Virginia passes law to enforce maximum vehicle speeds for repeat speeders • Hacker News Board

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

#951

Post by chuckwolfe » Wed, Apr 30, 2025, 3:00 PM UTC

xandrius wrote: post #687

afavour wrote: post #645

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem with this model is that in a lot of places (especially in the US) public transit isn't a viable alternative to owning a car. So if your ability to drive gets taken away a lot of people just end up driving illegally. It's either that or lose your job, income and possibly home etc etc. IMO a forced maximum vehicle speed is a useful middle ground option.

More people (and not just the poorer) needing to use the public transport will definitely have a positive impact on how much money it gets. And if it is being more strict with people who break driving laws, I don't see why that shouldn't happen.

Lets stop pretending that speeding is the most dangerous drivers do

I see - every day - near misses from missing exits, dangerous lane changes, and aggressive driving/brake checks - and all these infractions go unpoliced

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

#952

Post by smeej » Fri, May 02, 2025, 12:16 AM UTC

HDThoreaun wrote: post #932

smeej wrote: post #928

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How can you make an empirical assessment when one of the options isn't available?

It is possible to make speed limited cars. The fact that no one does is evidence that people do not want them. The car market is very competitive, automakers do respond to what people want.

This isn't necessarily true at all. Other people in this very thread have proposed much better reasons. Some have even provided evidence that people do still buy cars that are limited (Volvos), without any apparent impact about speed.

You can't assert that the empirical absence of data supports just one possible explanation.

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

#953

Post by beowulfey » Sun, May 04, 2025, 2:18 PM UTC

WinstonSmith84 wrote: post #464

beowulfey wrote: post #460

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is challenging and expensive to get a driver's license in Germany, and the repercussions for screwing up are high. Also driving isn't as necessary--the excellent public transit means there are alternate means of traveling, so not having one is less of a detriment. So while the Autobahn might be considered the Platonic ideal of high-speed driving, it isn't always feasible or likely and I don't think it should be co…

> excellent public transit Traveling by train ... is it some sarcasm or you've never been to Germany?

Ha, it's all relative I guess, because yes I have and that's why I said that

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

#954

Post by HDThoreaun » Tue, May 06, 2025, 4:06 PM UTC

smeej wrote: post #952

HDThoreaun wrote: post #932

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is possible to make speed limited cars. The fact that no one does is evidence that people do not want them. The car market is very competitive, automakers do respond to what people want.

This isn't necessarily true at all. Other people in this very thread have proposed much better reasons. Some have even provided evidence that people do still buy cars that are limited (Volvos), without any apparent impact about speed. You can't assert that the empirical absence of data supports just one possible explanation.

The empirical absence suggests speed limited cars are not a viable product. Whether its because people dont want them or some other reason is up for debate but by far the simplest reason and to me most likely answer is just that not enough people want them.