From: dcm@mpd.tandem.com
Newsgroups: austin.general
Subject: Re: speeding ticket responses
Date: 28 Jul 92 14:02:31 GMT
Distribution: austin

In article <scannon.23@novell.com>, scannon@novell.com (Steve
Cannon..1503..DEV) writes:
> In article <702@zx11.UUCP> joe@zx11.cactus.org (Joe Senner) writes:
> 
> >well, it would appear that there are a lot of speeders out there :-)
> >I've gotten LOTS of responses on this subject, email me if you would
> >like a copy, I won't post. any and all names will be removed to proctect
> >the gui^H^H^H innocent...
> 
> I for one as sick and tired of all the speeders in Austin.  What's the big 
> hurry?  
> 
> Traveling for 100 miles @ 60 mph can be done in 1 hr., 39 minutes.
> Traveling for 100 miles @ 65 mph can be done in 1 hr., 32 minutes.
> 
> Is the extra 5 mph worth 7 minutes considering the extra gas expended, extra 
> stress on the car, and the higher risk?

Let's examine these numbers with a more realistic set of values like,
say, Austin
to San Antonio.  Call it 100 miles, though it's not really quite that
near edge to
near edge.  The cautious driver (ie you) who strictly follows the speed
limit will
average roughly 60 mph, due to the mix of 55 and 65 mph speed limits.  The fast
driver (ie me) will hold a fairly steady average of 80 mph.  Using my car as an
example in both cases we see 27 miles per gallon at 80, and possibly 32
mpg at 60
(though I haven't researched it: the EPA rating is only 30), and
assuming $1.10 per
gallon, we get the following numbers:

At 60 mph it takes 1 hour 40 minutes, using 3.1 gallons of gas, costing $3.41
At 80 mph it takes 1 hour 15 minutes, using 3.7 gallons of gas, costing $4.07

I have just saved 25 minutes, at a cost for gas of $.66 (I won't address 'extra
stress', since I doubt it's financially measurable here).  This works out to 
$1.58/hour.  My time is much more valuable to me than that.  I also consider
25 minutes saved on a trip of this length to be very significant.

As for safety, yes, 80 mph requires a higher level of concentration than 60
mph for an equivalent level of safety, but if I don't want to pay that much
attention to my driving I'll slow down.

> (...)
> When will they every learn that if they just drive the speed limit the light 
> will change as soon as they approach it.  Get a clue!  They are consuming 
> more gas from the fast start and placing more wear on their brakes and tires 
> from having to stopping at every traffic light.  Get another clue!

Where is this mythical road in Austin where the lights are properly timed?
None of the roads I drive on have lights that are even close to correct.
In fact, I often speed up to the next light and go *through* it before it
turns red, and can watch the slower cars from the previous light have to
wait for it.  On the rare occasions where the lights are at least on the 
same length timers, as opposed to demand driven, I adjust my speed to take
advantage of the timing.

> Some people just never learn.  No wonder Japan is eating out lunch!

You're right.  Some of what's bringing this country down is our tendency to
sneer at people who don't behave exactly like we do, and attempt to legislate
their behavior out of existence.

Dave McCracken
dcm@mpd.tandem.com