Bell St Melbourne, speed dropped to 60

[desGT]

Between Waterdale Rd and Sydney Rd (almost), the speed limit was 70.
It is now 60.

This section has 3 lanes EACH way, a large medium strip down the middle, extra turn lanes (left and right).

Other nearby roads are 60, and only 1 lane each way (no medium).

This road would support a HIGHER limit, but it was dropped.

WHY???? Who in the heck is making these decisions?
Ah, but this is only an example of the seemingly never ending push to continually lower the speed limits. (And no, I am not against low speed limits on suburban "streets"!).

[output]

yep they have their own agenda... they want us out of cars and stuffed into trains and buses like the worthless sheep they consider us to be...

multi front attack on our way of life... frustrate and punish u so much u give up...they tax us, fine us, contain us...its a war on us and we dont even know it...

[Wretched]

Originally Posted by output

yep they have their own agenda... they want us out of cars and stuffed into trains and buses like the worthless sheep they consider us to be...

multi front attack on our way of life... frustrate and punish u so much u give up...they tax us, fine us, contain us...its a war on us and we dont even know it...

Australia in the 21st century...the date may have changed but our way life is still in the 20th century.

[Itsme]

Originally Posted by desGT

Between Waterdale Rd and Sydney Rd (almost), the speed limit was 70.
It is now 60.

This section has 3 lanes EACH way, a large medium strip down the middle, extra turn lanes (left and right).

Other nearby roads are 60, and only 1 lane each way (no medium).

This road would support a HIGHER limit, but it was dropped.

WHY???? Who in the heck is making these decisions?
Ah, but this is only an example of the seemingly never ending push to continually lower the speed limits. (And no, I am not against low speed limits on suburban "streets"!).

Vicroads made the decision for safety as usual, actually I time the difference the other day since I use this road a lot, only about 5 minutes difference.

[Brazen]

Originally Posted by trublu

Vicroads made the decision for safety as usual, actually I time the difference the other day since I use this road a lot, only about 5 minutes difference.

Only 5 minutes??? Bloody hell time is precious. Why use it trundling along frustrated to hell.

[GASWAGON]

Its a very busy road.....60 is probably a bit safer than 70.

[joolz]

Originally Posted by CoolBFWagon

Its a very busy road.....60 is probably a bit safer than 70.

Haha used to be an 80 zone no more than 10 years ago... All to protect the children and make it safer to sit speed cameras along that $$$tretch...

[chevypower]

Originally Posted by joolz

Haha used to be an 80 zone no more than 10 years ago... All to protect the children and make it safer to sit speed cameras along that $$$tretch...

I remember when it was the old 75

[Full Noise]

Originally Posted by joolz

Haha used to be an 80 zone no more than 10 years ago... All to protect the children and make it safer to sit speed cameras along that $$$tretch...

Back in the olden days when everything was in black and white and speed cameras weren’t even invented, Bell St was a 75 zone. Anyone remember those signs? lol. The cops in the 80’s wouldn’t even bother pulling you up unless you were doing at least 15 k’s over the limit. Even then half the time they’d only give a ticket if you were a smart ar$e.

I remember one Saturday night in 1987, I gunned my HJ away from the lights at Gilbert Rd heading down Bell St eastbound towards St Georges Rd. Well, the copper who was sitting in the side street opposite the Shell shot me at $117. He let me off with a $135 fine for 15 to 30 over the limit. He said it was because I didn’t give him a hard time.

If anyone here remembers what Victorian cops were like in the 80’s, you wouldn’t really want to give them a hard time. Those who did sometimes ended up with “holes” in them, for extra ventilation.

[foxtrot3]

Originally Posted by desGT

Between Waterdale Rd and Sydney Rd (almost), the speed limit was 70.
It is now 60.

This section has 3 lanes EACH way, a large medium strip down the middle, extra turn lanes (left and right).

Other nearby roads are 60, and only 1 lane each way (no medium).

This road would support a HIGHER limit, but it was dropped.

WHY???? Who in the heck is making these decisions?
Ah, but this is only an example of the seemingly never ending push to continually lower the speed limits. (And no, I am not against low speed limits on suburban "streets"!).

