What are your thoughts about speed limits?

TresCrows · May 27, 2003

Our speed limit system is a means of taxation. The cops are the tax collectors for various agencies who depend on that revenue stream to support themselves.
Speedlimits make sense inside cities and congested urban areas but in limited access highways they do not. It seems to me that to much of law enforcement time and effort is spent making our roadways "safe for democracy" rather than doing actual investigative work such as looking for the "bad guys". I once had a hanger at an airport. I found out there was a crack lab illegally operating in one of the hangers (they lied obviously about their need for the hanger). Right out in front on the highway were two cop cars giving tickets. The reason so much effort goes into handing out tickets is because it is the money, the steady supply of money they seek. Thus quotas etc. There even brainwashed into thinking this is a useful purpose. I never remember voting for any of this. J

Trev · May 27, 2003

( Our speed limit system is a means of taxation. The cops are the tax collectors for various agencies who depend on that revenue stream to support themselves.)

There was a great article in Car & Driver once by Patrick Bedard, and it showed a picture from behind a radar gun with a car coming down the road toward it. It was entitled "A Revenuer's View of a Taxpayer." /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

Anonymous Poster · May 27, 2003

I took my first trip behind the wheel of an RV this weekend. I have a whole new level of respect for those who drive any vehicle of size on a regular basis. I also have a new opinion on my fellow drivers. Most people are not trying to make your driving experience miserable, rather they are thinking mainly about what they are doing. When I'm driving a 15,000 pound vehicle that is 2-3 times the length of most cars/trucks, it doesn't occur to the guy (in the ford escort) coming up the on ramp that I can't just slide over a lane and let him in (as I would if driving my car or truck). I've got to take considerably more time to look back and down to make sure there's no one beside me or approaching at any significant speed. The 460 engine feels powerfull under the hood of an F250, but stick it in an RV and acceleration can be a long process.

Now--take these problems and increase the length and weight and you have the typical 18 wheeler. I decided 2 things from my first trip.

1. Unless you restrict travel (times/places) of larger and slower vehicles, I'm not sure you can fix problems significantly. Who decides what is an acceptable vehicle to be on the road at 10 am? Not a "road" I want to go down (no pun intended).

2. You should need to take a course to get a license to drive an RV of any size. It's not the same as driving a regular vehicle.

Bob

TresCrows · May 27, 2003

I believe people can self govern and self regulate. In Iraq we see the results of an oppresive government being removed, the people who had nothing predictably rioted and looted the elitist in power and one fellow even went and got his horses back from Hootie or whatever his name was who took them from him probably in the first place. But---then people began to regulate, and it will take time but if allowed to run it's course order will be restored. Likewise, if the tax collectors were sent packing or maybe put on some of those unsolved cases etc, yeah, mayhem would break out but then people would self regulate. It would take some time because we are like children accustomed to being told what to do. If freedom is a good thing for the Iraquis then I think more freedom should be even better for the folks who invented it or at least give lip service to it. J

knucklehead · May 27, 2003

Ain't a whole lot I can add to any of that, Tres - but of course, I will.

In the perfect world, we would allow all mankind to self regulate, and deal with those who wouldn't swiftly and with appropriate severity, including simply not helping them weather repeated irresponsible acts. I am in favor of the death penalty for rape and kidnapping, and mandatory sentencing for most crimes. As far as I'm concerned, caning (remember caning?) is one of the most compassionate & rehabilitative things we could do - a very nasty spanking and you're free to go. Maybe next time the "canee" comtemplates some stupid act, they'll remember the feeling. Of course, if everyone started off the application of corrective reminders to the tushee cushion much more gently at a much younger age, we'd hardly need any law enforcement. Spare the rod & spoil the child......ain't no psychologists even been able to refute that, except with lies.

I have been bled all over by strong hearts & tender heads who wail about abuse with respect to both discipline and law enforcement, so it's not needed here - I consider it to be a convenient escape for anyone unable to support their argument with facts - sorta like the "rape n' incest" argument for continuing infanticide and unrestricted late term abortion.

