The highway/motorway Speed Limit

  • Thread starter Thread starter ExigeEvan
  • 85 comments
  • 3,281 views
Originally posted by M5Power
:D

How come 16-year-old American kids need drivers' licences when 16-year-old European kids seem to do fine without them?
Click to expand...

Because, in Europe,things are closer together, and they have adequate mass transit systems. Hell, many US cities are the same way. But it's, as I said, another story entirely here in LA. It's such a huge, sprawling city (the LA / Orange County metro area is bigger than several states) that a car is really a necessity. It's one thing to be able to get to school, abt when the age for a job comes, it's really impossible to deal with no driving. That's why it's possible to deal with 16 years of no car and suddenlty need one.
 
In the Isle Of Man, we did 180mph on an R1 legally on a single-carriage road, two up. There is no speed limit on much of the Island, and we followed a Vectra police car which did 120mph when not on an emergency call. We got legally airbourne at 100 mph in full view of a policeman, and he just laughed.

But the rider must make sure that the police feel he is in full control of the bike all the time. If not, you're arrested.

Before you go nuts, the rider raced at the TT in the late 70's and is now 52 with lots of pieces of metal in him (his worst crash in the 80s involved an unlit country road, a Ducati 750 and an unlit 5 foot deep hole from roadworks.) He rides carefully now.
 
Originally posted by Takumi Fujiwara
Because, in Europe,things are closer together,
Click to expand...


:lol: This is really what Americans think, isn't it?

But it's, as I said, another story entirely here in LA. It's such a huge, sprawling city (the LA / Orange County metro area is bigger than several states) that a car is really a necessity. It's one thing to be able to get to school, abt when the age for a job comes, it's really impossible to deal with no driving. That's why it's possible to deal with 16 years of no car and suddenlty need one.
Click to expand...

Do you know about supply and demand?
 
I still think that Speed Limits are more interpreted as a suggested speed. I really only follow the limit in school zones and on small roads when there's no one riding on my back bumper. If I'm on the highway, I'm going the same speed or slightly faster than traffic, but I make it a point not to switch lanes all the time to get ahead, if the traffic is moving the same speed across all lanes I stay where I am unless there's a drastic speed difference(like someone in the left lane doing 60 while others are doing 75).

I think that many accidents are due to lane changes...they are risky. The thing I hate the most is when you start to move over, then someone else also moves over, and you try to go into the same lane. It's happened to me once, and while I was there first, I had to retreat because they were driving a bigger car(well, given the size of my 323 and all...).
They had an old George Carlin comedy show on HBO last night, the one where he does a section on driving, it's funny as hell. He said that everyone going slower than you is an idiot, and that people going faster than you are maniacs. That's why you can't get anywhere fast, because you're surrounded by maniacs and idiots. The main thing that I fully agree with is when he said that if someone is matching his speed on the highway he has to change his speed. It happens to me all the time. Someone will be going the same speed as me, next to me. It's like they want to make you worry about them. I usually speed up depending on road conditions. My dad sometimes will be passed very fast by someone, and he'll catch them and match thier speed...he's done it up to around 120mph chasing a Cavalier(yea, who thought they could go that fast?)...we cought up with the guy, then were next to him. He tried to go faster still, but my dad downshifted and passed him, going around 125mph...then my mom started yelling that it was too fast lol.

If they changed the age of driving to 18 or higher, it would be a very bad injustice to the rest of the kids who actually drive good(like me). I'd rather have some dumb kids on the road and beable to drive then forfeit driving because of them. As long as they stay away from my car, I couldn't care less if they were on the roads. HOWEVER, I think that it's a very good thing to limit the occupants of the car to 1 other teen, or possibly 0(unless going to school/work), for the first year or so of driving. Most teen wrecks are caused by 2 things; distractions(other teens), and showing off(to other teens). Get rid of the kids riding in the car, and you'll get rid of most of the showing off(though the real drivers will still show off for self-satisfaction ;)).

I also think that the US should reconfigure street lights so that when the light is red and about to turn green(like say within 15 secs), the yellow comes on with the red to let those first drivers know to be ready to go. I hate getting ready to take off from a light and then you have people that either start rolling forward into the intersection, or they just don't pay attention and sit there through part of the green. It would be great.
 
Where I live, the speed limit on the highway is 80-90 KM/H (depending on area). Local speeds are between 30 and 50 km/h. Now, there are also alot of idiots (and too many seniors) that go way too slow. Now, these aren't exactly straight roads, but they aren't incredibly tight. Most of the limits could be raised, as most of the roads are in good shape.

Now, about the driving age, I think if you can drive yourself around (no parent/adult with you) when you are 16, it's good. But over here we have a rather retarded graduated liscense, where you start driving with a parent/adult at 16, get to drive solo at 17, and have your full liscence at 18. Now, in my oppinion, this is rediculous. Yes, it lets a driver get experience, but it is very restrictive. I don't like it at all.
 
