Not metric, but relevant to speed limit discussion: In my native Commonwealth of Massachusetts, birthplace of road rage, where the fender bender is legal tender, there is the fundamental speed law, which roughly states that, unless otherwise posted, speed shall be "reasonable and proper for existing conditions." In practice, be ready for anybody to do anything. Just as Sheikh Ilderim told Judah Ben-Hur in the 1959 movie, "There is no law in the arena. Many are killed." The real "fundamental speed law" is "I am the only car on the road. Go intercourse thyself."
----- Original Message ----- From: "Stephen Humphreys" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, January 25, 2005 09:36 Subject: [USMA:32079] RE: red circle speed limit > " 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 > > > >- > > > > > > > >
