What do you think?

[KingFrankSam]

Watch this video and give your opinion:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5366552067462745475&q=speed

Is the speed limit too low, or are people too used to speeding?

I think that enforcement of maximum speeds has become a joke, and that the majority of the motoring public believes that going 10 or 15 mph over is acceptable, expected even. Unfortunately, as displayed in the video, if someone drives the posted limit, they will be harassed and threatened, and impatient drivers will take enormous risks to get around them. It is time to step up, not stand down, and to begin to enforce the letter of the law. If tomorrow, our department were to announce to the people of the State that a maximum speed of 65 means 65, and that you will be stopped if you are exceeding it, then people would slow down, and begin to take us seriously once more. The MDR would drop. If we, as an agency, would begin to stop everyone going 5 mph over, we would find more deuces, more drugs, more 12500's, more 10851's, more wanted persons, and we would take more of the monsters that are killing our officers off of the streets.

Staffing is the number one problem that the Department is facing. But, resolving this problem is difficult, and will require some time. A mandate to begin a zero-tolerance campaign for speed enforcement could start tomorrow.

As I said, it is time to step up. Those that we have lost would accept nothing less.

[SB 405]

My opinion is these kids are lucky one of them didn't end up with a bullet in the head given the road rage factor these days. I drive 65 most of the time but not always. If I do exceed the speed limit it's not by much (and I still have people flyin' by me) and not for a very long time before I back it down. Let's just say if I'm over the limit I'm aware of it and my baby blues are looking in the mirrors as much as the windshield.

[KingFrankSam]

My opinion is these kids are lucky one of them didn't end up with a bullet in the head given the road rage factor these days. I drive 65 most of the time but not always. If I do exceed the speed limit it's not by much and not for a very long time before I back it down.

I used to work the 405. If you are driving 65 most of the time, you must be doing it on the shoulder...:biggrin:

[SB 405]

I'm at 65 by the time I'm at the top of the on ramp but then lift until I can have a little look-a-round. ;)

[Dipmo]

A friend of mine and I often debate this issue. He is of the belief that drivers doing the speed limit are required by law to yield to the right so that the speed violator can pass; he calls is the road rage law.

I've searched the VC and maybe I?m looking in the wrong book, but I have never found the road rage law. There is the whole impeding thing, but in my opinion if one is driving the speed limit they are hardly impeding.

Of course this is the same guy who has had more tickets and close calls than I can count, and not a single one of them is actually his fault. :rolleyes:

[KingFrankSam]

You cannot write someone for impeding if they are going the speed limit. Here is the CVC section for impeding:

22400. (a) No person shall drive upon a highway at such a slow speed as to impede or block the normal and reasonable movement of traffic unless the reduced speed is necessary for safe operation, because of a grade, or in compliance with law.

[KingFrankSam]

My initial post is not condoning what those kids in the video did. It was stupid and dangerous. They were attempting to make the point that the speed limit is too low. My point is that the majority of the public feels that it is acceptable to exceed the limit by 10 to 15 mph. This perception needs to change. We are the ones who need to change it.

[SB 405]

My opinion is these kids are lucky one of them didn't end up with a bullet in the head given the road rage factor these days. I drive 65 most of the time but not always. If I do exceed the speed limit it's not by much and not for a very long time before I back it down.

I used to work the 405. If you are driving 65 most of the time, you must be doing it on the shoulder...:biggrin: What section of the 405 did you work?

[SB 405]

A friend of mine and I often debate this issue. He is of the belief that drivers doing the speed limit are required by law to yield to the right so that the speed violator can pass; he calls is the road rage law.

I've searched the VC and maybe I?m looking in the wrong book, but I have never found the road rage law. There is the whole impeding thing, but in my opinion if one is driving the speed limit they are hardly impeding.

