Topic: Steering You Right: Excessive speeding

[Snowman]

"Sensible spirited driving is a way of life" 

[vdk]

It all started ten years ago, when the local police here in Ontario went from "Waterloo Regional Police Force" to "Waterloo Regional Police Service". They're now advertising themselves as public servants, and no, they won't clean your carpets too, for now.

I think it's absurd why people even travel 130km/h in a 100km/h zone. This is the problem right there. Sure, people who come from Europe with the higher speed roadways think we're nuts, but as mentioned, our drivers don't have basic training mastered and get their license off a whim that the examiner gave them a break.

People just don't care.

It's become a me-me-me-and-me society. People are becoming two faced. They might be nice to talk to in person up close, but once behind the wheel - look out! road rage is everywhere. Everyone is essentially to blame, from automotive marketers (more power so you can drive like an idiot, too!), to us drivers ourselves. I saw it this year again where winter tires were advertised to "increase your winter driving confidence"; meaning you can drive more like an idiot in the winter with better traction.

Going back to speed limits, cops USED to pull people over to failing to signal, now a days its common practice not to use indicators. I don't know why they're still installed on cars to begin with. In Ontario failing to signal is 2 demerit points on your license plus a fine. Technically you can get a $110 ticket for going 15km/h over the limit. Personally I'd pull everyone over and FINE them for going 115km/h, because they're adults and should KNOW BETTER. This is what YOUR kids see first hand, daddy or mommy breaking the law, and they do it so regularly that they think it's OK!

Cops are more lenient in some places because they allow for the speed variance. This variance is with your vehicle. Honda, years ago, recalled vehicles because the speedometers were greater than 7% off of your actual speed. If your car is off say 5% (industry average is roughly 3%) and your tires are inflated to max pressure and you decide to go on a long highway jaunt, and after an hour your tires are up a few pounds of air, the diameter also increases slightly allowing more of a speed difference. These slight calculations can add up. A GPS can come in handy here as it keeps a true speed even though there's a couple second lag time in most cases. So you're speedo can read 115km/h, when in fact you're traveling at 125km/h. HUGE difference. Thus you get pulled over.

If you had set cruise at say 105km/h and your actual speed might have been in the 110-115km/h zone. It can also go the other way, and read 5-10km/h faster than your actual road speed.

This is why there is a 15km/h threshold that cops allow before they pull you over. A lot of people fail to realize that even a $100K vehicle won't be 100% accurate in terms of speed.

I'm at fault as well, I admit it regularly that I'll set my vehicles speed at 110km/h according to my GPS on the 400 series highways here in Ontario, and at 90km/h for the 80km/h roads. However I don't exceed the speed threshold that police use to base citations on. It's a bad thing to get into. I find it's quite relaxing to set the cruise at around 105km/h (GPS indicated speed) and I won't have to pass a soul, except for a few transport trucks. If I hit traffic buildup, I lose time irregardless if I speed or not. If time is that important to travel, save your aggravation and fly.

Not to mention the fact that speed does a lot more things than just burn more gas and get you in trouble with the law. It wears your vehicle faster, in regard to pumps, bearings, tires, brakes, and even transmissions, where heat all plays a major role in component life.

Radar detectors should be banned for sale, and confiscated if found in use in any vehicle. They're not necessary. Children our the future, so lets be sure to raise them properly and teach them how to be adults, even behind the wheel.

 


In need of a bubble?

[ovr50]

Some of these "guests" are stretching the definition of "auto enthusiasts" pretty far. And leave my radar detector alone.....

[1TSX]

I "excessively" speed all the time, but only when it is safe to do so. 

Boy, would driving be BORING if I had to stay at the limit ALL THE TIME. 

[Turbo Bob]

Some of these "guests" are stretching the definition of "auto enthusiasts" pretty far. And leave my radar detector alone.....

For me some of the members also stretch that definition.  Sometimes this place sounds more like a washing machine review panel.

[Erik]

Some of these "guests" are stretching the definition of "auto enthusiasts" pretty far. And leave my radar detector alone.....

For me some of the members also stretch that definition.  Sometimes this place sounds more like a washing machine review panel.

I may just have to make a signature out of that someday, Bob.

[safristi]

 ...tight ingress and poor rear vision..............

[Trevor]

I think it's absurd why people even travel 130km/h in a 100km/h zone. This is the problem right there.

*and*

Sure, people who come from Europe with the higher speed roadways think we're nuts,

*and*

Children our the future, so lets be sure to raise them properly and teach them how to be adults, even behind the wheel.

Glad someone is thinking about all the children.  Perhaps all the children should be sent to Germany so that they can learn to drive the autobahn.



I just spent a week driving the autobahn with speeds anywhere from 100-220kph.   No problem driving at those speeds and did not see a single accident in 2500km of driving. Sometimes the speed was limited to 130kph in city zones or to 100kph near rest stops, both restrictions being reasonable.

Surprisingly the faster you drive the MORE ALERT you become and the act of driving itself takes priority.  You really focus on the road, other drivers and your surroundings when going at those speeds. 

Driving at 100kph can be boring and potentially dangerous if the "natural safe speed" is higher for the road conditions. This is something that is not appreciated until you drive on the autobahn.

