-
Why does everyone drive 10-15 miles above the speed limit?
-
Why don’t we raise the speed limit if that’s how fast everyone wants to go?
-
Why is traffic enforcement given to very expensive and ineffective police instead of cheaper and more automated traffic cameras?
-
Why do we refuse to ever use ANY traffic calming measures? Yes, than you flashing digital sign for telling me I’m going 10 miles above the limit on this incredibly wide and straight and flat road with high curbs and perfect visibility.
It’s a serious confusion I have about how society is supposed to operate because it seems like a complete and total breakdown of logic and sense.
And, yes, I know there’s some thing people did long ago to set the speed limit at some percentile of what people were already traveling at, but that’s obviously a stupid way to do it and we did it anyway. So why?
I’ll one up this.
In Australia we occasionally have signs: “40 (kh/h) when children as present”
Okay but doesn’t that defeat the purpose? If I see the cunts then I’m not gonna hit them, no matter how fast I’m going.
The problem arises when i don’t see the little shits.
People will always drive at the speed that feels safe and comfortable, which, because we made roads safe and comfortable for cars, is higher than the posted speed limits almost everywhere.
So say a road here is 35 because there are crosswalks, pedestrians on sidewalks, businesses with cars pulling out. Unless the city makes it feel like a 35 mph road, that’s not gonna happen. Speed bumps, narrower lanes, things like that work better. Usually cops don’t ticket for 5 over unless it’s a school zone at school beginning or end time.
It’s not just speed limits. Pay toilets never worked here because people who paid, would jam the lock so the next person didn’t have to. We just aren’t the most rule-following place in general.
If your raise the speed limit 10-15 people will go 10-15 mph above that
-
It’s socially convention
-
Would be too quick
-
Oh boy, you’re in luck!
-
Oh buddy, you’ll love this!
-
If you want people to go 120, you set it at 110 because you’re always going to give 10% for inattention/speedo malfunction/radar inaccuracy.
Speed cameras do shit all about someone speeding now instead of 2 weeks from now when you mail the vehicle a fine and the driver never sees a demerit. Especially if they have lots of money.
Or I guess we could just stroke ourselves over how we go the speed limit all the time, really truly.
Why does everyone drive 10-15 miles above the speed limit?
We don’t. Some of yall do. And then you ride my ass when i don’t.
Why don’t we raise the speed limit if that’s how fast everyone wants to go?
They do. Speed limits are determined by how fast people go on the roads.
Why is traffic enforcement given to very expensive and ineffective police instead of cheaper and more automated traffic cameras?
Because cameras can’t beat people with batons for no reason. Also some areas do have camera enforcement.
Why do we refuse to ever use ANY traffic calming measures? Yes, than you flashing digital sign for telling me I’m going 10 miles above the limit on this incredibly wide and straight and flat road with high curbs and perfect visibility.
Your mad it’s telling you you’re speeding? Then go slower.
Stop resisting!
The short answer to all your questions is that America specializes in stupid in all kinds of ways. This is one of them.
deleted by creator
Honestly, at this scale, a resounding yes to your first question.
Cops want it that way.
In the USA, you can follow the average driver on a 10 minute drive and they’ll technically commit at least 1 infraction. My FIL got a $90 ticket last month for not coming to a complete stop at a stop sign.
The rules of the road are so anally technical so that cops have a valid reason to pull you over whenever they desire. That’s it.
Not stopping at a stop sign is far from “anally technical.”
You’re coming to a 4 way stop. No one is around. You slow to approx 3 mph, then move through as no one is around. That’s pretty fucking anal
Clearly someone was around if the police were able to spot it.
Just press down on the damn brake pedal until all four wheels come to a complete stop. It’s really not that hard.
You come to a stop at a stop sign, how many seconds do you have to wait for it to be considered a full and complete stop?
Can you prove it? Does proving it even matter to the cop that pulls you over for running the stop sign?
