If the fools would just trust the driver and let them decide how fast to drive according to the conditions. The vast majority are responsible people.
This is where the 85th percentile rule used by highways engineers comes from.
This from Washington State Highways Dept. please look under FAQ.
Rules Of the Road
There are specific laws that regulate the way vehicles may use the
public roadways, and a number of associated regulations, policies,
and standards that provide guidance about traffic control device
placement and other procedures.
RCW Chapter 46.61 provides the basic state laws that regulate the
operation of vehicles on public roadways.
Department Regulations
The State Traffic Engineer's Office is responsible for maintaining
specific chapters of the Washington Administrative Code (WAC) that
pertain to traffic control devices (see WAC 468-95), motorist
information signs (see WAC 468-70), outdoor advertising control
(see WAC 468-66), and transit vehicle stop zones (see WAC 468-66).
This office is also responsible for approving traffic regulations on
state highways, including the following: speed limits, bicycle
prohibitions, truck restrictions, HOV lane designations, angle parking
on state and Federal-Aid highways, and parking restrictions for
park-&-ride lots and other parking facilities.
The Regional Administrators are responsible for approving the other
traffic regulations, including the following: permits for traffic
signal installation, reduced regulatory speed limits in work zones,
regulatory speed limits in rest areas, stop control on state
highways, turn prohibitions, pedestrian prohibitions on partial
access controlled highways, roadside parking restrictions, and
prohibitions on fishing from bridges.
MUTCD
The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD)
provides the uniform standards for the application of traffic
control devices for public roadways in Washington. It has
been adopted by the Department as Chapter 468-95 of the
Washington Administrative Code (WAC), as directed by state
law in RCW 47.36.030.
Traffic Manual
The Traffic Manual, M 51-02, is used in conjunction
with the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) by
providing department personnel with interpretive guidance to assure
uniform statewide application of traffic control devices for
traffic operations and design.
Frequently Asked Questions:
How can I get a speed limit changed?
How Speed Limits Are Set
The setting of speed limits on streets and highways is a technical
science backed by many years of research and experience on what
works and doesn't work for the safety and benefit of drivers. We
at the Washington State Department of Transportation are often
approached by citizens who feel that a change in the posted speed
limit is the answer to a safety problem on a specific highway.
Safety is the highest concern in any project we undertake, however
changing the posted speed limit is not always the answer.
If safety isn't behind it, what is the purpose of having speed limits?
Safety is always a factor, but the setting of speed limits is, for
completely practical reasons, more fundamentally influenced by some
basic principles of human behavior. When setting speed zones,
traffic engineers base decisions on several fundamental concepts
proven over the years to be true:
The majority of motorists drive in a safe and reasonable manner.
The normally careful and competent actions of a reasonable person
should be considered legal.
Laws are established for the protection of the public and the regulation
of unreasonable behavior of a few individuals.
Laws cannot be effectively enforced without the consent and voluntary
compliance of the majority.
Research and experience have shown that effective speed limits are
those that the majority of motorists naturally drive, and that
raising and lowering the speed limits doesn't substantially
influence that speed.
But, if you lower the speed limit, people drive slower. Right?
The answer is no, just as people don't automatically drive faster
when the speed limit is raised. These are common misconceptions,
along with the mistaken belief that speed limit signs will
decrease the accident rate and increase safety, and highways with
posted speed limits are safer than unposted highways.
Most people are surprised to learn that the posted speed limits
have less influence on the speed motorists travel than on the
reverse.
You mean motorists influence the speed limit?
Yes, because speed limits that reflect the behavior of the majority
-- keeping in mind that the majority drive in a safe and
reasonable manner -- are more likely to be obeyed.
Speed limits that reflect the behavior of the majority are
determined by what engineers call the "85th percentile speed",
or the speed that 85 out of 100 cars travel at or below. This
method is based on the principle that reasonable drivers will
consider road conditions when selecting their speed of travel.
Studies have consistently demonstrated that there are no
significant changes in the 85th percentile speed following the
posting of revised speed limits.
What if the majority is driving too fast?
What's actually more dangerous is when motorists are traveling at
varying speeds. With speed limits set at the 85th percentile speed,
the speed differential -- or range of travel speeds -- is reduced
so that more vehicles are traveling at near the same speed, with
fewer vehicles traveling at extremely high or low speeds.
Statistics show that roadways with speed limits set at the 85th
percentile speed have fewer accidents than roads where the posted
speed limit is above or below what the majority naturally travels.
What do you mean by "realistic" speed laws?
Realistic speed laws are desirable for a number of reasons:
They invite the public compliance by conforming to the behavior of
the majority and by giving a clear reminder to the non-conforming
violators.
They offer an effective enforcement tool to the police by clearly
separating the occasional violator from the reasonable majority.
They tend to minimize antagonism toward police enforcement of
unreasonable regulations.
They inject an element of logic and reason into an otherwise
arbitrary and often emotional issue.
What is the law regarding speeding in Washington State?
All 50 states have adopted a basic speed law which recognizes that
driving conditions vary widely from time to time and place to place.
No set of fixed driving rules will adequately serve all conditions.
Motorists must constantly adjust their driving behavior to fit the
conditions they meet.
Individuals need to learn this with a minimum of assistance from
the police. The basic speed law is founded on the belief that
most motorists are able to modify their driving behavior properly
as long as they are aware of the conditions around them.
If I think the posted speed limit on a particular highway is wrong, what can be done about it?
Contact the appropriate public agency, the Washington State
Department of Transportation regarding state highways, or your
city or county public works department regarding city or county
roads.
They will conduct engineering and traffic studies necessary for
establishment of speed zones, including prevailing speed studies,
accident history investigations, and investigation of highway, traffic,
and roadside conditions not readily apparent to the driver.
The solution is not to post a speed zone to an unjustifiably low
speed and then expect law enforcement to control the violators by
constant monitoring. Police agencies do not, and indeed can not
afford to lie in wait constantly for speeders in a multitude of
locations.
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