Say Anything Blog

 Money, Money, Money.

"Thousands of $38.50 citations are issued each year to people who pull over on the side of the road leading to the airport -16,542 Broward County residents who got citations this year while waiting on the access ramps to pick up their loved ones,’‘

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/13984962.htm 

Aaaah road rage… People are so different behind the wheel of an automobile. In Houston they let you merge. BUT, if you don’t speed after that they remain up your tail pipe until you go faster! In Dallas those people just don’t let you merge. I love the Dallas skyline and everytime I go through Dallas I just want a peek at it. BUT, those people just do not allow it!

Did anyone count how many people were made late for work that morning?  (Yeah, neither did I, but my point remains…)

The speed limits can be changed, just rent "Mr Smith Goes to Washington".  Driving four-wide and obstructing traffic is not the solution.  

And regarding cash vs.safety.  My vote is for cash as well.  The word was that the 55 mph limit was to save lives but it was really geared at fuel savings, etc. 

But more directly, I contend that most road rage is caused by nitwit left-lane squatters.  Notice that the young idelaists managed to catch a near fatal accident when the van hit something while passing on the shoulder?  He wouldn’t have needed (uh, been encouraged to, he nevere NEEDED to, fine!) take that risky break-down lane pass if the traffic was flowing as designed, slow on the right and passing on the left…

Actually, I’d suggest that 55-65mph just might be the right speed for the Atlanta freeways—just ask someone who must use them in a vehicle without a lot of power, like a delivery truck or a bus.  Can they merge when a Beemer is bearing down on them like a bat out of Hell? 

Let’s not forget that, horrible as it was for those driving across the Dakotas and other western states, highway death rates DID drop significantly (several thousand deaths/year) after the "double nickel" was implemented.  My experience is that, though many THINK that 85mph is "safe" in the city, it rarely is. 

That said, however, I rarely find myself "pushed" when I drive the speed limit in the right or middle lane, even in Chicago or LA.  And the stunt pulled here?  Just an exercise in rudeness.

(insert tongue in cheek)

I didn’t quite follow your concern with how a delivery truck,etc could merge with a 500-series…  They just start coming on over and the  Beemer gets the heck outta the way!

(/tongue) 

Yeah, the right lanes are the only lanes you can pass in around the Balto/DC area. 

Let’s use the example of a Prius instead—underpowered vehicle that would lose this confrontation.  :^)  Or the Mazda 6 I had the misfortune of driving this week—and with no acceleration, it STILL had lousy mileage—the same 22mpg my minivan gets.

And yes, my minivan EASILY bests the Mazda 6 in terms of power and acceleration….

My solution to traffic is to live in a place where there aren’t a lot of people.  It works out nice that way.

As for the speed limit, if everybody is going to drive 70, and law enforcement is going to selectively apply the limit, why not just raise the limit to 70?  Or at least to something a little higher?

The purpose of government shouldn’t be to do good, but simply to refrain from doing evil.

He wouldn’t have needed (uh, been encouraged to, he nevere NEEDED to, fine!) take that risky break-down lane pass if the traffic was flowing as designed, slow on the right and passing on the left…

One of the students said, "It was more dangerous because we were obeying the law."  I would suspect that they didn’t bother to notice the 482 signs they passed that said, "Slower traffic keep right."  It was only more dangerous because of *how* they obeyed the law.

I don’t have a problem with speed limits being set where they are.  I absolutely think it is about safety.  I live on a street that is long and straight.  The speed limit is 30 on it.  The police don’t patrol it for speeders and the average speed on it is probably 45-50.  I am sure the drivers think it is safe, but it’s not.  My mail box has been knocked down more than once by someone busint along the street, dropping a tire off into my yard and smacking my mailbox with a mirror.  Once you could even see the tire tracks where they had gone through on the back side of the mailbox.  My next door neighbor had his house run into by a person speeding down the street who dropped a tire off into the grass and lost control.  I’ll bet that in every one of those cases, the drivers thought they had the speed under control for the situation.

Or they thought they had their knee firmly in control of the steering wheel while they were checking their voice mail with a cup o’ joe .... 

Agree!  Cul-de-sacs RULE! 

Rob, if the speed limits, as set, allow enough time to avoid an accident and allow vehicles "without a Hemi" to access the road, I have no trouble with a higher speed limit.  If the Dakotas can get roads set for 120mph, that’s fine by me.  That said, methinks that most cities really belong somewhere in the area of 55-65mph for this very reason.  There simply cannot be enough time for someone to react in most cases if speed is excessive.

Yup, I think that was the reason I was searching for as to why the "double-nickel".  (I liked that one, borrowed it.  Thanks)

I love driving in Atlanta.  Those maniacs are so easy to piss off… 

These kids are lucky no one got shot, but i disagree with the premise—the law should be changed because nobody obeys it?  Lets try enforcing it first, and see what happens.

I agree with RP:  If we allow 18 wheelers and "prius’s" on the same road, the speed has to be safe enough for both.  And my gramma too.  Just because some coked up yuppie is late for work doesn’t mean he has a right to risk someone else’s life.

As i said, i enjoy driving through Atlanta.  But only after coffee, and early enough in the trip.  It really sucks to hit that loop after you’ve been on the road for 8 hours already, in the rain… 

Marty, I’m with you on the enforcement.  Maybe I should have been more clear.  Laws should be enforced, or they shouldn’t exist.

The purpose of government shouldn’t be to do good, but simply to refrain from doing evil.

PS:  Play nice with the truckers on I-20 between Atlanta and Birmingham.  Those redneck crackheads mean business and will try to kill you.  They apparently hate anyone with cruise-control… 

I live outside of Atlanta. Driving there is NOT for the timid.