What's your opinion on current speed limits?

[AznAnarchy99]

Most people usually go about 80 on the 405 and 5 when traffic isnt too bad. I think its more of the people weaving in and out at 80. If your going 80 in carpool or far left lane its not unreasonable.

 

[ShawnD1]

Because that's not how it works!
We've got signs like this all over, and the cave people can't fucking figure it out.

Actually that is how it works.

http://www.mit.edu/~jfc/right.html

You may use the left lane (when there is more than one lane in your direction) to pass. You may or may not be able to use the left lane when not passing. The table below describes the law in effect in each state.

Let's say grandma is in the left lane doing 40mph and I'm passing on the right doing the speed limit of 65mph. If she merges into me while I'm passing in the right lane, she is at fault because she was not passing me. I have the legal right of way while I'm in that lane doing the speed limit. No exceptions.

 

[ahenkel]

Where I live its a 20 minute drive into Salem, OR. On Highway 22 and its ridiculous that the speed limit is still 55mph. Everyone that drives it drives 65+. What they need to be doing is evaluating the average speed people actually drive and base the speed limit off that.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

The speed limits are fair. It's not going to solve our congestion problems though. More lanes will do the trick. Of course it's an environmental thing so people just want to stop highways from going more than 4 lanes each way. It'll probably cost billions to fix them and to expand them especially in urban areas where they're already raised.

But the fact is unless America's cities starts building massive subway lines, even high speed rail won't save us. The bottom line is we need to drive to the grocery store, or that fast food joint, or even to get to a subway station. It's that bad.

While I would drive faster than 65, raising the speed limit to 80 isn't going to mean I get to avoid that traffic jam to work or get there that much quicker...

Also, the OP notes that cars couldn't go as fast easily. Yes, you're right a lot of sporty cars can easily do 100. Doing 100 in a Corolla today still isn't that fun. The car doesn't really stabilize. The same on my Camry. So yes I have no problem doing 100 in a Subaru WRX, but most other cars will struggle to get there not to mention lack the stability that makes it decently safe.... Oh and unless you give all the econo cars a major HP boost, you're going to be a major threat barreling down at 100mph while they need to struggle to accelerate to 100 from a ramp. Imagine the people who merge in who don't want to deal with that Prius getting up to speed. Now imagine seeing a Prius entering and then you abruptly merge left at 100. Probably more likely to cause an accident or spin out or lose control....not to mention the faster reaction time you'll need.

 

[Colt45]

Actually that is how it works.

http://www.mit.edu/~jfc/right.html


Let's say grandma is in the left lane doing 40mph and I'm passing on the right doing the speed limit of 65mph. If she merges into me while I'm passing in the right lane, she is at fault because she was not passing me. I have the legal right of way while I'm in that lane doing the speed limit. No exceptions.

Three wrongs don't make a right, it doesn't matter who gets the points.

 

[Kirby]

90 on I-65 would be awesome. What sucks is when there's a cop on the highway, everyone hits the brakes and it gets congested.

 

[TallBill]

85th percentile rule works for most places. Check the speed of a sample of cars, wherever the 85th percentile lands, that's the speed limit.

 

[ShawnD1]

90 on I-65 would be awesome. What sucks is when there's a cop on the highway, everyone hits the brakes and it gets congested.

This seems like one of the fun points of being a cop. Go exactly the speed limit and watch as traffic slows to a crawl because nobody ever wants to pass a cop.

 

[ahenkel]

You know what would solve congestion issues. People learning how to get on and off exit ramps.

 

[PhoKingGuy]

In Theory I-80 could be used and modified to be an "American Autobahn". I still like the idea of a high speed train network across the usa. Just think of it. NY to LA in 21 hours

Or you could fly there in 6

 

[ShawnD1]

You know what would solve congestion issues. People learning how to get on and off exit ramps.

It might help if we had some kind of government regulation for maximum 0-60 time a car can have. If you're trying to get onto the freeway in a Honda Civic Hybrid and the person infront of you comes to a dead stop while merging (these people should be in jail), then you're pretty much screwed. After the wise and beautiful woman infront of you finally goes, that pathetic car will take a full 13 seconds to get to 60mph. There's basically no way around blocking traffic if you're driving this car.

 

[PhoKingGuy]

It might help if we had some kind of government regulation for maximum 0-60 time a car can have. If you're trying to get onto the freeway in a Honda Civic Hybrid and the person infront of you comes to a dead stop while merging (these people should be in jail), then you're pretty much screwed. After the wise and beautiful woman infront of you finally goes, that pathetic car will take a full 13 seconds to get to 60mph. There's basically no way around blocking traffic if you're driving this car.

