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Re: Speed Limits Irrelevant?
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Subject: Re: Speed Limits Irrelevant?
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From: charles.day@gsfc.nasa.gov (Charles Day)
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Date: 19 Jun 1995 15:02:29 GMT
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Newsgroups: dc.driving
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Organization: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center -- Greenbelt, Maryland USA
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References: <fb19395@pro-applepi.wap.org> <3ris5b$bl4@cville-srv.wam.umd.edu> <3rkaib$sgk@wanda.pond.com> <3rlbph$hsh@cville-srv.wam.umd.edu> <3rn9ba$e5j@wanda.pond.com>
In article <3rn9ba$e5j@wanda.pond.com>, russotto@wanda.pond.com wrote:
>
> A speed limit of 55 probably has less effect on people's actual speeds
> than a speed limit of, say, 70mph would. A speed limit in the
> ballpark of speeds people would actually like to drive would probably
> be acceptable to those who like to drive slightly faster, whereas
> nobody likes 55mph.
The speed limit on major roads in the UK is 70 mph. This doesn't seem to
cause too much trouble. However, given the higher limit, it does mean
that the police feel justified in pulling you over if you're driving at
80 mph. There's also less opposition (than in the US) to unmanned speed
traps because the speed limit is not unreasonably low.
I really don't see why the speed limit in the US can't be a higher. The
current, low limit is not only over-cautious, it also encourages contempt
for the law, since driving at 65 mph, say, is not perceived as a crime.
Charles
References: