Fun with gasoline (long)

[protege]

The solution would be to stop using speeding tickets as a sourse of revenue and instead raise the limits to what the road can safely handle under good conditions. When drivers see the speed limits as realistic they will observe them and see a sudden decrease in speed as a warning instead of an anoyance.

The only problem with that...is then you'll have idiots driving *way* too fast for conditions. Right now, I-70 is posted at 55mph. However, because of the traffic, it's rare you can even do that speed. The road simply can't handle it--it was built when cars and the limit were slower. Too many interchanges too close together--for example, right at Washington, you have 3 entrance ramps in less than a half-mile It's not as bad further down, but traffic has been expanding on that road--mainly because of the new toll roads (43 and 66), and additional traffic coming off the PA Turnpike (I-76).

As to seeing limits as "realistic" that'll never happen. With some people, you could make the limit 100mph...and that *still* wouldn't be fast enough. I don't really see the need to go that fast, you're not saving that much time. I've had people literally blast past me on the way to work...only to catch up with them later.

[Rahmota]

Bella/Becky: No I dont think all gas stations should be required to have a complimentary can or anything but around here some of the stations did have one for stranded motorists. Free of charage as part of the customer service/trust thing. Unfortunately with the increase in unpleasant people/untrustowrthy scum and generally shifty people I think most of them have stopped doing so. So once again the scummy minority ruins it for the decent majority.

And ever since then I've been much more attentive to my tank status or otherwise having a can available for myself.

As for speeding tickets those are useless for anything other than reveune generation. Having the cops sit along the road can be a lot more dangerous and hazardous as the speeders see the cop or have the detector go off and then slap on the brakes causing chain reactions.

[Gurndigarn]

Anyone who has driven through the south junction of I-70 and I-79 near Washington, PA knows all about them. Heading north on 79, towards I-70, a few miles from the junction, the speed limit drops from 65mph (55 then) to 40, and to 25mph at the bottom. The 25mph limit was there for a reason--the highway makes a huge circle, and climbs to meet I-70 heading west. Most people realized what was coming up, and would slow down. However, some truckers wouldn't...at their own peril.
....
There are multiple warning signs, but still accidents happen. They aren't as bad though--trucks still hit the wall now and then.

As someone who grew up in northern Ohio, I found it interesting that the Wikipedia entry on "Dead Man's Curve" only had a famous singer's death down as "other used of the term". Your turn sounds just as interesting as ours. But warning signs won't do everything. Dead Man's Curve has nearly a mile of lights, signs, and rumble strips... but the barrier between west/southbound and north/eastbound is still nearly solid black.

[HalloranElder]

...to visit Piers Anthony at his home...

I agree with Jester, I hate you!

[Rapscallion]

You visited Piers Anthony at his home?

One of my all-time favorite authors, living just the other side of the state from me, but have never met the man or even know where he lives, other than the town. And you get to visit him in his home.

Okay, it's now official. I hate you.

I managed to get an email from him once. Does that count?

Rapscallion

[Argabarga]

I hardly think speed limits are arbitrary, and I do think the average person does drive too fast. Now, I don't think that speed alone causes accidents, but, the problem that excessive speed creates is that you'll find yourself unable to avoid someone elses' accident because as speed goes up, your ability to react to trouble by changing lanes, slowing or stopping, decreases.

I don't think people doing 70 or 80mph are dangerous per se, but combine such with other dangerous habits like changing lanes without signaling or tailgaiting, and they're only adding to the carnage that will result if somthing happens 5 or 6 cars up the line. Defensive driving demands you be able to react to a developing situation, and that's why I don't drive faster than 65, no matter what the posted limit says or what everyone around me is doing, it's too fast for me to trust my reaction time.

[trunks2k]

Defensive driving demands you be able to react to a developing situation, and that's why I don't drive faster than 65, no matter what the posted limit says or what everyone around me is doing, it's too fast for me to trust my reaction time.

Unfortunately, if the majority of the other drivers are going 10+ MPH faster than you, you are creating a traffic hazard.

[Rahmota]

Agrabarga slowly said:

and that's why I don't drive faster than 65, no matter what the posted limit says or what everyone around me is doing, it's too fast for me to trust my reaction time.

Well then maybe you shouldnt be out on the freeway if you can't keep up with the flow of traffic. In Ohio you can and will be ticketed if you are going too slow on the freeway just as quickly as you will if you drive too fast. Either that or get one of those orange slow vehicle signs or run with your flashers on letting others know you are causing a hazardous situation by obstructing traffic and being a rolling roadblock.

And yes speed limits are arbitrary as they are not always set by the conditions on the road but the municipality the road travels through.

[AFpheonix]

.....Good lord, how fast are you people driving to consider 65 an impediment to the flow of traffic? In this state, 65 is pretty much the uppermost limit you can go as far as posted speed. I typically won't go much faster than that while I'm hauling the horse trailers, especially if I'm stuck using Mom's Mountaineer....talk about the tail wagging the dog with that thing....

