Throughout human history, the idea of travelling quickly has generally been seen as exciting as it is practical. If we were wandering around ancient Britain now, for example, it would make a lot more sense to get around on horseback (the Porsche of its time!) than it would to walk. In the same way, modern inventions such as planes, trains and cars have cut down journey times, made the world a smaller place and spared our legs some hefty hiking. So far so good. But there are some situations where speed – particularly excessive or inappropriate speed – is far from a good idea. Yes, you’ve guessed it, I am talking about driving.
What is inappropriate speed?
You’re driving at inappropriate speed if your vehicle is either exceeding the speed limit or driving too fast for the road conditions. The speed limit bit is obvious enough (speed limits are there for a reason!), but what does driving too fast for the road conditions mean? Well, what we’re talking about is any speed that is unsuited to the driving situation. It’s a posh phrase, but all it means is that you’ve stopped moving at a safe speed for the conditions in which you’re driving. That could mean that the route is narrow, has blind bends, is full of children and pedestrians; or it could mean that there’re potholes, fog, driving rain or heavy traffic. It won’t surprise you to learn that a combination of speed and any of these things (and many others we don’t have space to list!) is dangerous. It cuts down your reaction times and places you and other road users in danger. So, remember, the speed limit is not a target – it’s the maximum allowable speed at that point in your journey. It doesn’t mean you should try to drive at that speed. The rule of thumb is keep your speed down, keep scanning for hazards and pay attention to conditions around your vehicle. The faster you go, the less chance you’ll have to slow down or stop when you meet hazards.

Throughout human history, the idea of travelling quickly has generally been seen as exciting as it is practical. If we were wandering around ancient Britain now, for example, it would make a lot more sense to get around on horseback (the Porsche of its time!) than it would to walk. In the same way, modern inventions such as planes, trains and cars have cut down journey times, made the world a smaller place and spared our legs some hefty hiking. So far so good. But there are some situations where speed – particularly excessive or inappropriate speed – is far from a good idea. Yes, you’ve guessed it, I am talking about driving.
What is inappropriate speed?
You’re driving at inappropriate speed if your vehicle is either exceeding the speed limit or driving too fast for the road conditions. The speed limit bit is obvious enough (speed limits are there for a reason!), but what does driving too fast for the road conditions mean? Well, what we’re talking about is any speed that is unsuited to the driving situation. It’s a posh phrase, but all it means is that you’ve stopped moving at a safe speed for the conditions in which you’re driving. That could mean that the route is narrow, has blind bends, is full of children and pedestrians; or it could mean that there’re potholes, fog, driving rain or heavy traffic. It won’t surprise you to learn that a combination of speed and any of these things (and many others we don’t have space to list!) is dangerous. It cuts down your reaction times and places you and other road users in danger. So, remember, the speed limit is not a target – it’s the maximum allowable speed at that point in your journey. It doesn’t mean you should try to drive at that speed. The rule of thumb is keep your speed down, keep scanning for hazards and pay attention to conditions around your vehicle. The faster you go, the less chance you’ll have to slow down or stop when you meet hazards.

Throughout human history, the idea of travelling quickly has generally been seen as exciting as it is practical. If we were wandering around ancient Britain now, for example, it would make a lot more sense to get around on horseback (the Porsche of its time!) than it would to walk. In the same way, modern inventions such as planes, trains and cars have cut down journey times, made the world a smaller place and spared our legs some hefty hiking. So far so good. But there are some situations where speed – particularly excessive or inappropriate speed – is far from a good idea. Yes, you’ve guessed it, I am talking about driving.
What is inappropriate speed?
You’re driving at inappropriate speed if your vehicle is either exceeding the speed limit or driving too fast for the road conditions. The speed limit bit is obvious enough (speed limits are there for a reason!), but what does driving too fast for the road conditions mean? Well, what we’re talking about is any speed that is unsuited to the driving situation. It’s a posh phrase, but all it means is that you’ve stopped moving at a safe speed for the conditions in which you’re driving. That could mean that the route is narrow, has blind bends, is full of children and pedestrians; or it could mean that there’re potholes, fog, driving rain or heavy traffic. It won’t surprise you to learn that a combination of speed and any of these things (and many others we don’t have space to list!) is dangerous. It cuts down your reaction times and places you and other road users in danger. So, remember, the speed limit is not a target – it’s the maximum allowable speed at that point in your journey. It doesn’t mean you should try to drive at that speed. The rule of thumb is keep your speed down, keep scanning for hazards and pay attention to conditions around your vehicle. The faster you go, the less chance you’ll have to slow down or stop when you meet hazards.