It’s often not what someone says but how they say it that gets them in trouble.
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If it is the posted limit, that’s what I’ll adhere to.
In the 1990s CT raised the maximum allowable speed limit to 65mph. But the disconnect seems to be lack of knowledge of the difference between legal and statute.
Statute = what’s on the books.
Legal = what’s posted on those signs by the side of the highway, or the digital variable ones.
Legal is what drivers must go by, regardless of what state maximum they read about in the news.
It is time for you to just stop with trying to influence people about their driving. Do what you want and the rest of us will do what we want.
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The only two things I am doing is stating how I drive with regards to speed, and stating the difference between legal and statute speed limits.
If those are considered influencing by some, so be it.
Chris is only part of the problem, I spotted this in the New Jersey driving manual:
Ban New Jersey from this forum.
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What do you - or any other participants - find wrong with what’s in that statute?
It’s clearly contradictory. The “normal” flow of traffic on NJ interstates is anywhere from 5-15 mph higher than the posted speed.
In many/most cases, keeping-up with the prevailing speed on those expressways means that one would be exceeding the posted speed.
My daughter turns 16 soon and has her learner’s permit. Like many new drivers she is slow and careful, which is great. But sometimes I have to remind her to drive fast enough, like if we’re in a 35 zone, she can’t drive 20.
And merging onto the freeway? I’ve taught her to gauge her speed by paying attention to the flow of traffic, not the speed limit. If traffic is moving at 70, then you’d damn well be going 70 by the end of the on-ramp, not 50, or you’re going to get hit. Once you’ve merged and settled in, then you can pay attention to speed limits.
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In the 80s I lived in California, the state had a requirement, on a two lane road, if more than 5 cars are behind you, you were to pull off and let them pass.
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Same mods. It was a style thing, not a content thing.
So where do you think the fault lies in that set of circumstances?
And what is more needed of to correct that situation?
Clearly, when the vast majority of motorists exceed the posted speed, the posted speed needs to be increased. And, that statute needs to be revised, so that it doesn’t contradict itself.
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Or, enforcement of existing law needs to be stepped up. I see smoke on CT highways quite seldom nowadays, and instead total anarchy: folks doing 20mph over posted, passing in breakdown lanes, passing in on ramps, off ramps, trucks in the left lane of places like i95 and 91, etc. Rarely any of these actions accompanied by a turn blinker.
If that’s part of the freedom our founders fought for, I guess there isn’t much one can do about it except start writing letters to state and national legislators.
The criteria used to set speed limits includes an analysis of prevailing speeds. Engineering analysis of the road as designed and a number of other inputs are used. If I recall correctly (IIRC), the prevailing speed is the 85th percentile. There should be periodic assessments to ensure the established speed limit is still valid. It could go up, down or stay the same. One reason you may see those rubber hoses stretched across the roadway, they are counting traffic volume for such a survey.
There is the situation where speed limits are set lower than these analysis would dictate. They call them speed traps 
It only takes a few bad apples to be noticeable. One jerk going way faster than everyone else, weaving through traffic to get 3 car lengths ahead. They are a small percentage overall but have a lasting impression…
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Only works if letters are written on $100 bills.