Some Thoughts on Speed Limits - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Skippy · #1 08-07-2013, 01:46 AM

I've noticed that many parts of the United States, including Nevada, have speed limits that are almost universally posted well below the average speed of free flowing traffic. After my most recent speeding ticket, I joined an advocacy group for people who would like to see speed limit reform, along with some other changes to traffic law. Some excerpts from the latest newsletter:

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One only has to drive daily on Maui's four-lane highways to see that 85 percent of the drivers travel at 60 mph although the speed limit is posted at 45 mph. This "85th percentile" is the standard used by traffic engineers all over the planet to establish speed limits.

Michigan traffic engineer Martin Parker states: "The likelihood of a crash occurring is significantly greater for motorists travelling at a speed slower, and faster, than the mean speed of traffic."

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So why are speed limits so artificially low?

Jim Walker, executive director of National Motorists Association Foundation, states: "They are arbitrarily set, usually too low, for one or both of these reasons. 1. The venue wishes to create lucrative speed traps for revenue with under-posted limits. 2. The venue responds inappropriately to requests from well-meaning but uninformed residents to lower the speed limits below the safest levels because the residents sincerely but falsely believe it will increase safety."

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Unreasonably low limits do not slow down faster traffic but do cause several types of dysfunction which make the roads more dangerous, including:

Increased road rage. This is brought on by the points noted below.
Increased speed variance. Slower traffic tends to flow at the posted limit thus increasing speed variance between the fastest and slowest traffic — a leading cause of road rage when drivers do not keep right and yield to faster traffic.
Distracted/impaired drivers. Dumbed-down limits encourage distracting activities like texting and contribute to road rage when drivers are too busy to notice someone wants to pass.
Increased congestion. Heavy traffic can only move as fast as the slowest car. Lower limits increase gridlock.
Punitive speeding penalties. Illinois instituted "super-speeder laws" recently. Under this law a person can go to jail for driving 85 mph in the Chicago area (30 mph over the limit). If enforced our prisons would soon be full.
Loss of respect for all traffic laws. When limits are set at 55 on expressways, some will learn to disregard limits on roadways where 55 is an appropriate speed — including construction zones.

Full newsletter available here: NMA Alert & E-Newsletter Archive

What do you think? Should limits be raised? Should they be eliminated?

I'd like to see most freeway and rural roads unrestricted, with reasonable limits set in populated areas, or those with lots of pedestrians, cyclists, cross-traffic, etc.

spdrun · #2 08-07-2013, 01:57 AM

Raised on limited-access highways, with higher fuel taxes to discourage profligate consumption and inefficient driving. Kept the same in urban or populated areas.

Skid Row Joe · #3 08-07-2013, 02:32 AM

80 to 85 mph feels about right (safe) when running rural Interstate highways in my MB diesel.

70 - 75 mph in the city feels about right.

davidmash · #4 08-07-2013, 02:39 AM

Speed limits are for p*&%$#s. Yea I said it.

Jim B. · #5 08-07-2013, 03:35 AM

...changed my thinking totally...

Drove a rented Audi A6 turbo Diesel (above) from 130-160 mph every day, safely, and legally, with great roads, excellent day and night signage, buttercream surface on the Autobahn, courteous and safe drivers always, NO texting, eating or drinking EVER observed, turn signals always used, left lane for passing ONLY.

Perfect.

As opposed to the USA, what a mess. Distracted, drunk, careless, road rage drivers, ill maintained clapped out junkers everywhere, left lane bandits, big trucks out of the slow lanes, lane changers don't often signal, patched and potholed roads and highways all over the place, poorly lit and signed roads everywhere...

It is terrible. Can't wait to go back and rack up more miles on the Deutsche Schnellstraße......

MBeige · #6 08-07-2013, 03:47 AM

One other factor contributing to speed limits is general driver discipline. Given the current strictness of the DMV in handing out licenses, and the types of tests they have applicants take, I'm not surprised the speed limits are that low. There are too many idiot drivers on the road, and to ensure general safe driving, the speed limits are lowered.

MS Fowler · #7 08-07-2013, 08:43 AM

My biggest beef is the lack of enforcement of LAW. If we have a law, it should be enforced. Either that or change the law. But this willy-nilly, random enforcement hurts all of us. I know we can be targeted for doing exactly the same as even the police do in their routine driving. We are supposed to have equal treatment under the law, but we don't. All animals are equal; some animals are more equal than others.
It should not be so.
I shouldn't have to worry when crossing a State line that this State allows only 2 mph over the posted limit while the other State gave 15 mph. The Law should be reasonable, and it should be enforced, equally., and cops should have to obey it, too--except when on a call.

