I don't know what it was that really got me thinking about all of this. It could have been the blog post I read yesterday about someone visiting a fine judge to discuss a speeding ticket. It could have been the fact that last night I sat in the passenger side of a mini van with an 18 year old girl who had never driven on a road before and encouraged her to pull out onto Rt. 16. Or, it could simply be the fact that I spend a lot of time on the highway. By a lot...I mean...A LOT!
I commute 120 miles a day - 60 miles each way. Most of that commute is spent on the ever improving 459. I pretty much travel across the state the short way every single day to get to work and back. That leaves me with a lot of time to make general observations about the highway and all of its happenings. Fortunately, I leave rather early in the morning and I am able to beat the commuter rush on both ends. That means that I don't see as many accidents, so that is a very good thing. I also don't have to sit in traffic as often as I would if I was traveling with the masses. All this to say...I travel on a major highway every day with thousands of other drivers. While doing this...I have come to a conclusion.
Speed Limits are Stupid.
Yup. I said it. And no, I am not making the argument that we should all drive as fast as possible all of the time. What I am saying, however, is that IF every driver on the road were to actually OBEY the speed limit - the roads would be an insane mob scene of a mess! Seriously, though folks. Let me explain....
These signs grace the side of the road for my entire trip. For those of you in other parts of the country...go ahead...laugh. Yes, Massachusetts STILL has a max speed limit of 65 miles per hour. We are aware that the rest of the country has moved beyond that, however, the rest of the country is not dealing with Boston Drivers. You see, we are a very special breed. If you are born and/or raised in the Boston area you automatically have a condition commonly known as 'lead foot.' So, while the sign above is posted, our 'lead foot' disease also affects our eyes and we magically invert that 6! It's the strangest thing, seeing as it is so localized, but it happens to all of us! So, the 6 gets inverted and then everyone knows you can get away with going 5 over the limit, so suddenly all Boston eyes see is this:
It's the truth. I've done research.
So, while it looks like we are living in the speed limit dark ages, the truth of the matter is that since everyone seems to go around 30 miles over the given limit, it would probably be a BAD idea to up that limit as that would put most vehicles well over the 100mph range. Oh...and these:
SERIOUSLY, GUYS? LOL! FOR REAL? No, we don't have those signs in Mass. Why? The would be a waste of money, seeing as that simply IS NOT a problem around here! They do crack me up, though! LOL! Minimum speeds....HA!
But, I digress (as usual), thus I must return to my initial point. Speed limits are stupid. On my way home last night there were vehicles in all three lanes driving safely at a variety of speeds. Each car kept a safe distance from the one in front of and behind it, as well as staggering neatly with the cars on either side. Everyone moved fluidly along the stretch of black asphalt.
UNTIL... dun..dun..dun....
A State Trooper pulled onto the highway from the on ramp.
Yes, folks, all fluidity was immediately lost by the presence of this one vehicle. You see...another part of the 'lead foot' vision condition is that when you see a State Trooper the inverted 6 becomes all too clear all of the sudden. So...now everyone on the highway was traveling at 65 mph. Yes. Everyone. All going the same speed. It caused clumping, jamming, and basic chaos! Seriously! It SO didn't feel safe! Cars were odd, and unsafe distances from one another, there was no room to move because a grid lock was formed and all in all it was just plain DANGEROUS! Now...I can't blame the Trooper. Mostly because usually when that happens Mass State Troopers get annoyed and break free from the pack as soon as possible so that THEY can go the 85 mph that they know full well everyone else was doing before they showed up! Really - I can't tell you how many times I've had an officer come barreling up behind me, toss my heart into my throat with the grip of fear, and then I move to the lane beside me and he FLIES by like a bat out of hell! Just because they carry a badge does not take the Boston out of them, I promise! It's in the water! So...we all react and we cause these unsafe driving conditions BECAUSE we all decided to follow the speed limit. So...you see....they are dangerous.
That being said...should we ALL go 85 or 90 mph? No. Particularly if you live in Connecticut. They don't tolerate that kind of shenanigans down there! No tolerance, I tell ya! No, but seriously...the key is to have people all moving at reasonably different speeds. This keeps us safe distances from one another, it allows each of us to drive at a speed where we feel comfortable controlling our vehicle, and it keeps us from becoming a grid lock of insanity! It actually makes sense! Now...as far as going UNDER the speed limit - that, my friends, is a whole other post on EXTREME DANGER! Just don't do it...it's not safe and it pisses people off.
