Speed Limits

This is a letter to the editor I recently (2008/09/03) wrote:
(Note: All locations mentioned are in Waterloo Region in southern Ontario, Canada)

Here we are, another school year and another round of complaints about speed limits. A lot of people on television and in the newspaper say that they personally obey speed limits and that limits should be enforced rigorously. If you have driven any length of time you know that most people ignore the speed limit or view it as a guide! It has been found that people generally drive the design speed for roadways regardless of the limit. That is why people speed so much on roads like Dundas Street in Cambridge, Fountain Street near the airport, the 401 and other roadways.

When people perceive speed limits to be arbitrary and unwarranted they will ignore them. Furthermore, it brings all speed limits into disrepute even where they are warranted. The governments and the police have no-one to blame but themselves. In 2003, the BC government released a report recommending the 85th percentile as the safe speed limit target and reset a lot of limits – some higher and some lower. Unfortunately our speed limits are set politically and as knee-jerk reactions to an accident. When I drive in the rural areas of the Region, vehicles regularly pass me in 80 km/hr zones doing speeds at what I would estimate to be 110 – 120 km/hr. Why do they drive so fast? They drive so fast because they do not believe in the speed limit. If you want a realistic limit, ignore all the political pressure, the special groups with axes to grind and just observe how fast people actually drive.

The problem is that unnaturally low speed limits frustrate drives and encourage drivers to speed. There will always be those who pedantically observe the speed limit regardless of conditions. Of course the drivers behind will eventually become frustrated and take stupid chances to overtake. This is behavior I have observed on a regular basis on our roads. A good example of an artificially low limit is where Fountain Street is 70 km/hr. It is an urban road, reasonably good condition with no sharp bends. Very few houses are located along it. When I first got my license (before metrification), that was a 60 mph roadway. Since then, the road has undergone significant improvements. People speed on this road on a regular basis – when they do get behind somebody actually doing the limit they usually ride their bumper and follow too closely because there is no space place to pass.

When the Breslau bypass was opened the limit was 70 km/hr. Later on it was upped to 80 km/hr to encourage more people to use the roadway. Actually, the limit should be more like 100 km/hr. Now if that doesn’t underscore how arbitrary and political our speed limits are, nothing will.

Report: Posted Speed Limits and Speed Limit Setting Practices in British Columbia (Spring 2003)

Traffic

I am a commuter. I drive everyday I work. It is true that I do not have travel very far in the grand scheme of things - about 24km (About 15 miles for those of you that are metrically challenged). In days gone by I drove a lot more - commuted 50 km to the office and then visited customers. Back in the 90s I was clocking over 50,000 km per year in Southern Ontario.

During all this driving, I made quite a few observations on the various driving styles around Ontario. Now I'm driving less I reflect on them... oh yes, I currently live in Waterloo Region. I don't know what the problem is, but Waterloo Region seems to have worst drivers in Southern Ontario! And that is saying a lot!!!

Now lately, the good citizens of Waterloo Region have been terrorised by.... wait for it... ROUNDABOUTS!!!!!

Now, I know what you're thinking - aren't roundabouts the cute little things they have in the UK and Europe? Well, yes they are! However, it would seem that it taxes the ability of the average driver to navigate one of these things.

In theory, it sounds easy - yield to traffic and enter the circle when it is safe to do so. Then exit the roundabout at the appropriate exit. However, I have seen people attempt to turn left, slam on their brakes and stop for no apparent reason and hug the fender of the person in front of them so no-one else can enter the roundabout!

So here is a standard roundabout - looks easy doesn't it! Saves fuel and reduces serious accidents, injuries and death. Still, some people object to them. The don't understand then or find them confusing or initimidating.

Gosh! I've even driven these things in the opposite direction in the UK - not so hard! Hmmm.... so what is the problem? Are Canadians dumber than Europeans and the British. Do we not think as fast or clearly? Somehow I don't think that our mental acuity is the issue.

The issue is our attitude and training. I routinely see people roll through stop signs and blow through red-lights around here. These same people come to a screeching halt at the roundabout yield sign. Admittedly it has been awhile since my drivers training, but I believe the "Yield" sign means exactly that - slow down, yield the right-of-way and proceed when it is safe. There is nothing about slamming on the brakes!

A big problem is that people don't start paying attention soon enough. When you have reached the entrance to the roundabout, it is too late! By the time you have reached the entrance, you should have observed the traffic in the roundabout and matched your speed so you can merge into the traffic on the roundabout.

But of course people are too busy busy talking on the cell phone, drinking their coffee or latte or fiddling with the radio. If you find roundabouts confusing, it's probably because you're not paying enough attention which makes you a lousy driver - and you're going to injure somebody eventually.

The picture above is of something called the "Magic Roundabout" in Swindon, England. You could keep looping around indefinitely. There are 5(!) mini-roundabouts arranged around the main and 6th roundabout. People drive this monster every day in heavy traffic!

Now, if you find our simple roundabouts confusing, hang your head in shame!!!!