Meditation on the speed limit
 

Cliff notes:

College students experiment to see what happens if 4 vehicles all go 55mph (i.e. posted speed limit) at the same time on the perimeter in ATL.

Is obeying the law safe?



http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5366552067462745475&q=%22meditation+on+the+speed+l imit%22

Great video

I'm not impressed. Young people often just don't get it, they usually see things as black and white and are generally idealistic.

The problem really isn't the speeds. I believe that in today's world 55 is probably much safer than 75. But I believe it's due to the fact that people are poorly educated and trained to drive and they don't take it seriously enough.

And I believe that the requirements to get a license are too lax.

What the kids did was dangerous and stupid, but not because they were doing the speed limit, but because they were trying to control others. They spent a lot of time laughing while they were talking about the experience. What would have happened if the white van had killed someone? That wouldn't have been funny.

The trend is, to have so many laws, that the populace will always be in violation of something. In "the eyes of the law" that group, no doubt broke many laws, in making that piece.


. . .tho, no laws of physics were broken, or challanged. ;)

I disagree, the law is black and white. How many threads are there on here where the poster is chastised for complaining about a apeeding ticket. The reply by many is if you speed you get a ticket, you play you pay.

The guy in the white van broke the law he passed on the shoulder. The people in the cars are obeying the 55 mph speed limit.

This video shows how much of a joke speed limits are and how much bigger a joke speed enforcement is. Georgia is known for its speed traps.

I get the point they are making.

What laws did they break?

Yes, the law is black and white, but the situation that they created was quite dangerous and had probably much farther reaching ill effects than any potential good that they may have created.

They really aren't much different than the left lane bandits. Speeding is illegal, but taking it upon yourself to police that is not much better.

I agree with you. I have been behind many many many rolling "cock blocks" as we call them. A dufus in the left lane doing 1 over the speed limit passing the guy in the right for 10 miles. The line of cars behind them is insane.

I do not think these kids go out and do this as a joy ride thing. It was an experiment showing just how rediculas the speed limit is on some roads.

So next time someone complains about getting snagged in a speed trap remember this thread. I am sure some will tell the speeder he broke the law and to except it. This video shows what happens when everyone obeys the law.

You're kidding, right?

I don't know that particular States specific laws, but in general "keep rigt, except to pass" . . . something about seeing how an accident might happen (the van with no room where it expected) . .and Encouraging that accident to happen. (WTH? . . holding your ground to encourage anccident?) . .. Then various laws exist about distracted driving/cell phones....

anybody know what tune that is at the end of the video?

finally, something interesting

hahahah

I've always found this strange. Taken literally, everyone would form a conga line in the right lane, and the left lane is reserved for leap-frogging in and out of the right lane?

Beautiful example of why the Califoria "keep right except to pass" law begins with;

"Notwithstanding the prima fasie speed limits..."

There are members of this board that have argued that when travelling the speed limit, you are under no obligation to yield the number one (left) lane to faster moving traffic. That video is a beautiful illustration of the absurdity of that position.

Yep. If you want to drive faster than the conga line, get in the left lane and pass. You may stay in the left lane as long as you are travelling faster than those in the conga line. If someone approaches in your lane driving faster than you, return to the conga line when it is safe to do so and allow him to pass.

In general, "keep right except to pass" is a courtesy thing, not a law. The only way that could be enforced as a law would be if the person not "keeping right" were travelling dangerously under the limit and creating dangerous conditions.

I fail to see how these people, all driving exactly the speed limit, create a dangerous situation. Because some @sshole decided he was too important to sit in traffic and passed them on the shoulder, without bothering to look to see if there were any parked cars on the shoulder, nearly creating a serious incident, doesn't in any way make what they were doing unsafe. It just emphasizes the potential dangers of road rage. If the results indicate that obeying the law is unsafe, then the law must be changed.

English?

No. The only law I know of that requires you to move is an emergency vehicle. I saw no sirens there. What if this had been 5 people who had no affiliation with each other and happened to all be going the speed limit lined up? What law did the break? They were going the speed limit. I say it was incredibly stupid but illegal? The only law I saw broken was the van.

Thank you!! I could not express clearly my point and you nailed it! Thanks again!

Tom, you are correct. I have done quite a long distance travel in European Highways (not just Autobahn) and the general rule is that you drive on the right most lane unless you are passing. Like anywhere else in the world that rule is not very well observed in highways thru cities where traffic is a mess.
On the other hand highways in Europe are usually at least 3 lanes and not the skinny two lanes we get here.

That is the way people are 'trained', probably will never work for 101 from San Francisco to San Jose or anywhere near the 405 :) but I don't see why it shouldn't work on I-10 or I-40

That is exactly how I thought it was supposed to work. If you aren't passing, you shouldn't be in the left lane. More than two lanes, though... I'm not sure how that's supposed to work. Seems like pure chaos :p

It means regardless of the speed limit. Prima fasie refers to "understood" speed limits. In other words, even if a road has no posted speed limit, you may not exceed 25 MPH if there is a school zone. On a highway that is unposted, the prima fasie limit in California is 65 or 70.

Regardless of the speed limit, you must surrender the number one lane to FASTER moving traffic. It is more than courtesy, it is the law. The video illustrates why.

