Utah raises speed limit to 80 MPH

[dguy6789]

Awesome. Really hope other places follow suit soon. I go on a fairly long annual road trip and an 80mph limit would be a fair bit nicer for it.

 

[unokitty]

Can’t Drive 55? West Texas Welcomes You

The limit is an ideal fit for Texas, a state that prides itself on being larger than life.

“You can now get places in a more legal fashion,” said Mike Mossman of Fort Hancock. “In Texas, we measure distances by hours rather than miles.”

This article is seven years old. But still 521 miles of 80mph speed limit was news then...

And, for West Texas, it makes sense...

Uno

 

[phucheneh]

Speed Limits (outside of school zones) are not supposed to change based on time of day.

So the limit is set to accommodate worse case conditions safely

...I'm guessing you don't live in a city.

'Worst conditions' is not even definable. Other than 'sitting still.' I will say that I've never had to use reverse on the interstate.

So I guess the speed limit should be zero.

Again, your 'lowest common denominator' theory of speed limits just does not make sense. I'm not even arguing what I think of the limits; just that you can't say that they should be based on how bad the road can possibly get. There's a reason 'too fast for conditions' and other generalized 'reckless driving' type tickets exist. They don't need a speed limit violation to ticket you.

...but they like abnormally low ones because it makes it easier to generate revenue. But safer? No, certainly not. At least not in the kind of clear cut way you're trying to define...all interstates should not have 80mph limits. Just like they shouldn't all have 55mph limits.

 

[ThatsABigOne]

At least the roads in the middle of nowhere are officially 80 now. The unofficial speed limit on I15 going through salt lake is still 80 despite the 65 posted signs. Just an FYI for you visitors.

It's 75. Seen other people do 80, and they got pulled over.

Jumpen, go do your driving school. :awe:

Some sections of I-15 need a raise to 90-100 mph. All cars nowadays can do it so I do not see what the problem is. Also, make it mandatory for car owners have at least T rated tires.

 

[Jumpem]

Jumpen, go do your driving school. :awe:

I think higher speed limits would be more unsafe. I just set my cruise control to the speed limit and don't worry about it.

 

[Pariah]

I think higher speed limits would be more unsafe. I just set my cruise control to the speed limit and don't worry about it.

Which makes you more dangerous to the other drivers on the road than most speeders. Speed by itself is not nearly as dangerous as speed differential from the flow of traffic. Someone driving 5MPH faster than flow is safer than you doing 10-15 below the flow.

 

[QueBert]

Way too high. I would prefer going back to the national 55mph limit.

Hardly anyone obeys the limits so that's a whatever idea. I like the concept of 55, but as it stands 95% of the people FLY past me when I'm going 65, I don't see them going any slower if the limit was lower. Apparently the speed limit is more of a speed suggestion and not a law that can be broken or anything.

 

[Jumpem]

Which makes you more dangerous to the other drivers on the road than most speeders. Speed by itself is not nearly as dangerous as speed differential from the flow of traffic. Someone driving 5MPH faster than flow is safer than you doing 10-15 below the flow.

The flow of traffic doesn't go more than 5 mph over in upstate NY. You'll very likely get ticketed.

I have driven on the highways around DC where people drive way over. They can deal with me going the limit because I don't want to be stopped.

 

[nerp]

There goes my fuel economy

Here comes my 8th gear overdrive! 1,800 RPMs at 80. GO!

 

[nerp]

I think higher speed limits would be more unsafe. I just set my cruise control to the speed limit and don't worry about it.

Oh god. ONe of those people. I bet you pass slower cars without turning off the cruise and hitting the gas and cut off people in the passing lane in the process then take forever to get past the slower car before getting back over.

I see a lot of dangerous drivers out there, not all of them are going too fast. Many are actually going too slow for the conditions and mistake being slow and using cruise as "being safe"

It's like when people fail to zipper merge, or stop dead at yields that have dedicated lanes, get into the passing lane when a car is coming out of an exit ramp to give room even though the car getting onto the freeway is already faster than you and way ahead of you before you even get over into the passing lane. I love watching that happen. Hey. Thanks for getting over for me and letting me in, even though I already got in before you moved over. You didn't even have to move over —*I actually know how to goddamn merge into a freeway.

