Does Anyone Drive the Speed Limit Anymore??

The solution is, of course, obvious.

We all must drive foot-powered-Flintstones-mobiles.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(morpheusx @ Jun 6 2007, 12:33 AM) [snapback]456321[/snapback]</div>

I've written this before, but I'll write it again......... unlike MANY states that prohibit "trucks" (18 wheelers, flatbed trailers, etc.) from driving or even passing in the LEFT lane of a 3-lane highway, this state (FLORIDA) actually ALLOWS trucks to drive freely in the left lane, and soooooooo many "abuse" this right as these trucks get in that left (which I call the "passing lane") lane and they just stay there for miles and miles........ many are dump trucks with gravel falling out the non-fully closed tailgate or even uncovered loads that spew a "mist" of coarse sand for miles behind the truck, all over vehicles that care about their paint !! This happens on major highways down here like I-4, I-75, I-95, etc. and is something I NEVER saw on any 3-lane highway when living in Connecticut. It is NOT uncommon to have a big 18-wheeler in the farthest right (slow lane) lane driving 55 MPH, another 18-wheeler or gravel truck in the middle lane driving 56 MPH and a third one in parallel with the other two in the left (passing) lane driving maybe 57 MPH....... you will see this "triumverate" paralled together for miles and miles and miles......... the driver in that left (passing) lane will NOT "give-in" and move over.......... he (or she) will stubbornly just cruise there and all three trucks perform, what my Brother (an over-the-road trucker himself) calls a "Elephant Race" !! Now all this while this 57 MPH max. speed truck is cruising along on a highway whose speed limit is 65 MPH or 70MPH (both legal highway speed limits down on these Florida highways). Masses of vehicles are "stuck" behind this blockage...... nothing can be done........ nowhere to go........ and headlight blinking or horn honking doesn't mean crap to an 18-wheeler in the left (passing) lane !! When I tell my Brother (who drives the "big rigs" based out of Connecticut, mainly local states around there) about the rudeness of truckers down HERE he freaks out, especially about falling stones or flying sand........... not to mention the "Elephant Races" !! See, up there (CT.) is very, very strict about securing and covering loads as well as "washing" mud and debris off trucks so "chunks" don't go flying off at highway speeds........

 

WA state does not require trucks to stay right. in OR ALL CARS are required to stay right except to pass. the traffic flow in OR is so much nicer its not even funny.

if WA State had the same law, our traffic problems will not disappear (too many cars, not enough road) but will be much easier to bear. despite being in an urban ares that barely ranks in the top 25 for people density, our traffic delays rank in the top 5 in the country.

 

Quick post:

Houston drivers (I've studied and questioned) travel between 120%-150% of the posted speed. The only time they come below the 120% lower barrier is in 70-75 mph zones. Drivers drive 75 - 85 mph on the freeway regardless of the posted limit (85 in a 75 zone is only 115%)

I have on occasion seen a few people go below 100% in a school zone, but most of the time they think 24 mph in a 20 mph zone is "close-enough".

I drive 80%-110% of the posted limit. Yes, I will go 110% (10% over) when exiting a freeway. Remember maximum speed on a freeway exit in Houston is 35 MPH, I'll generally take the exit at 45-50 mph just to try to be polite.

11011011

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DaveinOlyWA @ Jun 7 2007, 02:32 PM) [snapback]457486[/snapback]</div>

After a couple of decades (maybe more) they FINALLY "fixed" an intersection here in Florida where Interstate 4 met with Interstate 275 that was called by everyone, including the news media and traffic reporters, as "MALFUNCTION JUNCTION" and I believe it was on the nations 10 worse intersection list for a long time. Florida spent millions of dollars and several years but they have "improved" it immensely..... now it is "clogged up", once again but not nearly as bad, by all three lanes of slow moving trucks...........
If they just made PARTS of the Florida highways TRUCK LEFT LANE PROHIBITED............ :angry:

Florida had another wierd traffic "hold-up" for years and years near Jacksonville......... they had a DRAWBRIDGE, yes a drawbridge that swung up and opened for boats, on INTERSTATE 95, yep, the famous I-95 that runs North to South from Maine to Florida....... I think a few years ago they FINALLY fixed it by making an alternate road (that part of I-95) that went up-and-over high enough that ships could now pass under............

