Speed Limit to be Raised on I-285 (2014, maintenance)

[MarketingGuy]

Agreed.

[Craziaskowboi]

Originally Posted by neil0311

Of course the real question is why people think it's necessary or OK to drive 75 or 80 on I-285, GA-400, or any urban highway, no matter what the legal speed limit may be, unless it's 2am, and even then, do you really need to be going 75?

Pardon me for actually getting more out of the capabilities engineered into both my vehicle and the highway.

[tonygeorgia]

Originally Posted by neil0311

Of course the real question is why people think it's necessary or OK to drive 75 or 80 on I-285, GA-400, or any urban highway, no matter what the legal speed limit may be, unless it's 2am, and even then, do you really need to be going 75? The problem here in GA is lack of enforcement. You would not be doing it in other states.

That's just how we drive here

[PKCorey]

Originally Posted by neil0311

Of course the real question is why people think it's necessary or OK to drive 75 or 80 on I-285, GA-400, or any urban highway, no matter what the legal speed limit may be, unless it's 2am, and even then, do you really need to be going 75? The problem here in GA is lack of enforcement. You would not be doing it in other states.

That's where I feel comfortable. Most of the time on my drive from 20E to 75, everyone else is doing between 70 and 80. Very rarely am I pushed out of the passing lane and I usually stay in the second lane. Only time, I see aggressive driving on 285 is when the people are not passing and not going faster then 70+ but they are in the fast lane and holding up traffic.

I sure don't feel comfortable at 55-65 with those trucks beside me not that I"m ever in those lanes unless I'm merging onto the highway.

[toll_booth]

Originally Posted by Mossberg

Speed Limit to be Raised on I-285 (http://www.myfoxatlanta.com//dpp/news/local_news/Speed-Limit-to-be-Raised-on-I-285-20120403-pm-pk - broken link)

It's about damn time.

This.

I honestly don't think it's going to change driver habits all that much on the high end, especially if the cops continue to enforce a de facto 70-75-mph limit.

[arjay57]

Speeding rarely gets you where you're going any faster. I don't know how many times I've had some fool blow past me on the interstate only to wind up sitting next to him 5-10 minutes later.

[chalvey]

Originally Posted by toll_booth

This.

I honestly don't think it's going to change driver habits all that much on the high end, especially if the cops continue to enforce a de facto 70-75-mph limit.

Agreed. As someone mentioned above, people will not travel faster than what they fell comfortable with.

The reason I find all of Atlanta's motorways to be menacing is the unique inability Atlanta motorists seem to have about using the indicator, while changing lanes.

[PKCorey]

Originally Posted by toll_booth

This.

I honestly don't think it's going to change driver habits all that much on the high end, especially if the cops continue to enforce a de facto 70-75-mph limit.

If it raises to 65, you can't get a ticket unless you are over 76 mph.

[neil0311]

Originally Posted by Mossberg

The question isn't about what is a necessary speed. The issue is that people do whatever speed is comfortable to the road they are on based on conditions (regardless of posted limit). People will drive in their comfort zone. In this case, 55 mph feels entirely too slow for this freeway, so most people don't obey the (unrealistic) speed limit. When you mix these folks with the people who actually adhere to the speed limit, you create a safety issue.

And my point would be that people wouldn't feel comfortable exceeding the current speed limit by 20 mph if enforcement and state law worked against it. I also believe that people will feel more comfortable exceeding a higher speed limit by that same amount, moving faster and creating more risk.

I do not believe that the speed limit increasing will not affect the driving habits of everyone and will merely be an administrative change. I think that attitude is naive. I am for raising the speed limit, but I think greater enforcement and changing of state law is necessary.

Originally Posted by Mossberg

The problem isn't enforcement. The problem is that the speed limit is too damn low for the type of freeway it is.

I completely and totally disagree with you and think your comment is naive. I travel all over the world, and there are very few places that rival Atlanta for drivers speeding so far over the limit and aggressively driving. Not saying it doesn't happen elsewhere, because it obviously does, but not to the extent it happens here. Ever been to Europe? They use radar cameras and you literally HAVE to drive the limit or you will be nabbed.

I believe that a large part of the reason for the high speed and disregard for the current (and probably future limit) is due to current state law that prevents unmarked vehicles, requires at least 10mph over the limit for enforcement, and does not report to insurance companies any violations that are below 15 mph over the limit. It's almost a tacit acceptance and OK being given by the state for people speeding 10 mph or 15 mph over the limit.

On top of that, and because of the state laws and their limitations, the enforcement by local and state police is much more lax than many other states. Anyone who is honestly comparing and has lived in another state will tell you that cops are invisible on Interstate hwys in GA by comparison.[/quote]

Personally, I'm sick of driving 70 mph in a 55 mph zone and having idiots tailgate me (in the middle lane) and pass me on the right. Likewise, I'm tired of driving 75 to 80 mph on rural Interstates and encountering idiots who want to do 85, 90, or 100 mph, putting my safety in jeopardy.

If everyone on the road drives within 5-10 mph of the posted speed limit (or limit based on conditions), stays in lane with a sufficient space between them and the next vehicle, and the cops enforce that limit enthusiastically and consistently, as is done in many places, you will avoid the Indy 500 you now have on 285.

[Onthemove2014]

Originally Posted by neil0311

And my point would be that people wouldn't feel comfortable exceeding the current speed limit by 20 mph if enforcement and state law worked against it. I also believe that people will feel more comfortable exceeding a higher speed limit by that same amount, moving faster and creating more risk.

I do not believe that the speed limit increasing will not affect the driving habits of everyone and will merely be an administrative change. I think that attitude is naive. I am for raising the speed limit, but I think greater enforcement and changing of state law is necessary.



I completely and totally disagree with you and think your comment is naive. I travel all over the world, and there are very few places that rival Atlanta for drivers speeding so far over the limit and aggressively driving. Not saying it doesn't happen elsewhere, because it obviously does, but not to the extent it happens here. Ever been to Europe? They use radar cameras and you literally HAVE to drive the limit or you will be nabbed.

I believe that a large part of the reason for the high speed and disregard for the current (and probably future limit) is due to current state law that prevents unmarked vehicles, requires at least 10mph over the limit for enforcement, and does not report to insurance companies any violations that are below 15 mph over the limit. It's almost a tacit acceptance and OK being given by the state for people speeding 10 mph or 15 mph over the limit.

On top of that, and because of the state laws and their limitations, the enforcement by local and state police is much more lax than many other states. Anyone who is honestly comparing and has lived in another state will tell you that cops are invisible on Interstate hwys in GA by comparison.

Personally, I'm sick of driving 70 mph in a 55 mph zone and having idiots tailgate me (in the middle lane) and pass me on the right. Likewise, I'm tired of driving 75 to 80 mph on rural Interstates and encountering idiots who want to do 85, 90, or 100 mph, putting my safety in jeopardy.

If everyone on the road drives within 5-10 mph of the posted speed limit (or limit based on conditions), stays in lane with a sufficient space between them and the next vehicle, and the cops enforce that limit enthusiastically and consistently, as is done in many places, you will avoid the Indy 500 you now have on 285.[/quote]

So if they lowerd to limit on 285 to 20 MPH would you be ok with that? Just wondering.