Speed Limits

[jaF0]

I was reading a story earlier about the multiple fatality bus accident in Texas. They made mention that the driver at fault had crossed the double yellow center line several times and that his sped was between 67 and 71 which was legal, the speed limit being posted at 70MPH.

It struck me as odd that the speed limit on a non-divided highway was so high. I've never seen one above 55 unless a median fully separates the travel directions. I'm not sure I'd bee too comfortable with traffic passing at 140MPH in such a limited width.

Of course this was Texas, and they're not too bright there, so ...

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Out west, well not California, the roads, when they are flat and you can see for miles, have speed limits between 65 and 75 mph. Colorado has two lane highways, one each way, no median, with the speed limit set at 70mph. Of course that's in the eastern half of the state, which is flat. Once you get into the mountains, they usually up the limit to 80 or so. They have cameras at strategic points along the road to capture the cars as they go flying off the road and down the side of the mountains.

 

[Wrong Element]

I got used to it when I was living in Texas.

And the roads there are actually in pretty good shape. Governments tend to fund what they care about most, and Texans sure love to drive.

 

[oggbashan]

This road in Kent, England, and many similar roads are two way and the national speed limit of 60 mph applies. A head on collision could be at 120 mph.

http://s0.geograph.org.uk/photos/48/81/488177_a35bfa72.jpg

 

[chillywilly2]

This road in Kent, England, and many similar roads are two way and the national speed limit of 60 mph applies. A head on collision could be at 120 mph.

http://s0.geograph.org.uk/photos/48/81/488177_a35bfa72.jpg

My pickup truck will not do that road at 60 mph...now the snowmobile is a different story.

Michigan snowmobile trails don't have speed limits

 

[sircumvent]

I was reading a story earlier about the multiple fatality bus accident in Texas. They made mention that the driver at fault had crossed the double yellow center line several times and that his sped was between 67 and 71 which was legal, the speed limit being posted at 70MPH.

It struck me as odd that the speed limit on a non-divided highway was so high. I've never seen one above 55 unless a median fully separates the travel directions. I'm not sure I'd bee too comfortable with traffic passing at 140MPH in such a limited width.

Of course this was Texas, and they're not too bright there, so ...

I was going to enlighten you until you started acting like an asshole.

 

[rocket_surgery]

55 or 70, you get hit head on it won't matter much.

 

[water505]

55 or 70, you get hit head on it won't matter much.

Pretty much. Speed limits exist so cops can write tickets and collect revenue for governments, especially local ones.

As proof why would the po-po use unmarked cars on traffic patrol? After all, if drivers see a marked vehicle they'll me much more likely to obey traffic laws.

 

[Libsam]

Pretty much. Speed limits exist so cops can write tickets and collect revenue for governments, especially local ones.

As proof why would the po-po use unmarked cars on traffic patrol? After all, if drivers see a marked vehicle they'll me much more likely to obey traffic laws.

My state is broke, and let me tell you, the State Tax Collectors, oops I mean State Troopers, are everywhere. Every day I see at least 2 people getting tickets, and this has been going on for at least 7 months.

 

[someoneyouknow]

I-80 in Nebraska and I-90 in South Dakota are both above 70 (I think I-90 was 80) and both only have a small patch of grass between the two eastbound and westbound lanes. No guard rails or barriers that I saw anywhere.

While not quite what you're talking about, anyone at those speeds who crosses over will be in your lane very quickly so there might as well not be a patch of dividing grass.

 

[someoneyouknow]

Pretty much. Speed limits exist so cops can write tickets and collect revenue for governments, especially local ones.

As proof why would the po-po use unmarked cars on traffic patrol? After all, if drivers see a marked vehicle they'll me much more likely to obey traffic laws.

Speed limits exist because the vast majority of people are not able to safely drive above those speeds on the given road. Whether a back road at 35 or a long, unobstructed highway at 70, it's for the safety of everyone involved.

Most people believe they are above average when it comes to driving safely, but the daily carnage shows otherwise. If you don't want the state to collect "revenue" from you, don't speed. It's that simple. Don't complain because you're too stupid not to get caught.

 

[Conager]

Speed limits exist because the vast majority of people are not able to safely drive above those speeds on the given road. Whether a back road at 35 or a long, unobstructed highway at 70, it's for the safety of everyone involved.

Most people believe they are above average when it comes to driving safely, but the daily carnage shows otherwise. If you don't want the state to collect "revenue" from you, don't speed. It's that simple. Don't complain because you're too stupid not to get caught.

They claimed that about the 55 mph national limit. That speed limit increased, not decreased fatalities. It's about revenue, period.

Actual traffic engineers will tell you that the safest speed limit is the one that garners the best compliance rate. Velocity is not the problem, the problem is differential in velocity between motorists.

Much better is laws dictating you must stay right if not passing, and forbid passing on the right.

In Oregon, and other places you are cited for impeding traffic.

Traffic at higher speeds means each car spends less time per given mile which lowers density, improves traffic flow, reduces the number of accidents.

