HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: bote@access.digex.com (John Boteler)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
Subject: DOT says 65mph saves lives
Date: 22 Dec 1992 19:29:30 GMT
Organization: Express Access Public Access UNIX, Greenbelt, Maryland USA
Distribution: usa
NNTP-Posting-Host: access.digex.com
Summary: Speed doesn't kill
Keywords: 65mph, Irvine, Charles Lave


Maybe I'm a Johnny-come-lately (my name is John after all),
but I saw this in the Washington Post yesterday.

"Traffic deaths have declined by 3 to 5 percent in the
38 states that raised speed limits to 65 mph on
some interstate highways, according to a study
funded by the Transportation Department and the AAA.

"Charles Lave, a transportation economist at the 
University of California at Irvine, who was coauthor
of the study, said the results debunk Congress' 
"speed kills" theory of the 1970s that was used to keep
the speed limit at 55 mph."

Food for thought, fuel for the fire.


-- 
bote@access.digex.com (John Boteler) 
This week's usenet malapropism: its, it's
its = posessive pronoun; "My car blew its engine."
it's = contraction of 'it is'; "It's cold outside!"
From: jeff@panix.com (Jeff Poretsky)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
Subject: Re: What are some common myths about driving?
Date: 24 Dec 92 03:09:58 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: PANIX Public Access Unix, NYC

In <BzqGox.Ix4@news.iastate.edu> oyalcin@iastate.edu (Onur Yalcin) writes:

>One most common that I know is the belief that the doors should be locked 
>during travel. This is as much wrong a belief as it is widespread. 

>Actually, the doors are recommended to be *unlocked* during travel, so that in 
>case of an emergency (driver and passangers unconscious after a crash), people 
>would be able to open them from outside as quick as possible.

Do you want YOUR door to be opened by someone while you're sitting at a light?
I hope not.   In this day and age of carjacking I'm glad that my car 
automatically locks the doors as soon as I start moving.

>Onur.
>-- 

 Jeff Poretsky   jeff@panix.com
+1 301 681-7823
#INCLUDE <disclaimer.standard>                     
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
From: nau@quesadilla.ssesco.com (William Nau)
Subject: Re: How to answer the Officer when pulled up?
Organization: SSESCO
Date: Thu, 31 Dec 1992 04:34:10 GMT

In article <1992Dec31.000828.8004@kronos.arc.nasa.gov> chucko@kronos.arc.nasa.gov (Chuck Fry) writes:
>In article <1992Dec30.193437.26773@news2.cis.umn.edu> prabhak@giga.cs.umn.edu (Satya Prabhakar) writes:
>>Today I was caught doing 43 (as per the polic radar) in a
>>30 mile zone. I *sincerely* was not doing more than 38 or
>>so.
>
>How do you know??  Have you calibrated your speedometer lately?

How accurate is the cops radar?

I've never had a speedometer be off by more than a couple mph
at 60mph.  I typically check a couple of times per year by timing
myself past ten mile markers.

>Even if your guess is correct, you were illegal.

Yea, but the question is:  How illegal?

>ObPlug: And while you're moaning about the cost of the ticket, join
>NMA, and put your money where your right foot is!

Who cares about the cost of a ticket.  I can only speak for the state
of MN.  A ticket for speeding is about $44.  Big deal.  Who cares.
However, try and look for insurance.  I looked for insurance after
getting the first ticket in my life (the officer claimed 13mph over,
I was doing about 5 over.  Other circumstances made me deserve the
ticket anyway).  The anual difference because of the ticket was
about $150.  This would be in effect for 3 years.  Read $450.  Kinda
makes the $44 look like no big deal.  Some places wouldn't even
consider me because of my one ticket.  [oh yea, no such thing as
being able to take classes to get rid of the ticket around here]

If he really was doing 8 mph over (in the state of MN), it does not
go on your record.  The insurance companies don't find out about it.
At 13mph over, they do find out about it.  If he is like me, that 5
mph error could cost him $450.


