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Re: Solve speeding by limiting cars!



Mark Spencer (marks@ludes.com) wrote:
:         Since there is no place in the US where 65 mph can be legally
...
:         What is wrong with our government that they would ignore such a
: simple way to enforce a law and save lives?

   Lots of folks have pointed out instances where 65 may be legally 
exceeded, so I won't go into that.  Many of them are good points.
   My basic feeling on the matter is this: If you are willing to accept 
the repercussions (?) of speeding (tickets, increased insurance) and you 
do it in a safe manner (don't tailgate, don't blow through residential 
areas, and other such common sense), then you should be able to drive 
whatever speed you want.  If you're in west Texas on a hundred mile 
stretch of ruler straight road with no other cars and you want to travel 
150 mph, then go right ahead.  If you blow a tire and get killed, you are 
the only one taking the risk and you are the only one affected.
   Likewise, if you do not wish to travel over the speed limit, then you 
should not impede those who do.  For instance, if you want to go 55 you 
have every right to do so, but if you're on a multilane road you should 
stay in the right lane at *all* times, leaving the left lane for faster 
drivers.  If you find yourself in the left lane going about the same 
speed as the car next to you, you're wrong.  This single courtesy by 
slower drivers, plus widespread use of blinkers to indicate intentions, 
makes the Autobahn work as well as it does.  I've driven for hours at 170 
kph in Germany and never even considered myself to be travelling at an 
unsafe speed.
   I drove a truck from Nebraska to DC that had a limiter at 65 mph, and 
it was the most frustrating experience I've had.  During that 1350 mile 
trip I passed exactly seven vehicles before hitting the mountains in 
Pennsylvania where I could exceed 65 on the downhills.  I was not flowing 
with traffic, but impeding it, especially near major metropolitan areas, 
and thought that limit was more dangerous than any speed I may attain 
without it.  I cursed the blithering idiot who mandated that governor 
literally halfway across the country, and if anyone gets a governor put 
on their car it should be him or her, and I sincerely hope they get 
rear-ended because they can't accelerate to get out of the way of that 
runaway semi.  Maybe then they'll understand...

(        )
 Ragnorok



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