Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site kontron.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxt!houxm!mtuxo!mtunh!mtung!mtunf!ariel!vax135!cornell!uw-beaver!tektronix!hplabs!pesnta!pertec!kontron!cramer From: cramer@kontron.UUCP (Clayton Cramer) Newsgroups: net.politics.theory Subject: Re: Social Order and Mayhem : Re to Cramer Message-ID: <346@kontron.UUCP> Date: Mon, 8-Jul-85 18:32:23 EDT Article-I.D.: kontron.346 Posted: Mon Jul 8 18:32:23 1985 Date-Received: Sat, 13-Jul-85 10:22:54 EDT References: <674@whuxl.UUCP> <2380080@acf4.UUCP> <382@spar.UUCP> Organization: Kontron Electronics, Irvine, CA Lines: 24 > > >Although I cannot predict that *this particular speeder* will crash > > >by exceeding the speed limit or by going as fast as he might given > > >no speed limit, statistics can predict with a fair amount of certainty > > >that when the average speed of *many people* is increased, there will > > >be XX greater accidents and deaths. > > > > > > tim sevener > > > > Does this mean that we should make the speed limit 0, thereby eliminating all > > traffic accidents? Of course not. But where do you draw the line? > > Why 55? > > Mike Sykora > > If an arbitrary speed limit of 55 is empirically superior to no speed limit > in terms of aggregate fuel burned, aggregate accidental damage, and aggregate > time spent by people in transit (once accidents and jams are taken into > account), then it seems pretty clear that from a pragmatic point of view > the arbitrary speed limit produces more satisfactory results than no speed > limit, regardless of whether it was arrived at by science or chance. > Operative word there is "if". It seems clear to me that 55 is not optimal for most of the Western United States, with the possible exception of cities. In fact, most people out here disagree about how optimal 55 mph is, and vote with their right foot against it every day.