I was driving through Montana last week, the limit was 75... which was fast enough in a fully loaded Honda Odyssey.

 

Just to chip in my two coins, again.

I'm not big on the "speeding lane" concept, or the fast cars get to use this lane concept. I am in favor of a more reasonable speed limit on the interstates (where a left turn in the left lane does not occur). As I stated earlier, 85 mph in congested areas (read I-90 from Boston to Albany, not Storrow Drive), and 100 mph in open areas (Iowa, Nebraska, and Utah come to mind).

In day light, with reasonable visibility, these speeds are reasonable for a well maintained car on an open highway. People already do 75-85 mph on most highways in my area. An artificially low speed limit only serves to increase state revenue.

Obviously, 80 - 100 mph is not a reasonable speed at night, in the rain, etc. But, that's why people with half a brain slow down in these conditions.

I don't think that people should "push the limits" of their cars on the highway, but I also don't think that the states should maintain SPEED LIMITS that are already disregarded by 85% of the population.

I agree that things begin to happen fast at these speeds, and I save the real "pushing" for the track, but if the current speed limits were obeyed, they would totally eliminate highways as a quick, efficient means of getting from point "A" to point "B".
-Jon
'88 951 "The Highway Terror" ;-)

 

I think we can all agree that a 55mph speed limit is there for generating revenue, and nothing more. Car & Driver (Patrick Bedard I think) crounched the fatality numbers before and after the national 55mph speed limit was dropped. He concluded (based on numbers not retoric) that the number of highway deaths has not increased since 55 was dropped.

The real problem is inadequate driver education. I saw a perfect example of this yesterday in VA on Route 7. In the area I was travelling, the speed limit is 55. There was a white Toyota Corrolla going around 40, in the right lane straddling the shoulder line. There were no visible signs of car trouble. The other cars were all zig zagging around this woman who appeared to have no clue as to what she was doing.

 

I agree with you Mark. They should enforce the minimum safe speed rules as well. I've followed people on an expressway with the speed limit of 65 mph and they were doing 45 mph. Can't move over into the turning lane because everyone else is doing at least the speed limit and this person is causing lots of cars to quickly change lanes to avoid slowing down to a crawl.

Not to mention when I have to drive around town in 2nd gear chugging along because people want to drive 15 in a 35. Just annoying.

 

well i'm gonna chime back in here, i'm glad to see my comedic points in my initial post evolved into a more interesting discussion

so here we go:

speed zone -- actual speed travelled by public

25 -- 35
35 -- 40-45
40 -- 45-50
55 -- 65-80
65 -- 70 (seems to slow down at 70)
70 -- 75

that's what i've observed from the limits around here
(and of course some of those ideas were jokes )

 

While I think the speed limits in residential and commercial areas are good where they are at, I think that the highway speed limits should be raised. But then, it probably doesn't matter here in the DC metropolitan area... in 35-45 mph zones, traffic routinly goes about 15 over. 55 and above? Usually cruising between 70-90. I've even followed police cars cruising on the Capitol Beltway at 80 mph.

At this point, the 55 mph speed limits are probably going to cause more accidents than they prevent because of the high speed differentials between overtaking cars and the slower ones. Especially when they are putting along in the left lane. Which, by the way, they are required to yeild to the overtaking car, regardless of how fast it's going. But that's a different rant...

Not that I'm a lead foot or anything. But I will cruise with the upper end of traffic...

BB.

 

Well I saw this and thought to add in my thoughts. First off, when you go to get your license today it has the classes (which don't teach you much at all), driving with a instructor, the written part (common sense, stop at stop sign), and the driving part which is just around the block with a few stop signs at most. Now I think the most important part to this whole process is driving with a instructor and the driving part of the test. I drive a CDL truck for work and I can tell you that before they let you go out driving a 15 ton truck around they make sure you can handle it. I think that driving time with a instructor should be much more then it is but more important, when you go to take the test you don't just go around the block for a stop sign but a 1/2 hour or more test. This might sound way to much but they should test everyone in a downtown type of stop and go traffic, in a business area with large/slower moving cars/trucks, and on the expressway up to 50-60 mph. These would give the driver more of a feel about the car and make sure we don't give people their license who don't deserve it. Then about every 4 years or what ever it is to renew it, another test. This test doesn't have to be as long or indepth but still to show you can handle a car.

 

I can agree with all of that.

In fact, whenever I do have kids, after they get their license, they are going to a couple of autocrosses and at least one driver's ed event. It'll be mandatory, but I doubt I'll get many objections...

BB.

 

One of the Car and Driver columnists talked about this a couple of months ago. Talked about seperate licensing and such. no more than 3 months ago.

 

My PCA region (NNNR) is looking into ways of bringing in younger folks into the club. My recommendation was to get people with teenage children to participate in a youth driving program: it would be an autox/car control clinic type environment for kids who don't yet have their license. An outfit in England is doing this with some good success.

Oh, and driving slow in the fast lane is illegal and one can get a ticket for "failure to yield." While I hate to be slowed down by such drivers, I typically won't pass them on the right, since that is also illegal. I try to do the 'euro' thing: put on my left blinker to get their attention. If that doesn't work, then the old "Nascar Nudge" is effective!

-Z.

 

After living in Germany for a few years I know that Americans can't handle have high speed limits. I don't want to ever have to drive in the US again. But only 10months left in Germany...

 

I think the examination process for getting a drivers license should be way more rigorous and should be repeated every time you have to renew your license. But I don't think you should have to pay an excessive amount in order to get it. It would reduce the amount of morons on the road, yes, but many people who aren't morons probably woudn't afford it.
As for raising the speed limits, I think they could be raised a bit. Maybe into the 80mph range but not much over it. The fact that people would still go faster than that doesn't make it ok.
Many people can handle themselves and their car at high speeds but what about the people you pass by? What if you get a flat? Even if you can handle it, there are still, in my opinion, a lot of "what ifs".

 

I've heard (no real research, though) that studies have shown that in most cases, traffic will find it's comfortable speed and just stay there, regardless of the speed limits. If traffic is normally cruising at 70-75 in a 55 zone, the bulk of it will still cruise at 70-75 even if you raise the speed limit to 70 or 75. Yes, some people will bump up their speeds to match the increased limit, but most won't.

Has anyone heard anything on that?

BB.

 

BB,
One of the car magazines discussed this concept. The basis for the discussion had to do with a theory that 85% of the people will do what is safe/right/reasonable. It went on to mention that given a car without a speedometer, 85% of the test subjects found themselves cruising the highway at ~85 mph (strange coincidence). More correctly, the average speed of the middle 85% of testers was 85 mph. Thus, the journalist was able to present a case that 85 mph is a reasonable speed limit.

Keep in mind, this is all from memory, and I don't know jack about psychology.
-Jon
'88 951

 

I agree with the stiffer driving standards. I remember an auto magazine written quite a few years ago that recalled what it took to get a drivers license in Germany. First, the license is a priviledge, not a right, like it seems in this country. Second, the citizen had to fork out something on the order of several thousand dollars of his own cash to pay for instruction. Third, it took 6 months or longer to obtain it. I would imagine that no only are you better trained, but it would mean more to you.

I recognize our culture and history is different, and hence our standards are much lower. But higher standards would undoubtedly save lives, improve road use efficiency and courtesy, and save alot of money in the long run, over building new or wider roads.

And maybe keep punk ricers off the pavement for a few more years... (laugh here.)

Only my humble opinion.

Pat