Speeding

[Lapchik]

Thought this would be an interesting discussion . . .also just got a speeding ticket and that's what sparked this rant.

I'm all for higher speed limits. Everybody tells me that I just want to race around everywhere. Not exactly true. I know there are several videos on my YouTube channel of me speeding, and I'm not going to deny it. (youtube.com/korysrides) My equipment and ability allow me to travel at higher speeds safely. It's a speed limit. Limit, not a requirement. And none of that . . .well people will just go faster and get hurt. Drive at YOUR safe speed. Most speed limits were set decades ago and don't reflect modern vehicles or modern road construction.

The guy is a little deadpan in his delivery, but he makes really good points.

[Weatherhead]

The way a speed limit is set, per traffic engineering policy (provided local politics don't get in the way i.e. revenue streams, overly conservative city and county engineers, etc) is that the traffic speed is monitored and the limit is set at the 85th percentile - in that 85% of the observed normal daily traffic is at or under the speed limit. In Minnesota the State DOT sets all "legally" set speed limits. The State does not proactively set speed limits, except on new roads, so cities are often unlikely to request a speed study because they are afraid the limit will go up...also speed limits are not to be dropped or raised at borders in anything other than 10 MPH increments...I've been trying to get Centerville to ask for a speed study to get rid of our edge of town speed trap 50 to 35 way to soon coming into town - but of course the City makes money and is worried that the Sate would raise the limit...if fact what would happen is the 50 would likely go to 55 then a drop to 40 and ultimately 30 in town.

[Weatherhead]

Follow up - I forgot to mention that many speed limits are stautory limits - unless a DOT speed study is done - for instance in Minnesota any rural road (gravel or paved) is 55 MPH any city street is 30 MPH -in both case's, unless posted otherwise.

[Lapchik]

Yeah. Turns out it's 55 mph on Iowa gravel too. Definitely not 72. Not even if you are on the way to get in a friend's tractor with a disc behind it to put out a small field/combine fire.

[propforward]

I like my radar detector.

I never speed in town or in lower speed limits though.