HWY speed

[1bigmess]

It is my responsibility to drive safely, not to help maintain traffic flow for drivers that want to go faster, many faster than the speed limit.

If I drive faster than the speed limit for a vehicle towing or over a certain GVW in some states with those differential spec limit schemes, who pays my speeding ticket if I get one?

Me.

If someone rear ends me because I am going 65 in a 70+ area, who is at fault?

The driver that hit me.

Now, tell me which scholarly studies prove me wrong on those points. If really like to see them.

[Ray,IN]

I'm reading a lot of replies talking about studies and research. If you choose to refer to these, PLEASE supply links to the source of your claims. I'd like to read them, otherwise it is only your opinion.

[JohnBoyToo]

While I think it ludicrous for you to ask for facts in a discussion Ray

An anecdotal message about a 'traffic engineer' I met once...

he came over to buy a four wheeler my son had outgrown and early on he had an arrogant attitude! Why, I'm not sure, but he was one of the thickest guys I've ever dealt with...

In fighting for a lower price he mentioned he earned so little as a traffic engineer - even told me and I'm like wow, minimum wage...

And guess what, as I got older I found those that do the studies were not all that independent, amazing how the study favored the entity paying for the study

[ladagobago]

Originally Posted by Ray,IN

I'm reading a lot of replies talking about studies and research. If you choose to refer to these, PLEASE supply links to the source of your claims. I'd like to read them, otherwise it is only your opinion.

If you need proof - Here you go - have fun reading. most of what I previously posted was not MY opinion but was excerpts from some of my own reading and desire to gain knowledge. you many not agree with any of it but it is factual.

Speed Kills, But on Interstates, Speed Variance Is More Deadly - University at Buffalo

https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publication...8154/speed.cfm

http://web1-elkr.ci.elk-river.mn.us/...09/Page66.aspx

http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/speedmgt/...%20Crashes.pdf

http://www.ct.gov/dot/LIB/dot/docume...21_JH_04-6.pdf

I consider this to be more than enough - most all of us I am sure understand the importance of reasonable speed and better driving skills. I also understand why some people drive slower under the guise of safety.

As for the real topic - My transmission goes into 6th gear at 59 MPH. My sweet spot is 69-70 "Pleasant Trails too YOU !! Keep your Pony up to speed!

Merry Christmas all and Watch out for Santa. I think He is speeding somewhere.

[Gordon Dewald]

But Santa is in controlled airspace. And other traffic is kept separated. I watch with interest every year when NORAD tracks his every move and F18 are dispatched to escort him. He can travel at any speed he wants. LOL

[1bigmess]

Originally Posted by ladagobago

Speed Kills, But on Interstates, Speed Variance Is More Deadly - University at Buffalo

Read it. Three paragraphs of the news article, which is not the study, that basically say "People choose to drive faster than the speed limit on certain highways with a certain set of circumstances, and when that occurs around traffic that is moving slower, the risk of a crash goes up."

Really? This isn't news, but what is not surprising to me either is ignoring that drivers can make safer driving decisions and actions to be able to operate around slower moving traffic on multi-lane highways that will prevent crashes. My hypothesis, and I have yet to see any traffic laws that provide evidence to the contrary, is that it is the faster drivers responsibility to drive safely in traffic as long as all individual vehicles and operators thereof are operating within the law.

Because some folks want to blame anyone but themselves for rear ending someone, it seems.

https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publication...8154/speed.cfm

http://web1-elkr.ci.elk-river.mn.us/...09/Page66.aspx

http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/speedmgt/...%20Crashes.pdf

http://www.ct.gov/dot/LIB/dot/docume...21_JH_04-6.pdf

I'll have to comment on the others later, as they have much more information to digest, but until then I stand by my own belief that most of these "speed differential" crashes are the result of poor decision making and/or driving skills errors or negligence. I am willing to have my mind changed on this, but if the other studies are simply more of "roads can be driven at higher speeds and slower traffic causes crashes" without taking into consideration that maybe skills, experience, and other factors of the drivers and their vehicles and how they use them, they will only be providing statistics of crashes and physical causes.

After all, the vehicles ain't driving themselves yet.

