The problem you’re ignoring is that there are many places around the country where speed limits are set unreasonably low with the intention of collecting revenue. Until we seperate speed enforcement from revenue collection, then speed limits won’t be about the science and engineering or what is safest for the road, but what is collects the most revenue.
I’ve witnessed firsthand a major roadway whose speed limit was lowered from 65 to 55 arbitrarily, along with a jump in enforcement. The road is definitely less safe in fact, since I’ve noticed people on their phones more as the lower speed gives people more confidence. The people who speed dangerously and no speed limit will stop, now drive more aggressive around cars with greater differentials in speed. One time I drove behind a women who I could clearly see had her phone propped up on her steering wheel. She and others driving irrationally or dangerously but at or below the speed limit drive right by the police.
At one point when I was stopped for going 60 and given a warning, I asked how come they don’t stop people driving dangerous or on their phones. He’s response was the “laws didn’t let him”. I’m assuming he really meant they can’t reliably collect fines for it since they can’t prove it in court with a radar detector.
> Personally, I sure don't want the stupidest and cockiest people deciding what's safe for 'themselves', and applying it counter to the expectations of imminent victims. When we normalize speeding, that's what we get.
The safest is supposed to be 85% percentile of speed on a given roadway. Many places have this specified in the books at a state level, however, after doing some research on that years ago, that’s almost never followed locally.
I’ve witnessed firsthand a major roadway whose speed limit was lowered from 65 to 55 arbitrarily, along with a jump in enforcement. The road is definitely less safe in fact, since I’ve noticed people on their phones more as the lower speed gives people more confidence. The people who speed dangerously and no speed limit will stop, now drive more aggressive around cars with greater differentials in speed. One time I drove behind a women who I could clearly see had her phone propped up on her steering wheel. She and others driving irrationally or dangerously but at or below the speed limit drive right by the police.
At one point when I was stopped for going 60 and given a warning, I asked how come they don’t stop people driving dangerous or on their phones. He’s response was the “laws didn’t let him”. I’m assuming he really meant they can’t reliably collect fines for it since they can’t prove it in court with a radar detector.
> Personally, I sure don't want the stupidest and cockiest people deciding what's safe for 'themselves', and applying it counter to the expectations of imminent victims. When we normalize speeding, that's what we get.
The safest is supposed to be 85% percentile of speed on a given roadway. Many places have this specified in the books at a state level, however, after doing some research on that years ago, that’s almost never followed locally.