quote:
Originally posted by jmacmaster:
I've lived in snow country (Minnesota, Vermont, and now Montana) all my life and have been driving for 46 years. NOBODY can drive safely at the speed limit on snow. People who think they can are deluding themselves and are a danger to themselves and other drivers. And the higher the speed limit the higher the danger. Its a simple fact that you do not have the turning ability and control that you have on dry pavement and can't stop as quick, even with studded snow tires, which by the way I always run in the winter.
I can honestly say that the speed limits in Olympia are so badly underposted as to be perfect with a couple of inches of snow on the ground. I was driving home one night with about 4 inches on the ground and the 25 felt like a 25, the 35 felt like a 35. It was perfect, I wasn't pushing it, not even close, but I wasn't going too slow for conditions either. The limit was just right. The only time the speed limits here represent the 85th percentile speed is when it's either snowing or incredibly foggy.
Because of this, I view speed limits as advice on how fast to go when the weather is really, really bad. Even the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's speed limit FAQ admits that speed limits are not set for ideal road conditions, but are how fast one should drive in bad weather:
"Why aren't speed limits for interstate highways set at the design speed of these roads?
Some claim that because interstate highways meet rigid design standards for sight distance and roadway geometry, they should be posted at their design speeds. But a design speed is not necessarily a safe travel speed. The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials defines design speed as "the maximum safe speed that can be maintained…when conditions are so favorable that the design features govern."19 In other words, it is the maximum speed at which drivers can maintain a safe level of vehicle control on a particular section of highway under the conditions for which the highway was designed. Speed limits are set somewhat lower because conditions are not always favorable, and design features do not always warrant higher speeds."
IIHS gibberish
My response is "Conditions aren't always favorable?" Well, conditions aren't always unfavorable. Don't pretend that the weather is always bad and set the speed limit at the design speed or 85th percentile speed!
[ July 25, 2006, 01:19 AM: Message edited by: Palut ]
