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Automotive News & Views Should the US government bring back the 55 mph max speed limit again?
1418 messages, Last post on Dec 16, 2008 at 11:21 AM
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Replying to: snakeweasel (Dec 09, 2007 4:43 pm) |
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Replying to: snakeweasel (Dec 09, 2007 10:57 am)
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Replying to: grbeck (Dec 10, 2007 7:57 am) |
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Speed limits should be set at the speed that the majority of people drive on a road. For instance if I'm on a road posted at 65mph and most people are doing 75mph, then the speed limit should be upped for what is normal and comfortable for the flow of traffic. 1) Cars are safer and have higher performance than before. Braking technology is better. 2) Better overall engine technology, more gears, better aerodynamics have made the the 1970's rule of 55 mph being the best speed for mpg, incorrect for many models. We see many people here post good mpg numbers at higher speeds. The main point here is that speed limits are set such that a garbage truck with all its poor performance can typically handle the road safely. Keep the speed limit the same for trucks and buses, and post higher speed limits for the more capable cars. If you don't want to drive 85mph on the interstate, then stay in the right-lane and drive 55 or 65mph, and let people who want to go faster get by. As far as enforcement goes: 1) there would be less people breaking the law if speed limits are higher. I would drive my car pretty much the same, and actually be obeying the speed limits. 2) police resources could be shifted to actually preventing or solving crimes. Or concentrating on unsafe vehicles or drivers, rather than Joe Smith commuting to work.
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Replying to: kernick (Dec 10, 2007 10:07 am) Ah, was afraid I was going to wake up at 3 am when I remembered that it's the 85th Percentile rule I was thinking of. 
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Replying to: kernick (Dec 10, 2007 10:07 am) I know a few roads where the majority of people drive at speeds that are truly not safe. there would be less people breaking the law if speed limits are higher. True and there would be less people breaking the law if armed robbery was legal.
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Replying to: snakeweasel (Dec 10, 2007 6:28 pm) |
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Replying to: snakeweasel (Dec 10, 2007 6:28 pm) I'm sure there are roads where that is true. However I'm talking about interstates mainly, and not the urban stretches. When you can see down the road for 1/4 + mile, and it's not bumper to bumper there is no need to drive 55mph or 65mph. People currently drive these at 75mph. And I'm sure out west people are already driving 75+mph. And there are no more accidents or fatalities based on miles driven, when the speed limits were lower years ago. Speed limits in this country are set for the capabilities of vehicles like UPS or garbage trucks, or an 85 year old, and not for the normal person who now has a relatively high performance vehicle. True and there would be less people breaking the law if armed robbery was legal. Yes but most everyone dislikes armed robbery. Whereas few people obey the speed limits, and like them. Speed limits set tool low are like Prohibition. A few people think it is their duty to protect people from themselves, and try to make people follow an unpopular law. People will drink whether there is a law or not, and people will drive what speed is comfortable for them, mindful of not getting caught. Most people speed now; I'm simply stating to make what occurs now legal, state their is no "leeway" in the speed limit, and we'd have the same safety. "Leeway" - don't have a 65mph speed limit, but then let people drive 74 or 75mph and either not stop them or give them a Warning. Make the speed limit 75mph and enforce 75mph then, or whatever number is picked. If 75mph is the limit, then people will need to stay within the 70-75 mph band. But then they'll at least feel they are legal, and not acting criminally. Do you think it is a good mindset to have a majority of citizens trying to hide their illegal behavior? I don't think it is good. We should not promote the image of police as being out to get the typical citizen.
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"Make the speed limit 75mph and enforce 75mph then, or whatever number is picked." What you're advocating is zero tolerance, with no discretion on the part of the police officer. This essentially means that if you happen to go 76 or 77 in a 75 zone, or 36 in a 35 zone, you'll be ticketed. That, in turn, means that most people will choose to drive at least a few miles per hour under the limit, to reduce the chances that a hill, a moment of distraction, or some other factor that causes their vehicle to increase its speed a little, will result in a fine. This would increase compliance, but I'm not convinced it would reduce fatalities or reduce driver stress, which may contribute to fatigue and, ultimately, to accidents.
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Replying to: kernick (Dec 11, 2007 5:15 am) What you're talking about here sounds similar to what Montana once had (now knocked down by the courts) - common sense laws for the road, with no specific speed limit in the day as long as folks would exercise good judgment for the conditions. Unfortunately, most of the drivers on America's roads don't have the good sense of a flea, and this would be bad overall for any but the most rural stretches of road. American drivers are much too poorly trained to have autobahn-style roads. I DO support the use of having two speed limits on most freeways, one for passenger vehicles and one for trucks, but alas I find that in areas where this is already the case, trucks roundly ignore the truck speed limit, so what's the point?
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