From: bhayden@teal.csn.org (Bruce Hayden)
Subject: Re: Speed Variances on the Highway...
Organization: Colorado SuperNet, Inc.
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 15:02:41 GMT

cyrus@convex.com (Tait Cyrus) writes:

>In article <Dec15.235828.71079@yuma.ACNS.ColoState.EDU> sgcraw@CS.ColoState.EDU (stewart crawford) writes:
>>>Actually, a minimum speed limit might be just as important as a maximum:

>Wrong.
Come on - If traffic is moving 70 in the fast lane, and someone pulls
out at 55, who is causing the problem?? Obviously, you believe that
the 55'er has a right to go 15 miles an hour slower than the rest of
traffic, and if an accident happens, it sure isn't his fault.
The reality though is that the proximate cause of any accident would
be his pulling into the fast lane. If he ever thought about the 
consequences of his actions before he did it, he should have known
that his actions would cause an accident.

>>>There is alot of evidence that the real problem is traveling at a
>>>different speed that the rest of the traffic (which requires frequent
>>>passing, etc... and thereby increases the risk of accidents.) If this
>>>is the case, driving at 40 on an interstate is as dangerous as driving
>>>70...

>What evidence?  I sure would like to see this.

There were several federal studies done before the 55 debacle. Obviously
the federal government hasn't done any since then (which might tend to
rebut the saftey argument for 55 mph). Despite repeated assertions by
the state patrol, etc. that speed kills, they cannot point at a single
study to backup their contention. Indeed, note that in this state,
the year after the speed limit was raised from 55 to 65 on rural 
interstates, the interstate death toll went down.

>The really interesting thing is that when there IS a speed limit in Germany,
>people obey it.  I am sure a lot of that has to do with the fact that the speed
>limits are set at reasonable levels unlike here in the US where they are set
>at levels to 'save gas'.  Other speed limits are set so arbitrarily it results
>in people speeding.  All people 'know' what is a good speed for a particular
>road.  Unfortunately the US Government appears to subtract 20mph off of this
>'good' speed.  Basically this means people drive the speed they feel
>comfortable with which here in the US is usually around 75-80 in the
>interstate.  I have heard the suggestion of raising the speed limit (that I am
>totally for) from something like 65 to 75 (what most people drive anyway).  In
>response I have heard people saying that no matter how high the speed limit,
>people will always speed.  Yes there will be a few, but a MUCH LARGER
>proportion of drivers, myself included, would be more than happy to drive at 75.
For those of you that remember the 70 MPH speed limits in force when states
could set own speed limits, the averege speed was closer to 70 than 80. Sure
some of us exceeded the speed limits. But, many, if not most, did not. 
Indeed, in Nevada, without speed limits on the highways, the averege speed
was 70-80, and not 120. 

>I don't ever see US drivers having the respect for other drivers like
>the Germans have.  I wish there was a switch someone could throw to change
>this.
Then we wouldn't be Americans. We have never had the respect for authority
that the Germans do. 

Bruce E. Hayden
(303) 758-8400
bhayden@csn.org

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