Originally posted by Auto-X Fil:
Originally posted by Berry Tweaker:
Going 75 in a 55 is not safer then going 55 in a 55. There will always be people going slower (ie the speed limit).



No, not always! Go to the D.C. beltway. You are dead meat at the speed limit!

Just so we're all on the same page:

Speed limits are often bogus/poorly enforced
These kids realized this, but demonstrated it in a dangerous way
It's best to go the speed limit unless there are traffic conditions that prevent it.



Wow, I enjoyed that movie! I used to live in the Atlanta area and for 2 years commuted from the south side to the north side of the city for work on a daily basis, so I have been all over 295.

Part of their point (based on the discussions prior to the stunt) was that if the posted and legal speed limit is 55 but everyone does 75 and that is kind of accepted. Then if someone drives 80 and gets pulled over and ticketed, why would he get written up for 25 over, not 5 over?

I agree that those people who don't keep with traffic, or at least get up to the speed minimum (NOT MAXIMUM) in the right lane, (usually older people) are a potential hazard. But wouldn't be true if everyone was DRIVING THE SPEED LIMIT OR LESS! The non-speeder is only a "hazard" because everyone behind him is impatiently trying to get around him any which way (as demonstrated in this movie). I couldn't believe people were going around them on the shoulders etc. (And I drive every now and again into Boston, where the shoulders are legally used as lanes during high traffic times on some highways. Wow that was weird the first time!...)

The real gist here is that if everyone did the speed limit, then NOONE WOULD HAVE A PROBLEM WITH OTHERS THAT DID THE LIMIT!

I agree that what they did (their little experiment/ movie) was dangerous. But IT SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN! If everyone around them was FOLLOWING THE LAW, they wouldn't have even noticed those 4 cars.

But how were the experiment participants any more of a hazard than a police officer sitting on the side of the road would be. Haven't we all seen that? Everyone is tooling along at 70, come over a hill, and Mr. Officer is in the center or off on the right with his radar gun out (or just sitting there) and everyone is slamming on their brakes... I've seen near accidents caused by that situation.

I would agree that 55 is too low for many places. The 55 mph speed limit was actually set in the 70's during the fuel crisis. The number was chosen as the most fuel efficient at the time. See: Article that mentions that. Most likely modern cars are more efficient at the slightly elevated speeds, but I don't have facts and figures to back me up. But don't just break the law and act surprised or indignant when you are ticketed for breaking the law. Get the law changed. Now that the Federal Government has repealed the 55 mph national maximum, the limits are set by the local governments.

I think the bottom line is that the speed limit is the speed limit: That is the law. Laws exist to keep people and society in general, safe. If you don't like the law, then do something to try to get it changed, which was a goal of this movie.

But, if you are traveling 80 mph in a 55 mph zone, you are guilty of speeding, and guilty of going 25 mph over the speed limit. Maybe you won't get caught and ticketed today. Go ahead and take your chances. Good luck defending yourself to the officer or judge by saying, well everyone else was doing it, or the real speed on that highway is 75...

Everyone needs to take it easy, be patient and nice to others. While you are piloting your 2-3000 lb. death trap around, give others a break. No one is there trying to annoy you, or keep you from getting home or to your all too important party, on time.

I'm guilty of this as well, so don't think I'm preaching. Just this week I passed some guy on a back road because he was driving 32 in a 35 mph zone (usually people go about 40 ish...)

Can't we all just get along?

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