Highest speed limit that you have seen while on the road.

[wxfree]

Those permanent "Bridge ices before road" signs are used in Texas, too.  Years ago they had the flip signs, and they were closed and opened each year.  On the bottom back side of the sign, which was exposed when it was closed, there was a "Don't mess with Texas" stamp.  I once saw a paper that showed when those signs were to be opened and closed, with longer open seasons to the north.

They're used everywhere.  In seems ridiculous, but I can see why you might want such signs in places where it isn't obvious that there's a bridge ahead.  There are culverts with dirt and grass on each side of the road, where you can drive by for years and not even know it isn't solid ground.  But if you're unfamiliar with the road, and the visibility isn't very good, which can happen in winter storms, it's nice to have a warning of a bridge ahead.

[US 89]

It amazes me how many people don't realize bridges ice up before the rest of the road does. Or that it often gets icy under bridges, which I'm not sure I've ever seen a sign for.

[Thunderbyrd316]

130 km/h on E18 in Finland (but now I believe the highest allowed there is 120 km/h now) and 80 MPH on I-15 in Utah.

I can't find much information on this old limit. About what time frame were you in Finland?

The 130 km/h limit on motorways was in effect in the 1990's and early 2000's, then it was cut back to 120 km/h.

Finland has higher speed limits during the warm season (roughly April to October).  November to March, posted limits go down to a maximum of 80 km/h on arterial highways and 100 km/h on motorways (yes, nearly all of the  speed limit signs outside urbanized  areas are changed-out twice a year).

Changed out? They can't just put a flap on it and flip it twice a year, like they do with the "bridge ices before road" signs in the US?

Fix that to: "...like they do in some southern states in the US?" The majority of states don't use flip signs, and even in states that do not all signs are designed to flip.

   Signs like this one are common all over the West Coast states. https://www.google.com/maps/@45.6432517,-118.6919579,3a,21.3y,151.17h,86.66t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sHZf0HTaZOW0DCznJthx5AQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

   I have seen lots of "hinged" signs like this that can be folded over when not needed as well.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/mirtai/379809940

[X99]

But are those signs flip signs?  Around this part of the country, they're usually on display on a permanent basis.

Yes, they are.

[michravera]

130 km/h on E18 in Finland (but now I believe the highest allowed there is 120 km/h now) and 80 MPH on I-15 in Utah.

I can't find much information on this old limit. About what time frame were you in Finland?

The 130 km/h limit on motorways was in effect in the 1990's and early 2000's, then it was cut back to 120 km/h.

Finland has higher speed limits during the warm season (roughly April to October).  November to March, posted limits go down to a maximum of 80 km/h on arterial highways and 100 km/h on motorways (yes, nearly all of the  speed limit signs outside urbanized  areas are changed-out twice a year).

Changed out? They can't just put a flap on it and flip it twice a year, like they do with the "bridge ices before road" signs in the US?

Fix that to: "...like they do in some southern states in the US?" The majority of states don't use flip signs, and even in states that do not all signs are designed to flip.

   Signs like this one are common all over the West Coast states. https://www.google.com/maps/@45.6432517,-118.6919579,3a,21.3y,151.17h,86.66t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sHZf0HTaZOW0DCznJthx5AQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

   I have seen lots of "hinged" signs like this that can be folded over when not needed as well.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/mirtai/379809940

The signs in the the California Sierras read "Bridge may be icy [even] when road is dry".

[cpzilliacus]

Changed out? They can't just put a flap on it and flip it twice a year, like they do with the "bridge ices before road" signs in the US?

That is not how they do it.

[cpzilliacus]

November to March, posted limits go down to a maximum of 80 km/h on arterial highways and 100 km/h on motorways (yes, nearly all of the  speed limit signs outside urbanized  areas are changed-out twice a year).

Willing to bet nobody actually slows down, rather it's just an artificial limit based on functional class and weather.

I am willing to bet that they do.  In Finland, traffic fines are set as a function of income (called "day fines").  So someone that has a salary of millions of Euros will pay much, much more than someone earning say €50,000 a year.

[jakeroot]

Changed out? They can't just put a flap on it and flip it twice a year, like they do with the "bridge ices before road" signs in the US?

That is not how they do it.

Why not? There's plenty of flippy signs throughout this country. Why not for speed limit signs?

[Tonytone]

Since the average speed has been increasing since cars were first made. When do you guys think we will see a 100mph speed limit that is safe to travel at & also feels comfortable.


What would have to change in order for this to occur.


iPhone

[jeffandnicole]

Since the average speed has been increasing since cars were first made. When do you guys think we will see a 100mph speed limit that is safe to travel at & also feels comfortable.


What would have to change in order for this to occur.


iPhone

Taking the controls out of the driver's hands.

