Comment Re:You learn through mistakes (Score 1) 727
I think people are missing the point here.
Yes, I do agree that speeding is dangerous.. what makes it dangerous is the DIFFERENCE in speeds between two vehicles. If all vehicles went the same speed it'd be pretty safe (well, with exceptions such as at cross streets - you have to be able to slow down in a reasonable amount of time).
Am I saying we should raise the speed limit to 90 and then everyone should go 90? No, but some speed limits are just plain TOO SLOW. I really feel this in the UP of Michigan (look at a map, hopefully the map actually has the UP on there - many don't) as there is only one freeway in the ENTIRE UP (which goes from Sault Ste Marie to the Mackinac Bridge into Lower Michigan - I don't live even remotely close to that). All the other federal and state roads are mostly 2 to 4 lane non-divided highways with few turn-offs. All are posted at no higher than 55 MPH. The highways can definitely handle vehicles travelling on them at faster than 55 (and many people do.. especially the TV news crews, going about 75-85). The bottom line is that going the speed limit (like I do, I don't feel like getting a ticket since there are plenty of 'fun' speed traps near where I live) just takes a long time. The UP is a few hundred miles long from west to east (Ironwood to DeTour/Drummond Island). Even from where I live (central) it probably takes 6 hours to get to Ironwood.
If they increased the legal speed limit on rural highways to 65 or 70 I really don't think that we would have more accidents. People would go the speed limit and get where they need to be faster.
The limit wouldn't need to, and shouldn't be increased in more populated areas.
Would the minority of people still speed? Yes, I'm sure of it, but for the majority of people it would just improve things as it wouldn't take so long to get from place to place.
Yes, I do agree that speeding is dangerous.. what makes it dangerous is the DIFFERENCE in speeds between two vehicles. If all vehicles went the same speed it'd be pretty safe (well, with exceptions such as at cross streets - you have to be able to slow down in a reasonable amount of time).
Am I saying we should raise the speed limit to 90 and then everyone should go 90? No, but some speed limits are just plain TOO SLOW. I really feel this in the UP of Michigan (look at a map, hopefully the map actually has the UP on there - many don't) as there is only one freeway in the ENTIRE UP (which goes from Sault Ste Marie to the Mackinac Bridge into Lower Michigan - I don't live even remotely close to that). All the other federal and state roads are mostly 2 to 4 lane non-divided highways with few turn-offs. All are posted at no higher than 55 MPH. The highways can definitely handle vehicles travelling on them at faster than 55 (and many people do.. especially the TV news crews, going about 75-85). The bottom line is that going the speed limit (like I do, I don't feel like getting a ticket since there are plenty of 'fun' speed traps near where I live) just takes a long time. The UP is a few hundred miles long from west to east (Ironwood to DeTour/Drummond Island). Even from where I live (central) it probably takes 6 hours to get to Ironwood.
If they increased the legal speed limit on rural highways to 65 or 70 I really don't think that we would have more accidents. People would go the speed limit and get where they need to be faster.
The limit wouldn't need to, and shouldn't be increased in more populated areas.
Would the minority of people still speed? Yes, I'm sure of it, but for the majority of people it would just improve things as it wouldn't take so long to get from place to place.