William R. Nau
Supercomputer Systems Engineering and Services Company (SSESCO)
511 11th Avenue South, Suite 216
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55415-1536
(612) 342-0003

nau@SSESCO.com
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
From: morton@gaul.csd.uwo.ca (Brent Morton)
Subject: Re: What are some common myths about driving?
Organization: Computer Science Dept., Univ. of Western Ontario, London, Canada
Distribution: usa
Date: Sun, 27 Dec 1992 04:06:56 GMT

In article <1992Dec24.030958.12856@panix.com> jeff@panix.com (Jeff Poretsky) writes:
>In <BzqGox.Ix4@news.iastate.edu> oyalcin@iastate.edu (Onur Yalcin) writes:
>
>>One most common that I know is the belief that the doors should be locked 
>>during travel. This is as much wrong a belief as it is widespread. 
>
>>Actually, the doors are recommended to be *unlocked* during travel, so that in 
>>case of an emergency (driver and passangers unconscious after a crash), people 
>>would be able to open them from outside as quick as possible.
>
>Do you want YOUR door to be opened by someone while you're sitting at a light?
>I hope not.   In this day and age of carjacking I'm glad that my car 
>automatically locks the doors as soon as I start moving.

I doubt many would agree with you. Wisely, the perpetrators of this automatic
door-locking provide methods of defeating the system (re-programming the
computer, for example, as documented in the manuals of afflicted Ford cars).

-- Brent
morton@artifis.gaul.csd.uwo.ca
From: dlovely@meaddata.com (David Lovely)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
Subject: Re: "Most Tastelss Car Accessory Listing"
Date: 31 Dec 1992 09:06:59 GMT
Organization: Mead Data Central, Dayton OH
Distribution: usa
NNTP-Posting-Host: tteam.meaddata.com

The all-time tasteless bumper sticker award goes to:
	"Protect American Jobs, Buy American Made"

It was on the back of a Toyota Corolla!

This is absolutely true!

-- 
*******************************************************************************
David P. Lovely					      BOYCOTT BARBRA STREISAND!
Mead Data Central	       Don't Blame Me.  I didn't vote for Slick Willie.
Dayton, Ohio						       Vote KEMP in 96!

Fun VW is spelled C-A-B-R-I-O-L-E-T

"Government isn't the solution to our problems, government IS the problem!"
	-Ronald W. Reagan

		NO DISCLAIMER NEEDED (Nobody claims me anyway!)
*******************************************************************************
From: jwarring@digex.digex.com (Jeff Warrington)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
Subject: Re: How Fast are They Driving Out There?
Date: 22 Dec 92 22:17:12
Organization: Express Access Online Communications, Greenbelt, MD USA
Distribution: na
NNTP-Posting-Host: access.digex.com
In-reply-to: tkpowell@tekgen.bv.tek.com's message of 22 Dec 92 22:12:17 GMT

tkpowell@tekgen.bv.tek.com (Terry Powell) writes:
> I'm really curious.  Whats the average speed on your daily commute?  How
> fast are the 'flyboys' going?  What are the off hour speeds?  Reports from
> the great wide open? 

most of my experiance comes from off-hour (let's say non-rush-hour)
east cost driving... my sweeping generalization (read: provocative,
uninformed, opinionated, flame-bait) would be to say that, for the
most part people drive 65-70, but every Xth car flies by at 10mph or
more over that...  If I had to guess I'd say X is somewhere around 30.

