mardi 15 septembre 2009

Speed limit

The Montreal Gazette has a column called "Squeaky Wheels" dedicated to public transportation woes.  Yesterday a writer complained about how drivers respecting the posted speed limits were impeding traffic and made him pass them either to the left or, on three lanes highways, by the right thus causing him to breach the law.  And he signed with his full name.
Now I must surmise that this guy is, in advance, pleading guilty to any speeeding ticket he could get.  If the driver ahead drives at the posted speed limit then anyone passing him is driving over the speed limit and is guilty of a trafic violation no matter from what side he passes the car ahead of him.
How weird can you get?

8 commentaires:

  1. Maybe the speed limit is too low and the guy got nervous. I got nervous too in the States sometimes. Such a huuuge country, with endless highways, and gigantic cars obliged to drive like snails. Not that here speed limits are much better, but at least Italy is maybe smaller than just Texas. As far as I know Germany is an exception in Europe, and drivers in motorways drive at whatever speed they like.

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  2. MoR, our roads are no autobahns. Most were built we a definite optimum speed in mind and that speeed was 100Km/h on 6 lanes panoramic autoroutes or 80 to 90 on smaller roads. We do not, in general, have staright as an arrow roads and in winter the curves become killers.
    If I recall, Germany has huge pile-ups on it's roads and France had to install automatic radars to lower the death rate due to speed.

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  3. I'd hate to drive in Europe. Reducing speed limits has saved many lives on our highways. Sometimes, we all have to slow down because of road conditions; yet, there are some people who think the signs and posted speed limits do not apply to them.

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  4. Exactly Rosaria. I often feel that I am the menace when I drive the speed limit and I get tailgated, passed on solid or even double yellow lines and so on.

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  5. Why are we (collectively) in such a rush? Can we not learn to relax and just take the day as it comes?

    Quelle domage.

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  6. I feel sorry when I see people, even on vacation, portable glued to their ear on the beach or deep into their laptop at a picnic table. Some just can't let go.

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  7. Easy you dear New World people, I am no speed maniac, I couldn't but agree with you. I only see some inconsistency - in every place on earth - when huge engines are allowed to be produced but people are not permitted to use them. Frankly I'd prefer construction of small gear only. Less pollution and money wasted.

    True, European are less mentally organized, and a bit more anarchic maybe. They seldom build motorways with optimum speed in mind. This doesn't regard South Europe only.

    I remember this English guy in Massachusetts who got upset every time he saw how people there drove slowly and orderly. He used to say there was a great tradition of (crazy?) pilots in England lol.

    All the best
    From this side of the West

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  8. Car adds insist on powerful motors, warp speed in seconds and no we can not and do need to have all that. There are race tracks for that.

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