Here's a letter I sent to the Detroit Free Press editorials:
--------
I really wish people would stop regurgitating this tired old saw about
how people already drive 70 in a 55mph zone so "of course" they'd drive
85 or 90 in a 70mph zone.

The reason we drive 70-75 on I-94 out by the airport is not because we're
speed-crazed nutcases.  It's because first of all, the I-roads were designed
to accomodate those speeds safely when clear and dry.  Second, and more
importantly, we only ever see a State Trooper on our daily commutes
once in a blue moon, and even when we do, they don't stop anyone
until they register 12-13mph or more over the limit.  And when they
do stop, if you're polite and respectful you usually wind up with a
one-point, $60, five-over ticket for "wasting a natural resource."

Anyone who's driven in Ohio, or knows someone who has, can tell you
why people don't speed in Ohio.  Troopers are a thick, tangible
presence there, in stark contrast to Michigan.

Now, everyone can agree that there's a categorical difference
between driving 70-75mph on roads designed for 75mph and driving 80-90mph
on roads designed for 75mph.  So why not make the fines reflect
that difference?  We can do that, you know -- the fine for 80 in a 70
doesn't *have* to be the same as the fine for 35 in a 25.

Suppose we raised the limit to 70 and rigidly enforced it in conjunction
with heavy fines.  Since most people aready drive this fast, wouldn't
that mean that the accident rate would stay the same?

Additionally, State Troopers could do more to increase the safety of
our roads by ticketing tailgaters instead of just pointing
them out to TV news cameramen, and enforcing the definition of the
"passing lane," rather than napping until their radar gun alarm goes
off.  So theoretically the accident rate could drop
once troopers start focusing on more than just their radar guns, right?

Save lives!  Speed limit 70!

196 responses total.

When I'm not in a hurry I like to drive 55 on the freeways.  I don't mind
being passed by almost every car on the road.  Are the roads going to be 
less safe for me when the limits are raised?

Absolutely. It is worse to be rear-ended at 20 mph (relative) than
10 mph. You might also get shot at.

I've also found that when I drive slowly (ie. the speed limit), people go
out of their way to cut me off, swerve into me, give me the finger, and
otherwise express their displeasure.  It's just part of the reason I am so
fond of Michigan drivers.

I only cut people off, swerve into them and give them the finger if they're
driving slowly in the left lane. 

Try driving on the Capital Belt Way around D.C. and tell me if you can get
away without speeding..  I dont think it is possible..I have driven that route
many a time during rush hour and the normal speed for everyone is 80mph
If you dont keep up with it you are dead....

(ditto for some New York highways I've driven. The drivers are amazingly
polite, though, once you understand what they're doing.)

A freind of mine gave me an explanation for why he thought that a higher
speed limit would actually make him drive *slower*. It's an interesting
idea. I don't buy into it entirely, but for your examination:

He has a maximum speed that he feels comfortable driving at. That speed
is around 80 to 85mph. Anything over that, and he just doesn't feel safe.
It's exceeding the point at which the car feels comfortable. So he rarely
drives faster than that except for short bursts under unusual conditions.
I think that's a reasonable assessment. I think everyone, regardless of
how little they care for the speeding laws, has their own personal "top
speed" that they, either consciously or unconsciously, won't exceed.
Experience has taught them that they don't have the skill to go faster
and they get a little fear response if they push past that point.

He also reasons that in most states, the difference between a ticket for
85 and a ticket for 75 is negligible. So if he's going to take the risk of
speeding, he may as well go 85. However, on long trips, the difference
between going the speed limit of 55, and going 85 is significant enough
in savings, to be worth the risk of getting a ticket.

Now, suppose the speed limit is raised to 70? That doesn't change the
fact that his top speed is still 85. However, now the difference between
getting a ticket(85) and not getting a ticket(70 to 75) is insufficient
in savings to take the risk of getting a ticket.

Without the potential for significant gain, there is no longer a reason
to take the risk, so he explains that with a 70mph speed limit he's much
more likely to keep his speed down to 70 to 75.

I can see #7 making some sense.  In some cases.  

I would like to point out that the speedlimits that we have now
are the same speedlimits that we had in 1930.  (I-xx speeds are
extrapolated from the same formulas).  This doesn't seem reasonable
since stopping distances are less than half what they were then,
and lateral acceleration limits (cornering ability) have similarly
changed.

