Well said Mr. T. I went searching all over the 'net for facts to back up my stance, and got so engrossed that only hours later am I returning to this thread to reply to DMC12.
DMC12:
I see you have assumed that I choose to obey the law out of blind faith, but on the contrary, it is out of educated respect. As Taranaki said, the law is not written for every person on the road, but to protect the majority of us from the stupid minority. However it is vital that everyon e follow the law, as studies have shown that those who stray furthest from the median speed of traffic, whether faster or slower, are those most likely to cause (and possibly be involved in) an accident. And so you're aware, speed limit laws came into effect very shortly after the advent of motor vehicles, not just "a few generations ago". It was in Connecticut that the first speed limit was imposed: 15 mph on country highways, 12 in the city. They did not exist prior to that because humans posessed nothing capable of exceeding what was deemed to be a reasonable speed.
I have chosen not to exceed the speed limit based on many personal experiences, and several scientific findings. Personal experiences:
a. 2 car accidents, both caused by others violating the laws and both entirely unavoidable by me.
b. Numerous near misses caused by others violating various laws, barely avoidable by me.
c. Incidences where people were violating little more than common sense, but nearly caused my death. (The unsecured 12 foot extension ladder falling off a flatbed truck and penetrating the radiator of the vehicle in front of me comes to mind. This was, of course, in a 75 mph zone. Had the ladder hit a foot higher it would have killed the driver.)
Scientific findings:
a. Because of inertia, stopping distance is exponential in relation to speed. If speed doubles, required stopping distance quadruples, and this is NOT INCLUDING the distance covered while the brakelights in front of you activate, the light travels to your eyes, they send the information to your brain, your brain processes the information, sends a signal to your right foot, which moves off the accelerator and presses on the brakes, and the brakes engage. The preceding takes approximately 1.5 seconds, during which time you have travelled 165 feet, assuming you were going 75 mph. Based on the data obtained from independent sources NOT propogated by "the man" (because as we all know "the man" is evil and spends his time trying to stop all our "harmless" fun
) I have decided that obeying the law is in my best interest. I know enjoy leisurely driving in traffic, watching people who are in a hurry zip along past me and then get stuck next to me at one light after another.
b.
http://www.batesville.k12.in.us/phys...gDistData.html
c.
http://www.scottsdalelaw.com/shepston/braking.html
d.
http://www.amasci.com/amateur/traffic/traffic1.html
You remind me of someone who sits by a lion's cage, jabbing at its eyeballs, and then cries when it bites off your arm. And then of course, you go back for more. You know the lion bites, and poking its eyes IS fun, but is it smart? And then you come whining to us because the lion bit off your last limb, why didn't he think of how hard it would be for you to hold down a job with no limbs?
I used to speed around with no regard, then I figured out the math of things and realized that saving 4 minutes off a 50 mile commute by going 20 over wasn't worth it. Maybe one day you will grow up too.
Regards,
boingo82