Lol my Jetta TDI gets 44mpg average and does 0-60 in 8.5 sec, hybrid fail

 

[Colt45]

tdi ftw

 

[fleabag]

they're meant to be applied to everyone besides myself with one exception... if their tires are inflated to max sidewall pressure.

 

[ahenkel]

I agree having a minimum standard for 0-60 would be nice. The problem though is the people that go and slam on the brake and the end of the off ramp like its some imaginary cliff and if they don't get over right there there they'll fall off. Or the people that have to get on to an exit and slow to 40-45mph.

 

[fleabag]

In Canada the government basically admits the speed limits are total bullshit just for the sake of collecting taxes. How do we know this? There are 2 separate types of speed limit signs. The regular white speed limits are arbitrary, and it's possible to go more than twice that speed without crashing. The yellow speed limits are ones you need to follow. A yellow sign that says 30 really means go 30 or else you're going to crash your car. The important yellow signs are generally posted where there are sharp corners or zig-zags in the road.

Funny, it's opposite in the United States..

 

[Newbian]

Funny, it's opposite in the United States..

Well yea..Canada is bizarro United States.

 

[fleabag]

It might help if we had some kind of government regulation for maximum 0-60 time a car can have. If you're trying to get onto the freeway in a Honda Civic Hybrid and the person infront of you comes to a dead stop while merging (these people should be in jail), then you're pretty much screwed. After the wise and beautiful woman infront of you finally goes, that pathetic car will take a full 13 seconds to get to 60mph. There's basically no way around blocking traffic if you're driving this car.

That's dumb... What they need to do is have speed limits per lane... far right lane being 55mph and far left lane being what ever the hell they want to set it at, like 70 or 80mph... That way people like me can drive slow and other people who want to drive fast, can. Also it's far less safe to have a road with high speed traffic and low speed traffic merging onto it which is why 55mph in the far right lane makes sense. Speed disparities is what causes accidents, something you'd have with people going 75mph in the far right lane.

 

[ShawnD1]

Alright but what about 1 lane highways? Do you set the entire highway to 55mph just to accommodate 1 piece of shit vehicle Honda made?

Maximum of 9 seconds 0-60. Problem solved. Even a freakin minivan can do this in 7.
Toyota Sienna, 7 seconds

 

[Zenmervolt]

Or you could fly there in 6

Plus two to three hours lead time to get to the airport. Plus another hour to get your baggage, the rental car or cab, and get to the hotel. Plus the hassle of airline restrictions on what you can and cannot take. Plus the inconvenience of being forced to adhere to the airline's schedule.

Not saying that driving is always better, but there is a lot more hassle involved in air travel than "fly there in 6" seems to indicate.

ZV <-- Has flown 200,000 miles in the past 2 years.

 

[Newbian]

ZV <-- Has flown 200,000 miles in the past 2 years.

So how many watch lists are you on for trafficking?

 

[SSSnail]

So how many watch lists are you on for trafficking?

Shit, I almost did that in one year.

 

[fleabag]

Alright but what about 1 lane highways? Do you set the entire highway to 55mph just to accommodate 1 piece of shit vehicle Honda made?

Maximum of 9 seconds 0-60. Problem solved. Even a freakin minivan can do this in 7.
Toyota Sienna, 7 seconds

Do YOU realize that you're not saving all that much time going from 55mph to 65mph?

http://www.efficient-mileage.com/mph-illusion.html

 

[jlee]

Do YOU realize that you're not saving all that much time going from 55mph to 65mph?

http://www.efficient-mileage.com/mph-illusion.html

We've already had this discussion, remember? You were wrong.

If you still think you're right, drive 1400 miles at 55mph and then at 65mph and tell me which is faster.

If you're just driving to the gym and back, it might not be a big deal. If you drive a lot, it is.

 

[SSSnail]

No, if you're going to the comic book store and back, you probably won't save that much time. But if you go a bit further then yes you will. It's simple math.

If you have to travel 5 miles, at 60 mph it'll take you 5 minutes; at 100 mph it'll take you 3 minutes. So that's a saving of 2 minutes, if you think 2 minutes is not long, hold your breath and time it. Now, if you have to travel 50 miles, that's 20 minutes you're gonna save.

Edit: the guy that put up that website is an idiot, it is linear.