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The guy in this video thinks speed limits on many stretches of road (he's from Vancouver) are set too low, and it's a bad thing. Most likely the only purpose of it is to supply another tax, and studies suggest roads where the speed limit is lower than where common sense says they should be are dangerous. He makes a supported, well reasoned argument. Also entertaining which is a plus.

   

What would you do if youtube ever stopped working or went offline.

   

Regardless of your opinion of the poster, it is a good video. Homework for fiddlwdog, find a rebuttal.

   

They've done studies in the US.

When the speed is set by driver habits, accident rates drop.

The US saw some significant fatality rate drops when they bumped some highways from 55 mph to 65 mph.

Edit to add:

Optimum speed for a specific roadway (as calculated by USDOT) is the speed that 85-90% of the traffic flows at, regardless of posted limit.

   

He's not funny. But does make good points nonetheless.

To go back to Germany, driver training is the key IMO. The licensing tests there are much more stringent and intensive that here in NA. People can drive down the highway there at 160 kp/h because they know what they're doing. Also the other motorists police themselves and the police use tickets to keep traffic moving. If someone in Germany is going too slow in the left lane, people are up their ass until they change lanes. And if you pass on the right, the cops can give you a ticket.

We don't have that here. We have too many people who go through fly-by-night driving schools who learned how to drive in China or India where the roads are anarchy. And we see the results.

One thing to consider is this. The video is right; speed kills your pocketbook....via increased gas consumption. You go faster you burn more gas. That's why a lot of speed limits (at least on highways) are what they are.

Ultimately, the video is right. A lot of speed limits are somewhat arbitrary and 99% of people ignore them. But how much would you trust other drivers with upgraded speed limits?

   

So, on the 407, that transits the GTA that I commute on every day, the speed limit should be 130 -135 k.p.h. ... the usual highway speed. I will admit that it is extremely rare to see an accident on it.

   

To be a good driver was never about one's ability to understand signs, just other drivers. Understand the environment you are in and react accordingly to that information before you start your interpretation of the "by-the-book" road rules.

   

You act appropriately in the context. If you stick to 100 KPH on a highway that moves at 130KPH you will get hit from behind by a cement truck ... and the human race will become a tad bit smarter after than happens.

   

So I'm driving at 80kmph and a brick wall jumps out in front...I'm dead.

So I'm driving at 160kmph and a brick wall jumps out in front...am I now twice as dead.

   

D'oh....if you were doing 160kmph you would have been well past the spot where the brick wall jumped out.....

   

   

That's the main problems with all libertarian theories. They assume that everyone will behave logically and in the best interest of everyone else. Reality dictates otherwise. Just like the economy or financial system, all it takes is one or two sociopaths who genuinely do not care about anything but themselves and the entire theory collapses. Ditto with getting rid of speed limits. Sounds great on the empty highway, but we all know what will happen if it ever were to be implemented. All it takes is one jackass, and I'm fairly certain that there's a lot more than one jackass out there waiting to ruin everything for everyone else.

And a highly-structured, regulated, well-trained, and self-disciplined culture like Germany can't be compared to other places. Try the autobahn concept in high-octane of selfishness place like North America and it's a recipe for pure carnage.

   

Mmmm. Dodgy logic.

There is a multitude of evidence readily available that the faster impact speed (of a vehicle vs other object) the higher the risk of fatality.

http://www.swov.nl/rapport/Factsheets/UK/FS_Speed.pdf

It’s not a mystery that the quicker an object travels, the more kinetic energy it possesses. The more energy a mass builds up, the greater the energy release on impact. As in the faster you go the more damage you cause.

No need for 15 minute youth-tube learning moment. Just basic physics.

   

The dangerous idiots ae already dangerous idiots. Increasing speed limits is unlikely to create more of them.

   

Increasing the speed limit will create more dead idiots and present a bigger hazard for the non-idiots driving safely.

   

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