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Virginia passes law to enforce maximum vehicle speeds for repeat speeders

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Re: Virginia passes law to enforce maximum vehicle speeds for repeat speeders

#521
post #508

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is always the autobahn. If systems like that existed endangered there could be incredible time savings. A related question of mine is ‘If cars can go so fast why do we not find ways to raise speed limits while keeping roads safe?’

Why are assault weapons so difficult to own in Europe? They make them in the US and you can own them there. As to your question - I’d like to refer you to physics. 2000 pounds of metal moving at any speed can kill pedestrians easily. More speed means more energy. Increasing speed limits consumes more fuel, wears roads more, pollutes more tire and brake dust, and of course kills more. We should not make things more co…

There are typically no pedestrians on highways. Being a pedestrian on a high way is hazardous no matter what the speed limit is for any realistic speed limit.

If the cars move faster, they will get off the road faster. This means fewer vehicles on the road and the distances between the vehicles will increase. It is a linear effect if you adapt a flow equation to vehicles. Here is the equation off the top of my head:

V1*D1*L1 = V2*D2*L2

V is the average speed, D is the linear density, L is the number of lanes. If you care about safety, you want D to be as big as possible so that vehicles do not have distances between them reach 0. That implies higher speeds (or more lanes, but that is harder to do).

Finally, the gun analogy is inappropriate. It is essentially saying “the data contradicts our conclusions, so let’s shutdown any rational thought that might question our conclusions”. This kind of thinking is backward and should easily lead to nonsense such as the rationalization of square wheels to give an example of the absurdity it allows. Interestingly, much of what you said could also be said in defense of the forced adoption of square wheels.

Re: Virginia passes law to enforce maximum vehicle speeds for repeat speeders

#522
This has as much to do with chronic speeding as bans on encryption have to do with terrorism.

It is nothing more than a foot in the door for massive police surveillance of all motor vehicles.

Virginia famously cares more about police than the rights of its citizens so it isn't a surprise the weapons of the future police state are being born there.

Re: Virginia passes law to enforce maximum vehicle speeds for repeat speeders

#523

This has as much to do with chronic speeding as bans on encryption have to do with terrorism. It is nothing more than a foot in the door for massive police surveillance of all motor vehicles. Virginia famously cares more about police than the rights of its citizens so it isn't a surprise the weapons of the future police state are being born there.

You're using a highly regulated piece of equipment that kills over 40,000 people in America annually. What do you feel is the appropriate balance?

How is this different to driving around with a mobile phone on?

Re: Virginia passes law to enforce maximum vehicle speeds for repeat speeders

#524

A page linked from the article ( https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zLaBRWMSSnjGzMOpoZwUSw_H... ) cites a $4/day rental fee for the equipment, which works out to roughly $120/month. I understand there are assistance programs promised by the article. Can someone in the space help me understand this pricing model? Seems high to me. The faq also claims there are no civil liberties implications for this since people use…

I’d be surprised if only 75% of suspended drivers continue to drive. I’d expect that to be 90% or more (at least for those aged 21-65). Drivers ignore the suspension because the chances of being pulled over are extremely low. I’m not a crazy driver, but I am usually moving with a purpose and get pulled over about once every five to seven years. That might be 40 or 50K miles between stops. Someone can get a lot of lif…

If your license plate is flagged as being associated with a suspended license, I suspect your rate of being stopped will increase significantly. In my area, the police blotter is filled with ALPR hits triggering traffic stops due to suspended license. Good!

Re: Virginia passes law to enforce maximum vehicle speeds for repeat speeders

#525

This has as much to do with chronic speeding as bans on encryption have to do with terrorism. It is nothing more than a foot in the door for massive police surveillance of all motor vehicles. Virginia famously cares more about police than the rights of its citizens so it isn't a surprise the weapons of the future police state are being born there.

You're using a highly regulated piece of equipment that kills over 40,000 people in America annually. What do you feel is the appropriate balance? How is this different to driving around with a mobile phone on?

I think the point is that we should aim to solve it without surveillance / sacrificing rights. So in this case, increasing the fines / jail time is at least one alternative.

Re: Virginia passes law to enforce maximum vehicle speeds for repeat speeders

#526

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're using a highly regulated piece of equipment that kills over 40,000 people in America annually. What do you feel is the appropriate balance? How is this different to driving around with a mobile phone on?

I think the point is that we should aim to solve it without surveillance / sacrificing rights. So in this case, increasing the fines / jail time is at least one alternative.

[deleted]

Re: Virginia passes law to enforce maximum vehicle speeds for repeat speeders

#527
Repeat offenders should not be allowed to drive. In the UK we have 12 points, and lose them for various offences.

You get a fine, usually with the alternative of a course the first time.

Speed again within 12 months and you get a fine and a minimum of three points (more if you are well above the limit).

Speed again within four years and you will lose more points, and AFAIK pretty much guaranteed to be more than the minimum.

Get caught speeding more than once an year and you are guaranteed to lose your license.

I think this is necessary. I say this as someone who complains about some of the speed limits in my area as they are too low (20mph zones seem a bit random) - I still follow them!

Re: Virginia passes law to enforce maximum vehicle speeds for repeat speeders

#528
post #4

An interesting thing is that I've observed a lot less speeding over the years, as more cars acquire active cruise control. Correlation or causation? Who knows. I don't think enforcement has changed.

The speed of most traffic on the interstate I travel on most frequently was 67ish when I was driving home from college in the early 00s. I drove on the same road yesterday, and the average speed is easily 75, with many going much faster.

In my state enforcement went way down until cops were called out for it in the media last year. Lo and behold, crashes and injuries are down now that enforcement is up!

Re: Virginia passes law to enforce maximum vehicle speeds for repeat speeders

#529

Repeat offenders should not be allowed to drive. In the UK we have 12 points, and lose them for various offences. You get a fine, usually with the alternative of a course the first time. Speed again within 12 months and you get a fine and a minimum of three points (more if you are well above the limit). Speed again within four years and you will lose more points, and AFAIK pretty much guaranteed to be more than the m…

The only problem is a decent percentage of people plead to the courts that they need their vehicle to work and hence get let off

Re: Virginia passes law to enforce maximum vehicle speeds for repeat speeders

#530

Repeat offenders should not be allowed to drive. In the UK we have 12 points, and lose them for various offences. You get a fine, usually with the alternative of a course the first time. Speed again within 12 months and you get a fine and a minimum of three points (more if you are well above the limit). Speed again within four years and you will lose more points, and AFAIK pretty much guaranteed to be more than the m…

The only problem is a decent percentage of people plead to the courts that they need their vehicle to work and hence get let off

That is true, but they should still face fines, lost points and higher insurance costs.
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