[scrlk]

> In the UK the 60mph country roads in particular shouldn't be trusted to provide a safe speed at all times.

Especially on country roads, you shouldn't view the 60 mph speed limit as a speed target - drive at the speed appropriate to the road and conditions.

[curiousgibbon]

There's a big cultural difference between the US and UK driving signage. In the UK there are fewer signs and it's generally upheld that the speed limit is a limit, and that what constitutes lawful driving may require driving much slower. You're doing to have a hard time suing anyone if you lose control of a car on a tight and narrow bend on a country road but were doing 59mph (i.e. within the limit).

Contrast the US where little yellow signs on every bend suggest a speed at which it's safe to go around, usually a conservative one. I think something missing from US road signage is the idea that more is worse: drivers are trained to ignore signs and speed limits because there are so many verbose and pointless signs around. It's much harder to trust the installers of the signs when they're obviously silly. In the UK it's more as if signs likely indicate some legitimate hazard that a driver will find out about very soon.