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Re: Why it's set at 55 m.p.h...
In article <3lq2ph$hnk@clarknet.clark.net>,
Jonathan Hazzard <thonhazz@clark.net> wrote:
} I've been following the thread about speeders FYI and I think everyone
}who posted a followup is missing a very important point. The fact that
}the speed limit is 55 is not to _increase_ revenue. It's not a silly
}speed limit, even though everyone exceeds it.
That makes it unjust. It's silly, too.
} The state and the legislature, believe it or not, actually are
}concerned about highway safety. It costs far more money to clean people
}off the road after an accident than is gained in ticket revenue.
A misleading comparison (even if it were backed up), as it assumes that all
accidents are speed related. In fact, well under 20% of them are
speed-related, according to my World Almanac (based on National Safety
Council figures)
} There are two reasons why fines are collected:
} 1) as a deterrent to excessively exceeding the speed limit
} 2) to create a source of income to offset the costs of maintaining,
}patrolling, and providing emergency services on highways.
Cut 2) off after "income". Ticket revenues go into the general
fund.
} That said, let me address the issue of the 55 m.p.h. speed limit. Of
}course no one under 70 years old does the speed limit. Of course the
}police and the state don't expect drivers to obey the speed limit. What
}they DO expect is that most drivers will stay within several miles per
}hour of the limit. The Dept. of Transpotation does ongoing tests on
}highway speed, constantly reevaluating the average speed and safety of
}various roads.
Unfortunately, they do nothing except occasionally threaten states to
enforce their speed limits on penalty of losing highway funds.
} For example, let's assume the average highway driver will exceed the
}posted speed limit by 10 m.p.h. If we want traffic to flow at 60, we'll
}set the speed limit for 50. If we want people to do 40, we set it at
}30.
You assume that people take the speed limit and then deliberately
exceed it by a certain amount. You haven't backed that up. Perhaps it
was true at one point, but I don't think it is anymore. There seem to
be two groups of people-- those who scrupulously follow the speed
limit and those who drive whatever speed they feel like. (this is
from my own observations). I recently took a >1600 mile trip on the
highways, some 65mph, some 55mph, and didn't notice anyone driving any
slower on 55mph roads as compared to 65mph. I did notice a lack of
the occasional 55mph driver on the 65mph roads-- probably the two
groups aren't distinct on 65mph roads.
70mph for the trip (if you ignore stops for gas and food-- and one
speeding ticket. With them,average was a bit under 70mph)
} The speed limits and fines are set so as to control the average speeds
}on the highways and to deter greatly exceeding them. Revenue is an
}issue, but it goes to support the great cost of having roads in the first
}place. However, not even politicians are cynical enough to sit back and
}say, "Hahaha, we'll make the speed limit 25 so we can make a lot of
}money!"
Wanna bet? This is the textbook definition of a "speed trap",
typically set at a municipal border (especially infamous in southern
states)
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