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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

#701

Post by Workaccount2 »

lenerdenator wrote: post #666
graemep wrote: post #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 m…

> Get caught speeding more than once an year and you are guaranteed to lose your license. I'm not overly familiar with British transportation outside of its major city centers, but in the US, we also yank licenses, but people drive without them anyways, mainly because there's no real alternative. Even those convicted of DUI in my area can make a plea to the judge for a "hardship" license that effectively allows them…

Around me so many areas were built to even be hostile towards anything other than a car. The business park I work in has no pedestrian/bike access without going through a few "take your life in your hands" intersections.

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

#702

Post by CalRobert »

mschuster91 wrote: post #387
jonathanlydall wrote: post #374

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem is people who as matter of course travel above the speed limit regardless of if any other motorists are around them, as they are “playing by different rules”, making them more unpredictable and stressful for those around them. Just two days ago I did a long distance trip and in general I could engage cruise control at the speed limit allowing me to focus more on other potential hazards around me. Occasion…

The question is, if everyone is speeding, would it not make sense to raise the speed limit?

This makes sense until they mow down a pedestrian just trying to cross the street.

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

#703

Post by topherPedersen »

Thank God. People on the roads are extremely reckless and we don't do anything about it. Our highways are lawless for the most part. People can drive however they feel like it. You literally have to kill someone AND be drunk before you actually get in trouble and are locked up. If you kill someone sober though, it's totally fine under our current system.

In my opinion, if you get caught driving recklessly, the punishment should be that you're banned from operating 4 wheel vehicles, and only allowed to operate light 2 wheel vehicles like scooters where you will only kill yourself and no one else.

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

#704

Post by op00to »

rpmisms wrote: post #679
op00to wrote: post #520

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, let’s reconsider the entire idea that a car is the default mode of transport.

But it is, because America is big. Sure, improve public transportation, but if it can't beat cars, it shouldn't.

The automobile is not the primary mode of transportation simply because the US is "big." Its dominance stems from a series of deliberate, damaging historical and policy decisions, not inherent necessity or geography.

One critical example is the National City Lines conspiracy. Backed by the totally expected actors General Motors, Firestone, Standard Oil of California, Phillips Petroleum, and others, this group bought up efficient electric streetcar systems across the country. They were found guilty of criminally conspiring to monopolize the sale of buses and supplies to these captive transit lines. Their actions effectively destroyed electric rail to force dependency on fossil fuel buses and private automobiles; this was manipulation, not free market competition.

Furthermore, post war suburban planning deliberately engineered car dependency. Low density sprawl, mandated parking minimums, and strict separation of housing from jobs and services made car ownership non negotiable. This planning functioned explicitly as a "means test", using the requirement of car ownership to enforce segregation and keep lower income populations out of these new communities. This represents a significant shift, as most Americans relied heavily on non automotive transport until the mid 20th century.

This dependency was cemented by massive government bias towards cars. Trillions were poured into building roads and highways like the Interstate system, representing a huge subsidy for driving. Meanwhile, public transit and passenger rail systems were systematically starved of equivalent investment, left to decline, or dismantled altogether.

Therefore, the "big country" argument fails logically. If sheer size dictated transport, why not advocate for air travel, being far faster than driving cross country? The car's chokehold is strongest for daily commutes and regional travel, precisely the areas where robust public transit could thrive if it had not been actively undermined or neglected in favor of automobile ownership. The car isn't the default because it naturally "beats" other options in a large country, it is the default because the system was deliberately shaped over decades to ensure its dominance at the expense of efficiency, equity, and alternatives.

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

#705

Post by CalRobert »

zelos wrote: post #468
elzbardico wrote: post #188

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am convinced after having spent time in Germany that for Autobahns to work in other countries, you'd need to import Germans to exclusively drive on them. If you are used to driving in the US or in the central/South America, the German driver is basically an incredibly superior species from another planet.

When I visited, Autobahn left lane traffic seemed to be about 50% people in black Audis and BMWs tailgating and flashing their lights at other drivers who dare to only drive at 90MPH.

To be fair, they should move to the right if they aren't passing.

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

#706

Post by CalRobert »

topherPedersen wrote: post #703

Thank God. People on the roads are extremely reckless and we don't do anything about it. Our highways are lawless for the most part. People can drive however they feel like it. You literally have to kill someone AND be drunk before you actually get in trouble and are locked up. If you kill someone sober though, it's totally fine under our current system. In my opinion, if you get caught driving recklessly, the punish…

What's remarkable is that we already effectively banned kids from playing outside and drivers still kill many of the few that still try.

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

#707

Post by jjulius »

CalRobert wrote: post #706
topherPedersen wrote: post #703

Thank God. People on the roads are extremely reckless and we don't do anything about it. Our highways are lawless for the most part. People can drive however they feel like it. You literally have to kill someone AND be drunk before you actually get in trouble and are locked up. If you kill someone sober though, it's totally fine under our current system. In my opinion, if you get caught driving recklessly, the punish…

What's remarkable is that we already effectively banned kids from playing outside and drivers still kill many of the few that still try.

>... we already effectively banned kids from playing outside...

Do what now?

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

#708

Post by nsteel »

Clubber wrote: post #462
nsteel wrote: post #389

Maybe this has already been discussed elsewhere on hn but surely this is the scariest part: > U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy wants to stop funding “active” transportation projects such as sidewalks The powers in the US think they don't need to sort out their embarrassing pedestrian facilities. Amazing. Shocking. I feel sorry for US residents, at least those that didn't vote this dumpster fire…

This is a half truth. This is what I found. "Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned states that they will lose federal funding for roads, bridges and other infrastructure projects if they continue to foster diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs, impede President Trump’s immigration enforcement efforts or defy other directives from the administration." It far time to stop taking what the news says at face…

I did actually look a bit harder before I commented, I'm aware of how the media works. "Unleashing American Energy" pauses (cancels) all the "Green New Deal" programs as stated in the article. There was supposedly federal funding for a lot of new public transit projects that's now gone. Maybe it'll come back later, reframed as new projects... but I think that's extremely unlikely for a lot of this. The focus is now elsewhere.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/unle...

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

#709

Post by CalRobert »

jjulius wrote: post #707
CalRobert wrote: post #706

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What's remarkable is that we already effectively banned kids from playing outside and drivers still kill many of the few that still try.

>... we already effectively banned kids from playing outside... Do what now?

Once upon a time crossing the street meant walking across a 20 foot road with the occasional small car going 20-25 mph. Now it's a 4-8 lane stroad full of 6,000 pound trucks that can't see anyone shorter than 5 feet past the hood going 50 mph.

How far will you let your kid walk from home alone?

Anyway my point is just that pedestrian deaths have gone up even as the number of miles walked and biked (_especially_ by kids - the modeshare for biking to school has absolutely plummetted) goes down.

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

#710

Post by lillecarl »

jjulius wrote: post #707
CalRobert wrote: post #706

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What's remarkable is that we already effectively banned kids from playing outside and drivers still kill many of the few that still try.

>... we already effectively banned kids from playing outside... Do what now?

If you want your kids to grow old and you live somewhere where cars are priority you don't have much choice but your backyard, a park or wilderness. And a backyard might not be super fun/big and parks and wilderness aren't accessible without an adult.

I remember vividly when I was a kid and we were biking on the street and someone drove too fast, dad went out in the road and yelled him down, which was reasonable.

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