speed limit going from 65 to 70 (areas, cities, drivers)

[kjbrill]

Originally Posted by ram2

You don't have to drive the maximum posted speed limit.

If you don't go the maximum posted speed limit your nerves will be frazzled in no time at all. Between the traffic running up on you from behind and then swerving round to pass you plus the crazies actually blowing their horn at you to get out of the way you will have a nerve wracking time. It is bad enough when I actually go the speed limit in the urban settings and have so many frustrated I am not going faster. Some just refuse to recognize that inside most of the City limits the interstate speed limit is 55.

[ram2]

Originally Posted by kjbrill

If you don't go the maximum posted speed limit your nerves will be frazzled in no time at all. Between the traffic running up on you from behind and then swerving round to pass you plus the crazies actually blowing their horn at you to get out of the way you will have a nerve wracking time. It is bad enough when I actually go the speed limit in the urban settings and have so many frustrated I am not going faster. Some just refuse to recognize that inside most of the City limits the interstate speed limit is 55.

I know what you mean when you see cops speed past you.

[cali3448893]

Why is this in the cinicnnati thread.

[northwoodsman]

i didn't know where else to put it.. since it's gonna be 70 where i live

[Buckeye in SC]

Originally Posted by Ohioan58

A turnpike is a special case because of fewer exits and entrances (compared to untolled interstate highways) and one could also argue that the toll drives the demographics of the drivers - fewer idiots driving unsafe rustbuckets with poor handling.

I can say it would have been more likely for me to pay to drive on the turnpike when I used to drive from Canton to Bowling Green to visit my now wife when we were in college if the speed limit were 85 or 90 as it would have cut the trip down to about 2 hours or less, but there was no reason to pay when I could take US-30 and get there in the same or less time as it is actually a shorter distance taking 30 to 23 to I-75. Something for the turnpike operators to consider, if you want to increase usage and direct traffic away from alternative routes like US-6, US-20 & OH-2, increase the speed limit.

[ram2]

Originally Posted by Buckeye in SC

I can say it would have been more likely for me to pay to drive on the turnpike when I used to drive from Canton to Bowling Green to visit my now wife when we were in college if the speed limit were 85 or 90 as it would have cut the trip down to about 2 hours or less, but there was no reason to pay when I could take US-30 and get there in the same or less time as it is actually a shorter distance taking 30 to 23 to I-75. Something for the turnpike operators to consider, if you want to increase usage and direct traffic away from alternative routes like US-6, US-20 & OH-2, increase the speed limit.

This is exactly why the truck speed limit was increased on the Turnpike from 55 to 65 several years ago. The truckers were bypassing the Turnpike and avoiding tolls by using other state roads which had the same speed limit.

[Cleveland_Collector]

Originally Posted by nowitsshowtime

Good. I hope more municipalities start to increase the speed limit. Car safety and handling has increased exponentially over the years and can easily handle higher speed limits. Lets use that technology to the fullest!

The cars can handle it. The problem is, the drivers usually can't. I understand the freeway limit hike as there are no traffic signals, intersections, pedestrians, cyclists, etc allowed on them and they are already divided with a full median wall or land strip. Municipal speed limits are fine right where they are.

The other thing is that you essentially wreck your fuel efficiency above 75 MPH. Of course it depends on the vehicle aerodynamics (along with its engine performance curve and drivetrain gearing) and how evenly you use your accelerator, but most cars are designed to run at peak efficiency below 75 MPH (sometimes, well below 75).

Originally Posted by kjbrill

It is not the cars which concern me, it is the lousy condition of some of the roads.

I'm mostly concerned with the lousy condition of many drivers' brains.

[NYisontop]

We do 80/85+ pretty regularly in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, I noticed the 70 mph on the Ohio Turnpike while coming down from Detroit to Cleveland a couple weeks ago, and I was fairly certain it was 65 recently (within the last year/year and a half??). Always looked forward to making better time in Indiana and Michigan where I could go 70. Small parts of West Virginia and much of North Carolina are also 70.

Personally I like 'Reasonable and Prudent', but that leave so much variation - you'll have someone driving impossibly slow for interstate/expressway traffic at 42, and others going 95. Which is dangerous, you come onto the slow person at high speeds and someone going just as fast as you can take your lane, or someone quicker can punch into your spot. I like the higher limits because traffic can safely drive those, but I can see where there is a limitation, because a good portion of drivers are in desperate need of a re-test. I'm always surprised we do not do this, because it would be a good source of state income, safer, and remind people of their responsibilities as a driver.

Anyway, 70 is welcome. Some will go 80, 85, but as long as traffic flows at a minimum of 60 it's extremely safe. Slower traffic has no business on the main expressways when conditions permit the speed posted.

[ram2]

Originally Posted by Cleveland_Collector

The cars can handle it. The problem is, the drivers usually can't. I understand the freeway limit hike as there are no traffic signals, intersections, pedestrians, cyclists, etc allowed on them and they are already divided with a full median wall or land strip. Municipal speed limits are fine right where they are.

The other thing is that you essentially wreck your fuel efficiency above 75 MPH. Of course it depends on the vehicle aerodynamics (along with its engine performance curve and drivetrain gearing) and how evenly you use your accelerator, but most cars are designed to run at peak efficiency below 75 MPH (sometimes, well below 75).



I'm mostly concerned with the lousy condition of many drivers' brains.

If you want to increase fuel efficiency, then you can drive slower than the posted speed limit.

[Cleveland_Collector]

Right, and get killed in the process.