 

Here in new york down by new york city we rarely see speed limits enforced unless you are generally doing 15-25 over. That equates to 70-85mph!!! People generally tend to do these speeds on all of our major highways.

I can see speeds of 65 -75 mph on major interstates like I87 (ny thruway) and I95 (new england thruway) but certian parts of these highways (especially the bronx river parkway, and cross bronx expressway) are poorly maintained causing people to "loose control" and cause major backups

Also after reading this whole entire thread people generally fail to realize that speed limits where determined back in a time when cars did not quite have the handling and safety features as we know today. They were set as a maximum speed that a poorly maintained car traveling on bald (yes bald) tires could perform safely. Also the 55mph speed limit was set during the 70's in an effort to reduce the consumption of gas when the shortage was in effect.This was a federal program for all states to follow or they would loose there highway funding Before that, speed limits were set between 65 and 75 on highways depending on the roadway.

Also during that time it was STRICTLY enforced by all new york state troopers.

Speed is a factor in major car accidents. For every 10 mph you go.. the longer it takes to stop.. this is simple physics. You also have to react quicker. Some people do not have the reflexes to facilitate that type of action at a high rate of speed. Also some types of vechiles are not designed for high rates of speeds (above 70mph) but we as drivers push them there anyway. I have been passed by large suvs going in excess of 80 only to see them down the road loosing control because someone either pulled out ahead of them, or there was slow traffic ahead. It all depends on your skills and vechile choice..

 

Maybe they should have flexible speed limits, that change depending on weather, volume etc. I guess having LED signs would be expensive though. One of the my main beefs is that people still tailgate at 80mph, you need to leave a lot more room at that kind of speed, 3 seconds if I recall correctly. Having smart freeways that sense problems and alert drivers of slowdowns would be great too. I guess this is done with GPS is some places.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(nyprius2007 @ Jun 7 2007, 04:58 PM) [snapback]457589[/snapback]</div>

If your skills have dimished to the point where you cannot control a car doing 70 MPH, you shouldn't be allowed to drive -- at least not on a highway. There are too many old people driving today that have no business being on the roads. I watched one the other day doing 35 MPH on the highway where the speed limit was 65 MPH. To me, this is far more dangerous than someone doing 75 MPH.

Same thing goes for people driving jalopies. We should have mandatory inspections in all states. If your car can't pass, you can't get license plates for it. There haven't been any new cars made in decades that can't do 70 MPH safely, but there are plenty of used ones that shouldn't due to poor maintenence.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Swanny1172 @ Jun 7 2007, 06:39 PM) [snapback]457647[/snapback]</div>

Yes, you're absolutely right. People that don't like to speed should stay off the highways,which I do. Speed limit went up to 70 mph yesterday plus many are aggressive drivers.and they will now go over 70 mph maybe 80.. Anyway you should go slower in a Prius to get better mileage.I am in Florida.

Mary

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Masnyd @ Jun 7 2007, 04:06 PM) [snapback]457658[/snapback]</div>

I feel like speed limits should not be more than 60mph for safety reasons. When they're 70, people drive 80 which I feel is way too fast for most, in other words, most people don't know how to handle a car at 80mph when an accident avoidance situation comes up.

-wiiprii

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DaveinOlyWA @ Jun 7 2007, 11:32 AM) [snapback]457486[/snapback]</div>

There are points along I-90 in eastern Washington where signs are posted saying "Keep right except to pass". However, those only apparently only in certain locations.

Dave M.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dmckinstry @ Jun 7 2007, 04:12 PM) [snapback]457662[/snapback]</div>

unfortunately that is only suggested especially on steep grades and is not enforced. i have seen many times when all lanes were full and not always were the slow ones in the right lane either. i had this motorhome pulling a car passing on a hill and it took probably two miles for the motorhome to pass 3 trucks in the right lane who were traveling about 40 mph.

 

I should probably stay off this thread, because I see the direction it's taking... but I couldn't resist.

I often hear that a driver driving the speed limit is a greater hazard than the one that matches the speed of the car in front of them or behind them. Here's what happend today that made me think about the validity of this argument.....

