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Re: 65 means 65



Jamie Hanrahan, Kernel Mode Systems (jeh@cmkrnl.com) wrote:

: And there is a very real problem here; the speed limit signs are like 
: the boy who cried wolf.  If motorists could believe that posted limits 
: really did reflect maximum, or even typical, safe speeds, we would then 
: have more tendency to obey the occasional speed limit that has to be 
: set low to reflect a non-obvious hazard... a blind curve coming up 
: with an intersection just beyond, a hazardously banked road, etc.  

Well said.  In fact, the way things are, we treat the yellow "caution"
signs with more respect than we give to speed limits.  If a freeway
has a curve signed for 45,  I will be more likely to slow down to 45mph
than if, instead, the speed limit was lowered to 45 for that stretch.

It appears that Caltrans is aware of this.  Why else put up "caution"
signs for 55 on a road for which the speed limit is 55 as well? :-)

--Shrikant Ranade
--sranade@cup.hp.com


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