to 10kmph without stalling etc. a speed limit being raised to 140 kmph is hardly a bother.
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Old 14th March 2016, 14:16   #48
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Re: Soon, you will be able to hit 140 kmph on expressways

I am somehow skeptical about the value that the proposed speed relaxation up to 140 Kmph would really bring. Forget the road conditions; there are several vehicles around us which run out of control / do not remain planted to road at 120+ speeds.

It is not merely due to poor maintenance, but it could also be an inherent character of the car to be unstable at speeds. Controlling such a car at high speeds even on good surface is quite a challenge. Besides, all minor/ miniscule imperfections inherited by the car get amplified at these speeds thereby increasing the chance of accidents.

Remember your car alone is not the cause of all accidents it may get into. It could be the other car that was poorly maintained and / or badly driven, which caused the accident.

A sane speed limit in my opnion would be 120 Kmph.

Last edited by King_pin09 : 14th March 2016 at 14:18.
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Old 14th March 2016, 14:28   #49
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Re: Soon, you will be able to hit 140 kmph on expressways

I totally welcome this. Whole heartedly.
  1. This will end the tyranny of the speed check inspector who rule the highway and penalise those who are not even at fault.
  2. It will stop the unnecessary and sudden barricading which is done in the name of speed checking
  3. Most of new cars are capable of doing 100+ without breaking a sweat. When you have a clear strech of road and you and your car is capable why should the law limit you.
  4. If the limit of 140 might encourage some foolhardy people to go overboard, a limit of 120 or 125 can also be considered.
  5. Even Today with the current speed limit, you will find people blatantly violating it on the highways
  6. Nobody is stopping you to maintain a sane limit of say 90-100 kmph
  7. Just because the limit is increased to 140 it does not mean that you are being forced to drive at 140.
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Old 14th March 2016, 15:16   #50
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Re: Soon, you will be able to hit 140 kmph on expressways

Quote:
Originally Posted by GTO View Post
I don't support this. At best, standardise it to 120 kmph on the expressways.
I agree. On the NICE road, the speed limit is 120 kmph. But I see slow moving trucks, smoke spewing buses ambling on the right lane doing 40kmph, even 2 buses going parallel, trying to race each other blocking traffic behind. Cars keep switching lanes every few seconds. Highly frustrating.

As long as people do not follow lane discipline, and respect fellow commuters, speed limits will not matter. How does it matter if your vehicle can travel at 140 when the traffic is not mature enough to let you?
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Old 14th March 2016, 15:30   #51
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Re: Soon, you will be able to hit 140 kmph on expressways

Even with excellent infrastructure and driver discipline most developed countries have speed limits around 115 kph. Until we have the basics in place, 140 is too dangerous. I cant see any value in raising the speed limit either. I really hope that the government will not do this.
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Old 14th March 2016, 15:33   #52
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Re: Soon, you will be able to hit 140 kmph on expressways

My cents here.
1. Was there a limit on speed earlier? Maybe it existed earlier in govt rule book. But there is hardly any enforcement anywhere on 99.9% of the highways. That means anyone could do any speed. No problems!
2. The road quality, driving etiquette, suddenly appearing farm animals means that India does not deserve even a 100 kmph speed limit even on it's expressways. Forget 140. Even a superbly infra structured and disciplined United Kingdom road network uses 110 Kmph limit.
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Old 14th March 2016, 15:40   #53
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Re: Soon, you will be able to hit 140 kmph on expressways

Guys, 140 is only a number:
You be the judge & drive to the conditions. In spite of the best possible rules accidents do occur because we are talking about people here.

I welcome the raise as it is in tune with current up-gradation of cars, roads. Also I'll be less worried of the tickets.
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Old 14th March 2016, 15:54   #54
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Re: Soon, you will be able to hit 140 kmph on expressways

Quote:
Originally Posted by anoop.nair View Post
Guys, 140 is only a number:
You be the judge & drive to the conditions.
I completely agree. But I am afraid that this will become an excuse for rash driving.
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Old 14th March 2016, 16:01   #55
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Re: Soon, you will be able to hit 140 kmph on expressways

I am sorry but I will shun any highway in India that has a speed limit set at 140. Drivers already misuse roads that have speed limits of 90, I just wonder at the havoc that will be unleashed on roads with legal speed limit set at 140.

We can have the infra, the cars, the tyres but who will drill sense into the majority of drivers who act like maniacs?
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Old 14th March 2016, 16:02   #56
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Re: Soon, you will be able to hit 140 kmph on expressways

I don't agree with this - the current limits are fine or at most can be raised to 120. Taking it to 140 is a totally different level. I say this after being on the Mumbai-Pune expressway twice a week.

An example why I say that taking it to 140 is bad because it will see those stupid luxury bus drivers driving faster. Anyway they are always in the right lane. Recently I have also started seeing the red ST buses driving fast and sticking to the right lane. I mean this is really dangerous. Overtaking for cars is forced from the middle or left lane! So many times I have seen cars overtaking from the relief lane that it's not even funny. Imagine a car is parked due to a tire burst or something - I mean that could be catastrophic.

