Variable Speed Limits on 1604 (San Antonio, Austin: neighborhoods, school, tax)

[Azure110]

Using the definition of VSL:

Variable speed limits are speed limits that change based on road, traffic, and weather conditions

Seems like it is pretty much common sense. If it is raining, don't go too fast. If there is a lot of traffic, go a little slower or speed up if otherwise. We paid a lot of money for this kind of study?

A policeman can write you a ticket for going the posted speed limit under adverse conditions so it seems to me that VSL are kinda imposed in some aspects of the law already.

[TexHwyMan]

Originally Posted by Azure110

Using the definition of VSL:
Seems like it is pretty much common sense. If it is raining, don't go too fast. If there is a lot of traffic, go a little slower or speed up if otherwise. We paid a lot of money for this kind of study?

But not everyone does adjust their speed properly. And, many times downstream hazards are not apparent until you're nearly on top of it, plus most drivers aren't looking far enough down the road to spot potential hazards anyway. Gradually stepping-down the speeds of traffic approaching a hazard in a controlled fashion is much safer than having people have to go from 70 to 20 (or stopped) in a few hundred yards. That's the intent of these systems and why studies have shown they improve safety.

There's nothing wrong with spending some money to test things that might improve safety or efficiency. If they didn't, many of the safety features we take for granted today would never have been developed or implemented.

Originally Posted by Azure110

A policeman can write you a ticket for going the posted speed limit under adverse conditions so it seems to me that VSL are kinda imposed in some aspects of the law already.

And that's a subjective call for the officer and harder to prove in court. With a VSL, the subjectivity is removed.

Drunk driving could easily be considered reckless driving, for which there's already a law, but we still have a law that puts an objective measure on it that nobody disputes. For that matter, why even have static speed limits?

[Azure110]

I see your points and it helps me understand why we may want VSL imposed on some parts of our highway.

At first, it seemed a bit of a waste of money and time for everyone involved though.

[TrapperL]

Pretty stupid law when it's already been on the books a long time. I learned about Prima Facie laws back when I studied for a drivers license....about 55 years ago. This is the current law as of 2016.

Basic Speed Law: No person shall drive a vehicle at a speed greater than is reasonable and prudent under the circumstances then existing or under the conditions and having regard to actual and potential hazards. Tran. Code § 545.351(a) & (b)(1)

[Bo]

The VSL would be a lot more desirable and effective if there were a way to communicate it into the vehicle. Back when this was still in use on 1604, if you didn't happen to notice the sign, it was too hard to remember which speed limit was in effect at which time of day.

[Slowpoke_TX]

Originally Posted by Azure110

I am sure traffic engineers know more about this kind of thing than Mr. Smith who drives up and down that road every day.

Please tell me you were kidding...

[Slowpoke_TX]

Originally Posted by ashbeeigh

The purpose behind the program, from my understanding, is to "ease" people into congestion.

A better idea would be to spend that money on increasing capacity, which would reduce congestion.

But that wouldn't generate any additional revenue from speeding fines.

[Slowpoke_TX]

Originally Posted by TrapperL

Basic Speed Law: No person shall drive a vehicle at a speed greater than is reasonable and prudent under the circumstances then existing or under the conditions and having regard to actual and potential hazards. Tran. Code § 545.351(a) & (b)(1)

It is for this exact reason that I believe numerically-defined speed limits are unnecessary, and are only used as a source of revenue. It is both the law and in the driver's own best interest to operate his/her vehicle in a manner that reflects the driver's awareness of current conditions and potential hazards. Systems like TransGuide can help warn the public about known hazards, but only an individual driver can account for hazards that occur suddenly (like a blown tire), in addition to the condition of him/herself and his/her vehicle.

[Bo]

Originally Posted by Slowpoke_TX

It is for this exact reason that I believe numerically-defined speed limits are unnecessary, and are only used as a source of revenue. It is both the law and in the driver's own best interest to operate his/her vehicle in a manner that reflects the driver's awareness of current conditions and potential hazards. Systems like TransGuide can help warn the public about known hazards, but only an individual driver can account for hazards that occur suddenly (like a blown tire), in addition to the condition of him/herself and his/her vehicle.

The flaw in that well-constructed argument is that too many drivers have an inflated sense of their own driving ability. They can't be trusted to estimate how fast they can safely travel. I will admit to being that way when I was a young driver.

IOW... self-regulation won't work, because the people with the keenest interest in exceeding the posted limits have the least ability to assess the risk of doing that.

[Slowpoke_TX]

Originally Posted by Bo

The flaw in that well-constructed argument is that too many drivers have an inflated sense of their own driving ability. They can't be trusted to estimate how fast they can safely travel.

If people cannot be trusted to manage their own driving, then how can we trust a a committee of politicians elected by those same people?