Of course this is the same guy who has had more tickets and close calls than I can count, and not a single one of them is actually his fault. :rolleyes: This is one reason I keep out of the #1 lane (the other being I'm not to keen on being taken out by something flying over the center divider from the other direction) You will always find someone who wants to move faster than you in the #1. And the few times I've had to use the HOV lane (with a passenger) I always seem to end up with a van full of aerospace workers behind me late for a meeting and rollin' at 75mph three feet off my ass. Seems many people think the HOV lane allows you to add 10-15mph.

[pupdog]

Dipmo, that is absolutly one of the funniest things I've read here! That's even better than the joke about the Pope being a chauffer!

The area between rules & norms has gotten way too big. First of all, there should be no space between rules & norms, but when I began driving in the early 90s, the assumed gimmie was 5 mph over the speed limit. Now Horatio is saying it's 10-15. If such an announcement were made, there would be all this stink made about how the state just wants money.

I actually wished that at my QAP, I would get the 'you pull over a speeder and see it's your cousin, what would you do' question. My reply would have been 'which cousin?'
:badgrin: I've got one who's 19 or 20, knows everything about the world:rolleyes: , and actually believes that it's the law that they give you that buffer zone! HELLO! If you could go 50 in a 45, the sign would say 50! It's not rocket science!

[SuperTrooper]

On the contrary, I believe the maximum speed limit (65) should be raised another 5 or 10mph on certain highways; then LE can enforce the hell out of that. Most people drive on average at a speed of 75-80mph on our freeways and see nothing wrong with that. The truth is modern vehicles are being better equipped to safely handle these speeds (ex. bigger brakes, more powerful engines, agile suspensions, etc). I don't see anything wrong with doing 80mph on the 5 through Bakersfield with little or no traffic, but I see a big problem with that on the 405 with other traffic trying to merge in and out of lanes. I think it just depends on the highway, the dictating weather conditions, traffic patterns and if it's truly safe to operate a vehicle at those kinds of speeds. I realize reaction time is a whole other issue in itself, but everything depends on the surrounding factors. If the current maximum speed limit will be enforced to the letter of the law then I'm afraid the public eye will gain the incorrect perception that most traffic laws being enforced are trivial.

[Dipmo]

Dipmo, that is absolutly one of the funniest things I've read here! That's even better than the joke about the Pope being a chauffer!

If you think that's funny, you should read the thread about Your Mentor in the off topic section.

[retchp]

Super trooper wrote:
I don't see anything wrong with doing 80mph on the 5 through Bakersfield with little or no traffic

Surely you jest? Or do you mean that people who actually know how to drive at 80 mph should be doing so? Imagine a rural freeway full of intoxicated/drug addicted/elderly/beggining drivers/foreign tourists/harried soccer moms/etc. all trying to do 80 mph...:rolleyes:

[TheForceCHP]

A friend of mine and I often debate this issue. He is of the belief that drivers doing the speed limit are required by law to yield to the right so that the speed violator can pass; he calls is the road rage law.

I've searched the VC and maybe I?m looking in the wrong book, but I have never found the road rage law. There is the whole impeding thing, but in my opinion if one is driving the speed limit they are hardly impeding.

Of course this is the same guy who has had more tickets and close calls than I can count, and not a single one of them is actually his fault. :rolleyes:

as had been already stated there is not such thing

BUT...

I believe in Colorado(and another state) within the last couple of years they past a law about impeding traffic if even going the speed limit. studies show that somebody doing the speed limit in the fast lane, and everybody else wants to go faster, is dangerous. dangerous because everybody makes extra lane changes to pass them. though i do think it is a contradiction of the speed limit i do like the law and would love to see it used here.
on the autobahn they basically have this same rule. you use the fast lane to pass and then get your but over. if in the fast lane and somebody is approaching you from behind and you don't move over then you can get a ticket.

