When to accelerate at Speed Limit signs

[Bullwinkle]

I was told when I took my test that I had to wait until I actually reached a speed limit sign (say for example from a 30 to a 60) that I was able to accelerate - yet i have been told recently that I should be starting to accelerate from approximately 50 yards from the sign.

Can anyone clarify this for me?

I know that once I see a 30 coming from a 60 that I should start to slow down in a safe and progressive manner so I hit 30 when I reach the sign but not sure about the opposite? Its probably a moot point but I dont want to get pulled up on it...:(

[Paws]

Im told to actually wait until im at/just passed it to accelerate (im doing my das lessons)

[the white rabbit]

Say your going from 30 to 60, what you have to aim to do is be at 30 right up to the sign, then almost instantaneously be at 60 right on passing the sign. As you are in the few cms alongside the sign you will be in some kind of altered state, where your speed cannot be determined. Ever heard of a WORM drive? Thats what you need to do this as per the Highway code.

[simple simon]

My understanding is that the speed limit applies from the point of the sign onwards.
Therefor, if you speed up (as in your example from 30 to 60) in expectation of the new speed limit the you could be looking at points.
However, I am confident that this is a discretionary thing. Being prosecuted for speeding when you were simply easing up to the roads new limit would be somewhat harsh.
Just don't try that arguement if you started speeding up 5 miles prior to the sign!

[21QUEST]

Personally, I've never even thought about it as such :wink:

Cheers
Ben

[Bullwinkle]

I have looked in the highway code and it doesnt mention anything about pre-acceleration.

Im just a little concerned as I dont want the test examiner (advanced) to fail me for this.

Has anyone else been told this when advanced riding?

[El Saxo]

My understanding is that the speed limit applies from the point of the sign onwards.
Therefor, if you speed up (as in your example from 30 to 60) in expectation of the new speed limit the you could be looking at points.
However, I am confident that this is a discretionary thing. Being prosecuted for speeding when you were simply easing up to the roads new limit would be somewhat harsh.


A friend of mine was fined for doing just that (there was a Gatso just before the increase in speed limit :roll: ).

On your test - don't accelerate until you reach the sign.

Real world - we probably all start to accelerate a few yards before, as long as we're not going past a school or something...

[the white rabbit]

Seriously... if in a 30, its 30 until a sign telling you otherwise. Just nail it at the sign. Surely thats correct? If your under before the sign maybe progress to them limit as you reach it.

[El Saxo]

Seriously... if in a 30, its 30 until a sign telling you otherwise. Just nail it at the sign. Surely thats correct?

Yep, that's my understanding.

[auldyin]

if you speed up before the 60 limit from a 30 then you are speeding and thats the bottom line same as you slow down to 30 from a 60 before you hit the limit

[andyaikido]

My understanding is that the speed limit applies from the point of the sign onwards.
Therefor, if you speed up (as in your example from 30 to 60) in expectation of the new speed limit the you could be looking at points.
However, I am confident that this is a discretionary thing. Being prosecuted for speeding when you were simply easing up to the roads new limit would be somewhat harsh.
Just don't try that arguement if you started speeding up 5 miles prior to the sign!

Wish you were right here but it has been known for coppers to sit at the sign and book people speeding up too early.

[lynw]

I have looked in the highway code and it doesnt mention anything about pre-acceleration.

Im just a little concerned as I dont want the test examiner (advanced) to fail me for this.

Has anyone else been told this when advanced riding?

Its a 30mph limit right up until you get to the sign that says otherwise. That means you can accelerate once youre past the sign, but you shouldnt be before because thats still a 30.

Bigape Im sure has been done for exactly this.

If in doubt, DONT do it on your test.

[Bluepete]

Worth knowing...... ACPO guidelines state speed enforcement should not be undertaken within 200 meters of a change in speed limit.

[the white rabbit]

Worth knowing...... ACPO guidelines state speed enforcement should not be undertaken within 200 meters of a change in speed limit.

Then maybe the geezer what said the original thing is right then..

but 'shouldn't' is different to 'mustn't' and I'd rather not be arguing the two in court :wink: I wonder tho if there are precedents.

[arenalife]

As other posters have said, it's simple.

Until it's 60, it's a 30!!!! (or similar 40, 50, whatever).

No more complicated than that, there's no 'transition zone'.

[lynw]

Worth knowing...... ACPO guidelines state speed enforcement should not be undertaken within 200 meters of a change in speed limit.

Then maybe the geezer what said the original thing is right then..

but 'shouldn't' is different to 'mustn't' and I'd rather not be arguing the two in court :wink: I wonder tho if there are precedents.

Frankly, I wouldnt be relying on "guidelines".

ACPO guidelines are not the law, just a policy that police officers can or cannot follow at their discretion. If people take that as tantamount to speed up early in a 30 and get done then it wont be a valid defence in court.

Is 200m at 30 mph a big deal? To hold off your throttle for all of what must be a whopping one or two seconds? Is it really that hard for some people? :?

[andyaikido]

Worth knowing...... ACPO guidelines state speed enforcement should not be undertaken within 200 meters of a change in speed limit.

Then maybe the geezer what said the original thing is right then..

but 'shouldn't' is different to 'mustn't' and I'd rather not be arguing the two in court :wink: I wonder tho if there are precedents.

Frankly, I wouldnt be relying on "guidelines".

ACPO guidelines are not the law, just a policy that police officers can or cannot follow at their discretion. If people take that as tantamount to speed up early in a 30 and get done then it wont be a valid defence in court.

Is 200m at 30 mph a big deal? To hold off your throttle for all of what must be a whopping one or two seconds? Is it really that hard for some people? :?

Yes! Gets in the way of me terrorising society like all bikers do, right? :wink:

[Stig]

I have looked in the highway code and it doesnt mention anything about pre-acceleration.

Im just a little concerned as I dont want the test examiner (advanced) to fail me for this.

Has anyone else been told this when advanced riding?

Its a 30mph limit right up until you get to the sign that says otherwise. That means you can accelerate once youre past the sign, but you shouldnt be before because thats still a 30.

Bigape Im sure has been done for exactly this.

If in doubt, DONT do it on your test.

This is true. Going from a 60 into a 30 Zone. I ALWAYS slow down to make sure I am doing 30 as I pass the sign. Going out on the other hand...

As I leave this particular speed restriction on my way home from work the end of the 30 Zone limit is set a good 50 yards past the last possible hazard, so I speed up before the sign but AFTER the last hazard ie after the last right hand turn out of the village. I got nabbed by a mobile camera doing 40 just before I hit the end of restriction zone. :x :x What made it worst was the day after I got my NIP, I followed a police car through the very same zone and he must have been doing at least 50 by the time he hit the end of the restriction zone. :x

I now have a new route to work which involves a lot of tight twisty and technical bends on the back roads. :)

[SVeeedy Gonzales]

I think someone on theis forum got done with a lazer or radar gun over the last year for accelerating before the change sign. Don't do it - not on a standard or advanced test. There's always some leeway, e.g. doing 32 or 33 in a 30 all the time could be down to speedo differences. Speeding up as you approach a speed change sign is blatantly obvious to anyone nearby, stationary or moving.

Besides, it's fun to make all those impatient car drivers wait and stick to the limit, then watch them vanish in your mirrors as you pass the NSL sign. :D

[Jabba]

The main thing on your test is to let the examiner see that you've spotted the change in speed limit. Bearing in mind that the examiner will want to see you making reasonable progress, in the case of a 30-60mph transition then:

1. 28-30mph up to the sign.
2. Accelerate up to the new speed speed limit soon after passing the sign*.
3. Do not go faster than you feel safe doing or the conditions allow.



* this does not mean "nail it", thereby wheelying the bike into the back of a tractor; the examiner will not be impressed.

[timwilky]

where you go through these speed transitions. You must be doing the appropriate speed for the limit at the sign. Therefore in a 30 - 60 transition, you must be doing 30mph, Over the shoulder look back a few yards before the sign and accelerate if safe upto 60 once you pass the sign.

The reverse applies in a 60-30 transition, Look over the shoulder approaching the sign, to check it is safe to reduce you speed, a controlled reduction is speed to 30 a few yards before the sign and be doing 30 as you pass it

You must be doing the lower applied speed limit at a sign. If you fail to perform the observations prior to the speed transition you will also fail your test.

[Anonymous]

in the iam i always advise people to stick to speed limit. do shoulder checks just before approaching speed change sign to watch out for nutters who are either not slowing down enough and accelerating too early.

at 30 sign you should be doing 30 then once past national speed limit sign accelerate to 60 without wheelying if possible. dont accelerate too hard or you need to come off the power and it looks untidy with the bike dipping and accelerating. nice and smooth is the key :wink:

[Mogs]

I got told that the speed limit changes at the post and not before.

Also got told on the 60 to 30 to flick the brake lights on even if you don't need to use the brake. Do a mirror check minimum, shoulder check if safe to do so

[DoubleD]

I got told that the speed limit changes at the post and not before.

Also got told on the 60 to 30 to flick the brake lights on even if you don't need to use the brake. Do a mirror check minimum, shoulder check if safe to do so

I was told this when doing my DAS.

[Mogs]

Unfortunatley I didn't do DAS or CBT for that matter, just a quick off-road slow riding test and 3 times round the block road test.

Only now am I learning to "ride" as opposed to "sit on and go". I've got a few poor habits to lose.

[keithd]

speed limits are just suggested speeds, not enforcable.

carry on as you are.


HTH

[Ceri JC]

Its a 30mph limit right up until you get to the sign that says otherwise. That means you can accelerate once youre past the sign, but you shouldnt be before because thats still a 30.

Bigape Im sure has been done for exactly this.

If in doubt, DONT do it on your test.

Agree with everything Lynw said and I'm almost certain Bigape got done for "speeding" doing this.

As an aside (and not that I'm suggesting you do it); when I was getting my car licence my instructor told me to accelerate before, aiming to hit the sign at the limit. He even said if you get examiner X, he actually liked this, as it showed you were a confident driver! :shock:

Logically, there should actually be 2 seperate areas where the signs are; when coming from 60->30, it's understandable you want the 30 to start a reasonable (although it's often far to soon...) distance before the first drive/house/whatever. However, when going 30->60, the second you are past the last hazard, it's usually safe to accelerate up to 60.

I believe part of the reason we don't is cost; cheaper to have and install 2 signs back to back on one post, rather than needing two entirely seperate (sets of) signs. Some might argue that even with this consideration, it would have been better to of put the sign 2ft before the first hazard (on the 60->30 approach) and just make it people's responsibility to have slowed to 30 in time. Personally, I think the current system of signage, but with a bit of sense/deceny in the application of speed enforcement in the "grey" area of the speed change would be the best solution. It's certainly a funny notion that 1cm before/after the 60 sign it's SP60-worthy (6 points) to be doing the new/old speed (respectively), whereas with 1cm difference, it's perfectly legal. :-k