[Crosshair]

.....Good lord, how fast are you people driving to consider 65 an impediment to the flow of traffic?

Well, in North Dakota on the highways it is 70 MPH and the interstates are 75 MPH. If you are going slower than 70 MPH you need to be in the right lane. If the traffic is heavy (not very often) you better be going with the flow or taking the side roads. Most people do 75-80'ish. That is just how it is where I live.

[trunks2k]

.....Good lord, how fast are you people driving to consider 65 an impediment to the flow of traffic? In this state, 65 is pretty much the uppermost limit you can go as far as posted speed.

Around 75-80. I generally accept 65 as an OK speed to travel if traffic isn't too heavy and you stay in the right lane. However, there are roads around here when traffic is pretty heavy and everyone in both lanes are going around 75. In my experience, speed limits are set about 10-15 MPH too low for good conditions.

[Argabarga]

Agrabarga slowly said:

Well then maybe you shouldnt be out on the freeway if you can't keep up with the flow of traffic. In Ohio you can and will be ticketed if you are going too slow on the freeway just as quickly as you will if you drive too fast. Either that or get one of those orange slow vehicle signs or run with your flashers on letting others know you are causing a hazardous situation by obstructing traffic and being a rolling roadblock.

And yes speed limits are arbitrary as they are not always set by the conditions on the road but the municipality the road travels through.

I am not scared of driving on the freeway, and I do not drive slow in the passing lane, I stick to the right lane except for overtaking and signal all of my lane changes. I do not tailgate, I do not brake check, and I guess I should qualify, every state I've ever driven in (my home state and the frequent bordering ones I go into) has a posted limit of 65-70, so by doing a steady 65, I am either obeying the speed limit or being under it by 5mph, that is not a roadblock, and someone who comes up on me too fast to notice what they're doing and hits me would have to have been speeding in excess of 10mph or more, how's that my fault? I think it's pretty arrogant of you to assume I'm doing say, 45 out there. I'm not that dumb, and I'm well aware of the vehicles code and driving too slow. I do not drive too slow (at least defined by the law), and I never intentionaly go below the posted limit either, for just that reason. I simply don't go over 65, for my own safety and that of those around me.

There's a reason I still have a clean driving record after all these years and a lot of other folks don't.

[protege]

.....Good lord, how fast are you people driving to consider 65 an impediment to the flow of traffic? In this state, 65 is pretty much the uppermost limit you can go as far as posted speed.

Some states have higher speed limits. West Virginia is like that. The limit down there is 70mph, while PA is 65. Nothing annoys the locals more than doing 65mph in a 70mph zone--they're all doing about 70-80. On some of those roads--like Route 119 heading south of Morgantown--that's just insane!

The fastest I've ever had my car up to, was 95. At the time, my then-gf's mother was sent to the hospital (about 60 miles away) with a possible stroke. Her speech was messed up, and she was blacking out We got there as quickly as we could...only to find she'd had a bad reaction to a medication she was taking. That's the *only* time my car has been driven that fast. At that speed, the engine is literally howling--the car simply isn't geared for it. I tend to cruise about 65-70 on the highways...and that's it.

[AFpheonix]

Some states have higher speed limits. West Virginia is like that. The limit down there is 70mph, while PA is 65. Nothing annoys the locals more than doing 65mph in a 70mph zone--they're all doing about 70-80. On some of those roads--like Route 119 heading south of Morgantown--that's just insane!

I know, that's why I qualified that as applying to my state. I was just making fun of Rahmota and Trunks for ripping on Argabarga for not really going all that slow, especially not by Oregon standards. I also know that Argabarga isn't in OR, but I surmised that his state's posted speeds were around the 65 zone.

[Rahmota]

Agrabarga: actually if the flow of traffic is goign at 70-75 and you are going 65 or slower then yes you are the one causing the hazard , even if you are doing the legal limit, as people have to make lane changes and maneouver to get around the impediment to the flow of traffic. personally i think 65 is too slow a speed limit on a controlled access multilane highway and rarely drive it. The highway patrol knows and generally does nothing about it unless you are trying to drive like you're at Daytona or the indy 500 they leave you alone.

The only excuses for not keeping up with the flow of traffic is if the vehicle has developed an emergency in which case you should kick those flashers on and get in the far right lane or get off the road or you are towing something that limits your speed.

I also feel like some of those old people who all you see are their knuckles and white hair need to be taken off the road I used to get stuck behind this one old lady driving a town car and seriously all you could see was her knuckles and hair. And she would do 20-25 in 55. That is a menace just as much as someone doing a 155 in a 55.

So i have a bit of a lead foot. i also have a clean driving record and have been driving since I was 13. The fastest I've ever driving was somethign like 130+ (I dont know exactly as the spedo only went to 130) and I also used to street race so the speeds I can handle are higher i guess. If I can't handle driving then I give it up and let someone else drive. Oh well anything else about speed laws and such I'll see you on fratching then. ok?