[Gansan]

Originally Posted by audioholic

I don't know if I'm capable enough to debate further.

Surely you appreciate the risks of exceeding highway speed limits by 10-15 kmph and by 70-80 kmph? The best scenario will be to limit the vehicle at exact speed limit of highways. But it varies from 80, 100, and even 120 at various parts of the country, hence the upper limit is suggested.

[MT_Hyderabad]

Surprised to see some unimaginable reasoning being given to oppose the OPs suggestion.

The rule states:
"No person shall drive a motor vehicle or cause or allow a motor vehicle to be driven in any public place at a speed exceeding the maximum speed..."

There is no harm in limiting the max speed of vehicles as this is the rule of the land.
This is a preventive measure and when technology is capable to implement it, it should be implemented.

There are a few such rules and no one objects:
If you are 19 years old, you cannot buy liquor from a shop located in a state that has a 21 year limit. Now, buying and consuming are two different things.
On top of that, there are states that do not allow liquor sale at ALL.
What about the 500 meter from highway rule? Good that I am a teetotaller.

Similarly, access to porn sites or even some apps like tiktok, are banned in India because technology became capable to implement this rule. We can use Chinese mobiles but not Chinese apps. No one questioned this.
Not to mention, aftermarket sunfilms are banned in India.

As I mentioned before on this thread, once we get GPS enabled fastag, all these controls will be useless and we will have immediate action when one goes above 120 km/h(or the speed limit of the road we are on). However, states will oppose this, or will have the jurisdiction on cars of their state wherever they go.

[V.Narayan]

Originally Posted by MT_Hyderabad

Surprised to see some unimaginable reasoning being given to oppose the OPs suggestion.....

As I mentioned before on this thread, once we get GPS enabled fastag, all these controls will be useless and we will have immediate action when one goes above 120 km/h(or the speed limit of the road we are on). However, states will oppose this, or will have the jurisdiction on cars of their state wherever they go.

I am looking forward to the day where GPS technology is used for catching and fining culprits who jump signals, drive on the wrong side of the road etc. Given the scale of the challenge in our country, the number of drivers of all kinds of vehicles involved, and the national habit of indiscipline we need technology to impose discipline.

[aadya]

Capability to debate stems from the fact that we respect each others view and not necessarily speak in mocking tone towards people who sound conservative. I will not shy away from calling speed addicts as dangerous as alcoholics and as perverted as our power wielding politicians. I do not know what is the limit for this nonsense 80kmph, 100kmph or 120kmph. The number should be a number beyond which highways do not give reasonable(ready to get mocked about what is reasonable).

[warrioraks]

A high speed car is equally dangerous at a speed of 118 km/hr vs 122 km/hr. Do we really think such a rule will have an impact?

Our country is evolving at a fast rate so these rules are nothing less than a nightmare for everyone. What happens tomorrow when we have expressways that permit speed limit of 140 and then 160 in the future? Do we expect all the vehicles to undergo ECU reconfiguration?

Moreover this mindset of taking shortcuts needs to change. Today it is speed limit, tomorrow it will be engine capacity. Some people are already talking about limiting acceleration figures as well.
We need to understand these blanket bans never ever work in the long run. Just look at the other things government has completely prohibited in the society - drugs, liquor (few states), etc etc. We all know how that panned out.

If reducing accidents is the goal, it can only be done in the long term through better infrastructure, improving response rate and quality of healthcare services, educating citizens on safe driving, stricter enforcement of existing laws. This country already has a robust legal framework. What’s lacking is the monitoring and implementation.

[Raghu M]

I guess OP has a valid point. How it is executed is a different discussion altogether. Overtaking other vehicles at 115 kmph just sounds crazy. I don't think anyone should be doing it. And someone mentioned mafia chasing, that I think is the most isolated incident. But when all cars are at the 120 kmph lock, how would mafia chase someone at 200 kmph?

Some isolated incidents like these should not undermine the real case study here. Speeding is a serious concern and it has to be regulated to the maximum. I have seen people being knocked out at village intersections where cars don't even slow down and still do 100+ speeds. Families are left at the mercy of rash drivers when the sole bread winner is killed in a road accident. So, let's be rational towards the bigger problem rather than just think like auto enthusiasts. Roads with specific speed limits, great infrastructure and banning entry of two/three wheelers are rare in India (or maybe none). It's just little one sided to think that limiting the speed to 120 kmph would bring the end of the world to us. It is highly possible and not an illogical ask at all. I am all for it.

[audioholic]

Originally Posted by Gansan

Surely you appreciate the risks of exceeding highway speed limits by 10-15 kmph and by 70-80 kmph? The best scenario will be to limit the vehicle at exact speed limit of highways. But it varies from 80, 100, and even 120 at various parts of the country, hence the upper limit is suggested.

And if the government has already planned to increase this to 140kmph on expressway who changes all the vehicles which had a hard limit at 140? There are quite a handful of these roads as of today where these speeds are safe even by the design of the road. Now if a careless or negligent driver crashes here, then it's unfair to blame it on the speed itself. The driver was just not trained to handle the car at higher speeds. So we must fix the problem at its root than shaving the buds.


Source: https://www.autocarindia.com/auto-fe...limiter-417622
There was a discussion in Germany about a uniform 120kmph speed limit on highways. It was shot down because statistics didn't really support that adding this limit would make things any better. They have better trained drivers, excellent road manners, safe cars and what not. We have none of that, and that's what the focus should be before we start talking about hard limits.

