🚀 go-pugleaf

>>>>> "Greg" == Greg Drew <gdrew@cs.umd.edu> writes:

    Greg> reprinted in Road and Track several months ago.  I do not
    Greg> remember the whole thing, but the bottom line was that most
    Greg> drivers will find a "natural" speed for a road, and that
    Greg> setting the limit below this only increases the number of
    Greg> people who do not comply with the posted limit.  This is of
    Greg> course great for those states who use ticket revenues to
    Greg> help support themselves with ticket revenues, but it is hard
    Greg> on the average citizen.  The study recommendation was to
    Greg> monitor the speed of cars on a road and then set the limit
    Greg> so that 90% or so of the drivers would be driving at or
    Greg> under this number.  That way, the police can concentrate on
    Greg> the ones who do drive too fast for road conditions.

in fact, i think this is what state DOT agencies tend to do, when
other mitigating factors don't exist.  at least this is my impression
from religiously reading the "Road Warrior" column in the Montgomery
Journal every week [%].  on state and local roads, speed limits are
often set using the method you describe, though sometimes factors such
as the number of cross streets, residents concerns, etc. will
necessitate the lowering of limits below the "natural" speed.  when
this happens the number of offenders does increase.

as for enforcement of 55mph on the interstates, you have to understand
that states risk losing big federal highway $$$ when the number of
offenders increases beyond some federally mandated max.  that's why
maryland at least will occasionally send the troopers out en mass for
big (often highly publicized) crackdowns.  also, when checking on % of
violators for federal highway bucks, the state will usually set up
radar/vascar on curves and tops of hills when average interstate
speeds are lower anyway.

-b

	[%] highly recommended for traffic freaks like me, especially if
        you live in MoCo!