Community Chat

[Q4u]

One of the problems is that not everyone has a car that should go 85!  I have no problem with whatever speed limit they put up when my car has the capability.  I had that once with a Mazda 925... whatacar!  Really handled well.  Then I graduated to a Ford Exploder (opps... I mean Explorer)... and that car was eccentic, rounded corners upright and at 10mph (on a good day) or it might flip over.  We actually saw one shake on the freeway in front of us, shimmy back and forth and flip, tumbling several times head over heels...... now I have a Saturn Vue... love it but there's no way I'm comfortable even going 70, anything over that I get the sense that it'll lose control.

So, even though people are pushing whatever it is they own to 80, 85 and beyond.... I'm not comfortable that everyone has a vehicle that will be safe going that fast.... OR that the drivers driving have the driving capability and/or experience.    

[truffle]

I think when you are on an open straight away one can feel like they're going too slow at 65 and maybe at 75 too.  I don't encounter open straight aways so have no interest in high speeds and would probably be in the right lane due to lack of experience.  Those 2 lane highways though seem unforgiving if you want to drive slower and maybe you're expected now to drive the speed limit?

[sunshine45]

80 mph hour as the posted speed is ridiculous.

around here we have anywhere from 55-65 on the highways and beltways. i do believe that those speeds are fast enough.

[SydneyH]

I notice State Troopers rarely pull people over for going that speed.........

[hckynut]

It's been shown many times over that higher speeds increase accidents and deaths. Way too many drivers have the false notion that they can handle any vehicle, much better than they really are able.

I learned to respect and understand motor vehicles before I received my driver's license. One thing I never did was overrate my driving ability, nor dangers a 2,000-4,000 pound, out of control vehicle can do to "steel" and also the human body.

I drove a lot of very powerful and fast cars, almost all on sanctioned Race Tracks, and I know the dangers of horsepower when coupled with speed and a driver that thinks they are always in control of their vehicle.

For me I think it is both unnecessary to raise speed limits, especially in this era where way too many think they can successfully "multi-task", when 1 task includes driving a motor vehicle on Public Roadways.

RIDICULOUS !!!

hckynut(john)

[proudlyfromNJ]

---

@hckynut wrote:

It's been shown many times over that higher speeds increase accidents and deaths. Way too many drivers have the false notion that they can handle any vehicle, much better than they really are able.

I learned to respect and understand motor vehicles before I received my driver's license. One thing I never did was overrate my driving ability, nor dangers a 2,000-4,000 pound, out of control vehicle can do to "steel" and also the human body.

I drove a lotbof very powerful and fast cars, almost all on sanctioned Race Tracks, and I know the dangers of horsepower when coupled with speed and a driver that thinks they are always in control of their vehicle.

For me I think it is both unnecessary to raise speed limits, especially in this era where way too many think they can successfully "multi-task", when 1 task includes driving a motor vehicle on Public Roadways.

RIDICULOUS !!!

hckynut(john)

---

I agree. If someone needs to drive that fast, do it when you are the only one on the road. Why do I need to worry about my life if I am on the road with a driver that needs to drive like a bat out of hell? 

Our speed limits are 60 or 65 on parkways and interstates.

[gardenman]

Really it all comes down to enforcement. Speeding isn't anything new. If people consistently get punished for speeding, speeding will stop. The problem is there's a lack of enforcement. Probably 99.9% of the speeders never get stopped or punished in a significant manner. Change that number so that 99.9% of speeders do get stopped and punished in some manner and speeding would stop.

The Maryland state police used to line up three patrol cars side by side on 95 and go the speed limit. Behind them would develop a very, very long line of drivers who were speeding only to catch up to the police and then be forced to obey the speed limit.

There are various tricks that highway officials use to slow down speeders. In the past they've changed the spacing of the lines on roads to make it appear the car was going faster than it was. (This is especially effective on corners.) I recently saw where in one community they were placing realistic photos of large potholes on the roads so drivers would slow down to avoid the potholes, but there really were no potholes, just the photo of one.

I don't really have an issue with higher speed limits on the right roads at the right times. A major east/west Autobahn type highway here in the US could be pretty beneficial overall, but I'd like it to have multiple lanes in each direction with certain speed limits on each lane. Maybe the two far left lanes would be unrestricted, the next one have a top speed of 80 MPH and the far right lane maybe 65 MPH. That would serve to help segregate the speeders a bit.

