Quote:
Originally Posted by Davey
I understand the concept of 5 and 6-lane highways with 55 mph speed limits all too well, but I find it very difficult, if not impossible, to believe that setting the speed limit *lower* than the speed limit determined by a traffic study would make the road less safe.
Isn't the purpose of such a study to determine the maximum safe speed?
How does decreasing the speed limit decrease safety?
Honest question, but feel free to call me a "trolltard" or whatever if it helps you get your point across.
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Hey now. I've met every serious question here with respect and have done my best to answer the questions to the best of my knowledge. Clowns like leroy (seriously man, less drugs...) and kuru, who continues to basically suggest that tickets are unwinnable and judges will ignore your pleas if you argue the law just because it's you against a cop, are the issue. And even with kuru, up until the point he snapped I basically addressed all his concerns, even going so far as to pull out recently beaten tickets, from people I know, to show him that it is indeed possible.
Ok anyway, that doesn't answer your question. The problem is a variety of factors that create an unsafe situation:
- There will always be those who strictly follow the speed limit; grandmas and Priuses basically.
- Studies have shown that almost all drivers will drive at the speed that they feel COMFORTABLE in. Speed limit increases and decreases have little to NO effect on the overall flow of traffic.
- Comfort level here is not really a conscious decision. For example, people will not be taking corners at break neck speeds because most people don't like the feeling of g forces on their body - not comfortable. Please don't misconstrue this portion as everyone driving like a maniac, assume a reasonable human being (oxymoron, I know.)
- Now, here's the important bit. When you mix people who strictly follow the speed limit and people who are driving considerably faster because they feel it is safe, you start getting more car accidents. Several factors cause this
- Unpredictable driving behaviour from the person following the speed limit such as braking unnecessarily in order to continue to comply to traffic laws.
- Comfortable driver getting frustrated by lawful driver and trying to get around them to resume comfortable speed
- increased overall frustration with the world? Ok I made that one up
That's just a general list of things, don't take that as the ONLY factor but here's a source just so you know I'm not making this stuff up:
Effects of Raising and Lowering Speed Limits
That is an official study done by the DOT (department of transportation) by the way. They know the effects of a speed limit.
Also, artificially lowering the speed limit is a more recent phenomena. The other issue is that our traffic speed has been around for ages and simply haven't been updated for modern road cars. Some since the 1950s. Do you know how slow cars were in the 1950s? I traffic survey from then would likely recommend the speed we have now because that's really all cars could do.