Instead of speeding tickets, a thought I had...

[jakeroot]

You missed the point of speed limits.

Being 14, you've never been subject to them, nor have had to deal with them.  Please wait until you've gotten at least a learner's permit before passing judgement.

That's as may be, but he has a point (although it's a point that I've been trying to make for some time). Speed limits are supposed to encourage balanced traffic speeds (85th percentile theory). An idea like what inkyatari has proposed competes head to head with that theory.

Remember, it's the difference in speed that makes a situation dangerous, not the speed itself. Everyone doing 90 isn't dangerous, but one guy doing 90 while everyone else is doing 50 would be.

Question of speed limit purpose is a difficult one. One thing for sure - in US it is no longer a traffic control tool it could be.

We, as the general public, only know one thing for sure: speed limits (at least outside of cities) are supposed to reflect the general speed of traffic. Perhaps from our point of view, that may not be the case. But we don't know any better. We're not the ones with the data.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

It's hard to ask this question without sounding like a douche, because it's more curiosity since I seem to have different attitudes toward the physical act of driving than most people in this community.

I've seen in this thread the word "unjust" used by more than one person in this thread to describe speed limits. To me, a speed limit is just a number on a white sign and it doesn't bother me. So I guess I struggle to see the mindset that someone sees that same sign and sees some kind of shady forces hard at work. I am not denying that a number of places abuse it and they should be dealt with accordingly, but my reality is that where I'm going generally just isn't important enough to me.

When I drive the 150 miles between Duluth and my house as I often do, I spend exactly 75 miles of it on I-35, which is a 70 zone for virtually that entire section. If I drive 70, I get to the Duluth city limits in an hour. If I go 75, I get there in 55 minutes. Whoopdedoo, five minutes saved on a 2 1/2 hour drive. The reality is I probably set the cruise at about 72-73, but the point is that I really just don't give a fuck what the speed limit is. It's just what it is and I live with it.

[tribar]

It's hard to ask this question without sounding like a douche, because it's more curiosity since I seem to have different attitudes toward the physical act of driving than most people in this community.

I've seen in this thread the word "unjust" used by more than one person in this thread to describe speed limits. To me, a speed limit is just a number on a white sign and it doesn't bother me. So I guess I struggle to see the mindset that someone sees that same sign and sees some kind of shady forces hard at work. I am not denying that a number of places abuse it and they should be dealt with accordingly, but my reality is that where I'm going generally just isn't important enough to me.

When I drive the 150 miles between Duluth and my house as I often do, I spend exactly 75 miles of it on I-35, which is a 70 zone for virtually that entire section. If I drive 70, I get to the Duluth city limits in an hour. If I go 75, I get there in 55 minutes. Whoopdedoo, five minutes saved on a 2 1/2 hour drive. The reality is I probably set the cruise at about 72-73, but the point is that I really just don't give a fuck what the speed limit is. It's just what it is and I live with it.

Few things.

One, you say you make that trip often so that 5 minutes quickly adds up.

Two, 70 mph is a fair speed limit for that stretch of road. That is often not the case on other roads. I live in Chicagoland and for the most part speed limits are 55 on urban and suburban freeways when 70-75 is sufficient. Same thing with Milwaukee and dozens of other metropolitan areas.

[US 89]

You missed the point of speed limits.

Being 14, you've never been subject to them, nor have had to deal with them.  Please wait until you've gotten at least a learner's permit before passing judgement.

That's as may be, but he has a point (although it's a point that I've been trying to make for some time). Speed limits are supposed to encourage balanced traffic speeds (85th percentile theory). An idea like what inkyatari has proposed competes head to head with that theory.

Remember, it's the difference in speed that makes a situation dangerous, not the speed itself. Everyone doing 90 isn't dangerous, but one guy doing 90 while everyone else is doing 50 would be.

Question of speed limit purpose is a difficult one. One thing for sure - in US it is no longer a traffic control tool it could be.

Since when are speed limits in cities actually set at 85th percentile?

Maybe if you got a ticket on an artificially low limit, you could argue in court that the speed limit was too low. Sort of like the red light tickets in Chicago that got thrown out because the yellow lights were shorter than 3 seconds.

[jakeroot]

Since when are speed limits in cities actually set at 85th percentile?

At least I was speaking of freeways, not city streets. City streets are a completely different ballgame (although artificially low limits still prove ineffective, much like they might on a freeway).

Urban freeways often have lower limits than rural areas due to congestion, although I suppose the merits of those limits are debatable.

[vdeane]

It's hard to ask this question without sounding like a douche, because it's more curiosity since I seem to have different attitudes toward the physical act of driving than most people in this community.

I've seen in this thread the word "unjust" used by more than one person in this thread to describe speed limits. To me, a speed limit is just a number on a white sign and it doesn't bother me. So I guess I struggle to see the mindset that someone sees that same sign and sees some kind of shady forces hard at work. I am not denying that a number of places abuse it and they should be dealt with accordingly, but my reality is that where I'm going generally just isn't important enough to me.

When I drive the 150 miles between Duluth and my house as I often do, I spend exactly 75 miles of it on I-35, which is a 70 zone for virtually that entire section. If I drive 70, I get to the Duluth city limits in an hour. If I go 75, I get there in 55 minutes. Whoopdedoo, five minutes saved on a 2 1/2 hour drive. The reality is I probably set the cruise at about 72-73, but the point is that I really just don't give a fuck what the speed limit is. It's just what it is and I live with it.

Driving an artificially low speed limit also feels very slow, which I find to be unpleasant and stressful.  I'd much rather have a road where the speed limit feels comfortable or even a little high than one where it takes willpower to keep from speeding.  I know of a couple spots where it's so bad that I HAVE to use cruise control, because I just can't hold my speed down otherwise (Avenue of the Pines in Saratoga Springs is one; I-70 east of Breezewood is another).

[US 89]

I know of a couple spots where it's so bad that I HAVE to use cruise control, because I just can't hold my speed down otherwise (Avenue of the Pines in Saratoga Springs is one; I-70 east of Breezewood is another).

Legacy Parkway in UT is like that. The limit on that road is 55 for environmental reasons (long story, but Wikipedia's got a good article on it) which is stupid because every other freeway in the Wasatch Front is 70 or 65. And there's always police on it. For me, even setting cruise at 55 is too slow, and I find myself moving the cruise speed up gradually (as I am getting passed by every other car on the road...)

[1995hoo]

I know of a couple spots where it's so bad that I HAVE to use cruise control, because I just can't hold my speed down otherwise (Avenue of the Pines in Saratoga Springs is one; I-70 east of Breezewood is another).

Heh. I often use my cruise control on the street that leads in and out of our neighborhood. Speed limit is 25 mph, occasionally enforced by radar (but not often), and there are loads of deer in the woods. I set the cruise control at just under 30 mph. It's easy to go 35 to 40 on there and a lot of people do. They also seem to have the mistaken idea that tailgating is an acceptable way to try to get other people to drive faster.

[Roadgeekteen]

You missed the point of speed limits.

No, I didn't.

The difference in speed would be crazy.