4 ms·

"Excessive speed" in the statistics is purely based on posted speed limit. The way posted speed limits are set in the US is not based on safety.

giantg2 4y ago
"The way posted speed limits are set in the US is not based on safety." That's an opinion. Any source to back that up? The limits are set based on safety and flow considerations, with safety taking precedent. ""Excessive speed" in the statistics is purely based on posted speed limit." Not true. This can include going too fast for conditions, such as in snow. Or exceeding the recommended speed for a turn, even if you're going the posted speed limit. Your interpretations seem very biased so far. I'd love to see your data/facts and not just opinion.
- mrbrownt 4y ago
  The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) recommends a speed study, setting the posted speed limit to the nearest 5 mph mark of the 85th percentile of observed speed. Safety is not the primary design consideration when it comes to roads in the US.
  - giantg2 4y ago
    This is a half truth. It's one of many factors taken into consideration to set a safe speed limit. Speeds of motorists in normal conditions Traffic volume Roadway type (e.g., interstate, freeway, city street) Roadway features (e.g., curves, hills, number of lanes) Roadway setting (e.g., urban, rural, residential, woodland, farmland) Number and spacing of driveways or intersections Sight distances Presence of on-street parking Pedestrian or bicyclist activity Crash history Pavement condition
bsder 4y ago
> The way posted speed limits are set in the US is not based on safety. You need to advocate for street redesign, then. In California, most speed limits have a relation to the median speed that drivers drive on the roadway. If you want them to drive slower, you need to design the roads so that they drive slower. Unfortunately, you will be fighting the local residents who don't want to spend extra time on every task because their local roads are so slow.
- giantg2 4y ago
  In my state, I've seen multiple roads reduce speeds. It's not solely based on median speed (per federal guidelines). The speed limits are based on multiple factors that can reduce the speed below the current median, such as on street parking and terrain. I would be very surprised if CA didn't account for other factors like these.

giantg2 4y ago

"The way posted speed limits are set in the US is not based on safety." That's an opinion. Any source to back that up? The limits are set based on safety and flow considerations, with safety taking precedent. ""Excessive speed" in the statistics is purely based on posted speed limit." Not true. This can include going too fast for conditions, such as in snow. Or exceeding the recommended speed for a turn, even if you're going the posted speed limit. Your interpretations seem very biased so far. I'd love to see your data/facts and not just opinion.

mrbrownt 4y ago
The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) recommends a speed study, setting the posted speed limit to the nearest 5 mph mark of the 85th percentile of observed speed. Safety is not the primary design consideration when it comes to roads in the US.
- giantg2 4y ago
  This is a half truth. It's one of many factors taken into consideration to set a safe speed limit. Speeds of motorists in normal conditions Traffic volume Roadway type (e.g., interstate, freeway, city street) Roadway features (e.g., curves, hills, number of lanes) Roadway setting (e.g., urban, rural, residential, woodland, farmland) Number and spacing of driveways or intersections Sight distances Presence of on-street parking Pedestrian or bicyclist activity Crash history Pavement condition

bsder 4y ago

> The way posted speed limits are set in the US is not based on safety. You need to advocate for street redesign, then. In California, most speed limits have a relation to the median speed that drivers drive on the roadway. If you want them to drive slower, you need to design the roads so that they drive slower. Unfortunately, you will be fighting the local residents who don't want to spend extra time on every task because their local roads are so slow.

giantg2 4y ago
In my state, I've seen multiple roads reduce speeds. It's not solely based on median speed (per federal guidelines). The speed limits are based on multiple factors that can reduce the speed below the current median, such as on street parking and terrain. I would be very surprised if CA didn't account for other factors like these.