$.02.

Re 8: Hu?  I-xx speeds?  If you mean Interstate highways, something must
be wrong.  Interstates were not built in the 30s.

I actually think the 75 or 80 range would be far more reasonable limits than
65 or 70, but that 70 would be better than 65.  I don't think I'd be
comfortable with raising it much above 80.  Everybody already drives that
fast, so I don't really see the logic behind the assumption that legalizing
things that people do anyway will kill more people.  If anything, it will
reduce the sudden stops when people see police cars, which can be dangerous
if somebody behind is following too closely.  It's useful to keep in mind with
this that speed in itself is not dangerous -- what is dangerous is sudden
changes in velocity.  As long as drivers stay at speeds where they can control
their cars, and leave enough room between them and other cars, higher speeds
will be reasonably safe.

Of course, if speed limits are raised, it will leave our police departments
without much needed revenue from tickets.  I suggest that they then start
going after the driving practices that really are dangerous, such as
tailgating and changeing lanes without signaling.  I would think that by going
after that kind of thing they could probably get as much revenue as they did
with speed traps, and save more lives in the process.

(I don't think that raising speed limits necessarily means lower revenue.
Jack the fine up, enforce it liberally, and the dough will roll in.)

(...that's not to say the traffic cops shouldn't go after other offenses.
heck, I wish they'd ticket those people who can't brush off their
&^*(&^% car. :) )

re #4:  Having seen you drive, I have to agree.  You don't "give the finger"
        to people in the right lane. ;)

re: #4   I have several beefs with Michigan drivers about their lack of
courtesy.  For instance, having a truck fail to get over to let you on
(when you are going 65, he's going 75, and the left lane is wide open) -
just as an example.  Another pet peeve is someone behind me on the
entrance ramp who pulls over early, then zooms right beside me to cut
off the space I was to merge into.  It happens all the time.  It is a very
dangerous practice.  Drivers should not be penalized for obeying the
traffic laws.  And, I always drive in the right lane except to pass.

(flame off)

I'm with Greg's friend in #7...I don't feel safe driving faster than 75
or so, no matter what the speed limit. Or 10 mph over the speed limit 
(about my ticket money limit in most states). Raising the speed limit to
70 or 75 would, I suppose, get me to go faster in the current 55 zones - 
but so many people are already going faster  than me in those areas that
I'd just be catching up with the flow of traffic, and eliminating myself 
as a mild traffic hazard as people will no longer be changing lanes to
go around me.

On an aside...the last state I obeyed the speed limit religiously in,
even down to dropping to 45 in construction zones like the signs say 
they want you to, was Pennsylvania, where, upon entering the state and
every 10 miles or so after, a sign informs you that should a cop feel
the urge to pull you over for going 56 mph you will face a $98 fine, and
that fines are doubled in construction zones. Two thirds of the turnpike
was officially construction zones, it seemed like. There wasn't the 
police presence I noticed in Ohio, but every one I passed had someone
pulled over...and the natives seemed to stick to the 60-65 range.

Pennsylvania had signs for years reminding drivers that "the speed limit in
Pennsylvania is *still* 55 (their emphasis, not mine).  Then, last time I was
driving through Pennsylvania, that sign was gone.  Just as I was beginning
to wonder what had happened to it, I saw a "speed limit 65" sign.

I remember the bad old days when the speed limit was 70 and speed was cool,
I also remember over and over how they recovered the bodies and perhaps
the car from a tree...When was the last time you heard that one. The bad
old days are returning.

#13: I do that on the on-ramp if the car in front of me doesn't accelerate
     fast enough. People who think they can merge onto freeways at 35mph
     deserve to be cut off.

I do that every time rogue is behind me on the on-ramp.  It's difficult
to keep a straight face while I watch in the rear-view mirror ;)

I can see why Penn resisted the 65 urge in some of those twisty,
mountainous stretches of the interstate.  I'm a bit surprised that
they've relented on that, I don't think a lot of those areas would
be very safe at much over 55.

The Penn COPs also had some of th best hiding places in the median.

TN is not willing to raise the speed limit. It is also not illegal to not use
your turn signal here. Is there anyone here from Montana, the land of the
autobahn?

I have heard that places with no speed limits don't have many wrecks, but when
there is a wreck, usually people are killed.

