Poll: What should be done about speed laws?

[KingNothing]

I believe that most of the time, cops give people speeding tickets for no other reason than to raise revenue. I propose that states start offering speeding insurance, which has been discussed here. I would've added a poll to that thread, but it doesn't seem to be possible. So here it is. I've added a few options, if other good ones are suggested I'll add those too. Please at least read my post at the beginning of the linked thread before voting, if not also the opinions of the other posters.

Keep in mind that raising the speed limits would take revenue away from states, and requiring increased driver training to get a driver's license would cost them more money. They probably wouldn't pass the costs of the extra training (at least not the whole cost) on to the individual since the poor would complain about being discriminated against.

What do you think?

 

[astartz]

Dam close vote.

 

[BrunoPuntzJones]

The speed limits are fine. I don't have a problem if you want to speed when no one else is around, and you shouldn't be given a ticket for it. But if you are going too fast with others around, sucks to be you. And of course you can't get a ticket if no one is around, there won't be anybody to give you one

What's so hard about driving 30 in a 30?

 

[KingNothing]

<< The speed limits are fine. I don't have a problem if you want to speed when no one else is around, and you shouldn't be given a ticket for it. But if you are going too fast with others around, sucks to be you. And of course you can't get a ticket if no one is around, there won't be anybody to give you one What's so hard about driving 30 in a 30? >>


You have to do something in order to be *guaranteed* to not get a ticket, like increasing the speed limit or offering speeding insurance. "Nobody around" doesn't include the cops, they like to give out tickets when you're flying down an empty road. I'm not proposing going too fast when others are around. It's not that it's hard to drive 30 and a 30 (well, maybe a little ) but it's pointless to do so, unless it's a residential area.

 

[Hossenfeffer]

<< What's so hard about driving 30 in a 30? >>

 

[StattlichPassat]

<< What's so hard about driving 30 in a 30? >>



Depends what you drive! If I was in a Buick LeSabre, I wouldn't have a problem. Doesn't seem the other half-wit geezers who drive these have a problem either. But what if you're in a BMW?

 

[thedarkwolf]

The driving 30 in a 30 isn't hard its the driving 70 in a huge flat no curves 4 lane that is.

 

[Adul]

hell i think it should be more difficult to get a license and more expensive due to the extra driving school that will be needed.

 

[Bulldozer]

I don't think any level of driver training (govt. organized in particular) would do any good.

What is speeding insurance?

I think speed limits in town are fine the way they are. Once you get onto rural roads or the freeway, speed should be determined by the driver. People aren't going to drive faster than what they are comfortable with. Anybody that considers 80mph on the expressway dangerous probably shouldn't be permitted to drive. Is it more dangerous than 70mph? Sure it is, but 70 is also more dangerous than 40mph.

"50mph is fast enough to kill you but slow enough to make you feel safe."

 

[KingNothing]

To quote my post from here:



<< So I've been thinking, why not let people by speeding insurance from the state? Say, $500 a year for waiving up to 15-over tickets (almost anywhere), and $1000 a year for waiving up to 30-over tickets (highway only). >>

 

[cipher00]

<<What's so hard about driving 30 in a 30?>>

Nothing, especially with a manual tranny. This would be a residential area, and you damn well should be going slowly. I do, and I've got one very fast car. Out on the freeway, there's really just one rule: slower traffic stay right.

Ahhh, don't get me started.

 

[chickendinner]

<< TextDepends what you drive! If I was in a Buick LeSabre, I wouldn't have a problem. Doesn't seem the other half-wit geezers who drive these have a problem either. But what if you're in a BMW? >>


i have a gsx1300r hayabusa and i understand how it is to drive 30 in a 30(its hard to do i might add) but i understood that when i bought it. i mean if i could go as fast as i wanted, crap i would be dead. (id be dead even if i was not speeding and others were). when one speeds they are dangerous to anybody else on the road. especially us bikers. so i voted to keep them as is.

 

[XZeroII]

<< << So I've been thinking, why not let people by speeding insurance from the state? Say, $500 a year for waiving up to 15-over tickets (almost anywhere), and $1000 a year for waiving up to 30-over tickets (highway only). >> >>



You're nuts. If you get that many tickets in a year, you do not deserve to drive. I havn't gotten one speeding ticket in the 4 years that I've been driving (knock on wood). If the speed limits were raised, people would still go 10 over. It would do nothing except make life for everyone worse. More traffic accidents and backups. More idiots who can't stand doing only 55 down an open road. Speed limits are fine if you just drive at that speed and not be a jerk. Those of you who constantly speed are the reason for all the traffic backups and such that you complain about so much. Once I saw an accident on the freeway where a car was flipped over and traffic was backed up for 8 miles! I was going the opposite direction, so it didn't effect me, but my point is that it's people who need to go incredibly fast that ruin it for everyone. Think about it next time you are in a traffic jam.