I would say this applies with small variation for roads like 15 CT,
95 MD - CT, 87 & 84 NY, 78 NJ, 476 PA, 50 MD, 9 PA.

in crowed places like Long Island, NY tend I think you see X decrease
(if there is room there is someone who wants to pass) and I'll never
forget my first impression of Ohio where X seemed to be around 500+
(read: not even an occasional 80+), is this common of states where the
limit is now 65?

potentially interesting thread

jw

#ifdef I_CARED
#include <std/disclaimer>
#endif
--
------------------------------------------------------------
"The only decent thing I did; when worked as a postal clerk;
 was to haul your picture down off the wall near the cage
 where I used to work."  Robert Zimmerman
From: greg.roberts@dwarp.sccsi.com (Greg Roberts) 
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
Subject: Re: Police Intimidation
Date: 25 Dec 92 20:07:00 GMT
Distribution: world
Organization: Data Warp Premium BBS - Spring/Houston, TX - 713-355-6107
Reply-To: greg.roberts@dwarp.sccsi.com (Greg Roberts) 

MDT}Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
MDT}From: michaet@hubcap.clemson.edu (michael dale townsend)
MDT}Subject: Re: Police Intimidation

MDT}Date: Tue, 8 Dec 1992 17:43:06 GMT

MDT}>>These days, cops have to be ready for even a routine traffic stop to turn
MDT}>>violent.

MDT}Well, right near here in Anderson South Carolina, a 21 year old deputy
MDT}was shot and killed early in the morning 2 days ago.  If I was a cop, I
MDT}would NOT like to have approach a service van (no windows) at night.

I was home the week before Christmas (between Anderson & Sandy Springs)
and read about this.  Two high-school boys had stolen a Terminix truck.
A pipe had slipped out of the rack & was dragging on the road.  The
deputy stopped them to let them know they were losing part of their
load.  He didn't know that the vehicle was stolen when he made the
stop.  The boys (17 & 18) shot him in the face.  After apprehension,
they said they "only meant to hit him in the shoulder".

FWIW, there had been 50 traffic deaths in Anderson county for the year
as of Dec. 23.
---
 . SLMR 2.1a #796 . Round&Round&Round we go. Just how fast, the timer knows!
From: aland@informix.com (Colonel Panic)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
Subject: Re: How to answer the Officer when pulled up?
Date: 31 Dec 92 05:58:00 GMT
Organization: Helen Keller Bondurant's Performance Driving School for the Blind

In article <1992Dec30.210713.26433@samba.oit.unc.edu> Mike.Oniffrey@launchpad.unc.edu (Mike Oniffrey) writes:
>(Satya Prabhakar) writes:
>	When the cop came by and asked me, "Do you know what speed
>	you were going at?" I replied, "35!"
>	While handing over the citation he said, "You have the right
>	to appeal the citation, but remember that you *admitted*
>	driving over the [posted] speed limit of 30!'
>
>Cops pick up on this technique and use it in the field.  Remember Miranda: 
>"Anything you say can and will be used against you".  Satya, you ask if it

Whoa.  *You're* forgetting Miranda.  Unless the cop advised him of his
Constitutional rights beforehand, any such remark is inadmissible.  Isn't 
that what Miranda was all about?


--
Alan Denney      aland@informix.com      {pyramid|uunet}!infmx!aland

"The mist clung to the mountain the same way a thirteen-year-old girl clings
 to her boyfriend, although the mountain wasn't thinking about "getting lucky."
                                 (1990 Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest entry)
From: mdennie@beryllium.mc.xerox.com (Matt Dennie)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
Subject: Re: How Fast are They Driving Out There?
Date: 30 Dec 92 14:43:46 GMT
Reply-To: mdennie@beryllium.mc.xerox.com
Organization: Xerox Corporation

In article 12109@netcom.com, dman@netcom.com (Dallman Ross) writes:
>Kenneth Crudup (kenny@osf.org) wrote:
>: In article <1992Dec29.204304.13425@netcom.com>
>: dman@netcom.com (Dallman Ross) writes:

   >various bragging about speed estimating abilities and autobahn driving on 
   a squidercycle deleted<

>: "Cracked-out gang-member cruise-car chases- on the next Donahue." <snicker>
>
>Oh, <snicker> yourself.  There do exist coked-out idiots out there, ya
>know.  Why is it so hard to believe that I've seen a few over 6 months
>on the urban part of I-80?

I doubt anyone would argue that these types exists or that you may have seen some,
_my_ point (not speaking for kenny here) is that you make no case for why you think
the people you saw were "probably high" and your statement smacks of prejudice.

