Cincinnati ranks NINTH MOST AGGRESIVE DRIVERS! (limits, interstate, road)

[cali3448893]

Originally Posted by kjbrill

People forget why the 55 MPH National Speed Limit was set in 1974. The purpose was to save gas and our dependence on foreign oil. Of course nobody liked it and enforcement was terrible. It was eventually done away with.

When the Interstates were brand new and nice and smooth a 70 MPH limit was very reasonable in normal traffic volumes such as in rural Ohio, and even higher in the western states with much lower traffic densities. But even then when in a conjested urban area the limit was reduced to 55, which I believe is very rational. Urban environments have shorter exit and entrance ramps due to space constrictions, shorter line of sight distances to evaluate what is going on, more lane changes and jockeying. Here is where I feel the 55 MPH limit still makes sense from a safety standpoint to permit longer reaction times.

There are many Interstates which I feel are unsafe at 70 MPH due to condition. The amount of wash-board roadbeds, cracked and uneven pavement, potholes, is everywhere. Our roads are simply not being maintained as a high speed roadway should be. If you constantly have to correct the suspension of the vehicle the speed is too high.

Please New Yorkers go 85mph with extremely skinny lanes no shoulder and potholes everywhere.

[kjbrill]

Originally Posted by cali3448893

Please New Yorkers go 85mph with extremely skinny lanes no shoulder and potholes everywhere.

There are a lot of drivers out there who think they are Mario Andretti, but the simple fact is they are not.

[ram2]

Originally Posted by kjbrill

There are a lot of drivers out there who think they are Mario Andretti, but the simple fact is they are not.

And the world will end if drivers go faster than 55mph....

[kjbrill]

Originally Posted by ram2

And the world will end if drivers go faster than 55mph....

Never said 55 MPH should be the speed other than I believe it is perfectly valid for conjested urban areas for the reasons I stated. 85 MPH on Fort Washington Way is assinine and unnecessary. 85 MPH out in a rural area may be perfectly valid providing the roadway is in shape to handle it. It is just that I see very few roadways in this part of the country in shape to handle that speed.

Perhaps it is the Mechanical Engineer in me which comes into play here. I am just more sensitive to what sudden stresses from potholes, etc. can do to cause suspension components to fail, wheel rims to collapse, etc. resulting in some hellacious crashes.

Excessive speed for the conditions may not cause the world to end but it will certainly cause lives to end.

[cali3448893]

Instead of speed limits getting lower they are raising it.

[kjbrill]

Originally Posted by cali3448893

Instead of speed limits getting lower they are raising it.

And where did anyone advocate lowering speed limits? I am only against raising them beyond the condition of the roadway.

There are locations in Michigan which scare me to death with the increase to 70 MPH because the roadway condition is deplorable, especially the interstate between Chicago and Detroit. I-65 south of Louisville Ky is another stretch which is deplorable, so wash-boardy it is like driving on the ties of a railroad. Those want higher speed limits should in turn demand the roadways be maintained so it is safe for all drivers. This is not what I see happening.

[natininja]

Originally Posted by kjbrill

People forget why the 55 MPH National Speed Limit was set in 1974. The purpose was to save gas and our dependence on foreign oil. Of course nobody liked it and enforcement was terrible. It was eventually done away with.

When the Interstates were brand new and nice and smooth a 70 MPH limit was very reasonable in normal traffic volumes such as in rural Ohio, and even higher in the western states with much lower traffic densities. But even then when in a conjested urban area the limit was reduced to 55, which I believe is very rational. Urban environments have shorter exit and entrance ramps due to space constrictions, shorter line of sight distances to evaluate what is going on, more lane changes and jockeying. Here is where I feel the 55 MPH limit still makes sense from a safety standpoint to permit longer reaction times.

There are many Interstates which I feel are unsafe at 70 MPH due to condition. The amount of wash-board roadbeds, cracked and uneven pavement, potholes, is everywhere. Our roads are simply not being maintained as a high speed roadway should be. If you constantly have to correct the suspension of the vehicle the speed is too high.

Very good points! Potholes and the like are like unplanned design features. And they can alter the safe driving speed drastically. They can be unpredictable and sneak up on you, which might lead to a speed limit alteration which might not appear to make sense at first blush. Or they can be very obvious, as in the case where sometimes residents on a residential street will prefer it not be maintained, to discourage through traffic.

[ram2]

Originally Posted by kjbrill

There are locations in Michigan which scare me to death with the increase to 70 MPH because the roadway condition is deplorable, especially the interstate between Chicago and Detroit.

Really? I just drove that stretch 3 weeks ago. 80mph+ the whole way and no issue. I did not see a single accident during the entire trip, so those poor road conditions must be overstated.

[cali3448893]

Originally Posted by ram2

Really? I just drove that stretch 3 weeks ago. 80mph+ the whole way and no issue. I did not see a single accident during the entire trip, so those poor road conditions must be overstated.

Driving the 1-65 from Indy to Chicago is 80+ the whole way too and there is a lot of traffic not stopping traffic but more lots of cars. It was crazy weavers, people tailgating like crazy swerving in back of you. Cars not looking when merging its crazy not to mention there were potholes especially as i got closer to Chicago but the most craziest strech i ever been on was on the 1-95 from DC to Boston.

[TheMahValley]

Originally Posted by ram2

Ohio is the biggest offender of using underposted speed limits for revenue generation purposes. Prior to 1974, you could legally and safely drive 75mph on the Ohio Turnpike. Notice how the current speed limit is underposted?

The 55mph speed limit had zero compliance.

Link?