Hi. 3 lanes each way except for the bridge over Darebin creek and car parking between Chifley drive and plenty rd and again between Merri creek and Syd rd. When its a clearway with no parking its lucky to move at 20 KPH and with the amount of trafic at other times 60 k seems about right. Cheers MD

[tranquilized]

Wasn't too long ago that stretch used to be 80 if I remember right

Roads like this need variable speed limits - 60 or even sometimes 40 during the day, 80 at night. But they only seem to install the variable limit signs on freeways so they can vary the limit down...

[Ben73]

Originally Posted by tranquilized

Wasn't too long ago that stretch used to be 80 if I remember right

Roads like this need variable speed limits - 60 or even sometimes 40 during the day, 80 at night. But they only seem to install the variable limit signs on freeways so they can vary the limit down...

Yeah I agree. I think there needs to be more variable limits around cities.
Drive through some city roads at day and the speed limit feels about right. Drive same road at 2am and you will see how slow it feels.

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by desGT

Between Waterdale Rd and Sydney Rd (almost), the speed limit was 70.
It is now 60.

This section has 3 lanes EACH way, a large medium strip down the middle, extra turn lanes (left and right).

Other nearby roads are 60, and only 1 lane each way (no medium).

This road would support a HIGHER limit, but it was dropped.

WHY???? Who in the heck is making these decisions?
Ah, but this is only an example of the seemingly never ending push to continually lower the speed limits. (And no, I am not against low speed limits on suburban "streets"!).

A quick look at Google Earth shows that there are a LOT of driveways going onto Bell St. This is probably what they decision was based on.

It's one of the things the RMS (RTA) look at here when deciding 50k areas.

[Trump]

VicRoads can eat a bag of phallic implements. The decision to reduce the speed limit on a road struggling as it was with thousands of re-tards behind the wheel with zero spatial awareness will be a big mistake. These same morons have their gaze fixed on their speedo at the best of times (going through the High St intersection sees multitudes of brain dead kickers of fecal matter jump on the anchors and slow down to 40km/h with no one in front of them) and will make the road less safe and cause even more traffic chaos.

Oh and fun fact, VicRoads may be in the poo poo as I saw a camera car sitting on the nature strip just before the Kennards Self Storage. With the 70km/h signage still up, if old mate pinged anyone going over 60km/h they may be liable as the signage is the official means of advising what the speed limit is.

And another fun fact, Bell St was supposed to be widened all the way through to the freeway being three lanes in each direction all the way to Heidelberg, yet it never happened.

[GSPSI]

Surprised they haven't Tolled it yet.

[Franco Cozzo]

I hate Bell Street, seriously I try avoid using that road as much as possible.

It has to be Melbourne's worst road hands down.

[tranquilized]

Originally Posted by Big Damo

I hate Bell Street, seriously I try avoid using that road as much as possible.

It has to be Melbourne's worst road hands down.

That would be (C)Punt Road

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by tranquilized

That would be (C)Punt Road

LOL, thats what my sister calls it too.

[Itsme]

Originally Posted by Big Damo

I hate Bell Street, seriously I try avoid using that road as much as possible.

It has to be Melbourne's worst road hands down.

With this comment I would dare say you have not really experienced peak hour traffic on other roads around Melbourne.

[malazn mafia]

Originally Posted by trublu

With this comment I would dare say you have not really experienced peak hour traffic on other roads around Melbourne.

Regularly drive roads in Melbourne and Sydney. Sydney is whole new level.. potholes, aggressive drivers, narrow lanes, confusing roads, no right turns, intersections designed to cause a head-on collision, blind corner intersections, figure 8 roundabouts... Apart from stupid speed limits and ridiculous enforcement in Melbourne, I no longer complain about Melbourne roads or traffic.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by trublu

With this comment I would dare say you have not really experienced peak hour traffic on other roads around Melbourne.

I generally avoid Melbourne in its entirety unless necessary

[Trump]

Originally Posted by Big Damo

I generally avoid Melbourne in its entirety unless necessary

Lucky you

[Trump]

Ridiculous traffic light programming results in a lot of the traffic gridlock on Bell St. That section in Heidelberg with three intersections (yes I am aware it isn't Bell St per se) causes the most grief. There is zero synchronisation between the three sets of traffic lights.