I’ve had this happen and luckily the cop failed to show to court so the ticket was thrown out…but what if he had shown up? I have no idea.
I dunno about over there but in Australia it’s 3 seconds
I got “let off with a warning” once when I only came to a complete stop for 1 second on a dead quiet stretch of road with no other cars anywhere. Then out of spite I started doing the full stop for 3 seconds thing, which is really more like a 5–7 second stop if you account for the time you’re going extremely slowly
Other cars get really mad at me, obviously, because it’s ridiculous. Then another police officer gives me a warning for being an obstruction to traffic for following the rules the other police officer told me to follow. There’s actually no fucking winning
Seems anal given every other damn country would use a “yield” or “give way” sign which you can drive through if you see it’s clear. Like, on a very open junction at an oblique angle you may barely need to slow down. Or just slow down enough to make the turn.
Yep. America used to have a shitload more yield signs, but they’ve almost all been replaced with stop signs because some stupid idiots can’t be bothered to pay attention when driving. All these overdone rules exist to treat every driver as the lowest common denominator of intelligence and capacity, frustrating the fuck out of those of us who actually know how to drive well & don’t like coming to a complete stop when it’s unnecessary because it’s inefficient, and often just “safety theater.”
Why does this improve safety
Cops aren’t people though
Stop signs in the US are so damn common you guys invented the “rolling stop”. Outside the US I think I’ve met like ten stop-signs total. You can bet your ass I’m coming to a complete stop when I see one, since they’re so rare I know they’re there for a good reason.
For some reason the US decided to put stop signs all the places everyone else just has a “yield” sign (unsure of the proper English term, but it’s the upside down triangle indicating you have to yield to any other traffic), or just ordinary right-hand rule with no sign at all.
Come to France, they love useless stop signs. Then a random village has 9 intersections where you have to yield right and you can’t see shit.
But also don’t use French roads they’re covered in illegal speed bumps with inconsistent sizes not conformant with international standards for clearance of road vehicles, random illegal obstacles pretending to be “traffic calming” and no enforcement of actual rules that improve safety like speed limits in towns, safety distances and phone use.
deleted by creator
Yeah, a big part of the reason I don’t go over the limit anymore is to limit my interaction with cops. I don’t do well with social interactions and these motherfuckers are likely to find me suspiscious. So I drive the speed limit and just plan to invoke my right to remain silent.
Bad news, they can and will pull you over for going too slow in some places
Well, they can always make up some bullshit, the thing is not to let them go on fishing expeditions. Assert your right to remain silent to any questions, ask them what the purpose of the stop was, and ask them if you’re free to go.
Of course, they can always “smell marijuana” if they want. I’m very frustrated with how cars are automatic excuse to violate your rights, and I already fucking hated cars.
I knew i wasn’t crazy when my friend who is a lawyer said he was starting to take the bus to work because driving cars opens one up to too much liability.
Yeah so true, ultimately we don’t have much control over our interactions with police, ugh
- Why is traffic enforcement given to very expensive and ineffective police instead of cheaper and more automated traffic cameras?
Fuck. Off. With. Your. Surveillance. State. Bullshit.
We had a driver for a trip near London. The driver was driving quickly, but then slowed before getting to a speed-averaging camera checkpoint, saying how they weren’t going to catch him speeding.
I thought about it, I did. But I can’t justify that logic. If you can’t cross that line until a certain time (or else get a citation), then you’re not speeding unless you break that rule. If you speed up and then slow down to average-out your speed, you’re just driving bad, not saving time.
Anyways, I was just amused that they had a system that seemed more foolproof, and yet it wasn’t accomplishing its intended goal for this one driver. That was just one person, I know.
Exactly. And that why these average speed zones are more effective in enforcing speed limits. Most people get the point and grasp the idea of average speed.
By the way, I’ve been driving in England for several weeks over tge last moths. They drive like idiots over there. And I must admit we Belgians aren’t the best drivers either but damn…
I was amazed by the courtiousness I’ve encountered on Slovenian and Montenegrin roads. The contrast is huge.
