nberry:

Nick, what are you smoking? There is a reason for speed signs to be posted in every country on the planet and it isn't to reduce gas consumption.  Lesser powerd cars do have an impact on discouraging racing. VW's, Miata's or bulky sedan generally don't race.

Can you remind me why the 55mph speed limited was established again? It's definitely not for safer driving.

There are time and space for appropriate speed in any given area. Tight city core with loads of pedestrians and mindless cyclists? Yes a speed limit is good. Empty country roads or wide Interstates? The speed limit can safely be raised up if the drivers are more attentive. It's not like drivers are keeping it below the limit right now. Speed limits are set at a threshold lower than most of the traveling speed, and it's there for a reason, revenue. Plain and simple. Speeding tickets are a great source of 'legal' revenue for the city. Sorry the truth hurts. But it's a fact and the truth.

And if you think Miatas and VWs don't race, you are sorely mistaken. 

I agree teaching driver safety is paramount but remember, humans are driving the vehicles(at least for now). The reaction, perception, and sight level varies significantly among humans. Because you may have good reaction time or situation awareness doesn't mean your son has it despite all the training you given him. To think otherwise is pure folly.

And that's why there is a slow lane. It's for trucks that can't keep up with flow of traffic and for drivers who can't keep up with traffic also. Back to the old simple rule of thumb, keep right unless passing. Cops are targeting the wrong people on the highway, they should have focus on inattentive drivers that don't keep right or not paying attention to driving.

Also, your bias against US drivers is misplaced. Like all other countries we have our good and bad drivers. To generalize and state Canadian or European drivers are better drivers displays an ignorance of the facts.

Get on the I5, check out those 5-6-7 traffic lanes, and see for yourself Smiley No one use the keep right thing, neither do they check for traffic before pulling out, and they also weave in and out and passes on the right. And there are also those that are reading newspaper, putting on makeup, texting, having sex, etc, you name it it's all there all around you. it happens to a lesser degree in Europe, but most of Canada is just as bad, but the police have finally waken up and start ticketing people that don't keep right and texting while driving. 

Finally, regarding showing young drivers horrific pictures of injuries suffered in automobile accidents, it has been proven to be an effective deterrent to careless and distracted driving. Public service commercials are aired often depicted the results of careless and speeding driving.

Yes it good to show what would happened in a serious automobile accidents. But don't label them as speed related. It's mostly driver alertness related. Not paying attention while driving. If they speed WHILE not paying attention, then those might happened. Driving is a serious thing and they need to know that they need to pay full attention while driving. Speed never kills, it's the carelessness that kills. If one is not paying attention, going 20mph in downtown is just as dangerous as going 60 on the highway. Heck, that 20mph in downtown is MORE dangerous than doing 60 on the highway, he could have bulldozed and kill a dozen pedestrians while a crash at 60mph could only be a single car accident for himself.

With all that said, don't let your young drivers watch the Ford vs Ferrari motion picture.smiley

It has the wrong movie title. It's not really about Ford vs Ferrari, but a Ken Miles biography. I watched it already, liked the movie but I have a major problem with the wrong title.

 

 


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