" In these states, the speed limit indicates the optimal safe speed to travel at on that road."
REALLY? That's come as some shock to me. I thought there was a speed limit both ways. ie, you must go below this speed but above this speed (the 'above' being to stop mopeds riding on the motorway). I've never heard of an advisable optimal speed as that would be a judgement from the driver himself - so long as he does not exceed the limit. That might explain why I was overtaken by lorries doing about 90 in the pouring rain on the way from orlando to florida! I still find myself deeply sratching my head bout this though! Are you positively sure? -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Phil Chernack Sent: 25 January 2005 15:11 To: U.S. Metric Association Subject: [USMA:32077] RE: red circle speed limit Not necessarily. Some states have prima facie (on the face of it) speed limits. In these states, the speed limit indicates the optimal safe speed to travel at on that road. It is legal to exceed the limit when conditions permit. Of course, the amount you are allowed to exceed it is a judgment call by both the driver and law enforcement officer. Other states have de facto speed limits where it is illegal to exceed the posted limit. As I stated before, a red circle is a restriction. Your activity is restricted rather than prohibited as in a "No Right Turn" or "No Parking" sign utilizing a circle with a slash. It's semantics but a distinction nonetheless. Phil -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of David King Sent: Tuesday, January 25, 2005 10:00 AM To: U.S. Metric Association Subject: [USMA:32076] RE: red circle speed limit Of course the red circle IS a prohibition, it indicates on a speed limit sign that it is prohibited to exceed the stated speed limit. David King ** Get Fast Broadband from �14.99 ** http://tinyurl.com/5y7mf Excellent web hosting and email http://www.1and1.co.uk/?k_id=3899401 Phil Chernack wrote: >As per my post on 1/20: >"In the newest MUTCD the metric speed limit signs are a hybrid of the >American and international styles of signs. The major difference is >that instead of a red circle, the sign uses a black one. The original >proposal was for a red circle but some uninformed people felt that >drivers would misinterpret the red circle as a prohibition rather than >a restriction. The >compromise reached was the black circle." > >Phil > >- > > >
