North Carolina - speed limit 75?

[agentsteel53]

had not seen this discussed anywhere else:

http://myfox8.com/2013/04/11/nc-senate-approves-75-mph-speed-limit/

[deathtopumpkins]

And of course you have someone (state troopers this time) complaining that people who previously drove 80 in a 70 will now drive 85 in a 75.

Which is just not the case. 

[Chris]

Several European countries recently increased the speed limit. Studies have shown the average speed hardly increases with speed limit raises, but rather legalizes an already established practice. For example, if there was a 65 limit, people drove 75 and you raise the limit to 75, people would not drive 85, but rather 76 or 77 mph.

People don't want to break the speed limit by default, people want a reasonable speed limit that fits the road.

You can't set the speed limit unreasonably low just because of a low percentage of statistical outliers (those who drive too fast everywhere).

[1995hoo]

Any updates on this? The article linked above says the Senate approved it, but a Google search reveals no further information.

I thought both Carolinas should have posted 75-mph limits on some roads (I emphasize "some"; certainly not even all Interstates would be appropriate for it) back when the NMSL was originally repealed.

[agentsteel53]

Several European countries recently increased the speed limit. Studies have shown the average speed hardly increases with speed limit raises, but rather legalizes an already established practice. For example, if there was a 65 limit, people drove 75 and you raise the limit to 75, people would not drive 85, but rather 76 or 77 mph.

indeed, when the speed limit is 75, I find myself going 82 or 83.  when the speed limit is 80, I increase maybe to 84, but generally keep it at 82 or 83.

I think if I drove the Texas road with a speed limit of 85, I'd probably go 82 or 83. 

except if there were no traffic - I'd happily do 97 or so.  I sometimes go that fast on rural two-laners like US-95 in Nevada.

[cpzilliacus]

except if there were no traffic - I'd happily do 97 or so.  I sometimes go that fast on rural two-laners like US-95 in Nevada.

I get the impression that if you are not in an urbanized area, nobody really cares how fast people drive in Nevada, at least in the "wide open" parts of the state.

Not based on personal experience - I have visited Nevada, but only around Lake Tahoe (which is pretty built-up).

[agentsteel53]

I get the impression that if you are not in an urbanized area, nobody really cares how fast people drive in Nevada, at least in the "wide open" parts of the state.

they seem to care about the rural drops from 70 to 55, as happen every so often due to terrain.  I once got pulled over for 77 in a 55, and got a verbal warning.  I simply had not adjusted my cruise control from 77 in a 70.

[vdeane]

Guess NC wants to one-up VA.

[Henry]

I thought both Carolinas should have posted 75-mph limits on some roads (I emphasize "some"; certainly not even all Interstates would be appropriate for it) back when the NMSL was originally repealed.

I can see the freeways closer to the coast (I-95, I-40 east of Raleigh, I-85 north of Durham) going to 75. Near the more built-up areas, not as much, although 70 might suffice there.

[1995hoo]

I thought both Carolinas should have posted 75-mph limits on some roads (I emphasize "some"; certainly not even all Interstates would be appropriate for it) back when the NMSL was originally repealed.

I can see the freeways closer to the coast (I-95, I-40 east of Raleigh, I-85 north of Durham) going to 75. Near the more built-up areas, not as much, although 70 might suffice there.

When I lived there in the mid-1990s I would not have listed I-85 north of Durham simply because the road was in horrible shape (ancient pavement that had been patched a few too many times). The State must have agreed because they left it at 65 mph when they began posting 70 in the summer of 1996. I recall there was also a lot of construction to repave and improve I-85 (when I lived there, they had not yet started the rebuild through Durham). I haven't been that way in several years, so I have no idea what the road is like now. The portion through Durham was unrecognizable the last time I passed through, though!

I-95 through the Lumberton area is one I would not post at 75 mph because it's so substandard in just about every way. Obviously it's not posted at 70 now, either.

[Strider]

I-85 north of Durham was already repaved a few years ago and looks much better. I-85 through Durham were widened and looks very modern (4+ lanes each way)

and I agree about I-95 in Lumberton.. its too substandard.

I think the first candidate for getting 75 mph should be I-77 north of I-40 towards Virginia. Then other roads can follow suit.

[lordsutch]

The real problem in NC isn't the 70 mph limit, it's the fact that NC (and SC) are far more conservative in allowing 70 mph speed limits than any other states with the 70 limit available for statewide use, particularly on the I-85 corridor but also elsewhere (I-77's drop to 55 mph in Statesboro might be justified, but the lengthy rural section south of there that's only signed for 65 really isn't).  Just allowing 75 in some areas will make the speed limit roulette issue in the state even worse, since I doubt any of the 55 and 65 zones will be bumped up too.

[Interstatefan78]

What about NC using 65 at an urban interstate like I-85  in Charlotte area and I-40 in the RDU area and rural sections between the two should be at 75mph. Last summer when I was VA used 55-60 mph on I-64 in Hampton Roads area and 65 mph from Newport News to Williamsburg and 70 mph from Williamsburg to RIC. It will make sense for NC to use 55-65 in an urban freeway while 70 in the suburban zone and finally 75 mph in the rural zone

[1995hoo]

I found the bill tracking info on the General Assembly's website. The House assigned it to committee and nothing's happened since mid-April.

