Tunnels

[Mforcer]

Why do so many people have so much difficulty driving in tunnels

All too frequently, I find drivers willing to speed on regular city streets but as soon as they enter a tunnel their speed drops to well below the speed limit

There is no on-coming traffic to risk colliding into in new tunnels.
There are no pedestrians able to accidently walk into traffic.
There are generally no decisions about which way to travel in a tunnel.
There are no stop signs in tunnels.

I do appreciate that tunnels often have speed cameras but then do all these regular speeding drivers have so much difficulty driving at the speed limit that they need to drive well below the limit

The issue I have is not that they are driving slow but that they do speed on city streets when it is less safe to do so and a great risk for pedestrians and other vehicles.

[TJ 450]

The problem is psychological. People slow down because their ability to judge/perceive relative speed is impaired by the tunnel environment.

This is also why people continue to have collisions in tunnels and this is exacerbated by slow-moving vehicles.

Tim

[TJ 450]

Hahah, Sydney lanes are indeed only wide enough for a Smart. This is because those roads were designed with fewer lanes and the corridors don't allow for expansion, particularly in tunnels.

Just out of interest, how many lanes does the M2 tunnel have these days? Last time I was in Sydney, it had two plus a breakdown lane, but that was before they added the third "lane" elsewhere.

Tim

[Mforcer]

The problem is psychological. People slow down because their ability to judge/perceive relative speed is impaired by the tunnel environment.

Isn't this why cars have speedometers? I would have thought that as these "pre-tunnel speeders" realise they are now being overtaken, surely they would speed up again within the tunnel

[koan]

I'd guess at a fear of being underground, the tunnel might collapse.

Hmm, should speed through in that case.

Must be  a fear of returning to the womb,

koan

[flutes]

I've said it before and I'll say it again - cars should come with mounted guns as standard.  Sort out those Camrys too...

[Big_Richard]

I've said it before and I'll say it again - cars should come with mounted guns as standard.  Sort out those Camrys too...

what about the dozy old crankers driving around in their half horse power noisy piece's of shit lifted hiluxes.

experienced no less than three of these rolling road blocks on the way home driving in the right lane doing below the speed limit with 100 meter gaps between them and the cars in front.

rocket launchers should definitely be optional accessories.

[TJ 450]

I agree with the addition of firearms.

Tim

[oscar]

I think if you're familiar enough with the tunnels it'd soon become a non issue.  I'm all for the psychological theory.  Prob with the M5 tunnel in Syd for example is that people like me go through it for the first time and go wow, as do the kids and Mrs as you glide along wondering how deep it's going to go, when does it start climbing up again, how long it goes for and the what-ifs disaster scenarios might play on the mind.....  (thinks of youtube clips of Russian tunnel crashes) The last thing you need is tourists in tunnels.

OTOH, personally I tend to keep up with traffic.  And if I had my 350 whilst going through these tunnels it would be much like the scenario of admiring a w116's reflection whilst driving past shopfronts, only in a tunnel it'd be topgear-like, winding the windows down and enjoying the exhaust note whilst holdinig it back in a lower gear  .

My main problem with tunnels though isn't the tunnels themselves.  It's the fines from the operators of the tolls because I'll be gobsmacked by how quicker they are compared to old routes and forget to pay the toll online when I get home.  I've had three this year including the latest arriving yesterday from a trip a few weeks back when I got a set of rims from Melb.  A day trip there and back, enjoying the architecture of the traffic jam free freeways and decorations, I completely forgot to cough up.... again.

[flutes]

Admiring the reflection on shopfront windows!  I do that all the time Oscar!

[oscar]

There's nothing quite like it   Especially now there seems to be no other w116s in town I have to admire my own in motion.  Plus on the rare occasion that the Mrs has to drive it to work when I need her car, she's under strict instructions to plant the accelerator so I can hear it speed away. 

[Big_Richard]

Admiring the reflection on shopfront windows!  I do that all the time Oscar!

oscar is talking about his car though, not himself 

[flutes]

We were talking about cars?

[kolin]

need to add my little bit here.
one, me i suppose seems to associate tunnels with Europe and south africa.
we have loads of them here in good 'ol RSA
now i am amazed that you guys in OZ have tunnels.
which cities have them??

[oscar]

I can't think of anywhere off the top of my head in New South Wales where a tunnel was built to get through a mountain as such.  I'll happily be corrected.  We just have very large cuttings on the highways and freeways, or steep winding roads on the lesser routes.  In contrast there's plenty of those sorts of tunnels for the railways.  But watching le Tour de France and the spectacular imagery around the Pyrenees, our mountains look like hills.  The tunnels that are in Sydney at least, belong to newer freeways that went underground in parts like the M5, or under water like the Sydney Harbour Tunnel.