Places like Montana generally have light traffic, so that's the reason there
are few accidents.

Re: 17  That's an inexcusable attitude, and just the kind of thing I am
talking about.  As it happens, I merge close to highway speed (50-60mph in
a 55 mph zone), adjusted for traffic, weather, etc.  I've been cut off for
going anywhere up to 75 mph (in a 55 mph zone) by people with a burr up
their butt trying to set speed records.  Safety does not preclude speed,
nor does speed justify unsafe driving habits, even though the idiots around
here seem to think otherwise.

(Boy, I'm really having trouble with this flame thrower...)

What zook said. There are irresponsible "drivers" on the road with excess
testosterone. I wish flamethrowers and Light Anti-tank Weapons were available
at Murrays.

I don't.  I'd rather have somebody passing me when they shouldn't than have
them using a flame thrower on me, although I really prefer it when people
don't do either.

Using turn signals before changing lanes is required just about everywhere.
Not doing so is one of the most dangerous driving practices I've observed,
since it means that other drivers don't have any warning that they're about
to have somebody in front of them.  Yet, it seems that as many drivers don't
use their turn signals as do.  Maybe pushing that turn signal lever is just
too difficult, or something.

Pennsylvania certainly hasn't raised the speed limit everywhere.  I think
there were still some sections of the Interstate around Pittsburgh where the
curvy sections had a 45 limit.  They have raised it for the long straight
stuff, though.

(Car Wars, or Autoduel, if you have an old computer.)

This response has been erased.

I just let the wolf-packs pass.  A few years back, while returning from a
X-country ski trip in the UP, I was passed by 4WD wolf-pack all with their
motorized snow toys in tow.  It was blizzard conditions and they passed me
like I was standing still.  Half and hour later, I had to slow down for
flassing red and blue lights just visible ahead.  As I slowed down I rolled
down my window.  A COP yelled "Slow down!" as I passed him doing about 10 mph.
There was that same pack, strewn all over the highway.  4-wheeler trucks,
snow-riders and their trailes all over.  One snow-gizz was a-blaze in the
ditch and a bunch of guys were trying to put it out with one of those dinky
extinguishers.  There were  about ten of them in all and they had managed to
take a couple of regular cars with them. 

re #25:  I was stoped by a state police for speeding and failing to signal
when I changed a lane.  He told me that the failure to signal was a wreckless
driving ticket.  He asked me when was the last time I have received a speeding
ticket and I told him "never."  He checked on the computer, found it to be
true and let me go with a lecture on both issues.  (He clocked me at 69 in
a 55 mph zone).

Today, on the way to work, I was in the right lane on I-94, bumper to bumper
and with a truck alongside, and a car in the 3rd (left) lane.  I was doing
68 in a 65 zone.  A guy came up behind me, flashed the lights constantly, and
when he finally got alongside me, gave me some unique & creative hand
gestures.  I guess he wanted me to pull off to the side so he could move up
one notch.  

Scg. I only mentioned flamethrowers because we don't have phasers or photon
torpedos, yet. Of course I would only disable their shields.

I've never been let off with a warning in my life.  When the cops stop me,
they ticket me.

heh, I get warnings all the time. One time a cop followed me for a while
and then pulled me over when there was an exit. He said he didnt want to
embarrass me but he felt he needed to pull me over because I was speeding
and he wanted me to slow down because speeding can be dangerous. <shrug> I
thought the whole situation was a little odd but I didnt mind that he was
so polite and that he didnt give me a ticket. 

The only time I've ever been pulled over, I got both a ticket and a lecture
saying among other things that I was young and needed to learn that I couldn't
get away with some of the things that older people can get away with.

This response has been erased.

Re #33: Hm, maybe you could've fought the ticket on grounds of
age discrimination.

What you going to do when your well runs dry?  The most recent predictions I've
heard give us about 30 years of petroleum.  So get it while you can!".":help

   That's when you dry out your gas tank, adjust your carburetor, and start
running your car on moonshine. ;)

(I've only been warned once. I've managed to earn speeding tickets in
three different states, each in a different year.)

(I'm not planning on making it four this year, although there is
the possibility.)  

Re #38:
    I'm looking for de nuclear wessels.

- Backtalk version 1.3.30 - Copyright 1996-2006, Jan Wolter and Steve Weiss