Automated speed or red light camera’s aren’t the same as the invasive ANPR/ALPR crap.
We have red light camera’s for ages. They only register when someone runs a red light. That’s used to be a hoge problem when I was young. These days it’s non existent.
Same for speed enforcement camera’s. You don’t speed, you’re not under surveillance.
That’s what they claim, but you have no way to verify
Actually I do and I did. I’ve requested the DPIA and the technical specifications through freedom of information request.
Either way they were absused, if not for servillaince then for revenue.
I haven’t payed any speeding tickets in years since I stick to the speed limit.
There are still plenty of old fashioned speed cameras, no surveillance required.
I know what you’re trying to say but literally any camera is surveillance. It takes pictures/video of a given area. It provides overwatch in lieu of a human. It just surveils for a specific thing.
That data can be used for other, nefarious, purposes and Americans tend to hate that unless it’s a private company doing it.
Meanwhile Ireland:
The UK is exactly the same, except they will write “SLOW” on the street, right next to the sign, to confuse you.
tbf in the UK they don’t have a speed listed on those roads, the national speed limit sign basically just means “We couldn’t be arsed to set a safe speed so use your brain.”
What? The national speed limit is 60mph, not whatever you feel like. Speed limits are a maximum, and you will be prosecuted if you are not driving at a speed compatible with the conditions, even if its less than the speed limit.
Yes, but I think the point being made is that some roads are not suitable for that speed despite being national speed limit. There’s green lanes around the place with national speed limit signs on when it feels like your vehicle will be demolished anything over 10mph.
Yes legally the maximum speed is 60mph but you aren’t going to reach those speeds on those roads. My point was that even if the sign means that technically you can do 60mph you’re still going to be done for dangerous driving if you attempt to.
this is the same in NZ, although we are getting some roads posted as 80m/h for safety reasons (high crash, high cycle/horse/foot traffic)
In addition to the clarifications, I thought I’d point out that it’s definitely a case of extra effort to set a safe speed on those roads that the local authority doesn’t want to go to
It’s because “rookie numbers” doesn’t fit on the lane, so they have to egg you on with “slow”
Yeah, I hear you guys even stop at interesections even if there are no stop signs. Completely mad.
In Ireland, speed limits are more of a dare against all common sense.
Also, coincidentally, Ireland is one of the top countries with the most fatal casulties (percentage by population) regarding car drivers, pedestrians and cyclists within the EU… Hmmm… I wonder why that may be the case… 🤔
Source: I used to live in Ireland for ages.
According to https://liveaccidenttracker.com/statistics/road-deaths-in-europe
Italy is deadlier than the whole UK when it comes to road deaths and living here… I gotta say it checks out. I’ve never seen worse drivers than Italians in my life. To say that traffic laws here are an opinion is an understatement.
Uh yes, traffic calming.
I’m going 10 miles above the limit on this incredibly wide and straight and flat road with high curbs and perfect visibility
This is the reason why people speed. If you want people to drive more slowly, you have to design the road/street in a way that discourages higher speeds. Do this, and you won’t need any invasive speed cameras or pay traffic cops to enforce.
On highways I suspect no one gives a shit. If it feels natural to drive 10 mph above the speed limit, it’s probably safe. But raising the speed limit would probably lead some people to speeding even more, with fewer options for punishing them (in my country at least, the fine is dependent on how much above the limit you were going).
-
Because the average American believes speed limits aren’t meant for the especially skilled drivers like themselves.
-
If the speed limit is raised, then people will drive 10-15 MPH over the new limit. Natch.
-
Traffic enforcement cameras have been routinely abused by the government and so have to be regularly taken away from them like the naughty children they are.
-
People will assure you that civil planning has done their job and everything is already working like a well-oiled machine. I don’t know why people keep saying this when it’s obviously not true. It’s astounding.
