🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <33683777.7205@primenet.com> "Charles P. Hobbs" <transit@primenet.com> writes:
>From: "Charles P. Hobbs" <transit@primenet.com>
>Subject: Natural Speed (was L.A. Freeway speed question)
>Date: 1 May 1997 07:22:01 -0700

>Stan wrote:

>> According to an article in the LA Times on Friday, average
>> speeds on former 55 freeways have gone up from 68.3 to
>> 68.6 mph.  Not exactly a big jump.  At the same time,
>> citations for speeding are down 17%.  This according to
>> Caltrans.

>I get the feeling that most people's "natural speed" is in this range:
>55 seems too slow, while anything much over 70-75 is uncomfortably
>fast for most folks (other than a few speed demons). . .

Based on my experience, however limited, I would have to agree.  In the 55-mph 
days, I noticed that traffic on urban freeways in northern California tended 
to move around 65-70.  That's still the case now that those same freeways are 
posted at 65 mph.  (Urban freeways in Washington are now posted at 60.  The 
only difference between a 60- and a 55-mph limit is that traffic now moves at 
a speed which is 5 mph closer to the speed limit, assuming it moves at all.)

Perhaps a more interesting example would be I-84 in Idaho, which is posted at 
75 mph.  Before, when it was posted at 65, I would get passed a lot driving 
the speed limit.  The last time I was there (after the limit was changed to 
75), I didn't get passed much.  One conclusion would be that most drivers are 
most comfortable somewhere between 65 and 75 mph.

-----
Steve
Woodinville, Washington USA
smdailey@smdailey.seanet.com (remove .no.spam to reply)
1 May 1997, 2120 PDT