Why does everyone drive above the posted speed limit?

[ChuckNORRIS4Cup]

In British Columbia, a review of speed limits conducted in 2002 and 2003 for the Ministry of Transportation found that posted limits on investigated roads were unrealistically low for 1309 km and unrealistically high for 208 km. The reports recommended to increase speed limits for multi-lane limited-access highways constructed to high design standards from 110 km/h to 120 km/h.^[31] As described in that report, the Ministry is currently using "...Technical Circular T-10/00 [...] to assess speed limits. The practice considers the 85th percentile speed, road geometry, roadside development, and crash history."

Speed limits in Ontario were lowered from 113 km/h to 100 km/h during the 1970s energy crisis.^[32] In spite of safety and fuel economy advances, four decades later the speed limits have never been raised back to the 1960s levels or beyond.^[33] Some groups and individuals there are lobbying to increase speed limits from 100 km/h to 130 km/h or 140 km/h.^[34]

The only place I've seen that has higher speeds for multi lane roads is in Surrey, and maybe Coquitlam on lougheed. I always have said multi lane roads should be 60 km/h at least, 50km/h is just to slow when you have that much more space. The worst is the 80km/h on highways, that's just ridiculous, if you can't drive 80km/h or think that's to fast on a highway please get off the road and don't drive, because you obviously aren't comfortable enough to be on the roads and are a danger to others. Cars now a days compared to cars back in the day are a lot more safer, because they have better tires, better brakes, better handling, better response, cars are a lot more advanced now then say 40 years ago. Yet I do understand it still comes down to the individual who is driving, because they're are a lot of unsafe drivers out there, but they're will always be unsafe drivers no matter what unfortunately. The worst is in the winter and rainy seasons, because that's where the most unsafe drivers cause accidents because they don't think or know, road conditions change and they change for a reason and it's not as SAFE, yet they just can't seem to figure that one out until they get in an accident.

[TOMapleLaughs]

I don't find speed an issue but the fact people often drive up your ass especially when you have nowhere else to go such as on the freeway. If I have to slam on the breaks or reduce my speed drastically because of something in front of me occurs, then the guy riding my ass has about one second to do the exact same. Gotta keep a few cars lengths at least between you and the guy in front and behind you on the freeway.

Oh my God, WHY do motorcyclists think that it's a great idea to right your driver-side bumper, in and out of your blindspot? Like it's been taught to them as they HAVE to do it? Every day in the summer I see this crap and I just shake my head.

Guess what, guy. I slam on my brakes, you lose! And you won't even be able to see my license plate while I drive away unscathed and you have a cerebral aneurysm.

[Heretic]

Yes, but if traffic is flowing smoothly and you are in the HOV lane getting passed by drivers in the other lanes, get out of it regardless of the number of people in your car.

Why? The "fast" lane is for that. If I'm going 10% over in the HOV lane and some jack@ss with kids in the car starts honking/flashing his lights to get out of the way just proves to me that he is one of those that should have been sterilized before puberty. It's one thing to race around a track @ over 150 km/h but another to endanger the lives of your children and others.

Funny, I usually notice that if I'd been going ~5kph faster than my already ~5kpk 'over', I'd actually make more lights that seem to turn yellow/red just as I'm approaching as though they're timed to do exactly that...

It's also not the SD (Sunday Drive) or the ILTPIAC (I Like To Pretend I'm A Cop) lane FWIW

Good one!

Don't worry, not a SD here, and no, I don't go out of my way to try and block people nor tell them off - I'm a defensive driver so yes, I do get out of the way if it's safe to do so. 4 wheels vs 2 wins every time in an accident no matter who is at fault.

[ForsbergTheGreat]

When were speed limits put in place? 70’s? 80’s? At the time vehicles were tanks, airbags didn’t exist and seatbelts were optional. Safety in cars have dramatically increased and therefor the roads speed limits should as well.

[elvis15]

So much this.

Man you've been agreeable this week. New coffee?

Or maybe less of it?

...

Oh, I might as well throw my pet peeve here again, it's called the HOV (High Occupancy Vehicle) lane not the HS (High Speed) lane.

It's the safest lane to be in as it is farthest away from merging traffic.

The 'slower traffic keep right' law still applies, even for HOV.

Just because it's safer to be away from merging traffic doesn't make it correct to stay in that lane. Even then, the driver would have had to merge onto the highway, then cross at least one if not two or more lanes to even get to the HOV lane, then have to do that all over again to get off the highway.

...

It's also not the SD (Sunday Drive) or the ILTPIAC (I Like To Pretend I'm A Cop) lane FWIW

Particularly on Sunday (also Saturday and evenings after 7pm) when the HOV lane actually isn't in effect on Hwy 1. That doesn't apply to all HOV's but any time there isn't rush hour traffic, people should be judicious and respectful about using the HOV at all.

[ronthecivil]

I don't recall, but it was on a sunny Thursday, which a lot of times looks like 'cop day' to me.

They like to ghost stop signs in my area too. Even if the stop signs are for deserted railways. What seems like a 'warning' scenario for slowing down and not stopping fully and looking both ways gets you a ticket, guaranteed. Nice.

