Slow Down, Breathe Easier

Raising speed limits make no sense, since drivers are allowed 19 KPH over with no ticket, So raising the speed limit raised the speed on high way 19 to 139 KPH and many are addicted to this, as are impaired and distracted drivers .

How to change this -vote in 2017, for change. It's a tough sell -many like their I phones , a few drinks or tokes and need to get to places quickly. When there is crash -it is road conditions.

I would feel safer on our roads if it was not the BC Liberals Wild west approach.

Tim, you and many of the haters of higher speed limits often launch objections which are predicated by a false assumption which is that speeds will rise with a rise in limits. I'll give you that average speeds may rise a bit, but 85th percentile speeds will not. You can see this proof in other jurisdictions and on BC highways where limits have been raised in the past. Remember that the idea is to set speed limits at the upper end of safe travel speed which is determined by observing speeds which are already being travelled. Further, remember the desired outcome is to reduce speed variance (the difference in travel speeds) which creates more uniform flow of traffic (along with some left lane discipline). I'd argue that smoother flowing traffic will reduce fuel consumption. Do you disagree? Then there's another little issue that bears discussion and that is that most in BC really don't care about the fuel they consume as you can see from the vehicles they drive. My latest vehicle does somewhere between 5.5 and 7 ltrs per 100 kms. I could drive that vehicle flat out (almost double the speed limit) and still get better fuel economy than my truck gets. So it's an argument that doesn't wash with many, seeing as we still allow people to make choices when it comes to their chosen vehicles.

Everybody has got an opinion about what a speed limit should be. Drivers do too and they all vote with their right feet.

Most of them will agree on a range of speeds and the top end of the range is referred to as the 85th percentile. That's where limits should be set and that's where North America, and BC lately have been heading after years of insurance industry and special interest, and I include law enforcement in that group, meddling.

The slower is better crowd fall all over themselves rationalizing their opinions.

DriveSmartBC, if the root of your bias is really curbing greenhouse gases lately, I take it you don't eat meat? You do realize the biggest cause of greenhouse gases on the planet is the consumption of meat I hope? Rhetorical question, no need to answer.

I also find amusing the comments coming from the same people which are usually something along the lines of  "there's no need for speed" or "what's an extra half hour of drive time"? These comments are laughable when one considers virtually everything we do in modern society is tied into the ability to do a task FASTER or more EFFICIENTLY.

And we confiscate many millions each year from citizens and drivers in BC to do the same for better transportation. BETTER is FAST, EFFICIENT and SAFE.

The best short attention span booklet I have seen on the subject of proper speed limits is put out by the State of Michigan and can be found here. Here's my favourite paragraph:  

"Isn’t a lower speed limit always safer? No, lower speed limits do not necessarily improve safety. The more uniform the speeds of vehicles in a traffic stream, the less chance there is for conflict and crashes. Posting speed limits lower or higher than what the majority of drivers are traveling produces two distinct groups of drivers - those attempting to observe the limit and those driving at what they feel is reasonable and prudent. These differences in speeds may result in increased crashes due to tailgating, improper passing, reckless driving and weaving from lane to lane. Inappropriately established speed limits also foster disregard for other speed limits, traffic signs and signals, and contribute to driver frustration."

It is a known fact that the more time you spend behind the wheel, the more likely you are of getting into an accident. The slower you go, the longer you are on the road with other traffic. This amounts to increasing your chance of getting into an accident. The best situation is to drive at a speed at which you feel most capable of controlling your vehicle. If that speed is slower than other traffic, keep right. Driving isn't complicated. Pay attention and think. Good Luch & stay safe.

Many interesting comments. Driving faster may be more cost effective if you are in the business of travel or transportion, but there is no doubt that emissions increase with increased speed.Even if the trip is shorter the decreased fuel ecomony increases emissions.(read the June issue of Car and Driver)_

That was the subject -and there are many interesting observation on GHG's.

Safety professionals allways have a challenge of keeping safety high on the list of Prorities.The posts on this topic demonstrate the challengs.Going faster improves producitivity but increases risk and impact on the enviroment. If 75mph is good , then 87mph is better-why not 100 mph, if time is the only issue? Productivity seems be the reason for increasing speed limit, with lower priority given to safety and the environment.. 

And No, I'm not staying off high way 19 just because I do the speed limit. I try to be resposnsible.

Look at Fort Mac fires-climate change is here and it's not going away-ever.

Many are motivated to speed to save time.The intent of the article was to reduce impacts on GHG, but time seems always the motivation to push the limits on safety, and the environment,which is a far more complex issue.

One of my own examples of time vs safety is going up on the roof to clean off fir needles and inspect after winter storms. I have a safety line and harness, but it takes an extra 10 minutes to get set up. If it is a small job, I really have to think about the time it takes to follow the rules and be safe. So- I completly understand why people speed.

In my former work place, safety lines and harnesses became a habit after much educataion and some enforcement ,for the few who said it took to long.

On the road , there are the same peope who think that driving near the limit takes too long. Or the limit is too low.

Excessive speed is involved in most fatal traffic accidents.There is need for more enforceemnt and more education to prevent fatal accidents on BC roads.

I do appreciate your candor. 

Somewhat of a compliment to be Tim's ghost writer-the only advocate for road safety in BC. Nice to be accident free in BC for 43 years and still breaking the rules. Me too , 53 years. Good luck is  a big  part of this and wife of 47 years who keeps an eye on me and the "cop cars"-and other drivers.

I could not do the job that Tim and others did, and do in policing -too many nasty and difficult people to deal with, daily.I'm Thankfull that many choose this profession.As an Accident Prevention Supervisor ,I worked with many very competant managers and supervisors and even difficult union reps _I was not very welomed at times -"the bad news bear"-keeping the focus on safety.

New cars are safer, but not drivers. Some years go ,I was a passenger with friends  who could drive fast at above the limit and those who could not- those who could not -crashed. Luckily Iwas not injured as a passenger. I have made some mistakes but never crashed.

When I see Fatal crashes on divided high 19 , I know our leadership has made some mistakes. I know some driver can't drive fast without crashing-been there. This isn't Germany- it is BC -the Wild West.Licenceses in 11 langauges, Photo radar outlawed.

Allways a car enthusiast -I still drive a sport car. Lucky to only have one ticket in my driving history of 340 Dart , 5. 0 and 4.6 Mustangs and now A Corvette.Fast cars-slow driver-mostly.

As an Accident prevention supervisor ,I never celebrated our good safety record , but the efforts to get there.I know beyond any doubt -that fatal accidents are preventable.

I know that my 53 years of driving with one ticket and one minor accident are  mostly good luck and healthy respect for the laws of the land-and my wife, my radar detector .

I'm concerned that the BC Liberals don't get it on excessive speed.