🚀 go-pugleaf

On 7 Nov 1998 21:48:41 GMT, Rahul Dhesi <c.c.eiftj@22.usenet.us.com> wrote:
>In <slrn746nkh.e3.joel-garry@home.com> joel-garry@nospam.home.com (Joel
>Garry) writes:
>
>>There really isn't any single simple solution to the problem.  There
>>are actually a number of problems, each of which has a number of
>>solutions.  And of course each solution has a set of costs as well as
>>benefits.  Since it is politically inexpedient to raise taxes/fees to
>>pay for anything, and not much more will be done voluntarily, no one
>>really cares to do anything....
>
>Personally I think the real culprit is unrealistically low speed
>limits.  Why?  Because too-low speed limits leave motorists in a
>quandary:  In order to drive in the faster lanes, they must either break
>laws against speeding, or laws against obstructing traffic.  Different
>motorists choose different laws to break, but everybody in the fast
>lane is breaking some law, so nobody feels bad about it.

This is one of the more insidious results, IMO, since it breeds disrespect
for the law.

>
>Now consider the situation where we keep speed limits based on the
>actual physical conditions, but greatly increase other maximum limits.
>E.g., the 65 mph California statewide limit could be increased to 90
>mph.  Limits in residential zones, school zones, sharp curves,
>construction zones, etc.  would be based on actual conditions.

The problem with this "actual conditions" is, the conditions may change
rapidly or be different then they appear.  The school zone is especially
problematical, take for example the school located on a major street.
The street looks like it should be 55mph, but little kids may dart out
at any time.  The conditions haven't changed, but from the viewpoint
of the driver "jeez, it's 8pm, how was I supposed to know a school play
would be letting out."  And a number of residential areas have suffered
from commuters cutting through their streets, to the point that some have
put in speed bumps.  People can't always accurately evaluate conditions,
and signs can't either.

>
>Now a motorist driving slowly in the fast lanes is breaking the law, but
>a motorist driving with the flow of traffic in the fast lanes is not
>breaking the law.  This puts some pressure on the slower drivers to stay
>in the slower lanes.  It also allows law enforcement oficers to cite
>slow motorists without having a double standard.
>
>To replace the speeding laws, we must have other laws to discourage
>bad driving.  We do this with a new law limiting lane changes:
>
>   A vehicle may make any number of lane changes provided all but one
>   are in the same direction.  A vehicle may make any number of lane
>   changes to accomodate an unexpected road hazard.  Except for this, a
>   vehicle may not make more than N lane changes in M seconds may be
>   cited."

There already is a law against reckless driving, in fact I saw a guy get
nailed last Friday.  I get on the freeway in a rural area, get up to 
about 75, then see a chp ahead in the left lane doing the speed limit.
I sigh and fall into line.  A few minutes later, I see someone coming up
fast, weaving in and out of traffic.  My wife and I just watched and
laughed as he cut across all four lanes back and forth, winding up right
next to the chippie, who immediately pulled him over.  Looked like a normal
mid-30's couple in a Camry.  Sheesh.

>
>The net effect will be that you may drive as fast as you wish (up to 90
>mph), provided you say in your own lane.  And you may still make lane
>changes when entering a highway or leaving it.  But you may not legally
>weave left and right in order to drive fast.  This will automatically
>prevent most reckless driving.

I think this either assumes entirely too much wrt homogenized driving styles,
or is no different than existing laws besides the speed limit.  Am I missing
something?  The metric of N lane changes in M seconds is entirely too
arbitrary and ignores dynamic traffic conditions.  Lane changes aren't unsafe
unless they are performed unsafely.

>-- 
>Rahul Dhesi <dhesi@spams.r.us.com>
>a2i communications, a quality ISP
>   "Life is an obstacle course.  Get used to it."

jg
-- 
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