Alberta Politics & Government Thread 3.0

[Weitz]

If I can go 120 on a highway in BC there’s zero reason I shouldn’t be able to on our straight highways.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

I think the biggest issue with raising speed limits and assuming most people will rise 10k above that is that it can result in a large speed delta between most people traffic and the slow movers. Semi's can't necessarily go that fast, campers shouldn't, school buses...lol. You can mitigate this with enough lanes, but with two it can end up being a bit of a hazard.

Most jurisdictions have lower speed limits for trucks though creating large speed deltas. In a place like Germany the differentials can be staggering.

[Tiger]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

I think the biggest issue with raising speed limits and assuming most people will rise 10k above that is that it can result in a large speed delta between most people traffic and the slow movers. Semi's can't necessarily go that fast, campers shouldn't, school buses...lol. You can mitigate this with enough lanes, but with two it can end up being a bit of a hazard.

not to go into the fact that increases at already higher speeds doesn't really save much time, just increases risk with little return on time

120km verses 110 saves 13.6 min traveling from calgary to edmonton... not really much of a change.

[puffnstuff]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

I think the biggest issue with raising speed limits and assuming most people will rise 10k above that is that it can result in a large speed delta between most people traffic and the slow movers. Semi's can't necessarily go that fast, campers shouldn't, school buses...lol. You can mitigate this with enough lanes, but with two it can end up being a bit of a hazard.

There are still large trucks that are governed to 90 or 100 kmh. Ive seen the stickers on the back of them when I go past.

[Whynotnow]

Originally Posted by TorqueDog

Yes, if you reduce the gap between the slowest moving vehicles and the fastest ones by raising the floor, the average speed will go up. That's just a product of recalculating an average when you take out the lowest numbers from the data.

Again, this conclusion does not automatically follow. In a vacuum, sure, you can say higher speed presents with higher risk, but we're talking about real-world situations, and what matters is variance, not the absolute number on the speedometer. Collisions are far more likely when there's a wide gap between the fastest and slowest vehicles. If higher limits bring everyone's speeds closer together, you actually reduce that risk. We're not talking about cranking the speed limit to match the black Ram driver.

The data consistently shows that when limits are properly aligned with how people already drive, crash rates stay the same or even decline. It's when you have slow drivers acting as moving chicanes and impatient drivers weaving around them that things get messy.

A broken clock is correct twice a day, this is one of those times. [shrug]

Variance is a factor but higher speeds are higher risk, that fact is irrefutable. Longer stopping distances, less time for reaction and higher collision forces all increase the outcomes of collisions. Is it material at 110 vs 120 vs 130? That needs be determined and based on evidence not some online survey from these idiots.

The data also shows that the speed limit has to align with the road design, traffic volume and makeup, so saying just raise it even further because that’s what people do doesn’t really make it justifiable.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

I think the biggest issue with raising speed limits and assuming most people will rise 10k above that is that it can result in a large speed delta between most people traffic and the slow movers. Semi's can't necessarily go that fast, campers shouldn't, school buses...lol. You can mitigate this with enough lanes, but with two it can end up being a bit of a hazard.

That assumes it will increase 85th percentile speed significantly. I would be t on only a 3-4km increase from going 110-120. I’d also expect enforcement to remain in the 130 range.

[habernac]

Originally Posted by Weitz

If I can go 120 on a highway in BC there’s zero reason I shouldn’t be able to on our straight highways.

There’s no at level crossings on that highway. There’s ####ing tractors crossing highway 2.