Anyone following the continuing saga of Poor Mr. Rodney King? He continues to cause property damage and tie up police, emergency response & medical resources on a recurring basis. Who's not getting help, or going without while Mr. "Can't we all get along" is being once again dealt with? My solution? Put him on a work farm - feed and house himself, learn a trade and some self respect. The cruelest and most unusual form of torture I can find in the world is to string people along on government aid of any form (including repeated trips to the emergency room for a free stitch up).

What's this have to do with speeding? The whole justice system has become a bureaucracy dedicated to it's own growth and maintenance, not dealing with criminals. And then we have the behavioral relativists...but we beat that one to death back before we had to stop doing that so much.

Tractors!

PS - Hope this doesn't sound any harsher than intended - a good day of outdoor work with little time for breaks tends to lead to a really clear understanding of solutions to problems.

turnkey4099 · May 28, 2003

( My wife used to travel a lot, and one thing she keeps noting is how well the Autobahn works. Right lane for slowpokes and trucks, second lane only for passing of the above. The rest of the lanes are free for all.. but people are very considerate and don't hog the left lanes. Very low accident rate.

<snip>

Yes the bahns do work where there is no limit. There is a huge difference however. First training and education before even being allowed to apply for a licence. Second -very- strict auto condition standards. You have to go through a complete check (and fix any minor problems) every (?two?) years. (been a long time now). You do not ever see anything on the road that even comes close to the junk you see over here. Take the limits off and you will see young drivers convinced that their POS is good for 100.

Harry K

Boondox · May 28, 2003

( 18 wheelers are the worst when one who wants to go 61 MPH passes one who only wants to go 60 MPH - takes forever for them to make the pass. GRRRR.
)

You said a mouthful! Twice in the past month I've witnessed 18 wheelers signal a move into the left lane and immediately begin moving over...despite the fact there was already a car in that lane! And when the car had the nerve to accelerate and pass to safety on the left shoulder the big rig drivers honked and flipped them off! /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

I think many big rig drivers should be taken off the road and told to find another way of making a living!

Pete

Anonymous Poster · May 28, 2003

Now comon Pete, those JB Hunt drivers learn that honk & flipoff move in tractortrailer driver school. You too can be a Big Trucker, just call Miss Emmy at 800-Big-Rig and be on your way to the adventure of driving a big rig.
Now you know why JB Hunt drivers have assigned seating in truckstops, right next to the bedbug area.

MRHURT · May 28, 2003

I think SOME big rig drivers should be taken off the road and told to find another way of making a living!

I know i am going get some peoples goat here, but here goes.

Truckers get a bad rap for having some idiots with a CDL out there, not every truck runs you off the road, not every truck contains somebody out to run you over.

I know when a idiot wrecks a truck it takes out two or three cars and makes the news, when a idiot wrecks a car its lucky to get the fourth or fifth spot on the news.
of course a truck makes a big mess, we all took physics class here. large object requires large force to stop it.

sorry for the rambiling on, back to the original subject
when i was a teenager i would not have recpected a car enough to not have a speed limit, now i would be mature enough to handle that kind of choice.

Anonymous Poster · May 28, 2003

All I know is that when I travel the Interstate, I much prefer to do it at night, when there are only me and the 18 wheelers on the road. Take away the slow drivers in the left lane, the people who think their car will fall over if they go around a curve at more than a crawling speed, and the other idiots we let drive, and the 18 wheelers don't cause any problems. It's a genuine joy to share the road with them when the idiots are not there.

My biggest gripe is what I call the "magnetic car". This is the guy that rushes up in the left lane to pass someone, then apparently gets magnetically stuck to the left rear corner of the car he's passing, matching their speed and riding there for miles until he finally figures out how to break the magnetic force. It must be magnetic; no one who is thinking about their driving would be that stupid. I especially hate it when they get stuck to me; they ride there, too close for me to pull out and pass anyone else, and never finish their own pass.

Speed limits? Great where they're required, in residential areas, etc. But, even on 2 lane rural roads, you should be allowed to find your own level of comfort. I really don't worry about it any longer; with all the tax cuts, and reduction of services due to resulting state deficits, there aren't as many cops out there any more, so effective enforcement is a thing of the past. In Florida, our Interstate limits are 70, the average speed is 80. On the rural 2 lane that leads to my property, the limit is 55 or 60 in places; the prevailing speed is 70. Through town the limit is 35; almost everyone drives 35. Makes good sense to me.