Well. . .until urban sprawl, migration, and population growth fills those beyond capacity.

 

[FGB]

I got used to it when I was living in Texas.

And the roads there are actually in pretty good shape. Governments tend to fund what they care about most, and Texans sure love to drive.

It's not like we have a choice!
Texas is a big fucking place.

Besides, if you do not have the common sense to slow down if you are having trouble, it hardly matters what the speed limit is.

When I was younger I drove 85 MPH on the highways all the time and still had the odd Duck pass me on the shoulder with two wheels in grass!

Oh yes the good ole days of the muscle cars!

 

[thør]

https://img.ifcdn.com/images/4ec396a62bb5355aa82ac6ef9fa06bb241cb76910d5ab5efb86b47cd41f26839_1.jpg

 

[warrior queen]

Here in Tasmania, we have a lot of narrow, winding roads with sharp turns and the average speed limit is 110km/hr. Most of these are two-way with no barriers between lanes and no guardrails to stop you plunging over the edge of hillsides.
Loads of tourists come here every year and freak out at how fast we drive on what they call 'dangerously narrow mountain roads'.
I guess it's what you're used to. I have no problem on these roads, even when being overtaken by log trucks. City driving, otoh, drives me completely insane.
Don't city people know they're supposed to indicate before changing lanes?

 

[Fala]

I was reading a story earlier about the multiple fatality bus accident in Texas. They made mention that the driver at fault had crossed the double yellow center line several times and that his sped was between 67 and 71 which was legal, the speed limit being posted at 70MPH.

It struck me as odd that the speed limit on a non-divided highway was so high. I've never seen one above 55 unless a median fully separates the travel directions. I'm not sure I'd bee too comfortable with traffic passing at 140MPH in such a limited width.

Of course this was Texas, and they're not too bright there, so ...

The reason for this particular accident was not the speed or lack of median...the driver was texting and swerving all over the road.

All those people died because this young man just had to text while driving.

 

[BotanyBoy]

It struck me as odd that the speed limit on a non-divided highway was so high. I've never seen one above 55 unless a median fully separates the travel directions.

You must not get out much.

I'm not sure I'd bee too comfortable with traffic passing at 140MPH in such a limited width.

Better stay in your toned down safety bubble then.

The reason for this particular accident was not the speed or lack of median...the driver was texting and swerving all over the road.

All those people died because this young man just had to text while driving.

Wrong....clearly the reason is not enough government regulations!!

Speed limit should be 1mph everywhere, if it saves just one life!!

LOL

 

[oggbashan]

Locally we have many single track roads with an occasional passing place. On most the speed limit is 60 mph.

Try to find a passing place in a hurry when a wider vehicle is approaching head on at 60 mph, or go round a blind bend in a sunken road when there could be a tractor on the other side of the bend.

Motorcyclists love our winding narrow country roads - and die on them.

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

To the OP:

Here in flyover country, it is not that unusual, in fact, especially back home in KANSAS, it is normative. When town is 35 miles away, you don't want to spend 45 minutes to get there and another 45 to get back. Plus, there are not the resources to do much else. Think about it. Even on a properly divided interstate, it seems like once every year or so, some drunk gets on the exit ramp and proceeds to drive down the interstate in the wrong direction...

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

It's not like we have a choice!
Texas is a big fucking place.

Besides, if you do not have the common sense to slow down if you are having trouble, it hardly matters what the speed limit is.

When I was younger I drove 85 MPH on the highways all the time and still had the odd Duck pass me on the shoulder with two wheels in grass!

Oh yes the good ole days of the muscle cars!

Hell, in KANSAS, we'd do 60 on a gravel road...

 

[ryan8558]

many a pockmarked windshield because of that

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

I hit a deer at 60 on a gravel road.



The only damage was the loss of the deer whistles...

 

[Porkwarrior]

Montana for awhile dropped arbitrary speed limits entirely, for awhile, outside of towns it was labelled as "Safe & Prudent". Highway deaths dropped by half, until the Federal US gov't stopped such nonsense by threatening to withold income tax highway funds. Atbitrary speed limits came back in, deaths rose, everybody was happy.

Most accidents here in Ontario Canada happen below 80km/h, most fatalities happen on surface streets with a 50km/h, the odd numbnut might be clocked at stupid speed, but the real reason for the arbitrary speed limits is revenue collection,

BTW the highest paid cop in Toronto earned $157k last year, after he laid a record $2.7Mil in citations.

Do you feel safer now?

 

[water505]

Speed limits exist because the vast majority of people are not able to safely drive above those speeds on the given road. Whether a back road at 35 or a long, unobstructed highway at 70, it's for the safety of everyone involved.

Most people believe they are above average when it comes to driving safely, but the daily carnage shows otherwise. If you don't want the state to collect "revenue" from you, don't speed. It's that simple. Don't complain because you're too stupid not to get caught.

Might I interest you in a new bridge in the Mojave Desert?

 

[La damnee elle la licorne]