So, there you have it. Speed Limits are stupid.
Disclaimer:
***I am in no way liable for any choices you make as a driver. Should you get pulled over and ticketed or arrested for speeding and trying to present this argument to the officer that is your own dumb fault. Just say'n.***
***Also...I am in no way implying that I drive at the Boston 'inverted' speed. I just know some people who do. Really well.***
***I am still taking questions for my Q&A! Ask me anything you want! I will wait until I have a few questions before I post the answers!***
Don't forget to check out my Glade Giveaway and the emagineGreen Giveaway that are both open until next TUESDAY!!!!
A new Giveaway will be posted tomorrow. I'm really excited about it, actually!!!
These signs grace the side of the road for my entire trip. For those of you in other parts of the country...go ahead...laugh. Yes, Massachusetts STILL has a max speed limit of 65 miles per hour. We are aware that the rest of the country has moved beyond that, however, the rest of the country is not dealing with Boston Drivers. You see, we are a very special breed. If you are born and/or raised in the Boston area you automatically have a condition commonly known as 'lead foot.' So, while the sign above is posted, our 'lead foot' disease also affects our eyes and we magically invert that 6! It's the strangest thing, seeing as it is so localized, but it happens to all of us! So, the 6 gets inverted and then everyone knows you can get away with going 5 over the limit, so suddenly all Boston eyes see is this:
It's the truth. I've done research.
So, while it looks like we are living in the speed limit dark ages, the truth of the matter is that since everyone seems to go around 30 miles over the given limit, it would probably be a BAD idea to up that limit as that would put most vehicles well over the 100mph range. Oh...and these:
SERIOUSLY, GUYS? LOL! FOR REAL? No, we don't have those signs in Mass. Why? The would be a waste of money, seeing as that simply IS NOT a problem around here! They do crack me up, though! LOL! Minimum speeds....HA!
But, I digress (as usual), thus I must return to my initial point. Speed limits are stupid. On my way home last night there were vehicles in all three lanes driving safely at a variety of speeds. Each car kept a safe distance from the one in front of and behind it, as well as staggering neatly with the cars on either side. Everyone moved fluidly along the stretch of black asphalt.
UNTIL... dun..dun..dun....
A State Trooper pulled onto the highway from the on ramp.
Yes, folks, all fluidity was immediately lost by the presence of this one vehicle. You see...another part of the 'lead foot' vision condition is that when you see a State Trooper the inverted 6 becomes all too clear all of the sudden. So...now everyone on the highway was traveling at 65 mph. Yes. Everyone. All going the same speed. It caused clumping, jamming, and basic chaos! Seriously! It SO didn't feel safe! Cars were odd, and unsafe distances from one another, there was no room to move because a grid lock was formed and all in all it was just plain DANGEROUS! Now...I can't blame the Trooper. Mostly because usually when that happens Mass State Troopers get annoyed and break free from the pack as soon as possible so that THEY can go the 85 mph that they know full well everyone else was doing before they showed up! Really - I can't tell you how many times I've had an officer come barreling up behind me, toss my heart into my throat with the grip of fear, and then I move to the lane beside me and he FLIES by like a bat out of hell! Just because they carry a badge does not take the Boston out of them, I promise! It's in the water! So...we all react and we cause these unsafe driving conditions BECAUSE we all decided to follow the speed limit. So...you see....they are dangerous.
That being said...should we ALL go 85 or 90 mph? No. Particularly if you live in Connecticut. They don't tolerate that kind of shenanigans down there! No tolerance, I tell ya! No, but seriously...the key is to have people all moving at reasonably different speeds. This keeps us safe distances from one another, it allows each of us to drive at a speed where we feel comfortable controlling our vehicle, and it keeps us from becoming a grid lock of insanity! It actually makes sense! Now...as far as going UNDER the speed limit - that, my friends, is a whole other post on EXTREME DANGER! Just don't do it...it's not safe and it pisses people off.
