From: alavigne@bmerh930.bnr.ca (Andrew Lavigne)
Subject: Re: sdebar re passing or right (was sidebar re 401 (: -))
Organization: Bell Northern Research
Distribution: ont
Date: 21 Aug 92 09:29:57


>Speeding rarely helps save any noticable amount of time (except on
>streets with poorly synchronised lights).  In heavy traffic, beating
>your fellow driver to the off ramp by 4 car-lengths is the ultimate in
>sillyness.  Even on a long trip, a continuously higher average speed
>doesn't save all that much time.

I agree.  In the city, speeding doesn't help all that much...

>There was an excellent documentary about speeding that was shown on
>TVO several months ago.  Though many of you speeders might find it
>over-bearing, you should watch it with an open mind, and think of what
>it describes.  The facts speak for themselves, and this film, while
>somewhat out-dated was very factual and (IMHO) un-biased.

I haven't seen this documentary; I'd like to.   I maintain that with proper
driver training, we can raise speed limits and maintain or increase safety.
Showing cars smashing and crashing is what happens after mistakes happen.
How about concentrating on getting people to avoid all of this...  

As far as this whole argument goes:  In heavy traffic, going more or less
with the prevailing speed of the traffic is the safest thing to do.  Minimize
the speed differential.   This includes not tailgating. 

>The only thing worse than people who speed because they don't think it
>causes any harm, are people who smoke and think it only harms themselves.

In that case, you better get yourself completely off the road, since driving 
at 100km/hr is not all that much better than driving at 110 or 120, and as a
result you are endangering other people as well. 

What makes 100km/hr the 'safe' limit?  Do you think
it was chosen out of safety for the people of Ontario?  Doubt it.  It seems
that every country has their own speed limits, almost all different (generally
more) from ours.  does that make their speed limits horrible, unsafe, and
dangerous???  what about a country that has speed limits less than ours?
I bet they look at you, the canadian, driving 100km/hr, and say 'boy, you
reckless maniac, stay away from me... you're an accident about to happen!'
  
To add another data point to this discussion, there is a report from the
U.S. Federal Highway Administration;  basically it says that speed limits
are set about 10-15mph too low (should move from 55-65 to 70-80mph).  80mph
is almost 130km/h.  Did I not hear people in this group calling drivers 
going this fast maniacs etc etc?? 

Here is an excerpt from the conclusion of the report:

"It would be premature to draw any firm conclusions since the research
 is still underway.  However, the findings to date suggest that, on the
 average, current speed limits are set too low to be accepted as reasonable
 by the vast majority of drivers.  Only about 1 in 10 speed zones has better
 than 50-percent compliance.  The posted speeds make technical violators
 out of motorists driving at reasonable and safe speeds."

"  For the traffic law system to minimize accident risk, then speed limits
 need to be properly set to define maximum safe speed.  Our studies show
 that most speed zones are posted 8 to 12 mph below the prevailing travel
 speed and 15 mph or more below the maximum safe speed.  Increasing
 speed limits to more realistic levels will not result in higher speeds but
 would increase voluntary compliance and target enforcement at the occasional
 violator and high-risk driver."

I have the rest of the report on-line if anyone is interested.

From : "Driver Speed Behavior on U.S. Streets and Highways"
       Samuel C. Tignor, Ph.D. and Davey Warren
       Federal Highway Administration.



Andrew Lavigne
alavigne@bnr.ca