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Re: Need Help Bad speeding ticket

randy@omni.voicenet.com (Randy) wrote:
>In article <1995Oct24.190216.21153@engr.washington.edu>,
>
<snip>

>
>Look, let us end this thread now. I believe 55 MPH is slow on some
>highways. BUt I also believe that when you go above 70, it gets too
>dangerous. You may be the perfect driver, alert, quick reflexes, etc...
>But you can not expect the unexpected such as a deer running in front of
>your vehicle. Or cows/horses on the roadway. I have investigated many of
>these types of accidents. The faster you travel, the more distance you
>travel during reaction time, and stopping distance. You want to speed, go
>ahead. There will always be a chance of you getting caught and ticketed.
>Just show some courtesy to the other drivers on the road.
>-- 

Oh Come On!

You are making an absolute statement and ignoring the fact that cars, drivers,
roads and conditions vary.  Let me state for the record that I have never
seen wondering cows nor deer across the Mohave Desert, nor on I15 across 
the desert, nor on I70 in Eastern Utah... Maybe just the odd wandering tumble 
weed but they don't freeze in front of your headlights.

Randy, if you are telling me that 70mph is too fast for nightime conditions
on a narrow, rural two way county road in Michigan, I may just agree with
you.  But if you really expect to believe that 70 is too fast for most of
the freeways in the Western and Mountain states (and probably the midwest too)
-even at night- then I disagree with you.  

There are also some damn fast and straight two lane roads hereabouts with
mile long lines of sight that can easily and safely be driven at 80mph+.

Lastly, lets not forget the _fact_ that different cars and drivers have 
different capabilities.  An old man, with feeble eyesight and slow responses,
travelling in an Old Cadillac with bold tires after six hours of playing bingo
can not be compared with a middle age woman in a Porsche 944 going to 
work in the morning.

That's the fundamental fallacy of american speed laws: In their quest to
apply a uniform speed limit applicable to as many possible conditions, they
pander to the lowest common denominator and promulgate a culture of 
driving mediocrity and disrespect for the law.

I have cruised at speeds well over the speed limit on thousands of miles 
of roadway with far more security and safety than many careless drivers
in ill maintained, ill designed road hogs being driven within an inch
of their lives.

The point is that a caring, aware driver in a well designed, well maintained
road car can easily operate a vehicle well above the speed laws.  So why
is it that cops and the safety nazis just keep harping that this is unsafe
when millions of americans know this not to be?

Amen!

tony