[Turbohead]

Originally Posted by audioholic

There was a discussion in Germany about a uniform 120kmph speed limit on highways. It was shot down because statistics didn't really support that adding this limit would make things any better. They have better trained drivers, excellent road manners, safe cars and what not. We have none of that, and that's what the focus should be before we start talking about hard limits.

Finally! Someone here is talking facts!

What so many of us don't realise here is that these high tech autobahns do not require car users to pay tolls. Swallow that!

We as a nation are being short changed with lousy highway designs with so many accident prone zones built into it without any learnings from the previous projects while paying tolls which are raised YoY.

If speed was the reason why we have so accidents, all F1 drivers should've been dead before the end of the first race of the season.

[MT_Hyderabad]

Originally Posted by audioholic

and that's what the focus should be before we start talking about hard limits.

This statemet is right on target.
Unfortunately, the hard limits are already there.

What we are discussing is implementation.

You are questioning the hard limits, I support you. We should select a govt. that takes away these hard limits, or convince the present govt to do that.

I was the happiest person on earth on the day when the speed limits were increased by the present govt by giving scientific justification that present vehicles are able to handle these new limits. Unfortunately again, my happiness was short lived, as Telangana govt reduced the speed limit from 120 km/h to 100 km/h, stating that they consider that ORR commuters are not safe above 100 km/h. They decided it based on an internal committee!

Please ask the govt to increase the limit to 140 km/h, I will support you. I also know, that some day they will. This is the normal evolution, and on some expressways it is very much possible even today. Same is happening for Railways as we speak.

[d-g-p]

Originally Posted by audioholic

They have better trained drivers, excellent road manners, safe cars and what not. We have none of that, and that's what the focus should be before we start talking about hard limits.

We have none !!
That is something to ponder about and might exactly be the reason we need hard rules and regulation. Until such a time we learn manners, have good roads, safe cars, only some kind of check can keep everyone safe. Different school of thought but a counter point I

We have less than 1% of road networks as expressway with more than 6 lane (3+3). Speeding beyond 120km/hr is not a option in rest of the roads. How the speed limit will be implemented is definitely technical. Might not be 120km/hr. Might not be ECU. But, that we do not need one, is some decades away.

[Nalin1]

120 kmph is a perfectly acceptable speed limit on even the smoothest expressway in India. Not that 120 is 100% safe and 121 attracts Lord Yama's attention. Considering Indian road manners, general indiscipline, the number of morons out there, we need to have some number as the speed limit which is fair for all. Hence the number, 120.

Now this is keeping the bigger picture in mind. Left to me, I prefer no speed limits at all on any road anywhere. Upto the driver to decide what is a safe speed keeping all the factors in mind. As we are well aware that speed is only one aspect in safety.

[audioholic]

Originally Posted by d-g-p

We have none !!
That is something to ponder about and might exactly be the reason we need hard rules and regulation. Until such a time we learn manners, have good roads, safe cars, only some kind of check can keep everyone safe

Good to see the discussion going like this. My perspective is from the product point of view. Today, 100kmph is remarked as a comfortable speed across most people. Only a few of our roads are technically capable and designed for higher speeds. Also we have poor manners and whatever on the road. Suppose a blanket cap is made on top speed of vehicles, the car you buy would be electronically limited. Ten years down the line due to more infra development, if we have expressways between all cities, which are capable of 140+kmph, your car is stuck at 120 even if you can drive faster. And no, neither will the rule maker nor manufacturers will help solve this issue and you end up buying a new car to suit the new limit.

That's how, enforcing something like this at a product level will be an absurd idea from the consumer's perspective. The logical way is only education, enforcement and so.

[JS Kwt]

Originally Posted by SS_36

Can the Govt. not mandate ECU controlled speed limit of 120 kmph on all new cars?

Brother, if anyone in the Gov't is listening to you, please get them to ECU-Limit the speed of Trucks and Buses to 60!

75 % of all our problems will be solved if these potential monsters are speed restricted and enforced to stick to the last lane!

[IshaanIan]

Originally Posted by MT_Hyderabad

Respected Sir, if the bus is doing 115 km/hr (on a road where 120 km/h is allowed), you stay back and keep driving at 110 to 115 km/ hr. Is it a slow speed?
I would love to follow such a bus at a distance. It slows down, I slow down, it spots and moves over a speed breaker, I move over a speed breaker much more comfortably.

I'm sorry perhaps you may not feel the same way as I do, but for me following a bus is highly unsafe. First of all the thing blocks your view of the road ahead entirely so it would not be safe to follow even at 100 in this case as if a dog or a person were to cross the road in front of the bus, you would have little time to react to the situation. Secondly, I do not have faith in the proper functioning of tail lamps and turn signals on buses and lorries in India.

[MT_Hyderabad]

Originally Posted by IshaanIan

I'm sorry perhaps you may not feel the same way as I do, but for me following a bus is highly unsafe. First of all the thing blocks your view of the road ahead entirely so it would not be safe to follow even at 100 in this case as if a dog or a person were to cross the road in front of the bus, you would have little time to react to the situation. Secondly, I do not have faith in the proper functioning of tail lamps and turn signals on buses and lorries in India.

Do what you would have done if the bus was at 120 km/hr on a highway where speed limit is 120 km/hr.

5 km/hr difference doesn't make one reinvent the wheel.
I have followed many Volvo buses driving at above and beyond the speed limit. They either overtake you and are never seen again or they are visible for a few hundred meters and then become invisible.