"Prejudice is the stupidest thing in the world, there are so many perfectly
legitimate reasons to hate people on an individual basis" - some guy on the
                                                            Comedy Channel (tm)

>
>--
> __D_a l_l m a_n  _ R o_s s _ |dman@netcom.com  /or/  |"You sound like a man|
> l  \\ l\\   /l  /\\  l\\   l |dross@well.sf.ca.us    |with a rubber nose." |
> l   >)l \\ /ll /  \\ l \\  l |vox/fax: 1.510.645.1883| -- One-Lung Bill    |
> l  // l  \X ll/--- \\l  \\ l |350 Perkins St., #108  |     Remmer (deceased)
>_l//______________________\\l_|Oakland,_CA__94610-3422|_____________________|_



---
--Matt Dennie                              Internet: mmd.wbst207v@xerox.com
Xerox Corporation, Rochester, NY (USA)
"Reaching consensus in a group often
 is confused with finding the right answer."  -- Norman Maier
From: worden@bouncer.nsc.com (Dennis Worden)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
Subject: Re: How Fast are They Driving Out There?
Date: 23 Dec 92 21:28:47 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: National Semiconductor Corporation

I commute in the southern part of the San Francicso Bay area.  Over the
years I have travelled 101 through San Jose: until recently if you could
average above about 20 mph (yes average) you would be running people off
the road.  Since its upgrading, its about 25 mph average (carries much
more traffic though).  I280 through San Jose averages more like 40 mph.  
In the last couple of years I commute on I680 for about 15 miles into
the South Bay. Before its' upgrade, the average over the Sunol grade 
was, let's see... 8 miles in 45 minutes, ahh, about 11 mph.  That's 
improved to about 50mph.  The overall average over the 15 mph is now
about 40mph.  In all cases, if someone was doing more than about 2 mph
faster on these saturated roads, they would be using the median strip.
Even the motorcycles only average faster when the traffic is either
stopped, or nearly so.

During the non-commute times, I do see the occasional car going maybe
75 to 80; occasional being 1 car in 25.  Maybe 1 car a week might exceed
85 or 90.  During the weekends I travel I5 North of the SF Bay area, and
the average speed is 70 to 75, even in the 55 zones.  There are people
along I5 moving at better than 85, probably 1 in 20 or less.

-- 
Dennis Worden, not representing $  When the TEAM succeeds, you succeed,
anybody, not even himself, in   $  but when the Team fails, you're FIRED.
any way shape or form.          $  Don't EMAIL me at worden@berlioz.nsc.com
From: avk@hafnium.cchem.berkeley.edu (Tony Konashenok)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
Subject: Re: Driving in gusty winds - info needed
Date: 26 Dec 1992 04:02:26 GMT
Organization: University of California, Berkeley
Distribution: na
NNTP-Posting-Host: hafnium.cchem.berkeley.edu

My own observation: fairly similar cars may have completely
different aerodynamics. I compared a Mazda GLC I used to have
with my friend's Toyota Starlet. Same size-weight group, Toyota
is a bit "boxier". The difference in aerodynamics is unbelievable.
At 60 mph and up, Toyota is literally getting swept off the road
during wind gusts, while Mazda is holding the way. (Note: my tires
had *more* wear). Thus, go figure yourself if your particular
car is vulnerable to winds.


-- 
Tony Konashenok   avk@hafnium.cchem.berkeley.edu   (510)843-5632 (home)
University of California, Berkeley                 (510)642-5831 (office)

Strauss research group, Latimer Hall, UC Berkeley, Berkeley CA 94720, U.S.A.
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
From: jfc@athena.mit.edu (John F Carr)
Subject: Do HOV lanes work?
Organization: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Distribution: usa
Date: Sun, 3 Jan 1993 22:51:43 GMT


I-84 through Hartford has some very-expensive looking carpool lanes (at
interchanges and exits there are separate over/under-passes; when the HOV
lane parallels the road there is enough unused pavement to add 1.5 new
lanes).

