Speed Kills, every K over is a killer

[orimarc]

QFT. Any driving test which teaches you how to powerslide must be awesome.

Come on. You want every chav to try to do a powerslide in their (usually) riced FWD econobox?

 

[Famine]

Oddly, we were talking about this very subject just last week elsewhere. I shall post here what I posted there:

advanced techniques such oversteer/understeer correction

That's the last thing I want a 17 year old Saxo driver to know. For public road driving, oversteer/understeer prevention should be taught.

Passive techniques need to be taught - how to drive so that you don't require emergency correction - before active techniques. Teach the kids how to drive based on what they can detect before you teach them to avoid hazards they haven't detected and, in theory, they won't need to use avoidance quite so often.


Same goes for adverse conditions. Teach them how to drive sensibly in rain/snow/fog rather than how to gather it up when it goes wrong in rain/snow/fog. Then teach them how to gather it up.

 

[Keef]

One of them is a lieutenant, but the other is a civilian technician.

I thought I linked the story, but see now that I didn't. Here it is:
http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/052610/new_644535855.shtml

Check this bit out:

The cameras work so well at deterring drivers from running red lights that they no longer generate revenue for the county government. Money from fines is set aside to operate the cameras, and officials expect them to run a $53,000 deficit next year. Funding left over from past years' fines will be used to plug the hole, Reddish said.

Now we can start complaining to our governments not only that the cameras should be illegal, but that they waste money! Cool, now we've got two arguments against it. As a matter of fact, the wasted money is what made Dayton get rid of theirs. After "last year's" revenues run out how is Athens going to pay for these cameras then? They'll be blowing about $50,000 a year while not reducing the net accidents at these intersections at all.

That's another thing that's always gotten to me about these red light cameras. They're always there in the same spots. Places like my town, West Carrollton, put them there even though nobody ever comes through here unless they always come through here, which means that they know the cameras are there, which means that they don't run the lights. Does the city really think we're so dumb that we'll forget the cameras from one day to the next? Besides all the legality issues they end up wasting money, or people refuse to pay the fines, etc.

 

[Jondot]

British motorways have a design minimum speed of 100mph - any car should be technically capable of travelling at 100mph on any stretch of road designated as motorway - but a legislated maximum of 70mph, despite this representing no decrease in risk compared to 100mph.

All except the Leeds Inner Ring Road, which is simply a dual carriageway that the council branded 'motorway' in order to keep pedestrians off it. And which gets a bit hairy after 60. Fun fact there.

 

[Famine]

When I get Marvin done, we'll give that a whirl.

 

[Gil]

.

It was also mentioned that they create another issue-you spend so much time looking at the speedo that you're not really looking at the road.

Most drivers that are worthy of the title, can adjust/regulate their speed to the speed of those around them and keep pace.
If you are driving along, and passing everyone, you notice.
If you are driving along, and everyone is passing you, you notice.

I make the drive from Kansas City, to Colorado Springs several times a year, and the AVERAGE rate of speed is approx 5-10 MPH over the posted Speed Limit.
Also, the Truckers, seem to regulate the appropriate pace for the conditions. If there is inclement weather, they slow down and stagger themselves in the lanes just enough to keep other drivers from hooligan antics.

I won't bore you with number of KHP cars I've passed travelling in excess of the speed limit. But the KHP seems to only intervene if someone is driving blatantly recklessly, or going way faster or slower than the prevailing rate of speed.

 

[Small_Fryz]

I just find it strange that the speed limit on the open highways have stayed the same for ~35yrs and yet roads and definetly cars have improved. Some of the decent highways could easily sustain speed limits approaching 140kph and with proper lane useage (trucks in far left etc) Im positive it would improve traffic flow and not cause any extra crashes.

 

[Northstar]

I just find it strange that the speed limit on the open highways have stayed the same for ~35yrs and yet roads and definetly cars have improved. Some of the decent highways could easily sustain speed limits approaching 140kph and with proper lane useage (trucks in far left etc) Im positive it would improve traffic flow and not cause any extra crashes.

It really depends on where you drive, most of the time the roads are decent around here, however there are some sections where going the speed limit is scary as the roads are terrible. Plus, even if all the roads could support extremely fast speeds, the drivers probably couldn't.

 

[FoolKiller]

I just find it strange that the speed limit on the open highways have stayed the same for ~35yrs and yet roads and definetly cars have improved. Some of the decent highways could easily sustain speed limits approaching 140kph and with proper lane useage (trucks in far left etc) Im positive it would improve traffic flow and not cause any extra crashes.

Some speed limits have risen. Kentucky, and many of the surrounding states have gone from 65mph to 70mph on the open interstate, but city limits, residential zones, and construction zones remain unchanged.

 

[Eric.]

You surely heard about the new rule in Ohio saying that police officers can pull anybody over for speeding if they think they were speeding. They require no objective proof anymore. They may be witnessing you speed if you actually are, but they don't know you were speeding unless they measure it, right? Wrong. They've spent a week judging speed. They're professionals.