That's the cops being jerks. Hand tip! Almost every stop sign could be a yield, and most lights could be four way stops, or if there's not much in the way of pedestrians, roundabouts.

But what gets picked as the stopping conditions has little to do with effecientcy, safety, or economics and more to do with fear mongering like the kind heretics putting out.

[ronthecivil]

Here's another thing, you say you want to get somewhere faster? Well, at city speed limits and congestion and traffic lights, you more than likely won't save much time at all - so why put yourself and others at risk?

For long highway distances, your fuel economy will get worse as you go over 110 km/h...

http://lifehacker.com/does-speeding-really-get-you-there-any-faster-1556767685

Oh, I might as well throw my pet peeve here again, it's called the HOV (High Occupancy Vehicle) lane not the HS (High Speed) lane.

It's the safest lane to be in as it is farthest away from merging traffic.

Keep right except to pass. It's also the law. Too bad it's lacking in enforcement. I would happily endorse a crackdown, and it could easily just as easily be called distracted driving. (Handy tip for those that don't get that, you should also be aware of what's BEHIND you, and your general suroundings, such as wide open spaces in front, and a big line up behind you, should be a clue that you should move to the right as you are not passing, your preventing others from doing so).

[ronthecivil]

The only place I've seen that has higher speeds for multi lane roads is in Surrey, and maybe Coquitlam on lougheed. I always have said multi lane roads should be 60 km/h at least, 50km/h is just to slow when you have that much more space. The worst is the 80km/h on highways, that's just ridiculous, if you can't drive 80km/h or think that's to fast on a highway please get off the road and don't drive, because you obviously aren't comfortable enough to be on the roads and are a danger to others. Cars now a days compared to cars back in the day are a lot more safer, because they have better tires, better brakes, better handling, better response, cars are a lot more advanced now then say 40 years ago. Yet I do understand it still comes down to the individual who is driving, because they're are a lot of unsafe drivers out there, but they're will always be unsafe drivers no matter what unfortunately. The worst is in the winter and rainy seasons, because that's where the most unsafe drivers cause accidents because they don't think or know, road conditions change and they change for a reason and it's not as SAFE, yet they just can't seem to figure that one out until they get in an accident.

Depends on what you mean by highway....

If you mean HIghway 1 or 99, or 91, then ya, 80 is silly.

If you mean King George or Highway ten, while provincial highways, they are in practice major arterials, and an 80 km/h speed limit is apt, and pretty much what the design speed of the roadways is, at least in the rural areas.

[Rey]

The "I'm the best driver in the world, everyone else is a idiot" mentality.

[ronthecivil]

Why? The "fast" lane is for that. If I'm going 10% over in the HOV lane and some jack@ss with kids in the car starts honking/flashing his lights to get out of the way just proves to me that he is one of those that should have been sterilized before puberty. It's one thing to race around a track @ over 150 km/h but another to endanger the lives of your children and others.

The farthest left is the through, or fastest lane. The furthest right is the merging, and slowest lane.

HOV lanes mean only HOVs get to go into the lane, not that they get to ignore all the other rules of the road.

Keep right except to pass.

[TOMapleLaughs]

Why? The "fast" lane is for that. If I'm going 10% over in the HOV lane and some jack@ss with kids in the car starts honking/flashing his lights to get out of the way just proves to me that he is one of those that should have been sterilized before puberty. It's one thing to race around a track @ over 150 km/h but another to endanger the lives of your children and others.

I doubt he'd be going that fast with kids in the car. Most ridiculously fast drivers I see are single males.

I see your point about the HOV lane not being a passing lane or a drive fast lane. However, consideration for other drivers should take precedence over that. If the driver behind you flashing his lights, that means he's politely asking you to move over so he can properly pass, as we all do, on the left. So you should probably get out of the way. That's how I take it. But i'm not hell-bent on claiming an HOV lane as 'my' lane either. Move over, let him pass, move back. If you refuse to do that in a flashing lights scenario, then I think you're in the wrong, and you're just escalating a typical driving situation for no reason. Sorry.

If you're overly concerned about high speeds on the freeway, then stay in the slow lane. That's what it's there for.

[elvis15]

Keep right except to pass. It's also the law. Too bad it's lacking in enforcement. I would happily endorse a crackdown, and it could easily just as easily be called distracted driving. (Handy tip for those that don't get that, you should also be aware of what's BEHIND you, and your general suroundings, such as wide open spaces in front, and a big line up behind you, should be a clue that you should move to the right as you are not passing, your preventing others from doing so).

This 1000%.

The farthest left is the through, or fastest lane. The furthest right is the merging, and slowest lane.

HOV lanes mean only HOVs get to go into the lane, not that they get to ignore all the other rules of the road.

Keep right except to pass.

And this! People don't realize it's not a special lane other than the occupancy restriction, or even that the occupancy restriction isn't in effect 24/7.