Speed kills when you hit something stationary or something going a lot slower than you. It's the difference in speed of the item doing the hitting and the item being hit that causes the trouble. A hammer and nail at rest are ineffective at fastening two boards together.  Move the hammer slowly and it's not a lot better. You need that difference in speed to make a big impact. If every car on the road is going 90 MPH and the stationary items are properly shielded to deflect the cars from a direct impact, you're probably as safe as you'd be going 55 MPH. It's really more the deceleration that causes the trouble than the initial speed. Things like rolling and flipping are more likely at higher speeds and they're not a lot of fun, but assuming you're properly secured in the car and there's adequate structure around you, you'd likely survive. Two cars going 40 MPH that have a head on collision would likely be more life threatening due to the type of impact a head on collision generates.

[hckynut]

@gardenman

Not much I agree with in your post and that is very unusual. Different "speed lanes"? I have never seen anything to indicate that what speed is assigned, to a lane or a road makes a difference to most drivers. As you say, without enforcement, I say not money/not taking away a license, but, jail time, even a felony, depending on when/where and how fast.

Nothing in the past or present have shown me a fine or licence revocation makes much difference. Some have lots of $$ and to others a license is just another piece of annoying paper. They drive anyways.

What, you talking Nascar style "safer barriers"? On what, 2 lane/4 lane, 6 lane roads? Properly "shielded" vehicles, maybe ones that pass Nascar Tech?  That ain't gonna happen and we both know that tp be a pipe dream.

And you say, "speeds don't always matter". Wonder why more Cup Drivers are concerned about Talladega than Martinsville. Couldn't be because 1 track has a top speed that barely reaches 3 digits, and the other has speeds well over 200+mph.  

You think the crash at Kansas Speepway could/would happen at Martinsville or Bristol? If so I think Joey Logano/Danica Patrick, and especially Aric Almirola  might disagree with you. I know there would be no chance in he!! a crash of that magnitude could happen at slower speeds. Not  an expert in physics, but I do know race cars coupled with high speeds.

Do I have the answers? Nope, just the idea that if drivers who have multiple speeding violations, that are not DUI/DWI, ended up in jail and maybe even a felony listed on their record, it might do more than some of the "pipe dreams" like safer barriers and vehicles all built by Racing Safety Standards, to possibly awaken the dead brain many repeat offenders seen to have when it comes to motor vehicles and speed.

hckynut(john)

[software]

---

@Smoky wrote:

---

@software wrote:

I drive 80 on a 6-lane interstate and I'm the slow one.

If I drove 75, I'd probably get run over.

---

@software, that so sounds like I-75 through Atlanta.  I drove that everyday to Buckhead and back home in rush hour traffic.. that's the first thing I didn't miss when I stopped working.

As one of the radio announcers said, "There's nothing like sitting in Atlanta traffic and you see a woman coming up behind you doing 80 putting on her makeup."  

---

I've had the pleasure of driving in Atlanta.    I love it when you are pushing 80 and the guy behind you is flashing his headlights wanting you to go faster!    I just white-knuckle it & stay the course!    I pick a lane and shoot for my exit, the sooner the better.

[Suziepeach]

---

@software wrote:

---

@Smoky wrote:

---

@software wrote:

I drive 80 on a 6-lane interstate and I'm the slow one.

If I drove 75, I'd probably get run over.

---

@software, that so sounds like I-75 through Atlanta.  I drove that everyday to Buckhead and back home in rush hour traffic.. that's the first thing I didn't miss when I stopped working.

As one of the radio announcers said, "There's nothing like sitting in Atlanta traffic and you see a woman coming up behind you doing 80 putting on her makeup."  

---

I've had the pleasure of driving in Atlanta.    I love it when you are pushing 80 and the guy behind you is flashing his headlights wanting you to go faster!    I just white-knuckle it & stay the course!    I pick a lane and shoot for my exit, the sooner the better.

---

@software, driving around and through Atlanta is a trip in its self.  They're building a fly-over with toll roads on I75 and I575.. going to be so much more fun..  When we are on I75, we stay in the left hand lane.. slower traffic is in the far right two lanes..