So called Smart motorways

[Wack61]

Rolling road block southbound coming back as well , are they practicing for the day after Brexit , that's more rolling road blocks than I've seen in 12 months , 3 in one day

 

[Sam McGoo]

The difference between 10 miles at 50 mph and 10 miles at 80 mph is 4.5 minutes. Would I trade that for more consistent journey times? Probably. But I reserve the right to change my mind next time they annoy me!

The thing is, the majority of motorway drivers are doing MUCH more than 10 miles. Even if only doing 100 miles that's an extra 45mins on the journey!

If it carries on like this and they keep slowing us down and fining us on motorways, there will be little advantage to using them. People will start to use the A and B roads again, bringing the traffic and pollution back into the towns and villages that motorways were meant to bypass.

I'm starting to do it already. I've noticed that when planning routes on google maps, journey times using motorways aren't much quicker anymore, and if staying off the motorway only costs me 10-15mins on a long journey, I'll use the A and B roads. They're much more fun to drive, and I can't think of anything more boring than sitting at 50mph on an empty motorway. Its more dangerous too - as people are more likely to fall asleep at the wheel, or be tempted to use phones, play with infotainment systems etc....

 

[2b1ask1]

I nearly always turn off the motorways early on the way home especially if it is late evening, M25 at Waltham Abbey and M11 at Harlow as it gives the brain a change and a chance to slow down a bit and get over the tail light fever!

 

[Zep]

The thing is, the majority of motorway drivers are doing MUCH more than 10 miles. Even if only doing 100 miles that's an extra 45mins on the journey!

If it carries on like this and they keep slowing us down and fining us on motorways, there will be little advantage to using them. People will start to use the A and B roads again, bringing the traffic and pollution back into the towns and villages that motorways were meant to bypass.

I'm starting to do it already. I've noticed that when planning routes on google maps, journey times using motorways aren't much quicker anymore, and if staying off the motorway only costs me 10-15mins on a long journey, I'll use the A and B roads. They're much more fun to drive, and I can't think of anything more boring than sitting at 50mph on an empty motorway. Its more dangerous too - as people are more likely to fall asleep at the wheel, or be tempted to use phones, play with infotainment systems etc....

I know, I regularly do about 35,000 miles a year. But right now smart motorways cover a fraction of that so it doesn’t make a huge difference. And it does make journey times more consistent.

If the whole network was SM and they regularly reduced the speed I would agree with you, it would not be pleasant.