DriveSmartBC - Setting Credible Speed Limits

[zulutango]

Rich I'm sure you will agree that the only way to satisfy some people is to have no limits at all...as on the Autobahn...and the same required skill levels to be able to pass a German DL test...actually a series of tests that costs a couple of grand.

The variable speed limit things used to be in place in eastern Canada in the 60s and I believe in parts of the US today. In Canada it used to be 65 mph day and 55 mph night...of course nobody slowed down, this is the real world after all. In the US now they have a 10mph lower limit for trucks on many Hwys, which are ignored whenever the trucks can. We also have a sort of variable limit in some areas where the signs urge dirvers to slow down in icy areas like bridge decks when it is slippery, but very few do. I spent one day going to over 35 crashes ...alll due to drivers failing to slow down on icy roads...there were so many crashes that particular day that we told people we could not attend unless it was a serious injury or death.

The nice thing about the Autobahn signs is that they drop the speed limit when traffic gets heavier or visibility closes down and lifts them when it gets better. The tradeoff of no/variable limits is that people still ignore them and the result is that the crashes are usually fatals because of the speed & the physics involved in a high speed crash. The other thing that folks who push for the Autobahn approach, tend to not mention...is that if you get caught speeding on any of the side roads by even a couple of kmh..(.not our elastic 15-20 k is not real speeding ) they rip your wallet out thru your rear end big time. Fines etc are huge.

I fully support tougher driving tests and advanced driving courses, which is why I have taken several, and teach others my own adanced courses. I have also said that motor racing on cars and bikes is the 2nd most dangerous thing you can do...the most dangerous is driving/riding to the race track.

[Glove]

could you imagin if there was a strip of highway somewhere in hope or wherever, where there was no speed limit?

shit thatd be fun

[XtC-604]

Though i fully understand what you're trying to say, you're not understanding what i'm trying to say. Yes there are ppl that are going to go even faster if the limits are 70km/hr. But people will go 90+ on a 50km/hr area such as Marine drive. Its just a curve, the majority of drivers probably are content with driving at ~65. I mean, hell if the limits were 70, id be sticking ~70 all day. As that will get you from burnaby to richmond in like 10 mins.
Secondly, i'm not bitching that i didnt get pulled over for going 40+ the limit. It's just it becomes hard to determine what is acceptable. I mean on a plain straight road such as bridgeport on a dry day, what speed would you go at? I speed, i'm sure you've all done it. I've gone fast enough to qualify for being on the news for "street racing speed" but in safe conditions, dry road, good visibility, no traffic. Those areas should be not enforced as strictly as some of the other areas such as school zones or parks where i see retards doin like 80km/hr

[tibjunkie]

Originally Posted by XtC-604

Though i fully understand what you're trying to say, you're not understanding what i'm trying to say. Yes there are ppl that are going to go even faster if the limits are 70km/hr. But people will go 90+ on a 50km/hr area such as Marine drive. Its just a curve, the majority of drivers probably are content with driving at ~65. I mean, hell if the limits were 70, id be sticking ~70 all day. As that will get you from burnaby to richmond in like 10 mins.
Secondly, i'm not bitching that i didnt get pulled over for going 40+ the limit. It's just it becomes hard to determine what is acceptable. I mean on a plain straight road such as bridgeport on a dry day, what speed would you go at? I speed, i'm sure you've all done it. I've gone fast enough to qualify for being on the news for "street racing speed" but in safe conditions, dry road, good visibility, no traffic. Those areas should be not enforced as strictly as some of the other areas such as school zones or parks where i see retards doin like 80km/hr

let me clear things up for you ... if you are speeding (10km/h over) be prepared to get a ticket. If you dont then be happy but if you do, dont say "but i did 90 past this other cop and he didnt ticket me".

Im not sure about Van because i dont drive there often but I do know that in victoria the simple fact of the matter is that every road here has some section or two that 50 is an appropriate speed, and if they raised the limits then people would cruise through there even if it was left at 50 for that section. I know I speed some times but its when im not around people at 2 in the morning and am ready to get the ticket if need be.