Originally posted by Takumi Fujiwara
Because, in Europe,things are closer together, and they have adequate mass transit systems. Hell, many US cities are the same way. But it's, as I said, another story entirely here in LA. It's such a huge, sprawling city (the LA / Orange County metro area is bigger than several states) that a car is really a necessity. It's one thing to be able to get to school, abt when the age for a job comes, it's really impossible to deal with no driving. That's why it's possible to deal with 16 years of no car and suddenlty need one.
Click to expand...

Because. In EUROPE, STUFF is like way closer... together and stuff? In EUROPE! And the mass transit system is so cool! In EUROPE!

Ever been to Yugoslavia? Stop saying Europe.
 
you have never been on the British transport systems have you?

Buss' suck. The roads are too congested, they dont run on time because of the traffic.

Trains: NEVER on time, the rail tracks are under constant repair after years of neglect, it is causting hundreds of millions (A small sum to the American goverment, not to us) to repair them. This money should have gone to better places.
 
Originally posted by ExigeExcel
you have never been on the British transport systems have you?

Buss' suck. The roads are too congested, they dont run on time because of the traffic.

Trains: NEVER on time, the rail tracks are under constant repair after years of neglect, it is causting hundreds of millions (A small sum to the American goverment, not to us) to repair them. This money should have gone to better places.
Click to expand...

Every country has a ****ed up railroad system. It's nobody's fault, it's the whole concept of railroading's fault. Trains suck.
 
Well Japans must be pretty good if they can run bullet trains. France's high speed trains are high speed, and then they come to teh UK and they have to slow down. We have had a lot of deadly train accidents recentley, which I don't think many other places can comapare to.
They only places taht come to mind with worse train systems are those where people are allowed to climb on the sides and roofs of carriges.
 
Originally posted by ExigeExcel
Well Japans must be pretty good if they can run bullet trains. France's high speed trains are high speed, and then they come to teh UK and they have to slow down. We have had a lot of deadly train accidents recentley, which I don't think many other places can comapare to.
They only places taht come to mind with worse train systems are those where people are allowed to climb on the sides and roofs of carriges.
Click to expand...

France only has the Thalyss High Speed train, and it barely counts, it's international. Regular French trains suck too.
 
Originally posted by sn00pie
France only has the Thalyss High Speed train, and it barely counts, it's international. Regular French trains suck too.
Click to expand...

France has:

EuroStar - Travels to England, Holland, Belgium. On the continental side it reaches 186mph. On the English side it's restricted to 120mph. Recently they opened a new length of track (1 miles from my window) which allows 186mph speeds, but this only goes halfway to London. The rest won't open until at least next year.

TGV (Train a Grande Vitesse) - World record holding high speed train at 320mph for the Atlantique version.


Japan's shinkansen (what we know as the Bullet Train) runs with staggering efficiency. "Late" does not happen.
 
I've spent quite a bit of time in England and France. (Lived in paris for a couple months). And as bad as you say it may be, it's much worse in LA. London has the Underground, paris has its Metro. Both are actually useful for gommuting, getting around, etc. LA has a crappy single subway line with about 12 stops that doesn't even really go anywhere worth going. And the stations are sufficently far apart that wherever you are, you you usually need to take a bus to the station.

Plus, something many people don't realize, LA is very hilly. That makes walking or biking very impractical. And it's very spread out. Unlike Chicago, Boston, or New York, chances are that if you're one place, going anywhere else is a substantial drive. LA really has no downtown to speak of, just a small clump of office buildings. Everything is quite spread out.
 
Where I live, we have NONE. Well, I mean we have signs that say 80 and **** but I have yet to see someone get pulled over by a cop for speeding. I'd generally be ranting more about it but it's just...geez...depressing :banghead:

:cheers:
 
Another one? Last one I heard of was the Central Line one a year ago...

The London Underground su-diddly-ucks. If you can get any train within 5 minutes of its scheduled time, you're lucky. Then you fall out of the 40 year old train, come out of the 60 year old station and get onto a 30 year old bus...

Now Sheffield has a brilliant public transport system - the Supertram. And it rocks. And even r0xx0rs...
 
Originally posted by ExigeExcel
Isn't the London Underground messed up right now? After the crash. (yes...another one)
Click to expand...

Well only on Friday and the Overhead lines were all ****ed up.

I gave up driving to work, it's too stressfull to drive into London. Oh and my car doesn't like starting in the cold mornings.

I still think 16 is too young an age to start driving by yourself. If you can't go somewhere, tough stay at home.
 
Originally posted by Takumi Fujiwara

Plus, something many people don't realize, LA is very hilly. That makes walking or biking very impractical. And it's very spread out. Unlike Chicago, Boston, or New York, chances are that if you're one place, going anywhere else is a substantial drive. LA really has no downtown to speak of, just a small clump of office buildings. Everything is quite spread out.
Click to expand...

...which is what makes LA the worst large city on Earth. It's a bunch of people and a lot of strip malls.