Making sure all tires have ratings to handle 100 mph.

Tremendously safer safety equipment on the roads.  Guardrails and even concrete barriers aren't made to withstand 100 mph speeds, especially trucks.

Tremendously longer accel/decal lanes.  Even at the current preferred guidance of 1,200 feet, they would be too short for most vehicles to accelerate or decelerate in the proper amount of time.

Better lighting.  Remember your driver's instruction....don't drive faster than how far you can see.

Better radii on curve. 

Better roads overall, including what can and can't be controlled by transportation departments - better pavements; fewer potholes; less debris on the roadways.

[vdeane]

In Germany people regularly drive those speeds on the Autobahn without issue.  Why don't we just improve the driver education to their level, and then require everyone to retake training to the new standards by the next time they renew their licence after a five year grace period?

Though realistically, the entire culture surrounding enforcement will have to change.  As long as we remain focused on speed as the cause of all ills on the road and the insurance companies do all the safety studies, it won't happen.

[X99]

In Germany people regularly drive those speeds on the Autobahn without issue.  Why don't we just improve the driver education to their level, and then require everyone to retake training to the new standards by the next time they renew their licence after a five year grace period?

Though realistically, the entire culture surrounding enforcement will have to change.  As long as we remain focused on speed as the cause of all ills on the road and the insurance companies do all the safety studies, it won't happen.

It's not just the drivers' experience. The autobahns are better constructed and better maintained.

[jeffandnicole]

In Germany people regularly drive those speeds on the Autobahn without issue.  Why don't we just improve the driver education to their level, and then require everyone to retake training to the new standards by the next time they renew their licence after a five year grace period?

Though realistically, the entire culture surrounding enforcement will have to change.  As long as we remain focused on speed as the cause of all ills on the road and the insurance companies do all the safety studies, it won't happen.

You're basing your assumption on that all roads are built alike.

Autobahns are built with higher design speeds in mind, up to about 100 mph in some places, but often aren't much higher than 80 mph in other places.  Thus, things like curve radii are smoother, and sharper curves will have advisory speeds in place.

Cars sold in Germany will have tires enginered for higher speeds.

Many medians will have concrete barriers.  Guard rails and cable barriers run much of the length of right shoulders.

Many vehicles other than cars do have speed limits to obey.

And finally...believe it or not, hundreds of people die every year on the autobahns.  Many thousands more are in accidents!

So clearly it's not just driver education.  And clearly drivers in Germany definitely have issues when driving!

[vdeane]

I wouldn't say that the Autobahn has universally higher standards than the interstates.  Take a look here.  That left shoulder is WAY too narrow, and the way the right shoulder just disappears for the deceleration lane would NEVER be allowed here.  They don't look unusually straight compared to rural interstates, either.

Honestly, I'd be happy if the speed limits on the rural interstates were raised to 75-80 and the urban ones to 65 where roadway geometry isn't substandard, which would be in line with the rest of Europe (even Italy, which has crazy merges from tight ramps like this (which honestly reminds me of an old-style NY parkway with a ramp ending in a stop sign!)), but we won't even get that.

[1995hoo]

This discussion of flip signs makes me think of Rosco P. Coltrane's speed trap.

[webny99]

It amazes me how many people don't realize bridges ice up before the rest of the road does.

Is it that they don't realize, or simply don't care?

In my case, I'm well aware that the bridges ice first, but if there's snow and/or ice, I'm going to be exercising caution anyways, so I've never thought it was a particularly worthwhile thing to point out. It's not going to affect my driving behavior either way, and I'm certainly not going to brake/slow way down for every bridge I encounter.

[kphoger]

When do you guys think we will see a 100mph speed limit

2018.

Well, technically, the speed limit on this motorway in the UAE is only 99.4 mph (160km/h), but camera enforcement begins at 100.0 mph (161 km/h).

[Tonytone]

When do you guys think we will see a 100mph speed limit

2018.

Well, technically, the speed limit on this motorway in the UAE is only 99.4 mph (160km/h), but camera enforcement begins at 100.0 mph (161 km/h).

LMAO WHAT! Enforcement begins at 100 MPH who is gonna keep their speed @99mph. I guess this will
Prevent speeding unless you want a nice fine. But also kinda dumb imo. Atleast do 106MPH for ticket enforcement.


iPhone

[cl94]

I wouldn't say that the Autobahn has universally higher standards than the interstates.  Take a look here.  That left shoulder is WAY too narrow, and the way the right shoulder just disappears for the deceleration lane would NEVER be allowed here.  They don't look unusually straight compared to rural interstates, either.

Which is why the limit on that stretch is only 100 km/h. Typically, Germany won't do unrestricted unless it's 6+ lanes and modern standards.