Author Topic: "No sh** Sherlock!" (Read 2391 times)

JB73 · « **Reply #15 on:** November 24, 2003, 03:41:05 PM »

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Originally posted by Pfunk
Well I can attest to the fact that drivers in Atlanta are insane. Dont even bother getting in the two far left lanes if you dont wanna go over 65mph, 70-90 is a common speed in these lanes if traffic is "light". Traffic in Atlanta has surpased L.A. as the worst in the nation.

yep the 285 is BAD but so is the 400...

my father lives in dunwoody and i go visit at least 2 times each year. everywhere we have to go we have to get on either of those 2. he wont even pick me up at the airport anymore, have to ride the marta up towards him lol.

my first trip down there about 8-9 years ago it was already like that. my buddy and i drove in straight through from Milwaukee after working second shift (work 3-11PM then drive and get there about 4:30PM next day... thats a whole other story LOL)

we got about 35 m iles out of Atl. on the 75 comming in... 103_° mid july and traffic was a DEAD stop. we moved 1/4 mile in 45 min. car overheated and had to pull over for an hour. 7PM we finally meet him at his office and get on the 285 to go to his place. my poor little 85 buick skyhawk 4 banger that was overheating couldnt keep up with my dad lol. they were going OVER 80. my needle was pegged and still falling back. that was 8+ years ago.

the next year i went to visit we got in about 2PM on a firday and had no problems... but my dad's poor wife... a 20 mile commute home from work that night took her 4 1/2 hours!!! we were all wondering where she was and she finally got home @ 9:30 PM!!

i think i heard back in 99 or so there was a fatality accident every day on the atlanta freeway system (or averages out to that at least)

the whole reason i believe is there are NO straight through roads ANYWHERE in that God forsakes city. you cant get anywhere without going on the freeway. yeah maybe you can take 1 of the 53 "peachtree" roads or maybe roswell road in the north suburbs... but thats streching it that you can get to them.

that is one fuged up city... but i love it still LMAO.

Vulcan · « **Reply #16 on:** November 24, 2003, 03:58:06 PM »

That 'study' has caused some interesting reports over here.

Basically what they found was speed limits went up by 20km/h on open roads only (all other speed limits remained the same). Speed limit tolerance dropped significantly (ie tickets are issued down to about 5km/h excess) and thus ticketing increased, which brought more people to travel within the speed limit. However accident rates have risen.

IE, before, the limit was 80km/h, if you got caught doing 100km/h on a quiet road you often got let off with a warning. So people travelled between 80-100km/h. Now the limit is 100km/h, do 105 and you're guaranteed a ticket. Net effect, people travel at 80-100km/h still. YET the death rates have still climbed.

End result is people are saying the police are too focussed on 'revenue' collection rather than accident prevention.

Secondly the definition of 'excessive' speed is painted with a broad brush.

The real reason for the increased deaths is more cars on the road and drivers who don't know how too.

SFRT - Frenchy · « **Reply #17 on:** November 24, 2003, 05:37:15 PM »

Well ... I'm safer at 120 mph in dad's Ferrari than at 70mph in my 1973 Pontiac Formula. When I started to drive the formula, more than one time I ended up saying "oh ****" when I had to "stop in an emergency" (orange light, pile up...).

I'm also less incline to have an accident when I'm "pushing it" rather than just following the traffic, day dreaming at my long day of work.

Speed doesn't kill, the driver does. Inexperience and/or stupidity. My 2cts.

Anyone has the stats to compare with Europe highways? even German ones?

vorticon · « **Reply #18 on:** November 24, 2003, 07:05:01 PM »

speed doesnt kill...its the decelleration from why you lose control and go off the highway...

if your car can safely go faster then do it...as long as the cops arnt around...and your in a hurry...and you trust the people in the other lanes not to screw around...

texace · « **Reply #19 on:** November 25, 2003, 12:02:05 AM »

I flow with traffic, but even still I'm checking my rear view mirror. I believe it's safer to travel fast and consistent rather than having people zoom by you at 80+. Cops don't share the same view, though...

Dowding · « **Reply #20 on:** November 25, 2003, 03:32:07 AM »

Only 7% of accident fatalities are attributed to excessive speed.

GRUNHERZ · « **Reply #21 on:** November 25, 2003, 04:27:49 AM »

Just south of Seattle this summer I drove 90+mph in puring rain and morning mist in a long column of cars, could barely see ahead of me but everyone seemed to just as fast. Was very strange no doubt...

Holden McGroin · « **Reply #22 on:** November 25, 2003, 04:34:00 AM »

the other 93% of fatalities are due to driving on the left side of the road... damm limeys...

Dowding · « **Reply #23 on:** November 25, 2003, 04:37:29 AM »

Ha ha ha.

Pooh21 · « **Reply #24 on:** November 25, 2003, 04:51:38 AM »

Its not the speed, its all those other morons out there that couldnt drive a donkey wagon. Especially those bastages that are so skilless they have to come to a complete stop to make an illegal u turn through the meridan on the freeway and get catapulted HO into a semi. I dont know how many times Id be driving home from Phoenix and be stuck in Red Rock til 10pm cause some dumbarse got hisself killed.

Shuckins · « **Reply #25 on:** November 25, 2003, 10:04:01 AM »

For all you studly geniuses that defend high-speed driving...

A car traveling at 60 mph covers 100 yards in three seconds. One moving at 90 mph covers the same distance in about 2 seconds.