 

[snooker]

There should be at least 2 lanes for wide open speeding on interstates, sectioned off by concrete from the other lanes, and you can only enter those 2 lanes in specific areas where it's speeds are down (To allow a merge)and can not go under 120mph or you will be ticketed and made to get off of the superspeed lanes. ;-)

Maybe one day...

 

[KingNothing]

<<

<< << So I've been thinking, why not let people by speeding insurance from the state? Say, $500 a year for waiving up to 15-over tickets (almost anywhere), and $1000 a year for waiving up to 30-over tickets (highway only). >> >>

You're nuts. If you get that many tickets in a year, you do not deserve to drive. I havn't gotten one speeding ticket in the 4 years that I've been driving (knock on wood). If the speed limits were raised, people would still go 10 over. It would do nothing except make life for everyone worse. More traffic accidents and backups. More idiots who can't stand doing only 55 down an open road. Speed limits are fine if you just drive at that speed and not be a jerk. Those of you who constantly speed are the reason for all the traffic backups and such that you complain about so much. Once I saw an accident on the freeway where a car was flipped over and traffic was backed up for 8 miles! I was going the opposite direction, so it didn't effect me, but my point is that it's people who need to go incredibly fast that ruin it for everyone. Think about it next time you are in a traffic jam. >>



I've only gotten 1 ticket. 15-over and 30-over means 15 MPH over, 30 MPH over. People who speed aren't responsible for accidents, it's the people who drive recklessly. There's a difference. Speeding on the highway, in light traffic, isn't dangerous to other drivers but it's more liable to get you a ticket since cop cars will be able to get onto the road more easily.

 

[chickendinner]

<< People who speed aren't responsible for accidents, it's the people who drive recklessly. >>



omg

when one speeds they are less likely to see other drivers.

 

[yakko]

I say keep them the way they are.

 

[eplebnista]

<< What do you think should be done about speed laws? >>



Lobby state legislatures to raise the speed limits

 

[notfred]

The speed limits on the freeway are too low. However, it hardly matters. The speed limit is 65, and everyone drives 85 anyway. You wont get a ticket unless you make yourself stand out from the crowd in some way. Hell, even the CHP drives 75. This applies for the whole bay area too. I've always driven 80+ on the freeway (well, not in heavy traffic) and never gotten a ticket on a road with more than 2 lanes per direction.

 

[FoBoT]

its ok now, it sucked bad when it was 55 EVERYWHERE, even the middle of BFE, you were supposed to go 55, that was suck

you really don't need to go 95 in the middle of downtown atlanta and such

 

[hudster]

<< People who speed aren't responsible for accidents, it's the people who drive recklessly. >>

<< omg when one speeds they are less likely to see other drivers. >>

uhm, no, maybe it's old people who can't see well that are less likely to see other drivers. Or maybe it's the drunks. Or maybe the people talking on their phones. Or maybe the people turning around to yell at their kids in the back seat who just spilled Kool-Aid all over. Or maybe...

Speed kills, sure. But don't get on your high horse and conclude that speeding is the sole cause of all traffic-related problems everywhere. There's a lot of other causes.

As for me, I've never once noticed a negative correlation between the speed I'm driving and my visual acuity. So unless you've got some evidence to back up your statement...

I agree with Bulldozer's statement that anybody who considers 80mph to be dangerous on the expressway propbably shouldn't be permitted to drive.

And snooker, that's a GREAT idea!

 

[mithrandir2001]

<< The above, but also require increased driver training to get a license >>


There are too many airhead inattentive morons on the road and we real drivers have to suffer with dumbed-down speed limits. :disgust:

Freeway speeds are obviously too low, but so are many side streets and township roads. Do you know how slow 25mph feels on a road with marked lanes? OMG, it's horrible...I feel like I could get out of the car and run faster. Heck, I pedal my BICYCLE faster than the speed limit on some roads. Driving slow shuts off my brain, makes me bored and lowers my alertness. I have to drive fast to keep me honed and focussed on the task. The safety nazis like to yell at us for "putting everybody at risk", but I drive like I do BECAUSE I've found it results in more attentive driving. Slow <> Safe.

 

[Blayze]

<< The speed limits are fine the way they are >>

 

[kehi]

you really don't need to go 95 in the middle of downtown atlanta and such



Nicely said fobot!

 

[Hammer]

ummmmm......have you ever sustained a 120+ mph speed for an extended period of time? You burn so much fuel its really not worth it at all. In about 45 minutes you go through about 60% (varies depending on vehicle) your tank.

Not that I ever done such a foolish thing.



<< There should be at least 2 lanes for wide open speeding on interstates, sectioned off by concrete from the other lanes, and you can only enter those 2 lanes in specific areas where it's speeds are down (To allow a merge)and can not go under 120mph or you will be ticketed and made to get off of the superspeed lanes. ;-)

Maybe one day... >>