Subject: Re: Illegal speed traps (was: FIGHT YOUR TICKET)

From: Bob Morrow <[email-masked]>
Date: 27 Sep 1995 01:26:38 GMT

Jeffrey K. Seigle <[email-masked]> wrote:

>It seems I read, perhaps on this newsgroup, that speed limits are not
>set by engineers who design the roads.  They are often set by observing
>the actual speed of traffic and setting the limit at some percentile
>(lower than 85th, I think).  But a safe speed on a given road is not 
>simply the maximum speed at which you can retain control of your car.
>For example, the school zones I mentioned in the post you responded to.
>
>Jeff

They set speed limits -at or above- the 85th percentile, unless politicans 
and know-nothing "concerned citizens" get involved, in which case they 
pervert the process and give us 30th percentile speed limits that don't 
slow down traffic but do put people in danger of getting a ticket they 
don't deserve.

these same politicans and others are responsible for the overpopulation of 
stop signs, putting stop signs up in violation of state regulations and in 
an attempt to use them as speed control devices,not stop signs.
-- 
Bob Morrow N7PTM
USAF Tops In Blue 1988

"Hey Beavis! Not that switc.."#R5\4#$%^D&   NO CARRIER

---

From: Bob Morrow <[email-masked]>
Date: 28 Sep 1995 23:44:17 GMT

That's largely a result of know-nothing "concerned citizens" 
forcing the DOT to set speed limits lower than they should be 
just so they think something has been done about a problem that 
never really existed in the first place.

-- 
Bob Morrow N7PTM
USAF Tops In Blue 1988

---

From: [email-masked] ()
Date: 29 Sep 1995 09:17:52 GMT

Bob Morrow ([email-masked]) wrote:
: Jeffrey K. Seigle <[email-masked]> wrote:

: >It seems I read, perhaps on this newsgroup, that speed limits are not
: >set by engineers who design the roads.  They are often set by observing
: >the actual speed of traffic and setting the limit at some percentile
: >(lower than 85th, I think).  But a safe speed on a given road is not 
: >simply the maximum speed at which you can retain control of your car.
: >For example, the school zones I mentioned in the post you responded to.
: >Jeff

: They set speed limits -at or above- the 85th percentile, unless politicans 
: and know-nothing "concerned citizens" get involved, in which case they 
: pervert the process and give us 30th percentile speed limits that don't 
: slow down traffic but do put people in danger of getting a ticket they 
: don't deserve.

  After drove on 395 between Majave and Lee Vining a couple of times
during this summer, I wonder why they set 55 mph speed limit still now
in that kind of place in the middle of the desert (Owens valley)?

  nando at Tokyo.
   I was on a vacation trip to the desert this summer.