If you can't go somewhere, tough stay at home.
Click to expand...

Brilliant.
 
The speed limits here are usually 50km/h in residential areas, 100km/h on motorways and non-residential areas. Quite often there will be 70km/h limits in high risk areas where you'll want to keep your speed down anyway. Our roads here aren't all that suited to travelling any speed over 100km/h. The motorways only really start and end somewhere like about 30km/h either side of the major centres, inbewteen there it's usually two laned (one in either direction) roads that are not flat and are quite twisty.

I'm 16 and I've been driving my car by myself for about 6 months. I take driving very seriously and although I like to speed I know that a) my car will never be fast and doesn't like going fast b) the roads in my area aren't all that good anyway and c) I'm always likely to run upon someone who'll be going 30km/h slower then the speed limit. The fastest I've ever driven is 140k/mh and that was at night with no other cars around on a two laned motorway. I backed off because I knew there was some small potholes ahead and because I had hit what was the absolute speed limit of my car. I've never done it again, only once when testing out my Laser. I floored it at 100k/mh and worked my way up to 120, I have a feeling that the wheels aren't centered because up to 100 it's barely noticible but inbetween there and 120 it starts to vibrate very aggresively.

I am not a hoon or the stereotypical 16 year old driver, I got over pulling burnouts and redlining within my first month. I like to drive aggresively, but not past my limits or my cars limits.

But if you're a teenager you know everything right?
 
Originally posted by Cobraboy
I'm 16 and I've been driving my car by myself for about 6 months. I take driving very seriously and although I like to speed I know that a) my car will never be fast and doesn't like going fast b) the roads in my area aren't all that good anyway and c) I'm always likely to run upon someone who'll be going 30km/h slower then the speed limit. The fastest I've ever driven is 140k/mh and that was at night with no other cars around on a two laned motorway. I backed off because I knew there was some small potholes ahead and because I had hit what was the absolute speed limit of my car. I've never done it again, only once when testing out my Laser. I floored it at 100k/mh and worked my way up to 120, I have a feeling that the wheels aren't centered because up to 100 it's barely noticible but inbetween there and 120 it starts to vibrate very aggresively.
Click to expand...

140km/h is about 87mph. Although that's over the maximum British speed limit, it's not unusual to be passed by a lot of cars even at that speed. I think I break that speed most mornings...

On vibrating wheels, your first port of call should be wheel balancing - you might have thrown a weight off somewhere. Most tyre places here will check this free. Next up is tracking - but that'll be characterised by more noticable handling problems at lower speeds. Again, this is free in most tyre places over here. Lastly, ask them to check your shocks at the next service.
 
Originally posted by Famine
On vibrating wheels, your first port of call should be wheel balancing - you might have thrown a weight off somewhere. Most tyre places here will check this free. Next up is tracking - but that'll be characterised by more noticable handling problems at lower speeds. Again, this is free in most tyre places over here. Lastly, ask them to check your shocks at the next service.
Click to expand...

We've just had the gearbox replaced (something about a sister getting bogged going up a grass hill - thought she'd get unstuck by flooring it and letting it change through the gears - females 👍) so one can only assume it's as a result of that. It doesn't really bother me though, it's only really a problem about 100km/h and I have no need going faster then that and that loyal little 1987 Ford Laser is heading for a trade in soon (I hope :D).

It gets me where I want to go and it was free, so I'm not complaining.
 
I drove Ford Fiestas (not Festivas) for 7 years. They got me where I wanted to go (mostly) and were reasonably fun. And the last one got up to an indicated 122mph once (from a 63hp 1.3i). Now I've got a fun little sports car - and I believe I'm a much better driver of that having learned patience with a variety of 50-60hp cars... :D

But yes - wheel balancing is the most likely culprit for high-speed wobble without low-speed handling problems.

100km/h in 60mph, and I certainly break that every day, because I drive on two 70mph roads :D So it'd me more of a concern to me, I guess :lol:
 
Yeah, I can relate to the learning to drive with a slow car. I think thats what's nulled my driving a tad. When I was driving my dads ute (the laser was my aforementioned sisters car, but she got herself a Prelude now, so the lasers mine) which is manual and rear wheel drive I would drop the clutch and rev it out to 6000rpm nearly all the time. I stopped after he noticed how much petrol was being used. I used to love that feeling of dropping the clutch at about 1500rpm and the non-lsd rear diff letting the inside wheel start screaming away and hearing the 250,000km old engine scream it's tired head off. But now with my laser, with it being auto I can't do any of that sorta stuff. When taking off from a stand still I'll push the gas pedal and it'll shudder then pick up. I do enjoy the easy use of the automatic gearbox though, so easy to manipulate :D.
 
oh you can still have fun in a auto laser. a mate of mine had a 85 KB laser auto, we fitted twin carbs to it and we had a hilarious time in that car (it maybe slow but dont let that spoil the fun)
 

Latest Posts

Back