Is this really worth the cost?  I go through Hartford a few times a year at
off-peak hours, and there is very little traffic on the HOV lane.  Is it
different during rush hour?  It seems to me the money would have been better
spent making the main road wider.

If you do take the HOV lane, you have to travel at the speed of the slowest
car because there is no room to pass.

--
    John Carr (jfc@athena.mit.edu)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
From: gill@eagle.sangamon.edu (Warren Gill)
Subject: Re: How to answer the Officer when pulled up?
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL6]
Organization: Sangamon State University
Date: Sat, 2 Jan 1993 21:30:01 GMT

Henri R Helanto (hhelanto@vipunen.hut.fi) wrote:
> In <1992Dec30.193437.26773@news2.cis.umn.edu> prabhak@giga.cs.umn.edu (Satya Prabhakar) writes:
> >When the cop came by and asked me, "Do you know what speed
> >you were going at?" I replied, "35!"
>
> 	Rule #2: Speak as little as possible. If they bothered to
> 		 stop you, they'll fine you anyway. Don't bother 
> 	 	 to be nice to them.
> 
        Wrong!  Just because they stopped you does *NOT* mean you are
going to get a ticket.  In fact, the longer you talk to the officer, he
sees you as not being a threat to his authority, and is more likely to
let you off with a warning.
--
      ______                                                               
      )     (   Warren Gill, Management Analyst Programmer II
     /       |  University of Illinois at Chicago
    (        |  Division of Specialized Care for Children
     \_  *   |  Springfield, IL
       \     |  
       /    /   217/793-2350x151  Internet: gill@eagle.sangamon.edu
        \/\/    
           Law never made men a whit more just. {Henry David Thoreau}
From: mark@whizbang.wariat.org (Mark W. Schumann)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
Subject: Decatur "Hunter"--Lakewood, Ohio
Distribution: na
Date: Sun, 27 Dec 92 22:58:57 GMT
Organization: The Software Sweatshop, Cleveland, Ohio USA
Reply-To: mark@whizbang.wariat.org


I got a nice Christmas present from an officer in Lakewood, Ohio, the
other day.  The radar reading sounded a little high; I drive fast but
49mph on Bunts Road strikes me as improbable.

Assuming that I want to speak to the municipal judge next week about
this matter, is there anything I should know about the Decatur brand
"Hunter" radar?  And does 6pm twilight have any bearing on a proper
reading?

Or on the other hand I could be out a point and one hundred bucks.
Darn.

--
Mark W. Schumann/3111 Mapledale Avenue/Cleveland, Ohio 44109-2447 USA
Domain: mark@whizbang.wariat.org                      CIS: 73750,3527
"We're not nuts or anything; I mean *I'm* not nuts." <whizbang!judy>
From: stecz@pencom.com (John Steczkowski)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
Subject: Re: How to answer the Officer when pulled up?
Date: 31 Dec 92 14:35:49 GMT
Reply-To: stecz@pencom.com
Distribution: austin
Organization: Pencom Software

In article <C03woz.s0@ssesco.com> nau@quesadilla.ssesco.com (William Nau)  
writes:

> Who cares about the cost of a ticket.  I can only speak for the state
> of MN.  A ticket for speeding is about $44.  Big deal.  Who cares.
> However, try and look for insurance.  I looked for insurance after
> getting the first ticket in my life (the officer claimed 13mph over,
> I was doing about 5 over.  Other circumstances made me deserve the
> ticket anyway).  The anual difference because of the ticket was
> about $150.  This would be in effect for 3 years.  Read $450.  Kinda
> makes the $44 look like no big deal.  Some places wouldn't even
> consider me because of my one ticket.  [oh yea, no such thing as
> being able to take classes to get rid of the ticket around here]

Jeez, I love Texas.  Several years ago, I got a ticket for doing 89 in a 55 in  
Richardson, Texas (Dallas) on Central Expressway, about 2:00am.  The fine was  
over $200.  I took defensive driving, which cost $25 and 8 hours of time, and  
got the ticket dismissed and got a 10% discount on my insurance for the next 3  
years.  In all, that ticket saved me a couple of hundred bucks.

