'Tiered' speed limits

[kyleb350]

Originally Posted by Joekerr

How would this not be a system that is ridiculously hard to implement? Person X has the license to do 20mph over the posted limit, and Person Y can only do the speed limit because he's an idiot. Person X travels at 20 mph (his exact permitted speed) and Person Y decides to travel 10mph above the speed limit (exceeds his permitted speed). They both pass a cop who sees both - which one does he go after? There's no distinguishing characteristics of the car which would tell him Person X is permitted to drive that fast, while Y is travelling at a speed that far exceeds his mental prowess. So he would go after X, and only once pulled over, would he realize X was ok.

No, without something to alert said cops as to what you are permitted to do (without being pulled over all the time), it can't work

Just thought of that. Perhaps different color license plates or RFID's of some sort?

[Freakazoid]

Originally Posted by kyleb350

Just thought of that. Perhaps different color license plates or RFID's of some sort?

I'm not sure there's any way you could introduce that wouldn't allow some sort of manipulation/'cheating'.
RFID you could just do a swap, and the same with license plates

[nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn]

Originally Posted by Joekerr

How would this not be a system that is ridiculously hard to implement? Person X has the license to do 20mph over the posted limit, and Person Y can only do the speed limit because he's an idiot. Person X travels at 20 mph (his exact permitted speed) and Person Y decides to travel 10mph above the speed limit (exceeds his permitted speed). They both pass a cop who sees both - which one does he go after? There's no distinguishing characteristics of the car which would tell him Person X is permitted to drive that fast, while Y is travelling at a speed that far exceeds his mental prowess. So he would go after X, and only once pulled over, would he realize X was ok.

No, without something to alert said cops as to what you are permitted to do (without being pulled over all the time), it can't work

The cop can run your plate as he is driving behind you to catch up. They have automated systems that do this now in some parts of the country. It is pretty amazing. They can drive down the street and the system runs the plates of all the cars it passes, even parked ones, and can alert the cop if the car is reported stolen.

Anyway, if the system runs your plate and it shows up that you have permission to be driving at that speed, the cop can back off and go after the other guy.

[Wakka]

My friend and i have had conversations about this several times. Nicer cars should be equipped with some sort of electronic device that will change the speed of the road depending upon the performance of the car.

Its been argued it would be expensive to have, so we decided only cars that can go faster then the normal speed limit should be equipped with them (As better performance cars cost more money). However this also would mean each state would need to go and add a transmitter or something to accept the different speed limits per road. Perhaps it could all just be done via GPS... don't really know.

Ultimately the conversation always boils down to its expensive, and people are going to speed anyway.

[Kroy]

The only way I can see something like this happening is a dedicated toll fast lane like someone mentioned earlier. There's good way to differentiate between cars that are allowed to go faster if they are mixed in with normal traffic. It is also unsafe to put everyone in a situation where there are cars driving fast around slow traffic; sounds like a accident waiting to happen.

I think something like a sticker or special plate would be enough to identify fast lane cars.

[UltimateBMW]

Originally Posted by kyleb350

So basically this is buying the right to go faster?

I would buy the right to go faster in a heartbeat. Gladly would pay the price of a ticket for a year' subscription to 15mph higher speed limits on the highways alone.

[Simsims]

Originally Posted by Freakazoid

I'm not sure I do see your argument here at all actually. I actually see it as virtually proving my point. I'm not advocating doubling the speed limits...as I said max of I'd think 15 mph, possibly less.

e.g. minivan stopping distance from 60 mph is 55 meters/180 feet. evo X stopping distance is 117 feet. This stopping distance difference gets even larger at higher speeds.

Assuming a 10 mph difference in speed (say 70 for evo and 60 for van), and a 0.15 second reaction time. The evo is going to travel another 15 feet further than the van. As said above, at 60 mph the evo has 63 feet on the van. That means that the evo now has 48 feet of additional stopping power over the van. (yes the evo is going 70 not 60, so it'd be less than 48....but you should see my point....48 feet is the equivalent of obliterating a car)

This is also tossing out the fact, that chances are when the minivan is stopping from 60-0mph it's also likely losing control and causing more damage/problems.

just arguing for argument's sake.

Factor in idiocy? What if the driver behind the evo doesn't know how to drive?

This will never be implemented. Put the costs aside, nobody wants to be second class citizens. EVEN IF. You won't win the argument.

Personally I'd like to see it implemented. But it just won't happen.

[Joekerr]

Originally Posted by Wakka

My friend and i have had conversations about this several times. Nicer cars should be equipped with some sort of electronic device that will change the speed of the road depending upon the performance of the car.

Ah, this makes me curious...so the roads you drive on move at a certain speed? And this device will change the speed that the road goes?

[aut0sh0cker]

No. Speed differential is a cause in far more accidents than speed alone. This is far more dangerous than just raising the limit across the board.

[Freakazoid]

Originally Posted by Simsims

just arguing for argument's sake.

Factor in idiocy? What if the driver behind the evo doesn't know how to drive?

This will never be implemented. Put the costs aside, nobody wants to be second class citizens. EVEN IF. You won't win the argument.

Personally I'd like to see it implemented. But it just won't happen.

I do completely agree with you on these points

[schoy]

Originally Posted by aut0sh0cker

No. Speed differential is a cause in far more accidents than speed alone. This is far more dangerous than just raising the limit across the board.

Absolutely correct. [Though speed alone can kill if people's reaction times aren't congruent with the situation -- like tailgating at 100 mph or driving 100 mph in a residential area]

So if let's say, on a theoretical unrestricted highway, 25% of people drive < 60 mph, 25% drive 60-70, 25% drive 70-80 and 25% drive >80, then to regulate the speed differential, just set the max highway speed at 60 mph, and 75% drivers will be forced to drive at similar speeds.

IMHO, from an enforcement efficiency and policy standpoint, the current system works just fine. Sure, having autobahn highways would be fun and all, but one of the (many) purposes of government is to regulate people's behavior before they hurt other people.

The only thing I would change is the "points" system; I think points should only accrue in really reckless driving situations. Short of that, people can just pay to have fun ... in the form of traffic tickets.

[Edit: Do want to add one thing: I remember in some other posts where people were saying that Germany has less traffic accidents per person than the US, and they attributed to autobahn and better drivers. But if one looked at accidents per miles driven (Americans by and far spend a significant more time driving than Germans), the rate is roughly the same.]