REPORT: Utah DoT admits higher speed limits has worked out to less speeding
Sorry, I don't buy the safety thing for a second. You want to make it safe, there are plenty more ways to do that then to set arbitrarily low speed limits. A limiter is not one of them. Many cars already have them inplace anyway, just at higher speeds that folks shouldn't be exercising on public roads anyway
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Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 94,328
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From: Virginia/D.C. suburbs
Plus Mike, I'm going to have to disagree with you on the point of safe limits by engineers. There are plenty of roadways here where 65 is just pathetic. I go 65-68 for gas mileage purposes, but everyone flies by me at 70-80+ and they are holding the road just fine, no swerving, nothing of the sort. Wet and Ice weather dictate common sense, if you are stupid enough to speed and act the fool in those conditions, you're asking for an accident, whether going 80 or 65.
As far as the Interstates themselves go, some stretches in states like North Dakota, Montana, Kansas, etc....that have flat, arrow-straight, uncluttered stretches for miles, maybe (?) they could use some higher limits......but 75-80 is already pretty good as it is. But, to have an 80 MPH limit on the Interstate 495 Beltway here in the D.C. area, or around NYC, or even Los Angeles, especially during rush hour, would be insane.
Last edited by mmarshall; Oct 27, 2009 at 07:33 PM.
F is for Fraud
Joined: Aug 2009
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From: Québec
Lets see, if you are legally not allowed to go over 80, but have the capability of doing so, then the only purpose of allowing the ability of going those speeds is to bank on the assumption people will break the law, and the government will generate revenue.
Sorry, I don't buy the safety thing for a second. You want to make it safe, there are plenty more ways to do that then to set arbitrarily low speed limits. A limiter is not one of them. Many cars already have them inplace anyway, just at higher speeds that folks shouldn't be exercising on public roads anyway.
Sorry, I don't buy the safety thing for a second. You want to make it safe, there are plenty more ways to do that then to set arbitrarily low speed limits. A limiter is not one of them. Many cars already have them inplace anyway, just at higher speeds that folks shouldn't be exercising on public roads anyway
.
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 94,328
Likes: 236
From: Virginia/D.C. suburbs
But, I am opposed to the idea of limiters for other reasons. To have them, in some circumstances, would actually impede safety. A classic example is on a two-lane road where you are trying to pass a large vehicle, are in the oncoming-traffic lane with cars coming towards you, and need a quick burst of speed to safely pass the vehicle and tuck back in your lane to avoid a head-on. Head-on-collisions on two-lane roads are a major cause of traffic fatalities.....they are one of the most dangerous types of accidents one can have.
^Make it a non blind 'smart' limiter. Have a sensor, laser if you may, infront of the car that if you were attempting to pass someone, the limiter would normally let you go 10mph over posted limit, but if you need to pass and you reach that 10, and someone is coming head on to you, the limiter would temporarily shut off until you get back to your lane. This is all within the realm of possibility and personally I think it would reduce the need for cops sitting on the sides of the road, and speed traps in general which can cause accidents too.
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Nov 2008
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From: tech capital
Appropriate speeds for conditions is always the rule, as practiced by good drivers. And open dry highways with very little traffic in the daytime, speeds in the West are often in the 80-85mph. Today in Central CA returning from Lake Tahoe, I rolled by a CHP car sitting with KA radar on at 80mph, no problem.
F is for Fraud
Joined: Aug 2009
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From: Québec
^Make it a non blind 'smart' limiter. Have a sensor, laser if you may, infront of the car that if you were attempting to pass someone, the limiter would normally let you go 10mph over posted limit, but if you need to pass and you reach that 10, and someone is coming head on to you, the limiter would temporarily shut off until you get back to your lane. This is all within the realm of possibility and personally I think it would reduce the need for cops sitting on the sides of the road, and speed traps in general which can cause accidents too.
. Basic economics.
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F is for Fraud
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,174
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From: Québec
As with all new techs, I feel it would be best to implement them onto high end vehicles first. Test how they work there as a 'safety' feature. If it turned out positive results, then producing them more efficiently and at greater volume would do just the opposite and reduce costs. When you mass produce, that generally drives costs down . Basic economics.
. Basic economics.
Oh yee of little faith, where did seat belts originate, where did TCS originate, ABS, where did airbags come from? They weren't standard on all cars, TCS still isn't, but I believe with due time, that will eventually change. My point, all safety techs originated in higher end vehicles and slowly trickled their way down to the everyday car. Who would buy it? The father who wants to make sure his spoiled daughter doesn't go speeding around in her new Mercedes, folks who generally don't want to be tempted to go higher speeds because knowing they can't will help relieve them of that temptation.
Honestly, if implemented correctly, I could only see good coming from this tech, maybe you'll have your quirks here or there, but with all the other safety tech, this one doesn't seem to unfeasable, and will actually help reduce unwarranted speeding, with respect to the location.
Honestly, if implemented correctly, I could only see good coming from this tech, maybe you'll have your quirks here or there, but with all the other safety tech, this one doesn't seem to unfeasable, and will actually help reduce unwarranted speeding, with respect to the location.
Guys, I once had a tire blow out at 85 mph, on an interstate. It literally shred into pieces. Luckily I was able not to lose control of the car, and was able to slow down and pull to the shoulder safely. Had I been going any faster, I could've lost control of the car, and I don't even wanna think about what would happen, there were two 18 wheelers right behind me.
So while everything is well, 85mph is a reasonable speed, but if something goes wrong, accidents at these speeds car be horrendous.
I personally try not to speed, but unfortunately sometimes you almost have to. Most interstates around here have 65mph posted speed limit, and its 55mph for trucks. Yet the trucks don't seem to give a care about these speed limits and just drive at their full speed, which is 68mph. And being stuck behind an 18 wheeler, especially in bad weather with the water/show flying from his tires onto your windshield and in dry weather sand from their tires sandblasting your car is just scary. And if you try to slow down, they will pull behind you, blind you with their headlights, tailgate you, and start passing you. So you pretty much have no choice but drive over the limit, and I try not to exceed 75mph.
So while everything is well, 85mph is a reasonable speed, but if something goes wrong, accidents at these speeds car be horrendous.
I personally try not to speed, but unfortunately sometimes you almost have to. Most interstates around here have 65mph posted speed limit, and its 55mph for trucks. Yet the trucks don't seem to give a care about these speed limits and just drive at their full speed, which is 68mph. And being stuck behind an 18 wheeler, especially in bad weather with the water/show flying from his tires onto your windshield and in dry weather sand from their tires sandblasting your car is just scary. And if you try to slow down, they will pull behind you, blind you with their headlights, tailgate you, and start passing you. So you pretty much have no choice but drive over the limit, and I try not to exceed 75mph.
I really need a radar detector.
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 94,328
Likes: 236
From: Virginia/D.C. suburbs
I got clocked traveling 87 in a 65 in San Mateo- luckily the trooper was nice enough to mark it down to an 80+. It was 9:30 PM, there were very few cars on the freeway, and I felt that my speed was reasonable for the given conditions (light traffic, long stretch of straight road).
I really need a radar detector.
I really need a radar detector.