Regarding the point "lordsutch" makes, it's certainly valid; I recall being rather annoyed at some of North Carolina's speed limit drops directly from 70 mph to 55 mph when you approached urban areas. But I think Virginia's pretty damn conservative in allowing 70-mph zones too. Only about 61% of our Interstates have the 70-mph limit and only one roughly 11-mile segment of non-Interstate has it (the new US-29 bypass around Lynchburg and Madison Heights, which is an Interstate look-alike). For that matter, Virginia's pretty conservative on speed limits on the whole–if you drive down US-29 south of Lynchburg, the speed limit is generally 60 mph but bumps up to 65 whenever the road bypasses a town that has a business route, then drops back down to 60 once the business route rejoins. Off the top of my head, I don't think we have any roads with at-grade intersections with a speed limit higher than 60 mph. But Virginia at least doesn't drop the limit from 70 directly to 55.

I did see a quotation in one of the news articles about the North Carolina proposal where a DOT official more or less acknowledged they wouldn't consider any segment not already posted at 70 mph for a 75-mph limit if the bill passes.

I always thought North Carolina's big problem was that they seemed more interested in building new four-lane highways when they should have focused more on maintaining what they'd already built. I recall Governor Hunt in the mid-1990s made a big deal about the NCDOT having a long-term plan to ensure a four-lane highway passed within ten miles of every resident of North Carolina with the exception of the barrier islands. I always thought that seemed like overkill when so many of the existing roads were either in crappy shape or in need of widening/upgrading (like, say, I-95, or back then I-85 north of Durham).

[agentsteel53]

I recall Governor Hunt in the mid-1990s made a big deal about the NCDOT having a long-term plan to ensure a four-lane highway passed within ten miles of every resident of North Carolina with the exception of the barrier islands.

"but governor, what about the barrier islands?"

"they vote Republican.  fuck 'em!"

(seriously, I would have thought that some of the more mountainous corners of Appalachia would have been more a challenge to four-lane.)

[WashuOtaku]

(seriously, I would have thought that some of the more mountainous corners of Appalachia would have been more a challenge to four-lane.)

There is a lot more people living in the North Carolina mountains than on the barrier island, most of whom only appear in the Summer months to their cottage slowly eroding into the Atlantic.  Besides the biggest city on the barrier island, Kill Devil Hills, is served by a four-lane highway (US 158); there is no justification to widen NC 12.

[Mapmikey]

For that matter, Virginia's pretty conservative on speed limits on the whole–if you drive down US-29 south of Lynchburg, the speed limit is generally 60 mph but bumps up to 65 whenever the road bypasses a town that has a business route, then drops back down to 60 once the business route rejoins. Off the top of my head, I don't think we have any roads with at-grade intersections with a speed limit higher than 60 mph. But Virginia at least doesn't drop the limit from 70 directly to 55.

There are definitely no speed limits above 60 on Virginia highways that aren't fully controlled access, which the US 29 bypasses from Amherst to Danville are.

Virginia is conservative on the speed limits...haven't been in a couple years but I don't understand why US 17 south of Saluda is still 55.

Mapmikey

[1995hoo]

A North Carolina House committee recommended passage of the 75-mph bill: http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/NC-House-panel-OKs-possible-75-mph-speed-limits-4608003.php

What I don't like is the statement that the current law making anything over 80 mph reckless driving, plus an automatic 30-day license suspension, would NOT be altered. Going a mere 5 mph over the speed limit should not, absent other aggravating circumstances, be automatic grounds for a reckless, much less grounds for a license suspension.

[WashuOtaku]

What I don't like is the statement that the current law making anything over 80 mph reckless driving, plus an automatic 30-day license suspension, would NOT be altered. Going a mere 5 mph over the speed limit should not, absent other aggravating circumstances, be automatic grounds for a reckless, much less grounds for a license suspension.

Just drive the speed limit then.   

[hbelkins]

What I don't like is the statement that the current law making anything over 80 mph reckless driving, plus an automatic 30-day license suspension, would NOT be altered. Going a mere 5 mph over the speed limit should not, absent other aggravating circumstances, be automatic grounds for a reckless, much less grounds for a license suspension.

Them too? Like their northern neighbor?

How many other states have a set speed that triggers reckless driving?

[WashuOtaku]

Them too? Like their northern neighbor?

How many other states have a set speed that triggers reckless driving?

Virginia calls it Reckless Driving if you are driving 20mph over the posted speed limit (felony or misdemeanor) or over 80mph (felony); of course they also call it reckless driving if you don't use your turn signal... they are uber strict with jail time.

South Carolina uses a point system, but generally says anytime driving over 25mph would be considered same as reckless, though you can probably get out of it.   

Georgia and Tennessee don't have anything written regards of excessive speeding becoming reckless driving.

[Henry]

What I don't like is the statement that the current law making anything over 80 mph reckless driving, plus an automatic 30-day license suspension, would NOT be altered. Going a mere 5 mph over the speed limit should not, absent other aggravating circumstances, be automatic grounds for a reckless, much less grounds for a license suspension.

Just drive the speed limit then.   

And this comes from the state that invented NASCAR? Bizarre 

[Thing 342]

Bill appears to have hit a snag:

NC House sends speed limit hike back to committee: http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/06/19/2975902/nc-speed-limit-debate-slowed-until.html#storylink=cpyhttp://www.newsobserver.com/2013/06/19/2975902/nc-speed-limit-debate-slowed-until.html

[Takumi]

And this comes from the state that invented NASCAR?

No, that's Florida, and has nothing to do with this anyway.

[WashuOtaku]

And... its officially dead:  http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/75_mph_dies_in_nc_house