Traffic enforcement cameras have been routinely abused by the government…
People focus on the nasty abuse like stalking etc. but in my experience traffic cameras (specifically stop sign cameras) are abusive in another way: the fines are low, the crime is classed as civil, and no points are added to the drivers license. Which means if a citation is issued, people just pay it because contesting a false positive case is impossible because you have to schedule a court date, take a day off work to go to court, and pay the court fees even if the judgement is in your favor (which are higher than the actual fine). This only gets worse as more of these cameras switch to AI flagging with “human review,” which we know translates to “no one fucking watched the video, they just isssued the fine.”
Even before AI was in the mix, local governments were pulling crap like shortening yellow light timers to less than their own laws require for safety. And fine citizens (or habitual yellow-light runners) did the leg work to catch this crap. We’ve always had to be on our guard. That isn’t a new phenomena.
👆
…as a licensed US driver who finds public transit much less stressful.
-
Why does everyone drive 10-15 miles above the speed limit?
This isn’t really unique to the US. In my country people also consider it their right to drive above the speed limit and hate the police for telling them they can’t do it…
Why don’t we raise the speed limit if that’s how fast everyone wants to go?
Because then everyone would drive above that new limit instead. It’s a psychology thing. It’s not that everyone would rather go speed y than speed x, being above the speed limit is the very point to it. Otherwise you’d see different behaviors with different speed limits, but at least here, every speed limit sees the same behavior of people not respecting it by the same amount.
Why don’t we raise the speed limit if that’s how fast everyone wants to go?
Because then everyone would drive above that new limit instead.
I’m not so sure about that. If the speed limit in my neighborhood was 80mph I don’t think I’d be going that fast much less above it. If the nearby interstate reduced the speed limit to 25mph I don’t think I’d naturally be driving it at 35-40mph as you state.
In my experience, it’s more a thing that I think many people disregard the speed limit for the most part and have a certain speed they feel is natural and comfortable for them to drive on a given road in a given situation.
Going through the neighborhood? Some people think 15mph, some think 25mph, some think 30mph. See some kids playing on the side of the road? Most people generally would slow down a bit. Roads are tight and narrow? Well now I have to be a bit more careful in this area so I need to slow down even further.
In my experience the psychology trick has everything to do with the road, what’s around it, the condition it’s in, etc, and less to do with the sign itself.
Well, I think both of you have a point. The problem with “most people would slow down” is that this means dead children because of those who don’t.
Speed limits to have a role to play, however much better than a sign is indeed to create roads that naturally make people drive slower. Countless streets in Europe have been redesigned according to that principle, the most systematically in the Netherlands. Why? Because it works and it saves lives.
The US requires roads to built in a way that the “natural speed” would be insanely high, even in purely residential areas.
Because much of your country doesn’t enforce speed limits, large portions of your country’s population don’t believe the Constitution allows speed limit enforcement without reckless driving
Naturally! The tassels on the flags in the court room clearly indicate maritime law, so they can get you for speeding on your boat, but not your car.
Wow, you must be really smart to be able to tell that from the opposite side of the world.
I find it frustrating that in the US at least, people can’t do the simple math. Unless it’s a very long trip, speeding doesn’t save you very much time at all. A couple of minutes at the most for a typical commute.
On countless occasions I’ve seen some some reckless moron nearly take other vehicles’ bumpers off to ‘get around’ traffic. And then you’re right behind that same moron at the next red light.
They are risking everything for little to no time savings.
It is pretty hilarious to me that no matter how much someone spends on a car, no matter how comfortable the seats or rich the sound system or smooth the ride, everyone wants to GET OUT OF THEIR CARS AS FAST AS POSSIBLE. OH MY GOD WHY AM I NOT THERE YET?!?!?!??
I think even if you explained to them they were only saving 45 seconds over a 30 minute commute, they’d think it was worth it.
Human beings are notoriously awful at risk assessment.
