I don’t think I’m autistic. But it tickles my brain that the speed limit is one USian law that is designed to NOT be followed literally.
If it were, it would be trivial to use automatic toll reader cameras to give everyone who speeds a ticket. They have a time stamp when you enter the toll road. They have a time stamp when you exit. They can calculate mathematically that if your average speed is higher than the limit, you broke the speed limit.
But they don’t do this, because society does NOT believe in following this specific law (speed limits)… because why exactly?
There is an unwritten rule in society that the speed limit law is not meant to be followed literally?
Well if the limit was actually meant as a limit, they could at least send an automatic warning.
This seems to send the message that the speed limit isn’t a limit at all, it is just informational, and also an excuse for police to pull anyone over for any subjective reason.
Another factor that hasn’t been mentioned yet is it gives cops pretty unilateral right to pull you over if they feel like it. IANAL, but in many places it’s illegal for a cop to pull you over just for “being suspicious”, but because of speeding and various other traffic laws on the books that are almost universally ignored, they can pull you over for speeding, then decide you seem suspicious and search your car, breathalyze you, etc.
Keep in mind police in the United States don’t have to prove someone was speeding. There is no photographic evidence or logged speed reading. If a cop says you were speeding, according to their “justice” system, you were speeding. End of story.
They don’t do it because the U.S. has good standards for what is a crime.
For example cops can’t tailgate you then give you a ticket for speeding.
Additionally, doing this only on freeways would probably make the roads less safe as drivers would go faster on surface streets. Thr 65mph speed limit was set in the 1950s by 1950s white men for 1950s cars. Freeways are safer than surface streets by multiple factors of 10.
When I was 4, I asked to see the book of laws. You know, the thing that determines whether you live free or in prison, the things that lays out all the things you actually have to do. The absolute list of things that must be followed to exist within our society
I’m still more baffled than my parents were then that there is no such book, and that it is not a book all adults must obviously have simple and continued access to
A federal effort to just fucking count the number of federal laws in effect stopped well in the six digits before the effort was essentially declared impossible
You’re not coming to terms with anything yet. Your eyes have cracked open ever so slightly and you’re desperately trying to close them again
I speak this all without judgement in the nature of compassion and desire for understanding. I can put it more plainly but you’re approaching the truth on your own, and you will gain deeper understanding arriving to the obvious conclusions yourself
I had a political science professor who used to say that while all societies had a system of justice, that was the topic of the 200 level class, it was so difficult, and so we wouldn’t be talking about it in his 100 level international politics class.
I never took his 200 level class, and to this day I wonder…
No body is driving perfect, speedometers aren’t perfect, and such automatic devices aren’t perfect nor can they identify the driver yet. I believe they use these elsewhere like UK… But most likely have a bit of wiggle room
It may be necessary to speed up to avoid or pass something reasonably and ultimately the speed limit is so for most conditions. In a 70 it may be reasonable to do 80 on a clear, sunny day with minimal traffic. After all it’s still 70 at dark when your visibility is cut way back. Plus it can’t be a hard rule given weather conditions, traffic speed differentials, etc… 70 may be too fast or otherwise.
It’s not that big of a deal unless you’re the one driving too fast or slow relative the everyone else.
I don’t think I’m autistic. But it tickles my brain that the speed limit is one USian law that is designed to NOT be followed literally.
If it were, it would be trivial to use automatic toll reader cameras to give everyone who speeds a ticket. They have a time stamp when you enter the toll road. They have a time stamp when you exit. They can calculate mathematically that if your average speed is higher than the limit, you broke the speed limit.
But they don’t do this, because society does NOT believe in following this specific law (speed limits)… because why exactly?
There is an unwritten rule in society that the speed limit law is not meant to be followed literally?
I hate it.
The other aspect is that we typically are against automated enforcement regardless of the law.
We typically want people to be in the loop. If there were more visible traffic cops, people tend to slow down to the limit.
Well if the limit was actually meant as a limit, they could at least send an automatic warning.
This seems to send the message that the speed limit isn’t a limit at all, it is just informational, and also an excuse for police to pull anyone over for any subjective reason.
Automated enforcement just invites cities to do extremely vile things like kill people by lowering yellow light durations.
Autonomous weapons go brrr
Another factor that hasn’t been mentioned yet is it gives cops pretty unilateral right to pull you over if they feel like it. IANAL, but in many places it’s illegal for a cop to pull you over just for “being suspicious”, but because of speeding and various other traffic laws on the books that are almost universally ignored, they can pull you over for speeding, then decide you seem suspicious and search your car, breathalyze you, etc.
Keep in mind police in the United States don’t have to prove someone was speeding. There is no photographic evidence or logged speed reading. If a cop says you were speeding, according to their “justice” system, you were speeding. End of story.
"You were going fifty-five in a fifty-fo’ "
They don’t do it because the U.S. has good standards for what is a crime.
For example cops can’t tailgate you then give you a ticket for speeding.
Additionally, doing this only on freeways would probably make the roads less safe as drivers would go faster on surface streets. Thr 65mph speed limit was set in the 1950s by 1950s white men for 1950s cars. Freeways are safer than surface streets by multiple factors of 10.
There’s lots and lots of laws like that
Like perjury. It’s almost never pursued, the judge will just order your testimony ignored
Or paying your taxes. You’re basically expected to do your best to cheat, especially if you’re a corporation
Yeah I’m trying to accept that there are laws like this :/
When I was 4, I asked to see the book of laws. You know, the thing that determines whether you live free or in prison, the things that lays out all the things you actually have to do. The absolute list of things that must be followed to exist within our society
I’m still more baffled than my parents were then that there is no such book, and that it is not a book all adults must obviously have simple and continued access to
A federal effort to just fucking count the number of federal laws in effect stopped well in the six digits before the effort was essentially declared impossible
You’re not coming to terms with anything yet. Your eyes have cracked open ever so slightly and you’re desperately trying to close them again
I speak this all without judgement in the nature of compassion and desire for understanding. I can put it more plainly but you’re approaching the truth on your own, and you will gain deeper understanding arriving to the obvious conclusions yourself
I had a political science professor who used to say that while all societies had a system of justice, that was the topic of the 200 level class, it was so difficult, and so we wouldn’t be talking about it in his 100 level international politics class.
I never took his 200 level class, and to this day I wonder…
If that happened people would avoid toll roads which means there won’t be enough toll income.
Or they could make the speed limit law an appropriate limit, rather than something everyone exceeds
Prima fascie.
No body is driving perfect, speedometers aren’t perfect, and such automatic devices aren’t perfect nor can they identify the driver yet. I believe they use these elsewhere like UK… But most likely have a bit of wiggle room
It may be necessary to speed up to avoid or pass something reasonably and ultimately the speed limit is so for most conditions. In a 70 it may be reasonable to do 80 on a clear, sunny day with minimal traffic. After all it’s still 70 at dark when your visibility is cut way back. Plus it can’t be a hard rule given weather conditions, traffic speed differentials, etc… 70 may be too fast or otherwise.
It’s not that big of a deal unless you’re the one driving too fast or slow relative the everyone else.
There are plenty of stories in our folklore of times people sped 100+ just to get to the emergency room on time.
Should be a valid excuse for breaking the law!