From: whs70@dancer.uucp (22501-sohl)
Subject: Re: NJ's Guv Jim says no to 65, was Re: speed limit
Organization: Bellcore, Livingston, NJ
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 30 Sep 92 18:57:28 GMT

In article <1992Sep30.170429.29323@watson.ibm.com> lpickup@vnet.ibm.com writes:
>|> 55 to 65) the average speed went up 2 to 3 mph.  not quite what the
>|> doomsayers were predicting.
>
>Okay, let me be more specific.  Admittedly I don't have access to
>these "statistics" that are being quoted that say the speed went up
>a few miles per hour (and I'm not saying that they aren't real either!)
>but my experience has been that before the speed limit change, the
>average speed "appeared" to be about 10 miles above the speed limit
>(i.e. 65).  Now that the speed limit is 65, it still "appears" to
>be 10 miles above the speed limit (i.e. 75).  What is my definition
>of "appears?"  Well, I typically go about that fast, and I find
>that about half the cars I pass, and half the cars pass me,
>so I figure I'm about average.  Granted, not a highly scientific
>analsys, but at least it's my own perception, and I can trust that
>a lot more than I can some propaganda some special interest group
>or another may be floating my way.

Well, by my own not to scientific experience (I drove NJ to
Georgia and return) this summer and found most cars on the I-81
and I-77 system to be traveling at about 65-70.  I was usually driving
at just about 70 and was only occasionally being passed, yet I passed
far more vehicles than the number that passed me.

Here's my analysis of why that is:  With 55, most everyone speeds 
because the limit is so unrealistic.  Given that most folks are
going to go over 55, there seems to be a defacto agreed to range
of around 65 and often up to 70 at which the flow of traffic isn't
hassled by any cops.  Besides, here in NJ, if you get a speeding ticket
for more than 15 over the limit, it gets 4 insurance points instead of 2.

Now, I also think most folks do get on edge above 70, so the normal
comfortable speed also tends to be about 65.  Now, raising the limit
so folks can legally drive at 65 and you don't get a wholesale
10 mph rise in the average speed because folks are reasonably
happy going 65-70 knowing they will absolutely not get a speeding
ticket.  They are also comfortable with the 65-70 and no longer  see
the wisdom in exceeding the limit by 15mph.

I also think most folks are happy knowing they are proceeding at
a speed of at least 1 mile per minute (60mph).  That's (IMHO)
a psycological plateau that I think lot's of folks like to use as
a guage of how long it will take to go somewhere.  (ie. get on
an interstate with 65mph limit and if the sign sez: "Cleveland 40 
miles" you can expect to be there in 40 minutes.  I think it
is ironic that the originators of the 55 limit picked that speed.
I suspect that if they had settled on 60mph, there never would
have been as strong a push to change the limit as has been the
case with 55.  

Anyway, as I and others have mentioned, those states that have
increased limits to 65 have, infact, not seen a 10mph average speed
increase.  Sure, I wish we had no speed limit on some highways,
but I think I'm smart enough to realize that isn't going to be,
given that, I can live with 65 and I think the majority of 
other folks can and will also.

Standard Disclaimer- Any opinions, etc. are mine and NOT my employer's.
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