Why, are these government employees underworked? Do they not have enough to do during the day? Are they to get increased pay for increased responsabilty? If not, why is their union so quiet?

Ben, it is one thing to go 140 on a straight highway when the limit is 100, meaning one is 40% over the limit.

It's a highway, there are no houses and driveways left and right, no dogs running off leash and kids crossing where there are no marked pedestrian crossings.

Now, if one goes 40% over the limit on a residential street by going 70, there are driveways left and right, dogs running off leash and kids crossing where there are no marked pedestrian crossings!

I don't recommend breaking the speed limit on a straight highway (clear view of the next 5km or more) or anywhere else but to speed in excess of 40% of the 50 limit on residential streets is bordering on criminal behaviour.

If I would witness a fatal accident caused by such irresponsible driving I would gladly testify in court to put that person behind bars for as long as possible.

Why do we encourage disrespect for the law by allowing speeding above the "maximum"?
Would it not make sense to post a real, higher maximum speed then enforce it to the letter? If it is safe to drive 140, post that speed then ticket anyone at 141. People could learn that they can't exceed that limit and it is serious.
In California, during the oil "crisis" of the seventies, the limits on all roads was set at 55 mph and billboards declared, "55 means 55" and that was seriously enforced by the Highway Patrol. It worked.

That was not only in California, It was mandated by the feds in the USA and most, if not all, states complied. The reason they did was simple: no money from the feds for highway development and maintenance if they did not comply.

One of the things that was shown during that time is that crashes were not reduced. In many cases, especially on long stretches of remote highways in the mid west, the rates increased due to boredom/falling asleep.

The reason why some of the speeds are exceeded is because the road designs combined with the vehicle quality suggest to some that it is safe to push it another 5km, 10km, 15km.

The fact that there has been a reduction in crashes and severity of crashes over the years proves that point. So does the recent announced reduction in ICBC rate. Even though comparable unit repair costs have gone up, the total claims have been reduced.

http://blog.motorists.org/speed-limits-slower-safer

from the above:

"The primary basis for establishing a proper, realistic speed limit is the nationally recognized method of using the 85th percentile speed. This is the speed at or below which 85% of the traffic moves. For example, if 85 of each 100 motor vehicles were recorded at 45 mph or under, then 45 mph is the 85th percentile speed."

"Historically, before and after traffic engineering studies have shown that changing the posted speed limit does not significantly affect the 85th percentile speed. THE DRIVING ENVIRONMENT, WHICH INCLUDES OTHER TRAFFIC ON THE ROAD AND ROADWAY CONDITIONS, IS THE PRIMARY FACTOR WHICH INFLUENCES THE PREVAILING SPEED."

Notice the graph based on accident statistics. The motorist who drives 15mph below the 85 percentile speed (notice that this is not the posted speed) is more likely to be involved in an accident than those who exceed the 85 percentile speed by 15mph.

In fact, those how drive 10mph above have less of a chance of being involved than those who drive 5mph below.

Interesting, isn't it?

Ben, I quite enjoy your opinion and views, quite refreshing most of the time. Makes people think.
However, where did you get the idea that Sheriffs are part of the Correctional Service of B.C.?
"pilot project to allow Sheriffs from the Correctional Service in BC"
They are part of the Attorney Generals Ministry, and Court Services Branch, and now their own entity "Sheriff Services"
They are in the union component with Corrections and that's the only link.
Police officers have for the past 10 years at least, allowed 10 km over as that is the normal flow of traffic. He or she who drives at the posted limit causes frustration which leads to road rage and accidents, which of course does not justify those ends.
Police, in my opinion have allowed the general public to set the standard and of course one has to take in to consideration that the radar equipment may operate plus or minus 3-5 Km.
I really can't see sheriffs adopting another standard without causing the ire of the judicial J.P.s who hear traffic cases.
Having said that, if you're driving down a residential street or school zone, the standard should be and I think is, more strictly enforced.

Summersoul your speedo meter is accurate to 1 k is that correct?