It's funny to watch bad drivers react as if everyone else is a bad driver. That's why there's so much hesitation and failures at merges and onramps and offramps. No, I'm not going to crash into you. I'm actually driving. Properly. Learn to do it too.

 

[EagleKeeper]

Speed Limits (outside of school zones) are not supposed to change based on time of day.

So the limit is set to accommodate worse case conditions safely

...I'm guessing you don't live in a city.

'Worst conditions' is not even definable. Other than 'sitting still.' I will say that I've never had to use reverse on the interstate.

So I guess the speed limit should be zero.

Again, your 'lowest common denominator' theory of speed limits just does not make sense. I'm not even arguing what I think of the limits; just that you can't say that they should be based on how bad the road can possibly get. There's a reason 'too fast for conditions' and other generalized 'reckless driving' type tickets exist. They don't need a speed limit violation to ticket you.

...but they like abnormally low ones because it makes it easier to generate revenue. But safer? No, certainly not. At least not in the kind of clear cut way you're trying to define...all interstates should not have 80mph limits. Just like they shouldn't all have 55mph limits.

Have lived in the city ONCE - never again.
Mainly urban and rural areas.
Presently, home, when I get a chance to see it , is 50 miles inside the Rockies ()

As to related experience; I have worked with the FHA, state DOTs and local public works for over 15 years.

Speed limits are designed for safety initially; based on FHA and DOT guidelines developed over the years.
Much goes into determining the speed limits as stated in a previous post

As to why tickets are designed; that is the municipality issue. Some safety, some revenue. However, the revenue must not compromise safety.

 

[EagleKeeper]

Which makes you more dangerous to the other drivers on the road than most speeders. Speed by itself is not nearly as dangerous as speed differential from the flow of traffic. Someone driving 5MPH faster than flow is safer than you doing 10-15 below the flow.

Yet, it is not his responsibility to get up to the flow if the flow is above the speed limit.

It is his responsibility to not go 10-15 below the speed limit if the flow will allow the speed limit.

 

[vshah]

well looks like my cross country route will be modified a bit now :awe:

 

[GoodRevrnd]

Which makes you more dangerous to the other drivers on the road than most speeders. Speed by itself is not nearly as dangerous as speed differential from the flow of traffic. Someone driving 5MPH faster than flow is safer than you doing 10-15 below the flow.

Relevant! :awe:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BKdbxX1pDw

 

[smackababy]

I feel like New Mexico and Arizona could really use this. Driving on I-10 through those states is painful.

I have been on at least 75% of the miles of that god forsaken interstate highway! Driven from Houston to LA once (I-10 the entire way) and drove from Houston to Pensacola (also I-10 the entire way). It is like my life consists of 2 highways. I-10 and I-65... (Montgomery, AL to Chicago and back numerous times)

 

[EagleKeeper]

I feel like New Mexico and Arizona could really use this. Driving on I-10 through those states is painful.

I have been on at least 75% of the miles of that god forsaken interstate highway! Driven from Houston to LA once (I-10 the entire way) and drove from Houston to Pensacola (also I-10 the entire way). It is like my life consists of 2 highways. I-10 and I-65... (Montgomery, AL to Chicago and back numerous times)

Same here
I40, I70/80, I15, I95.
Kansas & Nebraska are worse; the I10/I40 in those areas (New Mexico and Arizona ) has some scenery

Seems like every rest area location has ingrained over past 40 years.

 

[smackababy]

I drove through New Mexico non stop and that was nothing to see. Just a straight, flat road with some desert around it. There was a border patrol stop right outside Texas, and then nothing for a couple hours. It didn't help I was in a Uhaul towing a trailer with a car that would start to sway anything over 55mph.

 

[Murloc]

that's about 130 km/h. Pretty standard for europe. I don't understand why the US have such low limits despite having very large roads going straight and flat in the deserts.
Although it's true that those desert highways I see in american movies don't have a separation wall in the middle and containment guard rails on the sides so it does kinda make it more dangerous than a usual motorway, which would explain the 100 km/h / 65 mph limit.