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Setting Speed Limits

12/3/2011 12:27:54 PM

Doug

18 posts

Setting Speed Limits

The move to set speed limits rather than have prima face limits outside built-up areas has definitely had an effect. The limits set are assumed to be safe under all conditions and therefore remove responsibility from the driver to the legislators. As an example, in Victoria, the prima face limit used to be 50 mph (80 km/hr). When statewide limits came in, it was 100 km/hr blanket, with 110 km/hr on certain highways. As a result, drivers who were not capable tried to (and still do) drive to the limit, irrespective of road and traffic conditions. Responsibility has been taken away from drivers. Consequently most casualty and fatal accidents occur under the stated speed limit, because of poor exercised judgement. In the NT, a similar situation has developed. With the 130 and 110 limits, drivers who know no better now drive to that limit irrespective of conditions. Previously, less capable drivers could drive within their limits while more capable drivers could drive within their limits. Now they all mix it at the same (or similar speeds). When the evidence is looked at, road deaths have generally fallen (everywhere) with seat belts, safety features in cars and a heightened awareness of safety. When deaths are low, statistically there will be variations in the numbers from year to year. General trends are reductions until a certain value is reached, and then this value will remain roughly constant (even though, in real terms it is always reducing because of increasing traffic on the road). Short of removing vehicles from roads, providing fail-safe anti-collision features in ALL vehicles and determining psychological profiles for safe driving, road deaths will never drop to zero. Bluntly put, those and traffic engineering solutions will never be cost-effective. Previously I posted that politicians should take responsibility for their 130 limit AND the higher rod toll since then. However, the only thing politicians take responsibility for are good photo opps and collecting pay which is tainted by the blood of those fatally affected by their poor legislation. Why can they not THINK?

12/3/2011 12:42:44 PM

Paul2000

10 posts

Re: Setting Speed Limits

Some of the roads should be no where near 110km/h and more like 80km/h (typically QLD roads as a point) but do agree with your comments on how if a limit is set, then people will drive to it no matter what their skill level.

I recently drove back from QLD and was stunned that the police over there will book you for only a mere couple of k's over the limit without any hesitation. Who cares if your in the middle of Australia doing 113km/h in a 110 zone?

It is now up to the tourist / novice driver to now speed up to 130lm/h as the feel compelled to sit on that due to being "the limit". Most of the crashes on the highway are due to fatigue or swerving to avoid animals etc. More teaching on what to do and not to do when open road driving needs to be taught in schools, driving courses and also inform tourists etc.

I won't touch on the low life scum piss head drivers out there yet.

I will say that sitting on 130 / 140 / 150 does my vehicles fuel economy no different (10-10.5lt / 100km).

Everyone knows the real reason that Claire Martin bent over a barrel and let the Federal Government have her way with her while raping the NT of its once great drives on once great roads. Where has the funding gone over the last few years? Oh yeah, Labor needs to line their pockets to get out of debt.

What a joke pollies are!

12/3/2011 3:28:07 PM

Doug

18 posts

Re: Setting Speed Limits

Over 40 years ago, an engineer complained that insistence on blind adherence to speed limits creates more problems than it solves. He also added that speed limits for their own sake belittle laws in the eyes of most motorists, and that strict enforcement makes criminals out of an average person. A prima face limit means that if you want to drive slowly (at or below that limit) you can do so, and the onus is on the other road users to drive safely. The numerical speed conveys no absolute righteousness or otherwise. Often I would travel very quickly with good visibility during daylight, but travel slower in darkness or when road conditions were not the best. In the NT, even my 75 y.o. father (in 1978) found travelling at 160 km/hr safe on the highways. Now, with better cars and better roads, 140 km/hr would make him a criminal, even if visibility was perfect. Why can't commonsense prevail? Because politicians and others believe restriction is THE ONLY SOLUTION, despite it being shown to be incorrect. "Convince a man against his will, he's of the same opinion still." What about removing drivers who cannot or will not drive skillfully? Wait a minute, loss of licence revenue, loss of fine revenue - but is this loss is more important than actually saving lives?

12/18/2011 6:18:21 PM

Neveragain

123 posts

Re: Setting Speed Limits

I've been reading this guy for years for all kinds of car maintenance. But he has also done lots of research on speed and other accident causes.

http://www.carbibles.com/speeding_facts.html

Enjoy.

12/18/2011 9:40:46 PM

Paul2000

10 posts

Re: Setting Speed Limits

Quite an interesting read. Also have some other goodies I will look at later.

Recently Mark Skaife went out on a limb and wanted Vic roads open to a higher limit too. Story reads 140km/h but I think it is meant to say 130 to be in line with our "fancy" limit ;)

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/v8-supercar-driver-mark-skaife-calls-for-speed-limit-on-victorian-freeways-to-be-lifted-to-140kmh/story-e6freon6-1225879007580

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