A sheriff's patrol entered the freeway with me on my commute. B)

I enter a section of free way that is 55 mph posted (the ramp speed is 35 mph if you can believe it) Well just like I always do, I ensured that my speed was exactally 88kph (55mph) when the entrance lane went from solid white (merge lane) to dotted white (regular traffic lane). Patrol man was steady 2 cars back the whole time. Normally when I hit the dotted line portion, people are passing me (one lane over) at about 80 mph. Well same thing happened today for about 5 seconds, then... low and behold, everyone slowed to exactly 55 mph.

The great part is this patrol man followed me for half of my entire route (I drive right by a sheriff's office which is where he was going). Point is, every time a sheriff or highway patrolman get on a freeway in Houston, everyone slows to 55 mph. So is the sheriff a hazard to the rest of traffic for following the law? Should he be banned from driving or encouraged to speed? And how is it gory and graffic traffic deaths don't follow them whenever they drive?

Rhetorical.. but still funny.

11011011

 

I am sure Swanny will have some remark for you or I who Drive the Posted Limit and obey the law.

He needs the last word... cause he is young and smart speeds and laws were meant to be broken attitude it seems

I will continue to do so until he or anyone else wants to up the bucks for the speeding tickets and the moving violation points againts drivers lic.


I know hard to resist Huh? :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol hahahahahahahaahahahaah

gas mileage my brothers 55,65 results in better mpg so f***king what it takes 15 min. longer

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Dan. @ Jun 7 2007, 09:09 PM) [snapback]457719[/snapback]</div>

No, people just respect the law when it is being enforced. If police don't enforce the speed limit, people are going to break it. Laws are worthless unless they are enforced, and the speed limit on the highway is very poorly enforced in most areas.


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(priussoris @ Jun 7 2007, 09:27 PM) [snapback]457725[/snapback]</div>

Did you happen to be drinking when you posted this? I just wondered because it comes across as rambling and incoherent. I'll give your intellect the benefit of the doubt and assume its just the liquor talking.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Swanny1172 @ Jun 7 2007, 09:41 PM) [snapback]457759[/snapback]</div>

Dang.. got dragged into a pi55ing contest...

I actually remember being told when I was young

Now the corillary is that law (in this case) is either followed by a moral motivation to do right, or by fear of getting caught in a breech of law. Those motivated by fear will eventually (if unchecked) revert to lawlessness, those motivated by moral code will always maintain that code since the driving force is internal (thus always present) instead of external.

The book Lord of the Flies is one of my favorite litarary examples of this. Golding does a great job of illistrating both types of people and the eventual outcome to a society.

Point is, I don't think breaking a law because you won't get caught is a good doctrine to preach or support. From a cynical stance (and partly supported by Golding) it may be the likely course of action, but as I get on in years, I like to think that the majority of people are the first type of person and not the second. I don't think people speed because they won't get caught, I think people speed because they think it is safe to do so. They have no moral motivation not to speed. Speeding related deaths are at staggering levels.

I go on and on here, but I'll spare my PC friends..

11011011

 

Dan,

I am not looking for a pissing match, but rather an intellectual discussion of the topic. I enjoy a good debate and back up my opinion with research.

I get what you are saying and I agree with it for the most part. However, I think speed limits are arbitrarily set and are a good 5-10 MPH lower than were they should be (see previous posts re: 85th percentile). To that end, most drivers regularly exceed the speed limt, and to a large extent, law enforcement allows them to do it.

According to the NHTSA, at least 8 in 10 drivers admit to speeding. So, we are the majority -- not the minority. That alone should tell you something about speed limits being too low. And, don't tell me that if you raise the speed limit that people will just go faster, because that has been proven not to be the case (see reseach cited in my previous post).

In response to this thread, I had a discussion with a friend of mine that is a cop about this topic the other day. He said that he never tickets drivers that are going 10 MPH over the speed limit unless they are swerving in and out of traffic or driving wrecklessly. This is a common practice in his department and there are officers that have not written a ticket in over two years.

Why? Simple. They don't see driving 10 MPH over the speed limit to be a problem. So, what kind of signal does that send to drivers? If you drive the same route every day and never see a cop, to most people that means they have carte blanche to speed. Right or wrong, it is what it is.