And the reasoning for that is that the officers questioned about that can usually guess a car's speed within 5 mph...

So if I go look at a typical 55mph highway, and look at any given car, I can safely guess they are doing 60mph. That 5mph margin of error lets me think they may be going the speed limit or up to 65. I'm a highly trained officer!


Also interesting is that Illinois interstates have a speed limit of 65mph, but it had been 55mph for trucks and trailers over a certain weight. Semis would still drive 65-70, sometimes 75, just below the speed of most normal traffic usually. As of this year they can legally drive 65mph. Of course nobody's driving habits were really affected by that.

As for my own driving habits, I drive the speed limit or about 5mph over in residential and city areas, unless that holds up the flow of traffic. On the highway I do 55-60, and usually it is 55 unless, again, I'm holding up traffic and making it more dangerous by them trying to pass me. Interstate, I usually won't go over 75, but I'll drive 80 for short periods when it looks clear. I've had one speeding ticket, doing 75 in a 55, on an empty (minus a State Cop) highway that was perfectly safe for it, when I was late for a class.

 

[Jondot]

And the reasoning for that is that the officers questioned about that can usually guess a car's speed within 5 mph...

So if I go look at a typical 55mph highway, and look at any given car, I can safely guess they are doing 60mph. That 5mph margin of error lets me think they may be going the speed limit or up to 65. I'm a highly trained officer!

And if we're to believe Ford, drive a new Fiesta and Mr Policeman will think you're doing 130 even when you've stopped at a red light.

Y'know, I've unintentionally designed them a new ad campaign there.

 

[Keef]

And the reasoning for that is that the officers questioned about that can usually guess a car's speed within 5 mph...

So if I go look at a typical 55mph highway, and look at any given car, I can safely guess they are doing 60mph. That 5mph margin of error lets me think they may be going the speed limit or up to 65. I'm a highly trained officer!

Yeah, it's a bunch of crap. I haven't heard anything about court cases over it yet.

Also interesting is that Illinois interstates have a speed limit of 65mph, but it had been 55mph for trucks and trailers over a certain weight. Semis would still drive 65-70, sometimes 75, just below the speed of most normal traffic usually. As of this year they can legally drive 65mph. Of course nobody's driving habits were really affected by that.

That's pretty much how it works everywhere I've been. One of those redneck comedians has a joke about how there's so many different speed limits, and how having everyone going the same speed on the same road can't be done because it just makes too much sense.

As for my own driving habits, I drive the speed limit or about 5mph over in residential and city areas, unless that holds up the flow of traffic. On the highway I do 55-60, and usually it is 55 unless, again, I'm holding up traffic and making it more dangerous by them trying to pass me. Interstate, I usually won't go over 75, but I'll drive 80 for short periods when it looks clear. I've had one speeding ticket, doing 75 in a 55, on an empty (minus a State Cop) highway that was perfectly safe for it, when I was late for a class.

That's when you need a radar detector. Laser is a pain to use so when there's no traffic they'll use their radar. They can't mistake the reading for a different car because you're the only one on the road. That combined with careful scouting works well it seems. Of course it's more risky to speed when you're the only car on the road. I don't worry about it at all during rush hour, everyone is going fast and the cop wouldn't have a chance of pulling out into traffic anyway.

I don't advise speeding everywhere you go since it can definitely be dangerous, just stating the fact that you can't get in trouble for it if they don't catch you.

 

[Eric.]

I also have a V1.


Something I forgot to mention is that some places in Illinois are enforcing photo radar in work zones, and 1mph over the posted work speed limit is a $375 fine mailed to your door. Second offense is somewhere in the four digits and a nine month driving suspension.

Which is all fine when workers are there, but this is 24/7 enforcement.

 

[Keef]

I also have a V1.

Which is all fine when workers are there, but this is 24/7 enforcement.

The State is the only one not complaining about it, I assure you. As a matter of fact I think Top Gear has complained about it on numerous occasions lol.

 

[Sam48]

(All I looked at was the title of the thread. I skipped reading most all comments, so this may have been posted earlier).

"Speed has never killed anyone. Suddenly becoming stationary, that's what gets you". -Jeramy Clarkson.

 

[Eric.]

Also odd (not sure how common it is elsewhere) is that further north on I-57 in Illinois there are signs warning that speed is verified by aircraft. They fly Cessna's to look for speeders...That sounds real freaking cost efficient...Every car that gets stopped better be written up for everything possible because just a $75 speeding ticket probably isn't going to cover much flight time.

 

[Crash]

Also odd (not sure how common it is elsewhere) is that further north on I-57 in Illinois there are signs warning that speed is verified by aircraft. They fly Cessna's to look for speeders...That sounds real freaking cost efficient...Every car that gets stopped better be written up for everything possible because just a $75 speeding ticket probably isn't going to cover much flight time.