How many of you people have pulled onto a highway from a side road after eyeing the oncoming traffic, thinking you were allowing enough space to safely enter said traffic, only to realize that you have seriously misjudged the speed of some moron doing at least 30 mph faster than the posted speed limit? In your case, you are totally at the mercy of the moron's reaction time. You had better hope he's paying attention and sober...otherwise he's going to bunt you into the next county. (Had a friend once who used to brag that he could drive better drunk than when he was sober. I quit riding with him. I didn't want to put my life in the hands of someone who was irretrievably stupid. He made that revelation while driving with the wrist of one hand. It just looked so cool, you know)

Oh, by the way, if it's pouring down rain, double the distance in which he would normally be able to stop.

Sorry you dips...you do NOT have a right to speed and endanger other people's lives.

Shuckins

Dowding · « **Reply #26 on:** November 25, 2003, 10:21:39 AM »

Equating drink driving to speeding as equal offences, either morally or legally, is so wrong I'm surprised you'd even mention it.

Even the law recognises the difference and punishes each to different extents accordingly.

In Germany, on the Autobahns you can drive as fast as you like, yet strangely the roads aren't the blood-bath you seem to assume tarmac becomes if the cars travelling it exceed the limit by a few mph. Why is that?

I'm sick of the whinging, tree hugging, bike riding types in this country who want to punish speeders by having more speed cameras. bananas one and all.

Shuckins · « **Reply #27 on:** November 25, 2003, 10:30:57 AM »

Dowding,

Are you saying Germany doesn't have 75 car pile-ups on foggy mornings?

What would you say is the root-cause of such pile-ups?

By the way...driving while intoxicated and driving at excessive speed are equally stupid. Speeding severely limits the time which the drive has in which to respond to a crisis. At some speeds, having a faster reaction time makes almost no difference in the outcome...the laws of physics take over. In some case, no matter how fast you think your reation time is, you cannot save yourself. In such case, you are only half-fast enough.

Regards, Shuckins

Sparks · « **Reply #28 on:** November 25, 2003, 10:46:13 AM »

Well as a limey driver who is living in Germany I think I see my fair share of high speed driving.

The problem is not the speed its the ability and discipline of the drivers. Every shunt I have seen has been caused by someone slow doing something unexpected / stupid - people pulling out of service areas doing 35mph into 70mph traffic, people stoping on 'On Ramps'

In the US you can overtake on either side, sit in which lane you want, the road markings are horrendous and the on / off ramps are nearly suicidal - not a good recipe for high speed driving.

In UK I will cruise on the motorway in good conditions at 85mph happily as long as I can maintain stopping distance and clearances. Discipline is better (but not great), there is little to no overtaking on the inside and the road markings / conditions are generally better - note generally.

Here in Germany Autobahn driving is a totally focused activity (IMHO). On a clear road you can expect the outside lane to have Beemers and Mercs doing 100+ routinely. I have found driving here on the autobahn quite disciplined as far as lane keeping and unexpected manouvres. If you venture out into the outside lanes you had better have your brain in high gear too - and people understand that. You want to do 70 - no problem - stay in the right lane with the trucks. On three lane then I'll be doing 85 - 90 in the centre lane and move out only if I need to pass and up it to 95ish.

I feel happier here on the open A7 at 90 than I ever did on I64 doing 40 round Norfolk VA at Navy yard chuck out time.

My general feeling is driver education is way behind vehicle complexity and capability and there is simply not enough emphasis on handling the vehicle and traffic FLOW in driver teaching.

Sparks

Sparks · « **Reply #29 on:** November 25, 2003, 11:08:58 AM »

Shuckins

Glad to see someone pull out the stock arguement about high speed driving. Stopping distances.

This is what people just don't seem to get.

A safe speed is determined by such things as if the road is appropriately built, marked, clear and free of obstructions

If I can see far enough to stop, there are no points from which other vehicles can appear inside that stopping distance unexpectedly and the route to be taken is well marked then what is unsafe about 100mph??

However 40mph down a city street with cars parked, side streets, kids, dogs etc is far far more dangerous and I've seen places where the speed limit is too high but "safe" drivers who "keep to the limits" have been doing just that and its toooo fast.

The pile ups on foggy mornings - yep happen everywhere and its due to driver arrogance and ignorance not speed as a unique feature. The drivers involved were driving outside their own and the vehicles limits. Accidents will always happen when you exceed either your own or the vehicles limits.

And that is the problem with speed limits and laws - it is an arbritrary measure of peoples abilty and judgement - a fixed datum point for a totally fluid situation. Take a piece of straight motorway (say three lane) sign on the side has 65mph on it- calm summer night one or two people on it dry - whats wrong with 80 or 90?? Now same piece of road but January, freezing rain, fog busy 5:30pm - 40 would be dodgy but that sign stays the same.

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..only to realize that you have seriously misjudged the speed of some moron doing at least 30 mph faster than the posted speed limit?

Classic - you are handing responsibilty of your judgement to road signs " there's a car and he will be doing the speed limit therefore I can pull out" . Its the same arguement that says "it wasn't my fault I hit that tractor round that blind corner - I was only doing the speed limit"

There are no speed limit signs in the sky but pilots do an ok job of looking after themselves - its called training. Put a monkey in a formula 1 car and I don't reckon he'd live long - but it would be the speed that killed him

Sparks