[Prev][Next][Index][Thread]

Re: 65 means 65



In article <406ku4$9vl@gap.cco.caltech.edu>, addam@cco.caltech.edu 
(Adam Neil Villani) writes:
> If anything, bad speed
> laws make criminals out of otherwise good drivers and ensure greater
> speed differentials on roads, which is one major factor in causing
> accidents. This is because there will be a minority of drivers that
> keep their speeds artificially low to comply with the law rather
> than safety.

"Criminals" is going a bit far, since most simple speed violations 
aren't criminal offenses, but these too-low limits do make scofflaws 
out of a majority of motorists. 

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.  

	--- Jamie Hanrahan, Kernel Mode Systems, San Diego CA
Internet: jeh@cmkrnl.com (JH645)  CompuServe: 74140,2055  


Follow-Ups: References: