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I've been a "victim" of speed limit. When I was early 18 (just got my license, European), I crashed my car because I passed a speed limit sign, but there was a

I've been a "victim" of speed limit. When I was early 18 (just got my license, European), I crashed my car because I passed a speed limit sign, but there was a sharp left turn that wasn't visible. I went exactly the speed limit, thinking "they would put a lower one here if it wasn't absolutely safe" - and immediately lost control of my car in the turn. Nowadays, I ignore any speed limits. I'm frequently speeding when it's safe, and I'm very frequently going slow enough to people flash lights or honk at me - no crashes since that. I of course recognise I was at fault and don't blame the speed limit - I should've known to adjust my driving regardless of the limit. However this way of thinking isn't uncommon and while the speed limit isn't at fault, it had its part in causing the crash.

gideonparanoid 10y ago
It is a speed /limit/, it absolutely does also require you to make judgements for yourself, but not to drive above that speed. It would be unreasonable (& annoying) to have different speed limits for every different corner/stretch of road. There's also considerations such as the weather & lighting conditions to take into account (& while I have seen signs on motorways for variable speed limits based on those in Europe, you cannot expect every case to be covered).
- TomMarius 10y ago
  In many European countries, there actually is a speed limit before almost every turn or intersection that's in or near a bigger city, and thus people begin to think like this, which is the point - the speed limit is so overused that people stop thinking for themselves. The problem of speed limit overuse (recognized even by our officials) is a lot smaller in western Europe, if you got your experience from their roads.
- deleted 10y ago
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k-mcgrady 10y ago
>> this way of thinking isn't uncommon I seriously doubt this. It's a speed 'limit' not a speed 'target'. I can't fathom how you could think 'sign says x, I'm sure if I go that speed I can get around this sharp turn safely'. How strict were the driving tests where you learned?
- TomMarius 10y ago
  I don't have any hard evidence, though a lot of people I know think like this - which is why I wrote the comment. In many European countries, there actually is a speed limit before almost every sharp turn that's in or near a bigger city, and thus people begin to think like this.
  - k-mcgrady 10y ago
    Interesting it's not something I've noticed before. I'm 99% we don't have these in the UK (although on country roads there will sometimes be a sign indicating a sharp bend).
    - TomMarius 10y ago
      The problem of speed limit overuse is small or non-existent in western Europe, but common in central and eastern Europe - it's even recognized by our officials as a huge problem causing crashes. Not only there are speed limits before sharp turns, but unnecessary small limits in regular turns or on straight motorways, which makes people go over the limit even when the limit makes sense.
- Klover 10y ago
  >How strict were the driving tests where you learned? Please be aware that the rather strict driving test in the Netherlands means that you are trained for at least 40 odd hours, or let's call it 60 hours on average, to drive at the speed target. Going too slow means you're unable to handle the traffic, and going too fast is illegal, so this strictness can instruct people to drive at the speed target. Yes, I did name them targets, because that's what they're used for. It looks like a target, it acts like a target, it's called a target. Legally, they're limits, but I don't think you'll ever see many people driving at the limit. Always at least 1 or 2 km/h faster.

gideonparanoid 10y ago

It is a speed /limit/, it absolutely does also require you to make judgements for yourself, but not to drive above that speed. It would be unreasonable (& annoying) to have different speed limits for every different corner/stretch of road. There's also considerations such as the weather & lighting conditions to take into account (& while I have seen signs on motorways for variable speed limits based on those in Europe, you cannot expect every case to be covered).

TomMarius 10y ago
In many European countries, there actually is a speed limit before almost every turn or intersection that's in or near a bigger city, and thus people begin to think like this, which is the point - the speed limit is so overused that people stop thinking for themselves. The problem of speed limit overuse (recognized even by our officials) is a lot smaller in western Europe, if you got your experience from their roads.
deleted 10y ago
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k-mcgrady 10y ago

>> this way of thinking isn't uncommon I seriously doubt this. It's a speed 'limit' not a speed 'target'. I can't fathom how you could think 'sign says x, I'm sure if I go that speed I can get around this sharp turn safely'. How strict were the driving tests where you learned?

TomMarius 10y ago
I don't have any hard evidence, though a lot of people I know think like this - which is why I wrote the comment. In many European countries, there actually is a speed limit before almost every sharp turn that's in or near a bigger city, and thus people begin to think like this.
- k-mcgrady 10y ago
  Interesting it's not something I've noticed before. I'm 99% we don't have these in the UK (although on country roads there will sometimes be a sign indicating a sharp bend).
  - TomMarius 10y ago
    The problem of speed limit overuse is small or non-existent in western Europe, but common in central and eastern Europe - it's even recognized by our officials as a huge problem causing crashes. Not only there are speed limits before sharp turns, but unnecessary small limits in regular turns or on straight motorways, which makes people go over the limit even when the limit makes sense.
Klover 10y ago
>How strict were the driving tests where you learned? Please be aware that the rather strict driving test in the Netherlands means that you are trained for at least 40 odd hours, or let's call it 60 hours on average, to drive at the speed target. Going too slow means you're unable to handle the traffic, and going too fast is illegal, so this strictness can instruct people to drive at the speed target. Yes, I did name them targets, because that's what they're used for. It looks like a target, it acts like a target, it's called a target. Legally, they're limits, but I don't think you'll ever see many people driving at the limit. Always at least 1 or 2 km/h faster.