Amazingly. we have even had LEO's here post that they did not think obstructing the flow of traffic at the speed limit was illegal! I have a friend who was a 20 year CHP officer. Obstructing the flow of traffic in the fast lane while driving at the speed limit was his favorite ticket to write. Never had one successfully challenged.

In a zillion miles of interstate driving, I think I saw one old sign in New Jersey. "Pass on Left".

On I-95 heading south through NJ, DE & MD - you see a dozen signs for a terrorism hotline. Imagine being the putz waiting for that phone to ring....

California Vehicle Code 21654. (a) Notwithstanding the prima facie speed limits, any vehicle proceeding upon a highway at a speed less than the normal speed of traffic moving in the same direction at such time shall be driven in the right-hand lane for traffic or as close as practicable to the right-hand edge or curb, except when overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction or when preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway.

Could it be any clearer? In California, the kids in the video were breaking the law.

While I agree that in many (all) places, blocking the left lane is not illegal, it doesn't make it right. Blocking the left lane DOES create a dangerous situation. We are all aware (or should be aware) of the frustration that this, rightfully or wrongfully, causes in many drivers (myself included). Frustrated drivers are inherently more dangerous, and therefore, by intentionally blocking the left lane, you are creating a dangerous situation.

Its kinda like mocking a biker gang member... he may unlawfully inflict an injury as a result, but we can't deny the fact that the mockery is what created the dangerous situation.

Thanks, Moses.

Sheesh, how many State languages does California have? :cool:

Ok then where are there even speed limits. Lets all just go with the flow of traffic on the highways. Sounds good to me, the P-Car needs to stretch its legs anyways. Oh yea thats the California Vehicle Code. I think they were in Atlanta.

You all need to calm down and enjoy some slow paced country. I do not miss Cali!!!!! Bunch a f'en wackos

You all need to calm down and enjoy some slow paced country livin. I do not miss Cali!!!!! Bunch a f'en wackos

From the Georgia Vehicle Code;

(d) No two vehicles shall impede the normal flow of traffic by
traveling side by side at the same time while in adjacent lanes,
provided that this Code section shall not be construed to prevent
vehicles traveling side by side in adjacent lanes because of
congested traffic conditions.

They were breaking the law.

The point of these kids, right/wrong/indifferent, was that the LIMIT on the sign is just plain stupid.

Moses points out that there are laws that say you can not impede traffic. OK, that does not mean that the point is invalid. It just means that both sides are breaking the law. One for speeding, the other for impeding traffic.

This brings up the question of, If the LAW allows for people to travel above the posted limits (flow of traffic thing), why is the law there to begin with? Oh Yeah, REVENUE......

Very true, good analogy. I think however it still underscores the fact that slow traffic = frustrated drivers = danger, an equation which to me is even more frustrating than the original slow moving traffic. I spend a fair amount of time on this country's busiest stretch of highway, and traffic drives me nuts to no end. However I realize that getting frustrated just makes it worse, and there's nothing (safe) I can do about it. So I deal with it, as should others. (don't even get me started on the miserable excuse for public transportation in and around Toronto.)

DING DING DING! We have a winner! You are precisely correct.

I got ticketed for travelling 85 in a 70 in Georgia. I pulled out of the center lane to pass a slower moving car. When I encountered the slower car I was doing 77-80 MPH. I looked in my rearview and saw some faster cars coming. I pulled out to pass and sped up. I was nailed by a laser gun. Officer asked me why I was going so fast and I replied I was getting out of the way of the faster cars behind me. I was making a pass and getting out of the way.

I got a ticket for speeding. Yup, this video hits a sore spot with me. I was running with the flow of traffic and speeding up to get out of the way and move back over, that got me a ticket.

I am off to Las Vegas, hope this holds out.......

So, Moses, do you think that the current speed limits on the majority of the road are correctly posted or outdated? This was the point of the "experiment" legality aside.

since the limits are about revenue generation and not safety, they clearly are outdated...they should be LOWER so they generate more revenue for cash-strapped municipalities...

Speed surveys on major California highways indicate that the average speed of traffic greatly exceeds the posted limit. There are no reliable data that show speed limit reductions result in added safety.

Passing on the right, while legal, is a major cause of accidents on our highways.

We should re-survey our actual highway speeds and adjust the limits to a more realistic level. Of course that approach would reduce state citation revenue and will never happen.

Realistically, the limit on I5 should be at least 80 MPH.

but they're filmakers, so its ok...

In my state, they stress to only pass if you can do so while driving at the speed limit. So long as they where driving close to 55MPH, they would not be impeding faster traffic, a faster traffic should not exist. Now, if they where driving 45MPH, they would be impeding traffic, and it would be wrong.

Most speedometers are off by a bit. Only my mom's 944 S2 is spot on accurate. The E350, is 38MPH indicated for true 35MPH, etc. In my 944, I drive 40 indicated in a 35, and its dead on if being checked by radar.

We have an underutilized stretch here in NYC (the Clearview btween the LIE & the GCP) where the speed limit drops to 50.

3 lanes, little traffic, but that is where the unmarked HP like to make their quota$. The surrounding roads are a friggin' racetrack with little or no enforcement. :mad:

So then traffic would be traveling at 95 MPH, and we would still be discussing this issue. No matter what the posted speed limit is, traffic will always exceed it. It is pointless to argue, you are in a no win situation you either keep with the flow of traffic and possibly get a ticket or get a ticket for impeding traffic. Any way you look at it the state is gonna get their money.