are speed limits really necessary?

[JTruck]

While there may be less accidents with higher speed limits, the amount of fatality crashes would sky rocket compared to the speed limit now.

[CamaroSkooter]

Originally Posted by JTruckenbrod

While there may be less accidents with higher speed limits, the amount of fatality crashes would sky rocket compared to the speed limit now.

According to what data?

[LOWDOWN]

1) Revenue generation is not a new circumstance...or even a recently-created activity. It's been so, forever. Someone on FB recently posted a copy of a Police Dep't request for a more-powerful cruiser spec. The reason? "Increased revenue generation". The year? 1966...

2) Undisciplined Driving: As long as our culture maintains the "inalienable right" to drive in any lane at any speed chosen, that approximates the posted limit, you'll have a serious issue with significantly raised or eliminated speed limits. There are folks who think its absolutely fine to drive at, or just slightly above, the posted speed limit ON CRUISE CONTROL in the far left lane and, come Hell or high water, will STAY in the far left lane...even when there is NO ONE near them in a more right hand lane. In the middle of LA, or in the middle of Kansas, to them it doesn't matter. Flash your lights or honk your horn? Fuggetaboutit!! Pass them on the right and YOU risk a citation in many jurisdictions.

In multi-vehicle accidents involving "speed", it's NOT the higher speed that's the absolute problem (often) as much as it is the DIFFERENTIAL of speeds two vehicles many be travelling. Someone overtaking a 60 mph vehicle while going 80 better be prepared for inattentive OR busy-body OR "It's MY road" drivers to simply make a lane change, without signalling or looking or even caring what might be coming up behind them. "I'm making a lane change", whether the way is clear or not.

Proof? How many of us have had someone pull over in front of us "just because"? Because they may perceive they're doing "society" a favor by slowing that silly ba$tard coming at "1,000 mph"? [I see most people nodding...]

Now, remove the speed limit and see what happens...

If ALL traffic is moving at roughly the same speed (no lolly-gaggers, no Land Speed Record attempters), things generally flow smoothly on a clear, dry day. Change ANY of those variables, and you get variable results!

[Angrybird 12]

Originally Posted by CamaroSkooter

And that's exactly the reason I believe the United States should make driver's education a little more comprehensive as well as making the driving tests required to obtain a driver's license a little more difficult. I also think testing should be required periodically (say, every 4 years) to prove that you have still retained the required knowledge to operate a motor vehicle safely on a public roadway.

You simply cannot design a roadway for the stupidity of people. Because no matter how idiot-proof you make something, an even bigger idiot will come along and prove you wrong.

Roadways should continue to be designed for the expected intelligence of a competent driver, and let natural selection take care of the idiots.

They don't even use what little drivers education they get now. They ignore even the most basic rules of the road you have to know to get a license. So how do you think more education will help? They will ignore that just as well..
It's easy to pass tests then ignore what was on them, everyone has to be able to stop properly at stop signs or stop lights or they don't get a license correct? So how many people still run them? They will do it for a test because they have to.... Also I bet 1/3 of drivers don't even have licenses... Look in the paper at the police blotter and just see how many people get stopped for something and have no license or are driving on a revoked or suspended license.
More education and retesting will make little difference.

I blame it more on lack or proper upbringing about how to respect others and following the rules. As long as people feel like they have the right to do their own thing while driving you will continue to have problems.

[MikeSVX]

You can't compare drivers on the autobahn to drivers here in the U.S. The mentality is completely different. The drivers here have the metality that they own the road and are entitled to drive, while in most European countries owning and driving is considered a privelage and is taken seriously. Most europeans can't understand why things like cup holdes are important items in cars to us. When they drive, that is all they do. They don't have the issues with texting and cellphone use. Putting on your makeup is done at home infront of a mirror and you eat your BigMac at a table, not running down the road at highway speeds swerving back and forth from lane to lane.

Also, on the autobahn, if you are rearended by a faster car while your in the left lane, you are held at least 50% resoncible. You don't get to just run 5mph below the speed limit in any lane you feel like.

[JTruck]

Originally Posted by CamaroSkooter

According to what data?

Own personal experience in LE. Speed kills, plain and simple.

[ssrs2lt]

Yes we need speed limits. It is to easy to obtain a driver's license. If you turn a new drive loose it would be like driving in Mariokart land! One turn and fall off the course. I've driven the Autobahn and the drivers have way more respect on the road. Driving in Europe is actually more controlled and seen as a privilege.

[JTruck]

Originally Posted by CamaroSkooter

According to what data?

A call I went on tonight reminded me of this comment.

While I don't have data, nor care to look any up, I speak from personal experience.