So, there you have it. Speed Limits are stupid.
Disclaimer:
***I am in no way liable for any choices you make as a driver. Should you get pulled over and ticketed or arrested for speeding and trying to present this argument to the officer that is your own dumb fault. Just say'n.***
***Also...I am in no way implying that I drive at the Boston 'inverted' speed. I just know some people who do. Really well.***
***I am still taking questions for my Q&A! Ask me anything you want! I will wait until I have a few questions before I post the answers!***
Don't forget to check out my Glade Giveaway and the emagineGreen Giveaway that are both open until next TUESDAY!!!!
A new Giveaway will be posted tomorrow. I'm really excited about it, actually!!!
Very interesting point of view! And I dont dissagree. You see here in the Garden state, we've got Jersey Drivers... We will speed, cut you off, and give you the finger for being an ass-monkey if you dont at least do the speed limit LOL....there is also the "Jersey Slide" that is when you "slide" over 2-3 lanes on a major highway with no blinker on what so ever... Unfortunately, I have to be the safety queen bc of all my immigration crap...But when Mr.H drives his "car turns yellow" (meaning he drives like a NYC taxi driver!) LOL
ReplyDeleteLOL, I am cracking up girl, that was so funny! Don't feel bad about your 65, here in Oregon only interstates are 65, and that is only the rural areas. State highways are still 55, as are the urban interstates (which are only 2). SO, we basically have a 55 mph limit!!! We basically do the 5 mph over the limit, and the cops don't bother-I actually passed one doing 5-10 over and nothing ever happened, lol! But don't even think of inverting that 6 here, lol!
ReplyDeleteSo, while we are not riding around our horses and carrying our 6 shooters (like some people think we still do), we are a bit behind here-as far as speed limits.
We've got freeway speed limits of 75, but when we go very far north or south, they drop down to 65; it's SO hard to adjust to the lower limit! I've inherited my dad's lead foot, though; I got a speeding ticket once, when I was 17. I was going 45 in a 20. Whoops!
ReplyDeleteWe usually get passed on the freeway, though, on the rare occasion we go the speed limit. 75 just seems so slow on the freeway! Long stretch of open road? I mean, come on! 75 is NOT cutting it! haha
I agree about the speed limits. I had a friend who used to talk about the dangers of 92yo people who can't see the road going 25 mph and causing accidents in their wake without even realizing it.
ReplyDeleteYour disclaimer made me laugh.
Must be the week, I um got a verbal warning from State Trooper this week.. Now Our Limit is 55...OY..in town 30, I was just going 42 as I was slowing down in town (back from my 2.2 minute lunch) now if I was driving behind the cop next door ...I would be going 40..he drives like a little ol lady( I have been behind him, it is a nightmare)...Had my 3 cop encounters in a week..time to pass the torch...LOL
ReplyDeleteWell, I've done my fair share of speeding and often do get irritated at the the slow speeds I'm forced to go...like 40 in an area with houses 2 miles away. As a mother who worries constantly about her child's safety, I don't think I could handle it if there were no speed limits. People drive insane enough for me without adding the freedom to drive like a maniac. Now when I'm in the car by myself, ask me then, and see what I say.
ReplyDeleteHahah, crackin' me up! I'm living in Northern VA and most of us have major lead foot too. And unfortunately a lot of em' feel the need to cut off everyone in there path...that's always fun, tee hee! I wish the speed limit were 100!!
ReplyDeleteJamie :-)
LOL, loved this post. I get frusterated because my dad was a State Trooper and I know for a fact that most of them won't pull you over if you go 10 miles over the speed limit on the freeway. But everyone here goes 65 or slower...very frusterating.
ReplyDeleteThanks for making me laugh today!
~Katie
Oh this post killed me. In Michigan are limit is 70 but we also have vision impairment and see the 7 as a 9. So usually people travel 10 over without fear of a ticket and then there's the idiots who go 90+ and the occasional older person who will only go 55. Those are the ones that scare me, they cause accidents. Now the best part. I live 45 minutes north of the Ohio border and everyone in Michigan knows that as soon as you hit the state line you better slow down cause the Ohio state troopers will get ya if your even 2 miles over the limit. Crazy. Thanks for the laugh.
ReplyDelete