From: atovorni@engr.UVic.CA (Andreas  Tovornik)
Subject: Re: Raising the limit
Reply-To: atovorni@engr.UVic.CA
Organization: University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
Date: Mon, 16 Nov 92 00:59:32 GMT

In article GuJ@news.cso.uiuc.edu, cka52397@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Slartibartfast) writes:
>In article <1992Nov13.175859.4771@news.mentorg.com> philip@mentorg.com (Philip Peake) writes:
>>In article <1dv7t6INNr6h@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu>, aas7@po.CWRU.Edu (Andrew A. Spencer) writes:
>>|> 
>>|> In a previous article, philip@mentorg.com (Philip Peake) says:
>>|> 
>>|> >So, why don't those of you who both pay taxes and are allowed
>>|> >to vote introduce some ballot measures of your own, to get the
>>|> >speed raised to ... well ... say 90 m.p.h. on Interstates and
>>|> >70 m.p.h. on restricted access divided highways ?
>>|> 
>>|> that is the problem..you are talking to the enthusiats on here..
>>|> unfortunately..DC knows that MOST US drivers have no business
>>|> driving..and try to protect us all from those of us who fall
>>|> into that catagory(myself included, BTW..i have yet to manage
>>|> to take a REAL driver's training course...)..so..limits are
>>|> made..and the enthusiasts alone cannot really change something.
>>
>>You seem to be saying that US drivers are generaly incompetent.
>>I have to disagree - well, let me re-phrase that to say that they
>>are no worse than drivers in many other countries, and in some respects
>>are better.
>>
>	Ok, so American drivers are better than those on the streets of Rome,
>but that isn't saying much.  We in America have, all in all, the worst drivers
>in the non-third world.  We pass on the right, go slow on the left, do our hair
>in the rear view mirror, don't use our headlights in the rain, NEVER use our
>Turn Signals.  Of course, that is most people, not necessarily the ones who 
>read the NET.
 
Aye, Canadians are nearly as bad, and much worse in Quebec.

>>I have taken three driving tests, in three different countries, and
>>have three driving licenses to prove it. There are SIGNIFICANT
>>differences in the tests, and in the basic driving laws/styles,
>>but I wouldn't say that the test that I took in Oregon was any less
>>strict than anywhere else (they did want me to do things which would
>>guarantee failure in other contries, and which would also upset police
>>in most other countries, but thats another story).
>>
>>In the (not too distant) past, one of the reasons for high accident
>>rates in the US was the horrible cars in use - with suspension
>>designed to convince the driver that he was floating on a cloud,
>>rather than being designed to keep the car on the road.
>>
>>That is now less true than it was.
>>
>>What is true now is that driving at 55 mph is liable to put the driver
>>to sleep (and often does).
>>
>>But, getting back to the original point - do you REALY think that
>>most US drivers WANT the 55 limit ?
>>
>>Philip
>>
>
>	I'd love to see the 70 mph limit, (hell, no limit would be great) but,

I define the speed limit of my car as the top speed, period. :+)

>A) Our roads arent' quite as smooth as Germany's, and life at 90 would be hell
>	our terrible roads.

The roads are very good west of the continental divide. No frost heaving
below the snow line. Heh, check out the roads in the Province of Quebec. 
They are the reason why my car's interior lost some screws to the seismic 
gods. :+(

>B) Drivers suck here.  See above.

Yeah, all those morally-superior left-lane(right lane for all of you in RHD
countries) BANDITS!!! :+)

>C) American/Japaneese cars (the majority) are _much_ less safe than the great
>	European touring sedans...  We don't have the equipment, I'd hate 90
>	in my Civic.

We have the equipment but nobody wants to pay for it in an American car.
I'd hate anything in a civic unless the car was standing still and she 
looked sexy! :+)

Torque Monger