[Dash_XR]

Originally Posted by desGT

Between Waterdale Rd and Sydney Rd (almost), the speed limit was 70.
It is now 60.

This section has 3 lanes EACH way, a large medium strip down the middle, extra turn lanes (left and right).

Other nearby roads are 60, and only 1 lane each way (no medium).

This road would support a HIGHER limit, but it was dropped.

WHY???? Who in the heck is making these decisions?
Ah, but this is only an example of the seemingly never ending push to continually lower the speed limits. (And no, I am not against low speed limits on suburban "streets"!).

Very good question. About 12 months ago all the 4 lane 70 zones got dropped to 60 around my area too and were littered with private cameras the months following.

Dead straight roads with parking either side and median strip in the middle.

Are these decisions getting voted in or made on the whim of a few sheltered individuals?

Cars are getting safer and better equipped every year too so why do we need to drive slower?

[blk6t]

This mentality in Australia does my head in...I love driving in other countries and it's only then do I remember that Aussie drivers are losing common sense because were so controlled on our roads and are more focused on our speed limit then focusing on actually driving the car.

After doing a good few thousand kms in the US over the last month, I felt more free on the roads and actually focused on driving due to far less traffic signs, higher speed limits and more tolerant police (targeting speeding) made for some great driving. I was just more relaxed.

Spent every km in a new Mustang too

[Trump]

Originally Posted by Dash_XR

Very good question. About 12 months ago all the 4 lane 70 zones got dropped to 60 around my area too and were littered with private cameras the months following.

Dead straight roads with parking either side and median strip in the middle.

Are these decisions getting voted in or made on the whim of a few sheltered individuals?

Cars are getting safer and better equipped every year too so why do we need to drive slower?

Vote...

[xisled]

Originally Posted by Dash_XR

Very good question. About 12 months ago all the 4 lane 70 zones got dropped to 60 around my area too and were littered with private cameras the months following.

Dead straight roads with parking either side and median strip in the middle.

Are these decisions getting voted in or made on the whim of a few sheltered individuals?

Cars are getting safer and better equipped every year too so why do we need to drive slower?

If you want to complain about a location of mobile speed camera in Victoria, Complain to your local council as they have to approve the spots where the camera sit. Basically giving them a permit to be parked on a nature strip on the side of the road.

As the council need to approve where the camera sits, you will find that they do not pull up randomly, they will be in the same spot over and over again.

Cars may be safer, but people are not getting any better at driving.

[irish2]

Originally Posted by xisled

If you want to complain about a location of mobile speed camera in Victoria, Complain to your local council as they have to approve the spots where the camera sit. Basically giving them a permit to be parked on a nature strip on the side of the road.

As the council need to approve where the camera sits, you will find that they do not pull up randomly, they will be in the same spot over and over again.

Cars may be safer, but people are not getting any better at driving.

No people seem to be getting more rude, arrogant, and slower. This is only true for Australia however. Overseas it is completely different.

[TheSneakiness]

Originally Posted by Dash_XR

Cars are getting safer and better equipped every year too so why do we need to drive slower?

Cars as safe = Drivers as stupid

[Silver Ghia]

Originally Posted by Dash_XR

Very good question. About 12 months ago all the 4 lane 70 zones got dropped to 60 around my area too and were littered with private cameras the months following.

Dead straight roads with parking either side and median strip in the middle.

Are these decisions getting voted in or made on the whim of a few sheltered individuals?

Cars are getting safer and better equipped every year too so why do we need to drive slower?

Vicroads have an aim to reduce the road toll to zero. And these speed limit reductions are part of that aim.

But they forget about the drivers that don't give way at give way or stop signs, and run into passenger doors killing people. It happens. And those changing lanes when unsafe. Speed cameras don't detect these offenders. So their zero road toll agenda will never happen for these reasons alone.

Reducing speed limits to make it safer for these morons not giving way only encourages them further. Just like pedestrians where speed limits have been reduced to 40kph or less; they now simply walk out onto the road regardless of what's coming, not thinking that the driver may be glancing at their speedo at the wrong time to avoid a speed camera fine.

I'm glad I lived most of my life in an era when more common sense prevailed.