"He or she who drives at the posted limit causes frustration which leads to road rage and accidents, which of course does not justify those ends."

My driving at the posted speed limit (I believe in obeying the law and I don't believe in paying for speeding tickets) causes others to have fits of road rage?

Too bad. That is their problem and not mine. Will I be given a ticket for driving at the posted speed limit or five clicks above to allow for speedometer inaccuracy?

Not very likely and how illegal would that be?

Let them go after the speeders with the psychological road rage problem and not the one who obeys the law! Should I feel guilty for NOT breaking the law ???

SummerSoul, I agree with you to a point, but there are no highways here which are safe for 140km/h. Even if the Cariboo Connector would become a reality (four laned) we wouldn't see anything more than the occasional 110km/h sign.

Since vehicles here are not required to pass bi-annual safety inspections there are some old rusty wrecks travelling our highways that have no proper brakes, have rusted out frames and and other scary short comings.

100km/h is plenty fast enough for these without encouraging them to break speed limits in order for others not to have attacks of road rage!

Cheers!

Highway speed limits are far to low. Expecting someone to drive 800kms @ 100km/h is assinine & is the reason the majority of drivers are comfortable exceeding it. As Gus said, boredom/fatigue is far more dangerous than higher speed. A person who is actually engaged by the driving experience is undoubtably paying more attention than the person noodling along gawping at the scenery.

who cares. Burn that oil. Throw the hammer down 'cause Enbridge will be pipin in all that black gold.

When the U.S. dropped the double nickle and speed limits where increased accidents dropped 30%.

Princegeorge are you one of those people thats stays in the left lane no matter what and speeds up in passing lanes so people have to go hell bent for leather before you slow down again after the passing lane.

Seamutt, I am not one of those! I drive in the right hand lane on a fourlane highway at about 5km/h over the speed limit, just in case my speedometer is reading a bit high.

After passing a slower vehicle I return to the right hand lane and resume my previous speed!

No, and I am not going to ask you if you are one of those that tailgates me within six feet of my rear bumper because that wouldn't be nice!

asome years ago I had the bad fortune of encountering an RCMP officer who gave me a totally undeserved ticket and I had to take a day off work to fight it in court. The ticket was not rescinded but the fine was waived (go figure - justice was done only half ways) but the worst thing was that the officer perjured himself while swearing on the Bible.

Since then I have decided to spare myself any other nerve wrecking experience like that and I drive by the book, even if other drivers have road rage episodes.

If you want me to drive otherwise I will do so only if you would pay any fines on my behalf. You wouldn't do that? I didn't think so.

That's all.

Who cares about road rage, the Sign has Letters on it like "MAXIMUM" not "Minimum", now have all your Problems been solved ?

I never claimed I had a problem, so your comment obviously is for those who have a problem obeying the law.

I think it is stupid to try to eliminate road rage by simply raising the spread between Maximum speed and Now-you-get-a-ticket more and more!

It's a sign of weakness of those responsible for enforcing the law.

It's easy folks, the speed limit is what the sign says. If you want to go faster than that, you risk getting a ticket. If you get the said ticket, don't blame the person enforcing the law, blame the person who controls the gas pedal in the vehicle.

What am I missing other than the fact that some people seem to think they are special and that the rules of the road shouldn't apply to them?

Can I blame the people who arbitrarily set the limit excessively slow?
k thx

You could, but I suspect the traffic court judge would laugh you out of the room, LOL.

Seamut: No, my speedometer is not accurate to the nearest KMH. But why not?
When I lived in Victoria long ago we were required to submit vehicles to rigorous annual inspections. Thanks to the Socreds, these stations were dismantled and anything is allowed on the road that can propel itself.
If we had inspection stations again, they COULD make sure that speedometers were accurate...along with working brakes, lights and other inconsequential accessories.
I drive at the posted speed because it is the law. I am amused at some of the "Law'n Order" crew who howl when given tickets for disobeying this law.