Gauging opinion.

Just in the process of looking at putting speed restrictors of 70mph on our commercial vehicles (so I'll Mrs Popular at work!)

Number of reasons (and in no order) - reduce annoying white van man image, fuel economy, accident reduction (and all the hidden costs that go with it), maintenance savings.....

What are your thoughts on this and especially with regards to the stickers on the back.

I'm personally for putting that the vehicle is restricted, that way the person behind knows that the van in front isn't just being bloody minded by not going over 70mph to overtake another vehicle but I'm unsure about ones like the British Gas or British Telecom where it says 'restricted to save the environment; with a nice picture of a leaf or tree.

 

Why bother with a sticker, the speed limit is 70 anyway.

 

I'm sure there's some commercial advantage to be had by proudly boasting that your vehicles are restricted. Can't think when I last saw such a sticker so it might make me think better of your company.

On the other hand, white van men, who are genetically predisposed to try and press on in traffic, might still try to do this in their restricted vans and proceed to cause huge outside lane queues, thus undoing all the goodwill your sticker created in the first place.

 

Surely doing 80mph in 6th gear is better for the environment than doing 70mph in 3rd gear.............

 

gets my vote

don't really have a view on the merits of any badging on the vehicles

but I suspect some driver education may be a wise move

 

For fuel efficiency... there was a guy I was speaking to who has had his fleet fitted with trackers and told the drivers not to exceed said speed limit

It may work.

IMHO I think there are enough restricted vehicles on the road at the moment, too many and we will have 2 lanes of traffic travelling at nearly the same speed
Without restriction they can use a little extra speed to get past a vehicle and then reduce speed once past to save fuel costs

A Sticker simply stating what speed the vehicle is restricted to is helpful for other vehicles approaching from behind

 

Vehicles all have trackers in which is why I know they have at times gone over 100mph but it's a time consuming job looking at tracker reports for all our vehicles week in week out.

I've also been overtaken by some of our vans and you really think they should know better as it's resulted in a phone call to them the next day!!

Ian - the sticker would be so that people know the reason why the van is sticking to 70 isn't because he's some sort of road hitler but because that is all he can do. I think it would reduce the driver behind tailgating to try to get him to speed up as they will know he can't.

Simon - if you've ever sat in a transit crewcab doing 70 in 3rd gear you'll know it's something you can't do for long

The restrictors don't limit the engine, so acceleration isn't a problem, it just limits your top speed.

Pip - that is one of my concerns and I would prefer to have it restricted to 80 to give them that little extra when overtaking (although experience tells me that that is still illegal ) but Ford don't offer that option apparently.

 

I agree about the 'overboost' to get out of trouble.

One thing that pisses me off about heavies restricted to 56 is that it makes them bunch and overtakes on the A1 can be interminable.

 

I have a speed limiter on my work van as you mentioned above (BT), My manager was not impressed when I told him the van kept cutting out in 3rd We do have stickers on the rear of the car explaining that is limited to save the environment, but I don't think that cuts it when there is a turbo fitted meaning I can accelerate quicker?
It does get frustrating on a multiple lane road when the car in front is literally doing 1mph less than I can go.
Of course limiting to 70 does mean that you drivers can do 70 in a 30 limit!

 

I woould. Well, not in a 30...