[inane]

Why? The "fast" lane is for that. If I'm going 10% over in the HOV lane and some jack@ss with kids in the car starts honking/flashing his lights to get out of the way just proves to me that he is one of those that should have been sterilized before puberty. It's one thing to race around a track @ over 150 km/h but another to endanger the lives of your children and others.

The left lane is for passing because of sightlines and merging considerations. Just because you have 5 people in your car doesn't mean you have to use the HOV lane. Left lane = fastest lane.

Just because you don't like the jackass behind you doesn't mean you should make it more dangerous for everyone else by refusing to go to the right.

edit--right, others just covered it.

[Heretic]

Or maybe less of it?

The 'slower traffic keep right' law still applies, even for HOV.

Just because it's safer to be away from merging traffic doesn't make it correct to stay in that lane. Even then, the driver would have had to merge onto the highway, then cross at least one if not two or more lanes to even get to the HOV lane, then have to do that all over again to get off the highway.

Particularly on Sunday (also Saturday and evenings after 7pm) when the HOV lane actually isn't in effect on Hwy 1. That doesn't apply to all HOV's but any time there isn't rush hour traffic, people should be judicious and respectful about using the HOV at all.

That law is only applicable if one is doing less than the maximum posted speed limit.

There are a few laws however that come into play when a vehicle is trying to "push" someone out of the way as they want to drive faster than the speed limit. These include (but may not be limited to as I'm not a law expert):

- tailgating

- speeding

- reckless driving

[Heretic]

Depends on what you mean by highway....

If you mean HIghway 1 or 99, or 91, then ya, 80 is silly.

If you mean King George or Highway ten, while provincial highways, they are in practice major arterials, and an 80 km/h speed limit is apt, and pretty much what the design speed of the roadways is, at least in the rural areas.

Not that anyone can really do over 80 during rush hour on Highway 1.

[inane]

That law is only applicable if one is doing less than the maximum posted speed limit.

There are a few laws however that come into play when a vehicle is trying to "push" someone out of the way as they want to drive faster than the speed limit. These include (but may not be limited to as I'm not a law expert):

- tailgating

- speeding

- reckless driving

Proof of this statement?

Even if the person behind you is doing those things, it is your best interest, and the best interest of everyone on the road around you to get the hell out of the way. Being stubborn for the sake of spiting that idiot behind you is idiotic and dangerous.

[ChuckNORRIS4Cup]

Depends on what you mean by highway....

If you mean HIghway 1 or 99, or 91, then ya, 80 is silly.

If you mean King George or Highway ten, while provincial highways, they are in practice major arterials, and an 80 km/h speed limit is apt, and pretty much what the design speed of the roadways is, at least in the rural areas.

I mean Highway 1 actually I can remember a few years ago driving to Whistler and Squamish going over the Iron Workers Bridge into North Vancouver, and on a multi lane Highway(3 lanes) and the speed limit is 80km/h? Really 3 lanes and your expected to go 80 km/h with no lights in sight that's a joke.

King George is 60km/h and I have no problems with that, it's the right speed especially with how many lights and residential areas there are. Highway 10 is 80km/h I believe and it's the right speed, because they're are lights as well not as many as King George, so you can speed a little more. I'm pretty certain the speed does change though in Cloverdale where it has more residential area, for safety reasons because they're more lights more traffic makes sense.

But when highway 10 can be 80km/h with lights and residential areas, but highway 1 which has 3 lanes and no lights, no residential areas and is the same speed limit, I'm sorry but that's a complete joke and is stupid.

[elvis15]

That law is only applicable if one is doing less than the maximum posted speed limit.

There are a few laws however that come into play when a vehicle is trying to "push" someone out of the way as they want to drive faster than the speed limit. These include (but may not be limited to as I'm not a law expert):

- tailgating

- speeding

- reckless driving

Obviously someone driving recklessly or tailgating is completely unnecessary, but the car ahead that's going slower should still be respectful of other drivers at all times and themselves obey the slower traffic keep right law. Because someone is speeding (effectively breaking the law) behind you doesn't mean you can ignore the laws you're also responsible for (keeping right in this example).

Besides, why would you want to be in a lane where people are going faster to the point where you're getting annoyed by them? Especially since you've said yourself the extra speed doesn't make up time in any significant way?

[Jägermeister]

Keep right except to pass. No exception.

Doing otherwise, no matter your intentions, just creates further havoc. Dont try to play speed enforcer.

[Heretic]

Keep right except to pass. It's also the law. Too bad it's lacking in enforcement. I would happily endorse a crackdown, and it could easily just as easily be called distracted driving. (Handy tip for those that don't get that, you should also be aware of what's BEHIND you, and your general suroundings, such as wide open spaces in front, and a big line up behind you, should be a clue that you should move to the right as you are not passing, your preventing others from doing so).

You need to look at the "law":

"On multi-lane roadways, the standard is to use the “Slower Traffic Keep Right” sign. Using the “Keep Right Except to Pass” sign tends to force drivers into the right lane which is not desirable on high volume urban highways where all lanes must be used to handle capacity. Outside of B.C., the “Keep Right Except to Pass” sign is used on passing and climbing lanes on 2 lane rural highways."