Furthermore there were some mountainous roads in Bavaria that were extremely narrow, curvy with unprotected dangerous drop offs where I felt that 70kph was the maximum safe speed.  Yet the posted speed limit was 90kph!  It made our 100kph limits on our wide often empty freeways a joke.

I noticed that people would tend to drive in a safe manner for the conditions.

Let's send our children to Europe. Please think of the poor children.

[Turbo Bob]

I agree.

 

[No H2O]

Unfortunately you have fallen into the same trap as everyone else when it comes to the "Speed Kills" message, it doesn't.

Obviously it does, with the skill/judgment level of your average North American driver.

Drivers here don't drive all that fast and yet look at the number of collisions. Put a dusting of snow on the road and you'll hear about it the next day on the radio.

Just as only a certain percentage of people are capable of being airline pilots, the same applies to drivers. For some reason, someone thinks nearly 100% of people should have one.

[Turbo Bob]

Unfortunately you have fallen into the same trap as everyone else when it comes to the "Speed Kills" message, it doesn't.

Obviously it does, with the skill/judgment level of your average North American driver.

Drivers here don't drive all that fast and yet look at the number of collisions. Put a dusting of snow on the road and you'll hear about it the next day on the radio.

Just as only a certain percentage of people are capable of being airline pilots, the same applies to drivers. For some reason, someone thinks nearly 100% of people should have one.

The first thing that surprised me about Canadian drivers when I first arrived was how close everyone drives at speed. No one leaves any stopping distance at all, I'm surprised there aren't more crashes.

[rrocket]

Unfortunately you have fallen into the same trap as everyone else when it comes to the "Speed Kills" message, it doesn't.

Obviously it does, with the skill/judgment level of your average North American driver.

Drivers here don't drive all that fast and yet look at the number of collisions. Put a dusting of snow on the road and you'll hear about it the next day on the radio.

Just as only a certain percentage of people are capable of being airline pilots, the same applies to drivers. For some reason, someone thinks nearly 100% of people should have one.

The first thing that surprised me about Canadian drivers when I first arrived was how close everyone drives at speed. No one leaves any stopping distance at all, I'm surprised there aren't more crashes.

It's because we have mad skillz baby!!   

[tpl]

mad skillz at parallel parking and stopping at stop signs is about it.

Canada needs more roundabouts.

[rrocket]

Canada needs more roundabouts.

..and more warm ales....right?

[No H2O]

The first thing that surprised me about Canadian drivers when I first arrived was how close everyone drives at speed. No one leaves any stopping distance at all, I'm surprised there aren't more crashes.

You wanna know why?

Its because everyone is so worried that someone else might get ahead by moving into the gap (if there was one). I have fun with most of them. Whenever I'm in the right lane in town with a large gap ahead of me, I sometimes speed up and sure enough, the driver to my left thinks I'll be switching into their lane ahead of them and they close the gap...only to have to brake...as I continue on in the right lane. They're so predictable...and stupid. 

Like I said, North American drivers...not the sharpest tools in the shed. I drive in Europe every summer and know the difference.

[Snowman]

The first thing that surprised me about Canadian drivers when I first arrived was how close everyone drives at speed. No one leaves any stopping distance at all, I'm surprised there aren't more crashes.

You wanna know why?

Its because everyone is so worried that someone else might get ahead by moving into the gap (if there was one). I have fun with most of them. Whenever I'm in the right lane in town with a large gap ahead of me, I sometimes speed up and sure enough, the driver to my left thinks I'll be switching into their lane ahead of them and they close the gap...only to have to brake...as I continue on in the right lane. They're so predictable...and stupid. 

Like I said, North American drivers...not the sharpest tools in the shed. I drive in Europe every summer and know the difference.

Why not do all of us stupid, ignorant, and unworthy North American drivers a favor and move to wonderful, sophisticated, and vastly superior Europe permanently.

 

[No H2O]

Why not do all of us stupid, ignorant, and unworthy North American drivers a favor and move to wonderful, sophisticated, and vastly superior Europe permanently.

I can't help it if you don't want to improve yourself. Remain ignorant and hog the left lane...or accelerate to prevent someone from getting intio the lane ahead of you.

GFY!

[Snowman]

Why not do all of us stupid, ignorant, and unworthy North American drivers a favor and move to wonderful, sophisticated, and vastly superior Europe permanently.

I can't help it if you don't want to improve yourself. Remain ignorant and hog the left lane...or accelerate to prevent someone from getting intio the lane ahead of you.

GFY!

I can't hear you over the sound of how awesome you are.

[ax89]

The first thing that surprised me about Canadian drivers when I first arrived was how close everyone drives at speed. No one leaves any stopping distance at all, I'm surprised there aren't more crashes.

You wanna know why?

Its because everyone is so worried that someone else might get ahead by moving into the gap (if there was one). ...elided...

This was the thing that annoyed me to no end when I first came to Ontario.  And then I realized that these 'drivers' were simply leaving the right lane free for me, how kind of them to let me zip past them constantly... hahah, the jokes on you buddy!

[blur911]

Canada needs more roundabouts.

Canadians can't handle roundabouts.  I was going around one on the weekend when the minivan in front of me stopped in the middle of the roundabout to allow someone to get on in front of them. 
She probably had no idea why I honked at her for blocking traffic and almost causing me to get rear-ended.