Now, you can take the moral high ground and say that you should do the right thing regardless of whether or not you are being watched. But, this just isn't the way the majority of people operate, especially with regard to speeding. Quite simply, people don't see speeding as a moral issue.

The bottom line is, if law enforcement saw speeding as a problem, they could easily increase patrols and start writing more tickets. Drivers would get the message and begin to slow down. If you don't think that is true, ask any driver where a speed trap is and they can tell you of at least one. They know when they are being watched and adjust their behavior accordingly.

 

Swanny,

You have many holes in your logic.

1. Your first study mentions how the slower drivers are often impaired, old, frightened, etc. Therefore, the results of that study DO NOT prove that going faster is safer, but that safer drivers often go faster. It's a matter of cause and effect. THEREFORE, if everyone slowed down, it would NOT be less safe, because safe drivers would still be safe drivers.

2. Your complaints about slow drivers in the left lane are valid EXCEPT (raise your hand if this has happened to you):
I am driving 65 (posted speed here). I come up on a car going 60. I get in the left lane, begin to pass. Meanwhile, someone going 80-90 comes up behind me, slams on brakes, flashes lights, and tails until I complete my pass.

The passing lane is for EVERYONE to pass, especially those obeying the law.

3. Your "flow of traffic" argument is valid, but is more valid as a reason why everyone should obey the speed limit. If they did, you wouldn't have to guess at what the guy next to you thinks is the correct speed...

All of your studies are really an attempt to rationalize your own law-breaking. Others here admit that they speed, but accept that others choose not to. I used to. Then I got an MFD and Cruise Control. Now I don't. On my 33 mile commute, it makes a difference of about 2-3 minutes each way.

I'd be curious in knowing how far your commute is, and how much you speed. It's easy math:

Current commute time multiplied by average speed, divide by new average speed (under speed limit).

For example: One hour commute (60 min) * 75 mph = 4500, divided by 65 mph = 69.2 minutes. A difference of less than ten minutes for an entire hour commute. Not worth my stress or time to break the law.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tyrin @ Jun 8 2007, 01:14 AM) [snapback]457856[/snapback]</div>

I'll respond to these point by point.

People aren't going to slow down unless they are forced to. Like I have said before, the best practice is to set the speed limit at the 85th percentile speed of all drivers. Right now, it is about 10 MPH below that. Numerous studies support this (see previous posts).

I agree, the left lane is for passing. You should get over, make your pass and get back in the right lane. Of course, you should also look to see that you are not moving into the left lane in front of another driver as you mentioned in your post, especially if that driver is moving faster than you are. Wait for them to pass, and then make your pass. Its a pretty simple concept that gets carried out safely millions of times each day.

People would follow the speed limit if the limit was actually set at the 85th percentile and then enforced rigorously. By raising it to the 85th percentile, only 15% of the drivers would be speeding. Due to the low limits now, that number is closer to the opposite, with the NHTSA study finding 8 out of 10 drivers admitting that they speed.

Congratulations for not speeding. If it works for you, then great. It just doesn't for me. And, remember, my driving habit is to keep up with the flow of traffic, which means that I am speeding. I don't just speed for the joy of it.

I commute about 20 miles each way each day on the highway. I drive with the flow of traffic, which is about 10 MPH faster than the posted speed limit. It's not worth my stress or time to drive the speed limit just to feel good about myself.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Charles Suitt @ Jun 1 2007, 05:18 PM) [snapback]453589[/snapback]</div>

Did you tune in Channel 8 this week and hear the spot "This guy gets 91.4 mpg going to work?"

I'm the one going from Lewisville to Richardson in a 2000 Insight with a ScanGage I (Danny probably just received my check for a SC II today...) I average 50mph on I35E, I635, US75 before rush hour - posted limit posted 60mph. Yes I have fumed frequently about rude drivers - possibly more than anyone else. I have found ways of coping with it. One very helpful thing is using the emergency flashers to drivers that are about to tailgate. Usually that just are not paying attention and this clues them in to pass. That and being in the rightmost lane, weaving back and forth to the access road to avoid the fastest drivers.