[loisjop]

What part of speed LIMIT do people not understand? Going over the speed limit is BREAKING the law!!! Someone on here said most people drive a little over the speed limit, that's gotta be a joke. Most people drive 15 to 30 mph over the limit weaving in and out of traffic, no turn signal, etc.

[Gordon Dewald]

Sort of off topic. On ski hills the skier below has the right of way. No matter how fast they are moving or which direction they turn. PERIOD.

So long as a driver is following the rules (law) the guy behind him has to make the accommodation to travel and pass safely.

[1bigmess]

Originally Posted by loisjop

What part of speed LIMIT do people not understand? Going over the speed limit is BREAKING the law!!! Someone on here said most people drive a little over the speed limit, that's gotta be a joke. Most people drive 15 to 30 mph over the limit weaving in and out of traffic, no turn signal, etc.

And speeding, weaving through traffic, and passing increases the risk of getting in a crash.

And all of those things are decisions that are not forced upon anyone to make, either by road design or the speed of other vehicles on the road, especially on a multi-lane road.

[gacamp]

Just barely on topic but I get a laugh every time someone on here states that most large trucks drive between 60-65 on the interstate, man you have not driven I-75, I-10, I-95 etc. at least in the south. In my coach I am in the right lane steady at 1650 rpm or 62-63 mph and will regularly have 18 wheelers pass me with a fair number of them actually "blowing my doors off".

I also agree with the statement that if you are doing the mid 60's in the middle lane of a three lane than you are an impediment to truck traffic, that is the passing lane for trucks, they have every right to do the posted limit, not a place for you to hang out continuously to potentially avoid merging traffic. The more you are off the posted speed limit or flow of the traffic the further to the right you should be. I always keep in mind what my high-school driving instructor drilled into us "do you want to be right or do you want to be dead".

[1bigmess]

Originally Posted by ladagobago

http://web1-elkr.ci.elk-river.mn.us/...09/Page66.aspx

Interesting excerpt from this one:

If conflicts created by large differences in travel speeds were a major factor in the likelihood of crashes, then one might expect to find a large number of crashes involving two or more vehicles traveling in the same direction. Cerrilli (1997) found less than one-third of all crashes and 5
percent of all fatal crashes in 1996 involved two or more vehicle traveling in the same direction. Many of these likely occurred as a consequence of a vehicle slowing or stopping for cause (i.e., to make an intended maneuver or avoid striking a stopped vehicle or other hazard) and being struck from behind by a vehicle following too closely or going too fast for the driver to stop in time to avoid the collision.

(emphasis added)

[1bigmess]

Originally Posted by ladagobago;2873817[url

https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/safety/98154/speed.cfm[/url]

http://web1-elkr.ci.elk-river.mn.us/...09/Page66.aspx

These two are the same thing in that the latter uses the former as an exhibit.

[1bigmess]

Originally Posted by ladagobago

http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/speedmgt/...%20Crashes.pdf

No discussion of speed differential being the cause of accidents. Does state that the severity of a crash goes up with increases in vehicle speed, and is almost a study that simply states that traffic should be slowed down to decrease the severity of crashes and injury.

[1bigmess]

Originally Posted by ladagobago

http://www.ct.gov/dot/LIB/dot/docume...21_JH_04-6.pdf

This report doesn't address speed differential of vehicles travelling in the same direction at all that I can tell. The object of the study is clear:

We collected data from two-lane road sections in rural and suburban areas, and
used generalized linear modeling techniques to analyze the following, controlling for
geographic area and traffic volume:
• Variance in observed travel speed by geometric and roadside features
• Variance in crash count by observed travel speeds and geometric and roadside
features
The results of these analyses permit answering the following three questions:
1. Which road features are most useful for predicting expected running speeds?
2. Is knowing the actual running speed useful for predicting the expected number
and/or severity of crashes on a roadway segment?
3. Which are the most significant features for designing a safe road in
environments such as village and town centers, school zones and residential
neighborhoods?
This report answers the above questions to help identify appropriate
improvements to make to roadway and/or roadside environment features in order to
reduce travel speeds where necessary and to improve the safety of roads in Connecticut.