Path: utzoo!lsuc!ncrcan!hcr!larry
From: larry@hcr.UUCP (Larry Philps)
Newsgroups: ont.general
Subject: Re: Highway Driving Rules
Message-ID: <400@hcr.UUCP>
Date: 25 Apr 89 21:06:50 GMT
References: <8904061731.AA21685@ellesmere.csri.toronto.edu>
Reply-To: larry@zeus.UUCP (Larry Philps)
Distribution: ont
Organization: HCR Corporation, Toronto
Lines: 34

It is interesting, that I consider myself to be a good law abiding citizen.
I am sure that most of you consider yourselves to be the same.  Yet for all
that, there is one law a break regularily - speed limits.  Don't you also?

As I though I understood it, the government should be passing, and thus
enforcing, laws that reflect the desires of the majority of the population.
(Pretty naive view eh?)  However, all you have to do it spend a short time
driving on any major highway to see that the majority of the population is
not at all in agreement with the speed limits.  A great deal of the zigzaging
that takes place is done to get around people who are already breaking the
law by going too fast.

I drive up to Owen Sound a lot, and thus take good old highway 10 (speed limit
80) between Orangeville and Chatsworth.  In the summer, if I drive less than
105kph, I get passed by everybody!  Not just in legal areas either.  I get
passed up hills, around blind corners and the like.  I ended up on the
shoulder twice last summer to let some bozo doing an illegal pass to get back
in before he hit the car coming head on.

In my opinion the speed limits are too low.  In Michigan a couple of years
ago they raised the highway limits from 55mph to 65mph.  The average speed on
the highways increased from (something like) 66mph to 68mph.  The majority of
the people just won't drive 70mph, it feels too fast.  I say we should raise
the limits to something the majority of the population are willing to
accept.  A fair percentage of the people who are "good law abiding citizens"
will then speed up to the new limits and a great deal of the reckless passing
with cease.

Anybody else agree?  Maybe I will send a copy of my tirade to my MP.  His
garbage can is probably empty :-)

Larry Philps                             HCR Corporation
130 Bloor St. West, 10th floor           Toronto, Ontario.  M5S 1N5
(416) 922-1937                           {utzoo,utcsri,uunet}!hcr!larry