Also, in Texas, it is illegal for insurance companies to raise your rates for  
speeding.  If you get a bunch of tickets, they can drop you, but they can't  
raise your rates (yes it's true, my insurance company told me). 

--
  John Steczkowski                        stecz@pencom.com
  "Achilles raised his spear, took careful aim, and hurled."
  					    from the Iliad
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
From: chucko@kronos.arc.nasa.gov (Chuck Fry)
Subject: Re: How to answer the Officer when pulled up?
Organization: Recom Technologies, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
Date: Thu, 31 Dec 1992 00:12:47 GMT

In article <C03Avn.9sr@news.cso.uiuc.edu> gill@eagle.sangamon.edu (Warren Gill) writes:
>  Always remember to try to boost the officer's ego (yes, suck up)
>and try not to admit your guilt.  Try something like "Oh, I didn't
>realize I was going that fast.  I must not have been paying attention
>to my speed, with the traffic and all..."

Ah, but even this answer indicates some lack of responsibility on the
driver's part.  You must realize that "Do you know how fast you were
going?" is a trick question, intended to make the victim admit guilt
directly, or at least admit that he wasn't doing his job as a driver.

Don't EVER give the friendly officer any rope with which to hang you.
Keep the conversation strictly business, unless you're good enough at
bullshitting your way out of these situations to risk it.

 -- Chuck Fry  Chucko@ptolemy.arc.nasa.gov
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
From: goudreau@batman.rtp.dg.com (Bob Goudreau)
Subject: Re: What are some common myths about driving?
Date: Mon, 21 Dec 92 18:37:37 GMT
Organization: Data General Corporation, RTP, NC

In article <29774@castle.ed.ac.uk> cam@castle.ed.ac.uk (Chris Malcolm) writes:
>In article <knauer.724919190@pegasus.cs.uiuc.edu> knauer@pegasus.cs.uiuc.edu (Rob Knauerhase) writes:
>
>> They do not realize however that in the real world (as applies to
>> most of America) you just have to have a car.
>
> This is a curious point. Do you mean that the Real World (tm) consists
> of most of America, and perhaps some parts of Europe and India?

Please, read what he wrote before setting up silly strawmen which
you can then knock down.  He said "the real world (as applies to
most of America)".  

>In the strange Unreal World I inhabit a car is not
>only inconvenient and expensive, but usually a slower way of getting
>from from A to B.

His point is that some people like to rail (no pun intended) against
reality and insist that such models of transportation systems are
practical for the U.S.  But in the real world, this is not so, because
the housing, employment and retail patterns that make such systems
practical in places like Edinburgh (or wherever) do not apply in most
of the U.S.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Bob Goudreau			Data General Corporation
goudreau@dg-rtp.dg.com		62 Alexander Drive	
+1 919 248 6231			Research Triangle Park, NC  27709, USA
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
From: dmunroe@vcd.hp.com (Dave Munroe)
Subject: Re: How Fast are They Driving Out There?
Date: Wed, 23 Dec 1992 03:25:12 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Hewlett-Packard

tkpowell@tekgen.bv.tek.com (Terry Powell) writes:

>I'm really curious.  Whats the average speed on your daily commute?  How
>fast are the 'flyboys' going?  What are the off hour speeds?

Being that I'm in your area, I don't need to tell you about Hwy 26 inbound
(I commute from Beaverton to Vancouver and back).  I-5 north of Portland is
often ridiculously slow: traffic there is usually stuck behind heavy machinery
being towed on flatbeds, convoys of semi's, and on a few occasions, pre-fab
houses being towed.  Being able to do 55 there is a luxury.  On Hwy 14
(Washington) the speed limit is 50, then 55; most people are doing 55 to
60 and it's well patrolled.  I find this pretty much true in the late evening
hours also.

-Dave