70 MPH speed limit. Better traffic flow?

• thavoice

  Just drove around 2300 miles through 7 states and I believe all but Ohio have a speed limit of 70.
  
  Traffic seemed to flow better in those states than in Ohio with the 65 MPH limit.
  
  My thoughts were that a certain segment of the population will go right around whatever the speed limit is. A certain percentage will always be 80MPH, but a very large middle half feel comfortable and confident driving 70-75 MPH.
  
  So in states where the limit is 70 there are those who will go the limit because that is how they are, and a large middle section that is comfy going 70-75 therefore making the traffic flow alot better. I usually go 70-75 no matter the limit. FOr one, I feel if I go that route I will not get pulled over in a 65 zone, and personally feel comfortable at that limit.
  
  I will say though..that once in Florida man oh man were people flying. I was 75 and people were passing me like I was standing still.
  
  I dont recall seeing many states having a diff limit for trucks. Did I just miss that?
• ts1227

  

  You can go 70 on the turnpike now, which is nice.
  
  No, not many states stagger their truck speed limit, and Ohio did away with that too on interstates only in 2009.
  
  Ohio always gets there regarding laws like this, it just takes them 20 years longer than the rest of the country usually.
• WebFire

  So if I understood, it's not the speed limit that makes traffic congestive, it's people ignoring the speed limit?
  
  I would say letting the trucks run at or within 5 mph of other traffic probably has a more positive affect on traffic flow than the actual speed limit itself. But I haven't done any scientific studies and I do not have links.
• Raw Dawgin' it

  

  I want to experience the autoban just once. Just watched a video of a Porche 911 GT3 hit 199mph on it. We need that system in the states for the fun of driving and population control
• thavoice

  WebFire;836516 wrote:So if I understood, it's not the speed limit that makes traffic congestive, it's people ignoring the speed limit?
  
  I would say letting the trucks run at or within 5 mph of other traffic probably has a more positive affect on traffic flow than the actual speed limit itself. But I haven't done any scientific studies and I do not have links.

  That is one way to look at it. If everyone went the same speed then it should flow nicely. What I am saying is that the states that had a 70 limit seemed to flow better because of the reasons I stated. Those who go the limit added to those who feel safe and confident to got 70-75 make the roads flow better because more are going about the same speed. Instead of having people go 3 diff speeds (limit of 65), 72 or so, and 80 you have most people doing around 72 or 80+...just two diff speeds for the most part
• se-alum

  

  Anyone else notice that people seem to drive faster when they get outside their home state?? When we got down to the beach, I'm always running between 75 and 85, rarely is there ever anyone pulled over.
• Ironman92

  

  agree
  
  
  Montana doesn't have a speed limit does it?
• Con_Alma

  Yes they do but they have night speed limits!
• ts1227

  

  Ironman92;836533 wrote:agree
  
  
  Montana doesn't have a speed limit does it?

  
  They had to institute one after the federal speed limit law was rescinded in the 90s and a few court cases over their "reasonable and prudent" limit . Its like 75 or 80
• thavoice

  se-alum;836532 wrote:Anyone else notice that people seem to drive faster when they get outside their home state?? When we got down to the beach, I'm always running between 75 and 85, rarely is there ever anyone pulled over.

  
  Dont know if that is true but it does seem like it! Always seem like when you get passed by someone flying it is from out of state. wonder if it is because they are usually on longer drives and going alot faster really can add up to get ya there alot quicker!
  
  Seemed like heading to Florida getting kinda close to the beaches...man oh man they were 85 plus for the most part!
• justincredible

  

  Speed limits are stupid. If you can't drive safely at 80-85 mph you shouldn't be driving, period.
• FatHobbit

  

  se-alum;836532 wrote:Anyone else notice that people seem to drive faster when they get outside their home state?? When we got down to the beach, I'm always running between 75 and 85, rarely is there ever anyone pulled over.

  
  It is outside their home state or just outside Ohio?
• Con_Alma

  Maximum speed limit on the highways in Montana is 75.
  
  http://us-highways.com/montana/mtspeed.htm
• Raw Dawgin' it

  

  justincredible;836545 wrote:Speed limits are stupid. If you can't drive safely at 80-85 mph you shouldn't be driving, period.

  
  +1
  
  [video=youtube;-Mg3do2c938][/video]
• se-alum

  

  FatHobbit;836548 wrote:It is outside their home state or just outside Ohio?

  I guess I would have to say outside of Ohio, since I don't really know the speed limits of other states. I just know that once we hit the WV border going down south, it seems like thats the starting line for the race, and everyone just hammers it, then coming back it's like the finish line, and everyone backs down close to the speed limit.
• thavoice

  se-alum;836596 wrote:I guess I would have to say outside of Ohio, since I don't really know the speed limits of other states. I just know that once we hit the WV border going down south, it seems like thats the starting line for the race, and everyone just hammers it, then coming back it's like the finish line, and everyone backs down close to the speed limit.

  
  
  
  I bet it is like that for most states. I thikn many people really believe that the cops are worse in their state than others so feel like when they get out of their home state they are home free with less cops
• lhslep134

  

  I don't see why it wouldn't be a better traffic flow.
• FatHobbit

  

  se-alum;836596 wrote:I guess I would have to say outside of Ohio, since I don't really know the speed limits of other states. I just know that once we hit the WV border going down south, it seems like thats the starting line for the race, and everyone just hammers it, then coming back it's like the finish line, and everyone backs down close to the speed limit.

  
  I agree. My dad was a truck driver at times and he said that some states (including Ohio) are much more strict about traffic laws than others. I'm guessing that's why Ohio is so slow.
• iclfan2

  

  There is no valid reason Ohio highways should not be 70. It is ridiculous. Even worse is that some highways are 55, it feels like you are crawling.
• bogey

  I take I-75 to Florida every summer and you can bet your house that you will see more State Highway Patrolmen in Ohio than in Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida combined! I-71 is just crawling compared to those other states due to this it seems. Plus, you have to be going insanely fast to get a ticket in the southern states.....I was going 85 in Georgia and looked in my mirror as a Statey was coming up behind me. He jumped out one lane and flew right past me without even a thought of pulling me over it seemed.
• gerb131

  

  Since they upped the truck limit they need to up the car limit. Some people wont pass the trucks...
• Mr. 300

  

  I drive I-77 for work every day. Never do I drive under 70, with the cruise usually set at 74. No big deal if you don't go crazy on the speed.
• se-alum

  

  I wonder what the reasoning is for some of the speed limit decisions. For instance, a large part of US 35 between Gallipolis and Chillicothe is 60mph, even w/ a part of that being limited access. Then, just West of Chillicothe on US 35, the speed limit is 65mph. All of this is 4-lane highway. It makes zero sense.
• ts1227

  

  iclfan2;836633 wrote:There is no valid reason Ohio highways should not be 70. It is ridiculous. Even worse is that some highways are 55, it feels like you are crawling.

  
  Many of them in Ohio were 75 before the federal limit was put on in the 70s. When it was lifted, they chose not to go back to them.
• hasbeen

  

  The people driving 5-10 under is what restricts the flow of traffic.