Speed Limits....

[FiReSTaRT]

Amen, Metastable.. I wouldn't go over 130 anyway, due to fuel economy considerations

[backmarkerducati]

Most people who drive the highway know the limits are a little stupid.

I always wonder if someone was running for office would they get in if the platform included:

-Review of speed-limits (120 kph limit on most 400 highways is reasonable).
-Modifications to HTA172 to make it "balanced"
-Motorcycles in the diamond lanes.
-you get the idea.

I guess the response is not enough people care, but on that first point I think the majority of people who drive on the highway do (based on my speedometer poll).

[Scudzo_2]

Seriously why ask this?

+1!

There's a big difference between what speed I do depending on what I'm driving. If I'm riding the DL, sure, 120-140 is fine on the hwy, but if I'm driving the cage and pulling a tent-trailer, 100 is plenty, and I don't think I could even do 150 pulling a trailer...

[suprPHREAK]

Based on my experiences with MUCH road travel....

40kmh is acceptable for school zones/neighbourhoods. Kids at play and all.
50kmh is acceptable in town, on side streets etc. It's all stop and go anyway.
60kmh is acceptable for in town thru-streets. Still a high risk of pedestrians.

90kmh is acceptable for out of town roads (rural roads, concessions, etc.). This is a good blend of speed and efficiency.
100kmh should be an acceptable speed for rural highways. (hwy 7, hwy 9, etc)
120kmh is acceptable for 400-series roads. 80% of people do this now, and it is the maximum that most people are capable of comfortably doing in ALL cars. The speed is not a factor, as much of the USA is at 75 even 80mph limits on their roads, with very little issue.

HOWEVER

The above speeds mean nothing without enforcement to go with it. If you increase the limits on 400-series highways, the law must also change to allow for that to happen efficiently. "Keep right except to pass" must be enforced. There is an etiquette which exists in much of the USA which reflects that rule, and people do in fact move out of the left lane when someone faster is coming from behind. If we allow left lane hogs to sit there still, then the speed limit means nothing, and it just causes potentially dangerous situations when the faster car decides to pass on the right.

I also believe speed fines should be based as a % of exceeding the speed limit, not as a hard number. This would better reflect the "danger" in the situation. doing +20 in a school zone (50% exceeding the limit) is far more dangerous than the mere 20% increase on the highway.

[fredjsb]

I drove in France, Italy, Austria, Spain, Germany and some other countries in Europe. Speed limits are higher and most people drive at speed limit.
Simply because it is reasonable speed limit.
They do not all do 20 over, as matter of fact most are just below the limit.
Motorcycles are not fastest vehicles on the highways.
Most of them are beat up by the wind and stay at 120/130.

I almost never got passed on the left and passing lane is free
if there is no traffic bunching up.

I did 2500km in France this summer and I saw 2 fender benders and
maybe 3 cars pulled over by the police. Here I see that much going to work twice. Everyone is using signals and it is dream to drive.

I am sure we can have that too, but not as long as police is sitting in speed transition zones and nabbing people who slowed down too late in areas where there is no chance of hurting anyone instead of dealing with something that would be beneficial to all and not just to profits...

And this can be extended to US as well - people drive the speed limit cause seem to be more reasonably posted for the specific road sections - compared to Ontario
Also - when I got my 52kmph speeding ticket (with photo) in a 50zone sent from Germany - I smiled and payed it...20eur


Driving constantly 16kmph over limit puts you constantly in the "grey zone" with a good chance not to be ticketed though, because you still reasonable... ?

[Shaman]

I'm for 120km/h on country roads, with a rider of 80km/h in inclement conditions. I'm for 140km/h on the 4xx series highways with a rider of 100km/h in inclement conditions; also for sections of four-lane highway like parts of the 7. I'm for town/village/city streets @ 50 and 60km/h with a rider of 70km/h on sections with no driveways (like the four-lane mega-streets in Toronto).

These static speed limits that apply to the lowest common denominator and do not take into account any weather are just ridiculous.