Tonight there was a 4 vehicle collision at an intersection, a subject ran a red light and ended up clipping two vehicles, sending them spinning into other stationary traffic. This person was going 45MPH, the speed limit in that area. Now it goes without saying that running the red light will produce an accident. But had this individual been speeding, say around 55MPH, they would have timed it just right to t-bone one of these vehicles sending them rolling into the opposite direction of traffic.

Speed limits are posted for a reason. They help in more ways than you will probably understand. Vehicles are killing machines, aside from medical conditions, they are the highest ranking on the list for amount of deaths per year.

(It was just last week there was a fatal, vehicle vs. motorcycle, speed is what caused the accident.)

[Truck Norris]

Originally Posted by JTruckenbrod

While there may be less accidents with higher speed limits, the amount of fatality crashes would sky rocket compared to the speed limit now.

Own personal experience in LE. Speed kills, plain and simple.

What did you think of the video I posted?

[JTruck]

Originally Posted by Truck Norris

What did you think of the video I posted?

I didn't watch the full video, if you would like me to respond to a specific part, let me know.

But from watching 10 minutes of it, there is a lot to respond to. First, it is ignorant to compare two countries and their traffic control. As for the USA and Canada, yes you can compare, referring more to the Europe comparisons.

The speed limits I am seeing from this video in Canada seem very low, roads identical to those in the USA are at least 1.5x if not 2x higher than those. Seems like Canada has its own problem with how low their limits are.

As for the USA, the area I am in is 25MPH residential, 45MPH streets and 65 highways.

I want to clarify a few things, I advocate for the current limits for city/urban areas. You start sending vehicles flying down roads at each other at intersections and you are just asking for it.

While highway speeds are very controversial, its really comes down to the driver, and I don't trust the drivers around me to be frank. The amount of concentration and logical/rational thinking when something happens on the road is immense at high speeds. As the speed increases, the time you have to react decreases.

I think it really comes down to seeing it in person. Until you watch firefighters work for nearly two hours trying to remove children from what is hard to believe was once a car, it never really crosses your mind, I know that's what changed mine.

[LOWDOWN]

Originally Posted by JTruckenbrod

The speed limits I am seeing from this video in Canada seem very low, roads identical to those in the USA are at least 1.5x if not 2x higher than those. Seems like Canada has its own problem with how low their limits are.

As for the USA, the area I am in is 25MPH residential, 45MPH streets and 65 highways.

30 km/h is a School Zone limit...speaking of which:

I had to travel to South Haven MI (home of GingerMan Race track) in the middle of the night. I was warned about one particular hamlet, with NO stop lights, and how aggressive the local cops were about that demon, SPEED. At 1:30 AM, and with me the ONLY car passing through that town, I came upon a School Zone - 20 mph. I slowed to EXACTLY 20 mph and out of NOWHERE came a cruiser, who proceeded to weld his front bumper to my back bumper... I couldn't see his headlights; that's how close he was! I continued @ 20 mph...until the end of the Zone, and then gradually increased to 30. Still welded together...for about 100 yards, and then he u-turned back to the Zone.

Good thing I wasn't a menace to society...but HE was...

That, folks, is text book "revenue generation"...or at least an attempt at such.

[JTruck]

Originally Posted by LOWDOWN

30 km/h is a School Zone limit...speaking of which:

I had to travel to South Haven MI (home of GingerMan Race track) in the middle of the night. I was warned about one particular hamlet, with NO stop lights, and how aggressive the local cops were about that demon, SPEED. At 1:30 AM, and with me the ONLY car passing through that town, I came upon a School Zone - 20 mph. I slowed to EXACTLY 20 mph and out of NOWHERE came a cruiser, who proceeded to weld his front bumper to my back bumper... I couldn't see his headlights; that's how close he was! I continued @ 20 mph...until the end of the Zone, and then gradually increased to 30. Still welded together...for about 100 yards, and then he u-turned back to the Zone.

Good thing I wasn't a menace to society...but HE was...

That, folks, is text book "revenue generation"...or at least an attempt at such.

30km/he isn't a school zone here. That translates to 18mph. School zones are typically 25-35mph, and are only effective during certain times of the day/week. (So my 1.5x to 2x estimation stays true.)

This is where the public is naive about policing. Your situation may very well be what it looks like and what you believe. Now put on a different set of glasses, not all calls an officer is dispatched to warrant an emergency response. While some calls may be urgent, traffic laws have to be followed and due regard must be eminent. There have been many times we have road people's tails so they get the hint to move aside and let us proceed. Now I wasn't there but just giving a different point of view for you to think about.