[sebberry]

Originally Posted by zulutango

SO who drives 50 in a 50 ?

I'll generally go with the flow up to 10 over the limit in certain conditions, ie heavy traffic volumes.

If the road is large and designed in a way that people do 15-20 over the limit I will generally stick right around the speed limit. These are the sorts of roads that are enforced more heavily and I don't want to risk a ticket.

One thing I notice almost without fail is that when I go with the flow I am much better able to increase the space between my car and others on the road, in front, to the side and to the rear of me. I have more control of how I will position my car in the traffic.

Here's what I have noticed when driving on roads with more than one lane in my direction of travel:

When "going with the flow":
-Few cases of tailgating, drivers that wish to pass do it before tailgating me
-Few cases of cars passing in the lane next to me
-Reduced overall aggression

When sticking to the speed limit:
-More cases of dangerous tailgating, drivers become increasingly frustrated and agitated before finally trying to pass
-Many more cars passing in a given stretch of road than when "going with the flow"
-More drivers performing "snap" maneuvers to make quick lane changes around me

Because of the reduced following distances, more cars passing me in the same stretch of road and higher levels of frustration, I would comfortably conclude that any increase in my reaction time as a result of going the speed limit is offset by the much closer proximity of other vehicles.

Bottom line: Going with the flow means fewer cars crowding eachother, greater following distances and more space to react without putting the safety of other drivers in jepoardy.

It should ALWAYS be up to the driver to determine a reasonable safe speed of travel without constant fear of being ticketed and assigned penalty points.

[XtC-604]

Originally Posted by tibjunkie

let me clear things up for you ... if you are speeding (10km/h over) be prepared to get a ticket. If you dont then be happy but if you do, dont say "but i did 90 past this other cop and he didnt ticket me".

Im not sure about Van because i dont drive there often but I do know that in victoria the simple fact of the matter is that every road here has some section or two that 50 is an appropriate speed, and if they raised the limits then people would cruise through there even if it was left at 50 for that section. I know I speed some times but its when im not around people at 2 in the morning and am ready to get the ticket if need be.

Not knowing your intentions, are you trying to be a smartass. I believe we all know that going faster than the speed limit is speeding. I'm saying 75% of drivers go above 50 in a 50 zone, what is too much? 60? 70? 80? 90? 100?

[jlenko]

Originally Posted by XtC-604

Good if thats what you really do, too many times i've seen TWO of you block a 2 lane road.

I'm not stupid.. I don't let someone travel beside me at the same speed. I like to have somewhere to go, should I need to swerve for whatever reason.

If there's someone pacing right beside me, I'll slow down and let them in front. I'm never, ever in a rush... I get paid by the hour! I'm more than happy to slow down in the slow lane..

[jlenko]

Originally Posted by Jufes

could you imagin if there was a strip of highway somewhere in hope or wherever, where there was no speed limit?

shit thatd be fun

You're in luck! It's closer than Hope.. it's called "Mission Raceway"... look it up

[Solo_D33A]

Originally Posted by jlenko

You're in luck! It's closer than Hope.. it's called "Mission Raceway"... look it up

[E=mc²]

Originally Posted by XtC-604

Though i fully understand what you're trying to say, you're not understanding what i'm trying to say. Yes there are ppl that are going to go even faster if the limits are 70km/hr. But people will go 90+ on a 50km/hr area such as Marine drive. Its just a curve, the majority of drivers probably are content with driving at ~65. I mean, hell if the limits were 70, id be sticking ~70 all day. As that will get you from burnaby to richmond in like 10 mins.

Word, some streets have pathetically slow speed limits and the results show that every single driver on these streets go above the limit. Marine Drive and Boundary Rd are two streets where a 60-65km/h limit is probably more appropriate. GAGLARDI WAY near sfu is another big one. It's a pathetically low 60km/h down the hill, most people go 90. If you dare to go 60, you're at risk of falling asleep or wearing out your brake pads.
For the other 3 streets , 60-65 is a more approprate "safe" speed.