They do that along I-5 in California's Central Valley too. I don't know how often they do it there, but the few times I drove through, I didn't see anything.

My guess is, they will only bring out the aircraft if quite a few people are obviously speeding significantly. In that straight stretch of I-5, a lot of people go significantly quicker than above speed limit, and if California really wanted to, I'm sure they can nab a lot of people, otherwise you're right, it won't be very cost effective.

 

[TheBook]

US-131 about half an hour from my house does that too. Granted, it's a 55 zone on a divided highway, so nearly everyone does 70. It's reasonably cost effective for them then, I would assume.

 

[Danoff]

 

[Grayfox]

They have had no measurable effect in the UK.

And if they show a decline that could be due to safer cars.

 

[Kent]

In court the other day I heard a guy talking to an attorney about speeding tickets... Dude got caught over 140mph on in a 70mph zone and got a day in jail for every mph over 100.

That alone will keep me from ever excessively speeding.
No joy ride at high speed is worth even a single night in jail.

 

[Joel]

*Speed kills your pocketbook*

Thanks for posting that, the speed limits here are just comically low. The 400 series highways in Ontario are 3-6 lanes, well maintained, with concrete barriers, and each side is separated by a median that's roughly 20m wide. The limits are still 100km/h. Everyone drives 120-130 on the 400 series, and on the private toll highway it's common to see people driving 140+ km/h. The worst part is we have a "street racing" law that calls for roadside suspension and your car gets impounded if you're exceeding the limit by 50km/h. So if you're driving at 150km/h on a virtually empty toll highway in a modern car on a gorgeous summer day, you're street racing and deserve to have your car impounded.

It's all just a big scam. It doesn't make sense to have limits that were set 50 years ago apply to roads and cars that have been engineered today. Virtually everyone that is under 60 and doesn't drive a beige Camry drives at 120-130 km/h. It's perfectly safe, and it's time for the laws to reflect that. It's insulting to the engineers that design the roads and cars we drive to say that 100km/h is the highest safe speed you can drive at.

 

[1241Penguin]

Where I live, nobody follows the 50 km/h speed limit in the more rural roads. Everybody is going 60 km/h at least. The only time I see people going 50 km/h is in the more urban areas where the cars are so jam packed that they simply can't go very fast. Similarly, on the freeways with a median in the middle, nobody does 90 km/h, everyone is going 100 km/h at least.

Why is it that rural speed limits and urban speed limits are the same in Canada (or at least where I live)?

 

[DK]

[Low speed limits are] all just a big scam. It doesn't make sense to have limits that were set 50 years ago apply to roads and cars that have been engineered today. Virtually everyone that is under 60 and doesn't drive a beige Camry drives at 120-130 km/h. It's perfectly safe, and it's time for the laws to reflect that. It's insulting to the engineers that design the roads and cars we drive to say that 100km/h is the highest safe speed you can drive at.

What if that's a 2.2 Camry?

The same happens in Ireland and, as far as I know, Britain. My Dad would typically hit 85mph/140km/h in his van, and when my mother drives on Irish motorways with 120km/h speed limits, she has to stick to the slow lane because those in the fast lane are doing at least 140km/h.

 

[terminator363]

Speed Kills Your Pocket Book Youtube Video

Edit: Tree'd

 

[orimarc]

*video*

*video*

I sense a glitch in the matrix...

 

[LeMansAid]

I sometimes wonder if policing the roads should go back to being more of an art than a science (or a combination) to be more effective. Someone could be travelling at 40kph in a particular 50kph zone and be more dangerous than another doing 80kph in a 60kph zone. Context is very much key, and the width of the road, number of parked cars, time of day, and any number of other variables can come in to play. Sometimes much more than the technical limit.

I'm also astonished by how often people are caught speeding and under the influence at the same time. I know if I had even the slightest concern that I was over the alcohol limit, I'd be extra careful not to exceed the speed limit, for my sake and general safety's sake.

As ever it comes down to getting idiots, and people that overestimate their ability off the road, but while cops continue to have fine quotas......

 

[niky]

The problem is any amount of alcohol will affect the prefrontal cortex... which is responsible for impulse control. If you are an experienced drinker, you get used to it, and can exercise more self-control, but it is no longer automatic.

Of course, many people who are caught DWI/DUI are repeat offenders... so even experience doesn't guarantee the development of self-control.

 

[sems4arsenal]

Atleast you have speed limits over here they are only applied occasionally on the major highways.

 

[eight6er]

What always bothers me, is if it's supposedly about safety (which everyone knows it's not) and I'm going 10 mph over the speed limit. How is it safer to send a car after me at a higher speed again? Then have to get me to stop on the side of the road somewhere, probably blocking the hard shoulder too. All to give me a fine, with cars passing by at 100+kph while closer than arms length.
The way I see it is the possibility of an accident is much higher now because the police want to get money from me.