Yorkieabroad

Just been watching a piece about the speed limits on the Interstates here potentially being raised to 85.

In the UK I would I would regularly drive at 80-90, conditions permitting, and think nothing of it - most other people would be travelling at the same speed, and people generally drive quite sensibly. I would be totally in favour of raising the speed limit to 80 on the motorways.

When I first came here, 70 seemed slow. Having been here almost a decade, I now find I drive much more within the speed limits (70, or even 60 or 55 on some of the highways), as do most other drivers - not all, but a lot more than in the UK from what I see. I'm not sure if its because I'm getting older and more mellow, or because there are more police/state troopers visible, or if its because there seem to be a much higher proportion of *****wits on the road that are likely to do something silly/unpredictable. The combination of speed, poor driving tuition, the total disregard for drink driving and the distracted driving that is practiced by a huge percentage of the drivers here, is a recipe for disaster...I honestly think the proposal to increase to 85 is misguided. If it does happen, I think I'll go on vacation (by plane!) to let natural selection thin the field a bit.....

So what do you think - should the speed limits be raised? Is 85 a realistic reaction to increases in technology, or is it a leap to far for the local conditions?

steve100100

I can click along at 80 on the bush turnpike no problem, because so is everyone else.

The sped limit is 70. So if it was raised to 85, would that mean everyone drives at 95?

I don't have a problem with it.

Outside of town, where people drive a little slower, the ten per cent rule applies. I was stopped once in the country doing 77 in a 70. I didnt get a ticket.

lisa67

It'll all be well and good until it starts raining!!

steve100100

Good point, then we will be doing 25

Bob

Probably a good thing, natural selection should work to curb the population for a while and then the heavy speed tickets will rake in the money afterwards

Yorkieabroad

Thats what scares me - they'll be doing 95, drunk with a phone in one hand a burger in the other and a coffee clenched between their knees.....

Be careful when you move down this way then - the small town cops round here will ticket for a few miles over the limit - a friend got ticketed for 42 in a 40 thru san felipe - tried to fight it and lost!

Yorkieabroad

Hmm, rain - I remember rain....been a long time......

steve100100

Ouch. Back in England I was told by an old friend of mine, who was also an officer with the west midlands constabulary that they will give you ten per cent without stopping you.

As a side note, I'm heading down your way tomorrow. The humidity was high here today

Michael

When I was in my 20s, I got speeding tickets all the time and a few in my thirties. I suspect the reason for the decline in the number of tickets was that I realized that you'll normally get tickets only in the outer lane.

Now I find myself unconsciously driving in the inner lane and a passenger will comment "don't drive in the death lane" and I'll move over to the center lane or we will be moving slowly in congested traffic when a passenger says "why aren't you driving in the carpool lane".

I think as you get older you mellow down and also understand where you will get speeding tickets.

steve100100

I don't go over the limit on surface streets. I learned that the hard way.

sir_eccles

Umm, most of I-10 through west Texas is already 85.

Yorkieabroad

I used to do a lot with the Institute of Advanced Motorists back in the UK. A lot of their instructors were ex police drivers or police instructors - they pretty much all said the same thing - they could turn a blind eye to 10-15% over if you looked like you were driving safely, but if they thought you were driving like a plonker they'd pull you over for less!

Where you heading to? We're on the western edge of katy (though the way its spreading, we'll be in the middle of town this time next year!). Its warm this morning, humidity is up a bit, but theres a nice breeze blowing which makes it all a bit more pleasant

Yorkieabroad

I remember seeing some stretches of higher limits a couple of years ago when we drove up to the Grand Canyon, but hadn't realized it got that high. The other thing that interested me was that while we have stretches of dual carriageway away from residential that is 55 limit here, once you get out west, a lot of 2 way roads were 70. Guess because they are not so busy?

Yorkieabroad

But once you get underground the skies the limit?

Manc

The speed limits on 10 / 20 in the empty western areas of TX are already 80mph.