California looks to change how speed limits are set

[nexus73]

http://www.landlinemag.com/todays_news/Daily/2011/Aug11/080811/081111-02.shtml

This story sure makes it sound like that speed traps will become more common in California.  Be very careful in the Golden State!

Rick

[agentsteel53]

this looks to be enforcing the lower speed limits (20, 25, 30, 35, etc) present in town conditions.  seeing as in towns I'm usually doing about the limit, or slightly under it, because I'm peering down every side street for interesting stuff, it should not be a problem.

I can tell you from experience that the level of freeway speed limit enforcement has increased by about a factor of 50 in the last 8 months or so.  gone are the days when I could do a San Diego to Sacramento run averaging 91mph (not bad, given that there's likely two 0mph gas stops involved).  I have, in recent times, passed cops doing 77 in a 70, and 73 in a 65, without any attention being paid to me.  But, they are out there...

I think the last bastion of speeding is uphill on the Donner Pass.  Did 90-110 the whole way up.  On the way down, I counted about 16 highway patrol vehicles between the summit and, say, Colfax or so.  About 60 miles.  Insane levels of enforcement.  Kept it at about 68-73 in a 65, and was not harassed.

(and yes, I have seen cops enforcing the speed limit going up the Grapevine.  Damn.)

[vdeane]

I'm guessing they're trying to shore up the budget.  NY has been doing stuff like that for years now.  They've even been known to have a police car immediately before a speed limit increase to ticket people accelerating to the increase.

[roadfro]

So my understanding is that the normal process for setting speed limits in CA is to do a speed study. If the 85th percentile speed is 32, the limit is raised to 35. From my read, this bill would allow local governments the option to take those same results and round the speed down to 30 mph after doing a traffic study.

I'm somewhat torn on this. One thing is certain: this law would probably require changing provisions in the CA MUTCD, which IIRC, have specific standards about the setting of speed limits.