I can detail a lot more from my weekly drives (such as bikes on the relief lane driving wrong side, unauthorized access points on the e-way, people crossing the e-way, etc) but that would be ranting.

To summarize, the current speed levels are fine. If at all, 120 is acceptable. What would you anyway save by driving faster?
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Old 14th March 2016, 16:03   #57
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Re: Soon, you will be able to hit 140 kmph on expressways

The news item actually quoted the Minister expressing this intent who also says that such high speed stretches shall be free of pedestrian and slow moving traffic. In other words, it will not be decided arbitrarily but after thinking through. Lets just hope ..

With the kind of traffic mix on our highways, a blanket 140 kmph is no way a safe limit, a point already made by many. Same time, it is required that the speed on expressways is gradually increased. Start can be made with small stretches where high speed and low speed traffic can be segregated. The number and lengths of these stretches can go up with time, that way increasing the average speed of travel. Second, IMHO moronic way of driving is a habit or mindset. Such drivers not necessarily are below average in vehicle handling skills. A strong penal action only can discipline them and should be initiated. For non-believers, may recollect that seat-belt use also considered non-enforceable when it was first introduced.

Higher speed on super highways & expressways is the way going forward, however difficult it seems.
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Old 14th March 2016, 16:11   #58
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Re: Soon, you will be able to hit 140 kmph on expressways

Certain questions that come to my mind :
- Are the cars equipped to do those speeds? (I am talking about the majority of the cars that ply on Indian roads)
- Do we have ABS, EBD etc etc on ALL our cars to handle a situation?
- Are the Indian drivers (read as "ALL") capable and intelligent enough to handle those speeds?

Now, I would want to reiterate that given a choice majority of the drivers would want to test their speeds/capacity of the cars, but, very few of them have the adequate knowledge and experience to handle a situation at those speeds. Now that the government is allowing, we'll see a lot of Altos, Santros etc flying around on the highways.

P.S. - My personal opinion
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Old 14th March 2016, 16:15   #59
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Re: Soon, you will be able to hit 140 kmph on expressways

Quote:
Originally Posted by r.K View Post
On the NICE road, the speed limit is 120 kmph. But I see slow moving trucks, smoke spewing buses ambling on the right lane doing 40kmph, even 2 buses going parallel, trying to race each other blocking traffic behind. Cars keep switching lanes every few seconds. Highly frustrating.

As long as people do not follow lane discipline, and respect fellow commuters, speed limits will not matter. How does it matter if your vehicle can travel at 140 when the traffic is not mature enough to let you?

To drive at even 120 on NICE road can get very dangerous. The road is in a bad state of disrepair, with the bulk of traffic moving at speeds less than 60 kmph, bikes and cars use the shoulder to over take, overloaded lorries driving at 20 kmph. Lorries driving without lights at night, no lane markings, no lights on the entire stretch of the road.

I welcome the increase in speed limits, especially on some of the roads we have in South India. The limits have only been successful in giving drivers tickets in city limits. No one follows them on the open road.

At the end of the day, drive according to the road conditions.
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Old 14th March 2016, 16:16   #60
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Re: Soon, you will be able to hit 140 kmph on expressways

In my heart of hearts, this should be good news whereby legally being able to drive at high speeds on great roads which are designed to sustain high speeds - with gradual curves, proper lanes etc.

Having said that, this is not a practical rule change unless this is accompanied by reason based enforcement by the traffic authorities. There is a difference between how rules are currently enforced. I believe, we as a nation an culture embody the ethos of jugad and of doing things the easy way.

For example: In the city, the single biggest culprit to road safety as well as single biggest reason leading to gridlock is the absolute abhorrence of lane discipline among not only the 2 and 3 wheelers but even large luxury cars , who one would presume have visited foreign lands and seen the efficacy of disciplined driving. Now, how many times have you seen authorities pull over or ticket this behavior. In its stead, the cops cop out and spend times the easy (and irrelevant to traffic safety) things like someone going 5 over (in Delhi, mostly standing downramp from a flyover) or someone not wearing a seat belt or a helmet. Not saying that it isn't breaking the law, but priorities folks priorities.

Unless proper driving etiquette is provided and proper enforcement discipline is provided (just giving a bunch of flashy Innovas to the cops does not make for better traffic), increasing the speed limit to 140, which would make Indian highways the fastest this side of an unrestricted autobahn, sends a shiver down my spine. Even restricted autobahn's closer to city limits are slower. Other than Idaho (80 mph - 128 kmph) and one toll road in Texas (85 mph - 136 kmph), everything in the US is under 120 kmph.

So I second what GTO is saying below.

Quote:
Originally Posted by GTO View Post
As an enthusiast, I should welcome this, but realistically, I don't.

I don't support this. At best, standardise it to 120 kmph on the expressways.
On a lighter note, remember JC saying that "Speed has never killed anyone. It's the suddenly getting stationary that gets you".



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