Speeding Violations

[Dignified Pauper]

So, just yesterday I was pulled over for doing 70 in a 55. Okay, fine... I was speeding.


Now, a new question: should the speed limits be raised.

I drive 70-75 on the interstate all the time, and I never get into a wreck. Now, on an open 2-lane highway with hardly anyone on it, should I not be allowed to drive faster? I think so.

The sherriff said I should drive the speed limit so I would make it home alive, and I said "Excuse me sir, but I'm tired for one, and the longer I am on the road, the more tired I will be. Further, 70 is not that fast, especially when I drive it on the interstate. Now explain to me how I might have a higher risk of dying on a highway, with little traffic, such as this one?" and he was silent and told me not to mouth off any longer. Now, I was very congenial and not really that uptight at all, I was just wondering why the sheriff was being a jerk.


Now, have you ever been picked up for speeding? Was it terrible?

[Meat Puppet]

I don't speed. Sure, things don't get done as fast. But I really do like being alive.

[Dignified Pauper]

I don't speed. Sure, things don't get done as fast. But I really do like being alive.

most accidents do not happen because people are speedings, btw. usually it is due to distractions, or bad cars.

[fire_of_avalon]

Maybe you shouldn't mouth off to cops. I don't like cops as far as I can throw a truck, but they'll stick it to you for being a smartypants.

I think speed limits should be raised and driver's licenses should be much, much harder to get. Too many idiots on the roads etc.

[bipper]

No. The speed limit should not be raised. Cars are designed to get max fuel efficiancy in corelation with speed at 55 mph, by design. Enouraging people to go faster will encourge stuipids [us] to use more gasoline and thus the price of gas will rise again...

[krissy]

no they should not be raised
they're there because you have a higher chance of survival going at said speed in case of an accident

most accidents do not happen because people are speedings, btw. usually it is due to distractions, or bad cars.

source?

[NorthernChaosGod]

Nope, I never get caught speeding so it really doesn't matter to me whether it's legal to go as fast as I go.

[Madame Adequate]

The speed limit is set at a carefully analyzed level - too low and people simply break it, regardless of it being against the law. Too high and accident numbers and, more importantly, severity increase a great deal.

But yeah, you Americans do have pretty low speed limits.

[Xaven]

I speed walk. Yet to have been givin a citation. :D

When I finally come of the age to drive, I'm not sure which of my personalities will take over. Will I be doing 90 in school zones, or will I be doing 30 on the freeway?

But yeah, you Americans do have pretty low speed limits.

Don't forget we use miles/hour, not kilometers/hour. :3

[RSL]

Interstates are generally safer for higher speeds, not vice versa. The reason for this is that you only have to worry about traffic going the same direction.

[Azure Chrysanthemum]

Actually, from what I've heard speed limits are calculated with the realization that people will likely go x miles over it.

[theundeadhero]

Every interstate I've ever seen does have a speed limit of 65-75.

[farplaner]

In the US, in my experience, interstate speeds outside city limits are around 70 mph; inside, they are about 55 mph. This is the case where I live (it's a fairly large city), and 55 is ridiculous. Nobody- I mean NObody does less than say 65; most people do around 70 or more. Driving at these speeds is perfectly safe as long as, like dignified pauper suggested, cars are in decent shape and people are paying attention...and not following two feet off of your bumper....

I can never keep myself from hitting the breaks when someone does that to me. It's nearly impossible to be at fault (according to the law) when you are rear-ended.

I don't know what worldwide statistics say about any correlation between speed and volume of wrecks, but I know that I have been in less than 5 wrecks in my life, and none while I was driving fast (none while on the interstate and none while going over the speed limit.)

[Madame Adequate]

Don't forget we use miles/hour, not kilometers/hour. :3

We do in England as well. Every one of your speed limits is 5 to 15 MPH lower than ours on equivalent roads, even though your road system kicks the absolute crap out of ours.

[rubah]

interstate curves are a lot wider than standard road curves.

British people drive so fast it's scary. we americans would die, btw.

but I speed sometimes, but haven't been pulled over yet. I've never gone 70 on a high way though. Close the other day, but that was waaaaay out in the hills where they never heard of cars before.