A lot of what you say is true, and I don't know Physics well. But you also forget lots of other advancement: air bags, for one. Brian suggests that speed should change with tech, and I think that means that if the injuries sustained in an accident between two modern cars at 45 mph are the same as that of two older cars colliding at 35 mph, then a 35mph speed limit made during the period of the older cars should be updated to 45 mph today.

Obviously faster speeds increase the danger of the accident, but the laws need to be based on the appropriate risk.

Good point. As much as I hate to admit it, I may have to agree with you. To this point, I was only considering the number of accidents, not the severity. (Though obviously the faster you drive the less time you have to react, so logically the number of accidents will go up past a certain speed).

What?

The idea of developments in safety features for cars is to make cars safer, not so that safety laws can be changed so that overall the number of injuries remains approximately the same.

The mass of cars has been greatly reduced over time. Due to technological advances, we can use lighter materials that are stronger than most materials used when the speed limits were introduced. Not only that, bug older cars (in America at least) are much BIGGER than the average car today.

From what I understand, our speed limits were set during an oil crisis in the 1970's (I may be wrong about the time period). The reason was that lower speeds conserved fuel, which is true. They were supposed to be temporary.When state governments realized how much money they were making from speeding tickets, they were naturally disinclined to remove them. Then there are whole counties or cities that rely almost solely on speeding tickets for their revenue. There is a county that straddles I-10 here in Florida called....I forget. It's up near the panhandle. Anyway, they have a lot of high technology used solely for catching speeders on I-10, which constitutes over 90% of their revenue according to what I've heard from locals.

That's why there was a federal speed limit instituted on highways/freeways, but that's no longer the case. States now choose the speed limits for their highways and freeways

This was a guy in minnesota who got done for going "205mph". He wasn't radar timed though, he was timed "with a stopwatch".
http://www.startribune.com/stories/462/4992111.html

Frankly I'd like to know what he was riding, seeing as you'd have to spend a couple of thousand dollars on a much larger 1300cc Hayabusa to get it to go even 190mph+.



That and he was supposedly doing it down a major thoroughfare regularly filled with vehicles.
http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2004/Sep/040921a.htm

it dont matter dick about what kind of 'defense' you build up without a lawyer, when it comes down to it the judge will favor the cop because hes an upstanding officer protecting and serving while your a punk 17-20 year old male, he has his story and you have yours, you cant prove that he pulled you over this many yards away from whereever because the court will not give two ****s about your findings. Basically go for his certification if anything but your 'defense' is nothing....

Sometimes doing the right thing is hard.

Snoopfighter, try not to be so ignorant or insulting. The judges don't care, they just sit there for 8 hours listening to scores of cases while getting paid $120k a year. They really couldn't care less.

Schming, often times the cop won't even show up to the court. While usually they get paid overtime, often enough the court falls on a day off or vactation time, and they'd rather not spend the two hours of his day for one silly ticket.

What state do you live in? Was it your local five-oh who pulled you over, or was it a state trooper? In California, the CHP tend to be real jerks, but most local policemen will let you go. One time, I got pulled over for speeding, and while the cop was checking my record in his cr, he noticed my tags were expired, and tha my trailer ball was covering up a good deal of my license plate. When he asked for my Drivers License, I realized I had left it at home. I explained about the license (I gave the number, which I have memorized) and told him I paid for the tags, but they haven't been mailed to me yet. He said "Weeeeeell, just be more careful. Watch your speed limits, and take that trailer ball off, ya hear? Have a nice day" (I thought his drawl was funny; I live in suburbia). A CHP officer would have hauled my butt to jail.

If the cop is there, go ahead with your defense, but bear in mind that calling up certificates, training, and other info is a good way to get a cop on your bad side. If it does turn out he has an error, he just may remember "that kid in the [car] who took me to court" for a few months, which is not good.

I have nothing against getting the ticket reduced, or getting it dismissed if the fine is for a speed higher than you were actually going, but you played with fire and got burned, Schming. You risk a speeding ticket every time you speed.

For any who wish, yes, I do 80's in 70 mph zones (highway) and typically go 5 mph above the speed limit in cities.

Speeding laws are preventative measures, because if you actually have an accident you've got a whole other set of problems. Even weaseling out of the ticket will cause Schming to think twice next time he speeds, because he'll remember the hassle. (Or at least make him a little sneakier about it)

Exactly. I have no problem paying the fine, but I would like to exhaust all my options in order not to pay the fine. IT'S PERFECTLY LEGAL TO DO THIS!!!!!!!!! YOU CAN STAND UP TO AUTHORITY AND STILL BE A GOOD PERSON! YOUR PARENTS LIE TO... sorry, got carried away.

but what the hell is up with all the legalists on these boards?

and ya.... i'm a sneaky sneak.

im no legalist im just a 'punk' kid to the michigan judicial system with a red bmw that was speeding, saw a cop pull a u-ie in the other lane, i reacated by turnign off lights and turing down side street, he foudn me anyways but never had his flashing lights on so i figured what i was doing was perfectly LEGAL. I got a fleeing and alluding, anything i said in court was contradicted by that fat ******* of police officer. Sorry and usually HP are alot better then the pigs running our cities, I'll give props to our detroit cops but most suburban higer class cops are just pricks... sorry for my bluntness and crude nature but thats how the court system has treated me.

The quote I posted was just something that came to mind. Hell, I wouldn't want to pay the money either.

Snoop: 5 problems.

1. KID WITH A RED BMW. Target.

2. SPEEDING. Don't do it if you ain't good at it.

3. TURNING OFF LIGHTS. "Hey, it wasn't me speeding, I don't have my lights on."

4. TURNING DOWN STREET. "I live on this street, I swear."

5. COURT SYSTEM. You broke the law. You tried to hide it. It didn't work, so you ran. Where's the problem?

Your unfounded hatred for law enforcement will only get you into more trouble.