Fun & Games on California's Highways
10-04-2004, 08:13 PM
#1
928 Barrister
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Fun & Games on California's Highways
Hello Californians.
I just got off of the phone with one of California's traffic operations officials. I asked if he had in his possession any "engineering studies" for a particular section of freeway in a portion of this wonderfully enlightened state, he stated he did not. He expanded that by saying that "engineering studies" were not performed for any freeways in California. Of course my next question was " Why not?". To which he replied.....(sit down first)....because if we did, the limit would increase to 75 from 65 on most sections. He also said that the accident rate would .....(don't get up yet)....decrease if the limit was raised to 75. I then asked if he would summarize what he had just said in a letter, and he replied that he would not. (What a shock, eh?! Well I got the Oregon chief traffic engineer to officially record that policy, but not so lucky in California...yet). This gentleman also stated that no engineering studies were performed for rural two lane highways in Califonia on which the limit had (arbitrarily?) been set at 55. When asked if he would put that in a letter also, he declined again. I asked if there was a legal requirement that scientifically based engineering studies be performed to determine speed limits, wouldn't it be in California's interest to comply? He responded by expressing doubt that such legal requirement existed, or that he was unfamiliar with such requirement's existence. Finally, when questioned about statistics showing decreased accident rates and fatalities in countries in which speed limits were non-existent, he responded by saying that California could not be compared to other states or countries. He did not clarify that statement.
Just thought that would put at ease the minds of anyone traveling along one of California's fine highways, whether visitor or resident. I'm reminded of an old
saying which might be modified to suit this situation. "Sleep in a well tonight. Your National Guard is a fake." (No malice intended to members of the National Guard, but you get the idea.)
Not that this is any surprise to anyone familiar with government policies, but anyone care to comment?
I just got off of the phone with one of California's traffic operations officials. I asked if he had in his possession any "engineering studies" for a particular section of freeway in a portion of this wonderfully enlightened state, he stated he did not. He expanded that by saying that "engineering studies" were not performed for any freeways in California. Of course my next question was " Why not?". To which he replied.....(sit down first)....because if we did, the limit would increase to 75 from 65 on most sections. He also said that the accident rate would .....(don't get up yet)....decrease if the limit was raised to 75. I then asked if he would summarize what he had just said in a letter, and he replied that he would not. (What a shock, eh?! Well I got the Oregon chief traffic engineer to officially record that policy, but not so lucky in California...yet). This gentleman also stated that no engineering studies were performed for rural two lane highways in Califonia on which the limit had (arbitrarily?) been set at 55. When asked if he would put that in a letter also, he declined again. I asked if there was a legal requirement that scientifically based engineering studies be performed to determine speed limits, wouldn't it be in California's interest to comply? He responded by expressing doubt that such legal requirement existed, or that he was unfamiliar with such requirement's existence. Finally, when questioned about statistics showing decreased accident rates and fatalities in countries in which speed limits were non-existent, he responded by saying that California could not be compared to other states or countries. He did not clarify that statement.
Just thought that would put at ease the minds of anyone traveling along one of California's fine highways, whether visitor or resident. I'm reminded of an old
saying which might be modified to suit this situation. "Sleep in a well tonight. Your National Guard is a fake." (No malice intended to members of the National Guard, but you get the idea.)
Not that this is any surprise to anyone familiar with government policies, but anyone care to comment?