I'm not trying to be a smart ass but I don't think I'll ever drive 60 down gaglardi way....I'll go freakin crazy

Originally Posted by sebberry

I'll generally go with the flow up to 10 over the limit in certain conditions, ie heavy traffic volumes.

If the road is large and designed in a way that people do 15-20 over the limit I will generally stick right around the speed limit. These are the sorts of roads that are enforced more heavily and I don't want to risk a ticket.

One thing I notice almost without fail is that when I go with the flow I am much better able to increase the space between my car and others on the road, in front, to the side and to the rear of me. I have more control of how I will position my car in the traffic.

Here's what I have noticed when driving on roads with more than one lane in my direction of travel:

When "going with the flow":
-Few cases of tailgating, drivers that wish to pass do it before tailgating me
-Few cases of cars passing in the lane next to me
-Reduced overall aggression

When sticking to the speed limit:
-More cases of dangerous tailgating, drivers become increasingly frustrated and agitated before finally trying to pass
-Many more cars passing in a given stretch of road than when "going with the flow"
-More drivers performing "snap" maneuvers to make quick lane changes around me

Because of the reduced following distances, more cars passing me in the same stretch of road and higher levels of frustration, I would comfortably conclude that any increase in my reaction time as a result of going the speed limit is offset by the much closer proximity of other vehicles.

Bottom line: Going with the flow means fewer cars crowding eachother, greater following distances and more space to react without putting the safety of other drivers in jepoardy.

It should ALWAYS be up to the driver to determine a reasonable safe speed of travel without constant fear of being ticketed and assigned penalty points.

[XtC-604]

Originally Posted by E=mc²

Word, some streets have pathetically slow speed limits and the results show that every single driver on these streets go above the limit. Marine Drive and Boundary Rd are two streets where a 60-65km/h limit is probably more appropriate. GAGLARDI WAY near sfu is another big one. It's a pathetically low 60km/h down the hill, most people go 90. If you dare to go 60, you're at risk of falling asleep or wearing out your brake pads.
For the other 3 streets , 60-65 is a more approprate "safe" speed.

I'm not trying to be a smart ass but I don't think I'll ever drive 60 down gaglardi way....I'll go freakin crazy

EXACTLY, i can not go down gaglardi at 60km/hr. Its either my brakes are mega heated, or my car is going down at 5500rpms at 60km/hr and trust me on an S2K, that is not a pleasant sound. (right on the verge of VTEC)

[Soundy]

Hahahah, I'm looking for the photo of that billboard "SPEEDING - WHAT'S YOUR EXCUSE?" that someone tagged with "V-TEC KICKED IN YO!"

[Bath Tussue]

Originally Posted by Soundy

Hahahah, I'm looking for the photo of that billboard "SPEEDING - WHAT'S YOUR EXCUSE?" that someone tagged with "V-TEC KICKED IN YO!"

http://rsxisfaster.files.wordpress.c...ngsignvtec.jpg

[46_valentinor]

Originally Posted by Bath Tussue

http://rsxisfaster.files.wordpress.c...ngsignvtec.jpg

LOL!! anyways the law is the law theres nothing we can do about it. if you are going to speed, mod your car then just accept the fact that it was YOUR choice for doing it. i just got a ticket today on clark and terminal for tinted windows and no front plate, yes i was pretty upset, but hey no one to blame but myself and the cop was just doing HIS job.

[sebberry]

Whatever the speed limit, it is my responsibility as a driver to not engage in acts that provoke hostility or aggression from other drivers.

I wouldn't tailgate because a) it is dangerous and b) there's always a chance the driver in front will get pissed off enough to slam on his brakes.

Why would I do something to provoke tailgating, crowding and aggression?

I realize that if another driver on the road is aggressive it's not really my problem to deal with, but is it not safer to diffuse the situation before the aggressive behaviour even starts?