[RodeoChippie]

The truth is modern vehicles are being better equipped to safely handle these speeds (ex. bigger brakes, more powerful engines, agile suspensions, etc). I don't see anything wrong with doing 80mph on the 5 through Bakersfield with little or no traffic, but I see a big problem with that on the 405 with other traffic trying to merge in and out of lanes. I think it just depends on the highway, the dictating weather conditions, traffic patterns and if it's truly safe to operate a vehicle at those kinds of speeds.
The vehicles might be capable of handling these speeds but it has been my experience (20years worth) that the majority of motoring public is not. Your other point regarding the highway, weather and traffic is already addressed under 22350 VC.

[bcjack]

I couldn't agree more with the statements that people are driving way toooo fast!!! I drive to Santa Barbara on 101 about 3 or 4 times a month, and if you aren't going 75 to 80, IN EITHER LANE!!! You are "In the way". 65-70 is fine for me. I have seen way too many people just plain squashed and one of the main factors has been too much speed...

Be safe out there...:biggrin:

[KingFrankSam]

My opinion is these kids are lucky one of them didn't end up with a bullet in the head given the road rage factor these days. I drive 65 most of the time but not always. If I do exceed the speed limit it's not by much and not for a very long time before I back it down.

I used to work the 405. If you are driving 65 most of the time, you must be doing it on the shoulder...:biggrin: What section of the 405 did you work?

I used to work out of the West LA office (Culver City). We handled the 405 from Marine to Mulholland.

[SB 405]

My opinion is these kids are lucky one of them didn't end up with a bullet in the head given the road rage factor these days. I drive 65 most of the time but not always. If I do exceed the speed limit it's not by much and not for a very long time before I back it down.

I used to work the 405. If you are driving 65 most of the time, you must be doing it on the shoulder...:biggrin: What section of the 405 did you work?

I used to work out of the West LA office (Culver City). We handled the 405 from Marine to Mulholland. I drive by the WLA office every day on my way home. Did you work out of the old office on Sepulveda or the new office on Bristol?

[KingFrankSam]

My opinion is these kids are lucky one of them didn't end up with a bullet in the head given the road rage factor these days. I drive 65 most of the time but not always. If I do exceed the speed limit it's not by much and not for a very long time before I back it down.

I used to work the 405. If you are driving 65 most of the time, you must be doing it on the shoulder...:biggrin: What section of the 405 did you work?

I used to work out of the West LA office (Culver City). We handled the 405 from Marine to Mulholland. I drive by the WLA office every day on my way home. Did you work out of the old office on Sepulveda or the new office on Bristol?

Bristol Pkwy, right next to the cemetary.

[SB 405]

Good thing your area ended at Mulholland because I can't tell you how many accidents I've driven by on the downhill side of the N/B 405 just south of the Ventura Blvd off ramp. People fly down the hill and come upon stopped traffic real quick and can't stop. It's got to be one of the worst areas in the valley for accidents

[makakona]

i have issues with mainland drivers, especially california ones, and ESPECIALLY socal ones. in hawai'i, the speed limit is 55, but theres only one freeway with decent traffic, so you usually go slower, haha. drivers there are VERY polite and it's a major faux pas to honk at someone. i once sat through an entire light with traffic behind me... red to green to yellow to red. i looked up as it was turning back to red and was mortified. not one person honked and when i waved at the guy behind me, he gave me the shaka to let me know it was fine. in contrast, in socal, we frequently are at a light that BARELY turns green when people start to honk. ridiculous.

and it's insane that you can be doing 85 and have people fly up on you, flip you off, and fly past. not that i drive that fast, mind you... i've got a minivan and kids, so i'm usually over to the right. ;) i wish the limit was still 55. maybe then, you'd only get the bird if you're doing less than 75 instead of 85. :neutral:

[Your Mentor's Son #1]

Speed limits should be lowered. It really becomes apparent after some pizza guy smashes into the back of you. Then everytime you're on the road, you see how reckless most drivers can be. I can't even drive yet and I'm afraid to get into a car again. I'll just stick with my bike, thanks.