How are you impeding anyone if no one is going/supposed to be going over 55?

Paul

 

When I listen to the video, the fellow on the cell phones says "there is like a pack of cars blocking off 35 going like 50", this is below the speed limit but that is not my point.

The argument that I see being made at the start of the video is that the police don't ticket drivers for going 20 mph over the speed limit in a 55 mph speed zone. So the premise is made that the defacto speed limit is really 75 mph. The veiw then put forward is that it is stupid for the police to allow people to drive 20 mph over the posted speed but then ticket someone driving at 80 mph which is only 5 mph over the defacto speed of 75 mph. The relationship between the posted speed and defacto speed sounds good but it is not logical.

If you try to follow the logic used in the video to a conclusion it would go something like this; You can drive 20 mph over the speed limit of 55 mph and not get a ticket so the speed limit is really 75 mph, you can drive 20 mph over the speed limit and not get a ticket so the speed limit is really 95 mph, etc...... to no end.

Blocking traffic to show that people drive faster than the posted speed limit doesn't make this argument any more logical. The statement "Drivers aren't supposed to speed so I'm not impeding them when I drive at the speed limit." is not correct either, because drivers do speed. When you drive at the speed limit in the left lane you are impeding law breakers and we don't like that.

 

Isn't impeding law breakers a civic duty? All evil needs for it to thrive is for good people to do nothing.


Paul

 

Otherwise your aiding and abetting the criminal

 

Civic duty is for Honda owners.

 

Those that cite the autobahn as rational for higher speeds in the US are a bit off the mark IMO. First, getting a driver's license in Germay is serious business, and involves far more demonstrating that you understand K-turns, parallel parking and what to do when a traffic light turns yellow. Second, the type of behaviour one routinely sees in the US, simple stuff like failure to keep right, passing on the right, etc isn't tolerated, let alone the level of stupidity involving cell phones, make up, lovers, books, what have you that can be found on US highways. Third, the autobahn is highly monitored. There are cameras everywhere, computer driven signage warning of road conditions and specially trained polizei. Finally the autobahn were engineered for this type of speed in terms of banking, corner radii and ocular clues. Most highways in the US are not. Germans take this stuff much more seriously. Hell, Porsches weren't available with cup holders until 2002. It should be obvious as to why.

In a perfect world, enforcement on the highway would be generally around driving rationally, not the absolute speed. It's probably at least as dangerous to be traveling at 50 in traffic going 75, as it is doing 90. 25 MPH of closing speed is pretty serious for the average driver. Certainly the vehicle and its operating condition plays an important role as well. For example, how many people do you know that think nothing of driving a car on three tires of one manufacturer and one from another. I had an accident once in which a guy was passing me and his car was so rusty that the front end of the car literally fell off as he was doing so. Swerved, hit me and sent me straight into a telephone pole. The car had an inspection sticker on it and was legal, but obviously shouldn't have been.

Owning an F250 and a Porsche 911, I can state definitively that the 911 is generically a far safer car at 75 than the truck is at 55. OTOH, on a relatively open highway in light traffic and good weather, doing 80 in an F250 with a 5000# trailer on the back isn't particularly risky (not that I've ever done that mind you ). The issue is the conditions you do it under. There are stretches of highway where any fool could easily do triple digits comfortably. But not if its raining. Not if the road is congested. Not if they're on a cell phone.

We live in a country filled to brim with poorly trained drivers who figure that the size of the vehicle and the number of airbags they possess are adequate insurance against injury. You can only have open speed limits, if people are truly wiliing to take reponsibility, not only for themselves, but those around them as well. Most Americans are far too arrogant and selfish for that.

 

If you want to see rolling road blocks just head down I 95 in feb or march and see the old folks with the "white knuckle death grip" in their 2003 yoyagers stuck at 65 in the passing lane.If anything will **** u off more than following them for 4 miles until they wake up, and then another 2 miles while they stare at you in their rear view mirrors, and then another 5 miles before they figure out which signal light to turn on ,then finally they run into some innocent in the centre lane minding his own business.No kidding,

 

rjmann.

It boils down to the responsibility of the drivers. If these kids are more concerned with how easy it is to speed. Why not go to the manufacturers and ask why they build cars that will exceed all posted speed limits in the US? When they can, by computer, limit the speed of any new vehicle made today. Why not do that? Probably just because they want to drive faster without the worry of getting a speeding ticket. And these are the same kids that if there were more enforcement on the highways to give tickets. They would be yelling to much authority.

Just because not everyone that goes a few miles over the limit gets a ticket. It doesn't mean to raise the limits or abolish them. There's just not enough enforcement in this country. Oh, there could be. Speed cameras. Then you would have these same kids screaming about big brother watching them.

 

I too thought they would do some in car camera work of them driving 55 in ONE lane, not block them all off. I applaud this vid because it really proves a point that it is generally acceptable to run at 70+ in a 55 zone. If anyone actually obeys the 55 limit, they are a hazard to themselves and other drivers.....that's the point.

This also hits home with me because I spent 18 months in ATL and received a speeding ticket for 83 mph in a 55 zone on that exact same freeway (I-285 perimeter). That was a $400 ticket. BS

FYI the entire ATL perimeter is 55 mph so don't go more than 75.

 

I think they had good intentions, but ended up causing a situation in which someone could have been hurt or worse. Sadly their point is moot and anyone who has crossed state lines between a state with a 65 limit to one with a 75 limit can tell you this. It doesn't matter where the speed limit is, people will speed. I tend to not go more than 10 mph over unless the entire highway is, then I try to stay with the slightly slower traffic and stay out of the way of those who want to go nuts. Off the highway I try to make it a self-enforced rule of no more than 5 over. If the posted speed limit is 90 people will go 110. Moral of the story is that while the 55 limit is rediculous it will probably keep most people from going over 80 in most conditions. Now raise it to 75. Do you really think people will stick between 75-85. I highly doubt it. So what is the safer seed in the eyes of lawmakers? A 55mph speed limit that keeps the majority of people from going over 80, or a higher 75mph speed limit that will allow those same people another 20mph of freedom they think will still be there? I guess there really isn't a "correct" answer to that question, still it is what the lawmakers I'm sure take into account when determining safe speeds. If you want to go fast, I have no problem moving out of the left lane for you.

PS: I loved that Post hoc ergo propter hoc reference. For those who don't know it is "After this, therefore because of this". A logical fallacy.

 

Just throwing something out there, back when there was a national 55 limit many area could get away with 80 in 55 since those same spots the limit went up to 65,70,75 and it was inforced strictly thus actually lower the common speed of traffic so be careful what you wish for...

 

Don't buy it. 75-80 is a comfortable cruise any faster and the ride isn't going to be "comfortable". I have driven on the Autobahn (quiet head bow) and while flying was fun for a short period it was 75-80 that I settled down to. As the limit increases the amount over speeders isn't going to grow it will diminish as you approach the comfort level of travel.


Speed limits being arbitrary and enforment subjective is the problem. The 55 saves live campaign... did it save lives? I mean since we got rid of it have our highways been awash in blood?

Of course the trues part of your post..this is no correct answer. If there was it would be obvious and we would have come to it.


paul


Paul