RoadWarriorFromLP

This happens to be one of my pet topics, so pardon the extended rant.

Speed limits are widely misunderstood. For one, they have very little impact on travel speeds, so changing them won't have much influence on the overall rate of travel. (Typically, a change in the speed limit by 10 mph/ kmh will result in a corresponding change in the average speed of about 1 mph/ kmh.)

Drivers tend to drive at a pace at which they feel comfortable, whether or not that speed is legal. The greatest consequence of an increased speed limit is to have a higher percentage of drivers who comply with the speed limit, not substantially higher speeds. I would expect overall travel speeds to gradually increase over time, but that's due to the improvement in our cars -- they go fast much better than they used to.

For another, on an open highway, a safe speed usually correlates to the flow of traffic. Traffic engineers would generally prefer to use the 85th percentile speed -- the speed at which 85% of the traffic is traveling at or below -- as a limit. So generally speaking, an appropriate limit isn't so much a restriction per se, as it is a reflection of the behavior of road users -- we vote with our right feet, and the best limit is usually one that corresponds with how most of us are already driving. The purpose of the limit should be to inform drivers who aren't familiar with the road with what 85% of their fellow drivers are already doing. In other words, the limit should be an effect, not a cause.

So I'm all in favor of it, assuming that the roads are engineered to handle the speed and the limits correspond to the speed at which drivers using those roads are already driving. But that being said, I would limit trucks to lower speeds (i.e. 65) and keep them in the right-hand lanes, plus I would enforce the keep right/ pass on left rules that Texas supposedly has and are commonplace throughout Europe. Allowing 85 mph passing in the right-hand lane would not be a wise idea, especially at the merge points.

Bob

There's quite a few towns, especially up in Maine, where this is their primary form of town revenue because so many people defaulting on property taxes etc.

Manc

which means as I posted in a previous thread that the USA is turning into a defacto police state.

Poppy girl

I normally am in the left lane and hitting 70mph minimum when I was in AZ last month I noticed that the drivers are way faster then the CA folk they are wellying it at 90mph easily which was great, Socal they have their act together more then Northern much faster and no nonsense......I am driving to LA tomorrow and sure will notice the difference once I get to the grapevine.

Why do they make fast cars that are never going to be legal to drive at the top speed or even close, so why do we buy them then!!

sir_eccles

Penis envy.

Poppy girl

Last time I looked I didn't have one, I will let you know again later

steve100100

Lol. Surface streets as opposed to freeway.

Spent the weekend in Victoria. Five hour drive from Fort Worth with a three year old is no fun.

trailerdude

I think the adherence to speed limits round Houston is down to presence of police on the roads. There are always going to be a few people taking the chance of speeding, but in metropolitan areas in Texas, I think there is pretty good compliance with speed limits compared to other places I've driven (eg the UK). I think the difference is that a huge proportion of the drivers (in Houston) are total idiots though, with zero lane discipline and a very poor awareness of whats going on around them. If the speed limits go up, the road speeds will go up, and thats just downright frightening. Sorry Roadwarrior - I disagree with your assertion that people will stay driving at 70 if the limit goes up to 85 - not going to happen. I was involved with a Psychology of Safety study several years ago, and there was a huge correlation between what people were told was allowed, and their actions. When the rules were relaxed, over 80% of people relaxed their personal safety behavior over a period of 4-6 months. This even applied to such basic, seemingly automatic rules such as wearing appropriate ppe, fastening safety belts when getting in the car, or hooking on safety lines when working in overhead environments. If they were told they didnt need to do it anymore, eventually the majority of them drifted away from the practice. So if people see an 85 sign on the Interstate, they'll push up towards it, even if they would previously have been a 70 driver, just because they are told they can, and that they can do so without fear of being ticketed. Before long 85 will become the normal speed at which they text their friends, comb their hair, eat their lunch, cuddle their dog, shave, apply mascara etc etc, often after drinking! I think some environments are suitable for relaxing the speed limits - I just dont think Texas is one of them!

RoadWarriorFromLP

Studies conducted in the US and elsewhere consistently show that travel speeds barely budge when speed limits are changed. Most drivers are fairly indifferent to speed limits. Drivers respond to consistent enforcement and their own inclinations, not to signs.

In any case, it doesn't seem that the proposal is going to impact 70 mph zones in urban areas.

SultanOfSwing

This is true - two roads I travel on frequently during the week had their speed limits dropped by 5 mph a few years ago, and I still drive along them at 5 over the original limit

Poppy girl

I came over the Grape Vine in CA yesterday and never dropped below 70mph the Cops were on the side of the road and did not take any notice.....so I then ventured on to the lovely (not) Bakersfield to Fresno sat directly behind a highway patrol car for about 20 miles and we never went under 80mph..when he pissed off I sat on 90mph and was still getting over taken.

My point is that not many folk take any darn notice of the speed limits.

CelticRover

Ya think?

http://www.azcentral.com/community/s...eder13-ON.html

Poppy girl

Bit extreme lol......

RoadWarriorFromLP

That's not at all unusual.

In 2008, Utah raised the speed limit on certain sections of I-15 from 75 mph to 80 mph. Before the change, the 85th percentile speed varied between 81-85 mph. Two years after implementing the 80 mph limit, the 85th percentile speed varied between 83-85 mph. In effect, there was little change -- the lower end of the range increased by 2 mph, while the top end didn't change at all. Some drivers are strictly obedient, but most don't care.

SultanOfSwing

I try to keep it reasonable since I got done for speeding right after getting my IL license

In towns, 30 zones, near children and the like I go easy on it but some speed limits round my way on roads with reasonably limited access are laughably low. Big wide dual carriageways can be 35 sometimes . I really think it's done to raise money by ticketing myself but I'm cynical like that.

I used to drive way faster in the UK, 85/90 on the motorway to and from work and I never once got stopped.