JB3 · #8 08-07-2013, 08:54 AM

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Originally Posted by MS Fowler

My biggest beef is the lack of enforcement of LAW. If we have a law, it should be enforced. Either that or change the law. But this willy-nilly, random enforcement hurts all of us. I know we can be targeted for doing exactly the same as even the police do in their routine driving. We are supposed to have equal treatment under the law, but we don't. All animals are equal; some animals are more equal than others.
It should not be so.
I shouldn't have to worry when crossing a State line that this State allows only 2 mph over the posted limit while the other State gave 15 mph. The Law should be reasonable, and it should be enforced, equally., and cops should have to obey it, too--except when on a call.

but then we are talking federal standardization over states rights.

JB3 · #9 08-07-2013, 09:03 AM

posted speed limits don't really bother me. Locally the speed limit is 65 on limited access highways, and thats generally my cruising speed on such. I can understand the 55 limit on curvy old highways like merrit, taconic, huchinson. Enough people run off the road and into trees on those roads that its worth it to drive slower.

Driving all over the country I do think a lower speed limit has the result of more driver awareness scanning for cops, so im not really bothered when the limit seems 20mph slow.

whenever I cross upstate NY, im speeding by 10-15mph and im so in tune with the surroundings and police scanning activity, that i reach a new level of driving focus, and i still occasionally get a ticket.

MS Fowler · #10 08-07-2013, 09:06 AM

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Originally Posted by JB3

but then we are talking federal standardization over states rights.

Not really--the States can enact any speed limit they choose--they are, after all, "free and independent States". Its the enforcement that needs to be uniform.
Either we follow the LAW, or we have some form of anarchy. I prefer the rule of law--and that the laws are fair and reasonable--and equally applied to all.

JB3 · #11 08-07-2013, 09:15 AM

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Originally Posted by MS Fowler

Not really--the States can enact any speed limit they choose--they are, after all, "free and independent States". Its the enforcement that needs to be uniform.
Either we follow the LAW, or we have some form of anarchy. I prefer the rule of law--and that the laws are fair and reasonable--and equally applied to all.

so you are saying you would like the amount of leeway the cops give you when in excess of posted limit to be the same everywhere? Thats what I gather from the below comment-

Quote:

I shouldn't have to worry when crossing a State line that this State allows only 2 mph over the posted limit while the other State gave 15 mph.

I just dont understand how you can call your irritation with that a rule of law issue. The rule of law would be you following the posted speed limit, not getting angry that when you are EXCEEDING the posted limit, that what cops ignore as illegal activity is not standardized.

The way I see it is that decision to pull you over is entirely based on the individual cop and how busy they are and where their quota is that month, and Im taking my chances disobeying the posted law. Sometimes I get away with it, sometimes I get caught, but if im even over the posted limit by 1mph, they have cause to pull me over

strelnik · #12 08-07-2013, 09:18 AM

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Originally Posted by Jim B.

...changed my thinking totally...

Drove a rented Audi A6 turbo Diesel (above) from 130-160 mph every day, safely, and legally, with great roads, excellent day and night signage, buttercream surface on the Autobahn, courteous and safe drivers always, NO texting, eating or drinking EVER observed, turn signals always used, left lane for passing ONLY.

Perfect.

You hit the nail on the head.

ADD DRIVER EDUCATION AND ENFORCEMENT.
Case in point: Monday I went to the Mich Sec of State to get plates swapped for my son's new car.
Big crowd due to voter registration.
Along the wall are cubicles with chairs for people taking the driver's license test.
I see a giant sign: no cell phones during testing! For obvious reasons
In the meantimne, an Arab woman is taking the Arab language driver's test and talking on the phone to someone, marking as she goes.

I pull one of the unused chairs from the end booth to sit down while I wait. There are 15 unused chairs there.
The Sec of State Security cop comes up to me: " You can't use that chair, it's against the rules."
I reply, "OK. Speaking of against the rules, you have been standing five feet from a woman using her cell phone to take her driver's test. There's a sign posted there. How come you're not doing anything about it?"
He moved away, then approached her, told her to put her cell phone away. She did.
He walked five feet away.
She pulled out the cell phone again, he pretended not to see.

This is why driving, like everything else in the country is so hosed up.

DieselPaul · #13 08-07-2013, 10:29 AM

I think you're just culturally insensitive Strelnik.

Kidding of course.

BobK · #14 08-07-2013, 10:36 AM

sounds like a good time to snap a picture with your phone of the woman, the sign and the cop and send it to your local paper. Make sure the cop is recognizable.

MagnumPI · #15 08-07-2013, 11:50 AM

People will drive at whatever speed they feel is most comfortable regardless of the arbitrary number on the sign. The difference is, without the asinine signage, busybody grandmas and know-it-alls in their Prii won't have any excuse to hover the left lane, and GTFO of the way. And of course road theft revenues decrease, and highway pigs can go find real jobs. Or rather, find that there are no real jobs left.