I think it's you who is eating crow. First, the speed limits are set based on GOVERNMENT sponsored traffic studies, which are deliberately inaccurate, due to political pressure to keep it that way (legislators don't want to hear that the speed limit SHOULD be 85MPH, for example). Second, even in the link you provided, it is flat out stated that the *posted* speed limits don't match their flawed traffic surveys:
Watch your speed when driving at night!! 2964jaybird Yeah, like when there a construction zone that magically never has any construction equipment or personnel, the limit is set 20mph lower than the limit on either side, and fines...
" This speed is subject, of course, to downward revision based upon such factors as: accident experience, roadway geometrics, and adjacent development. "
In actual practice, this means that the local officials are going to post whatever they damn well want to on the roadside, and it will have no relation at all to any traffic survey. If someone challenges it, they have a ready excuse . . . "roadway geometrics, accident experience, or adjacent development", which could apply ANYWHERE. If there has been ONE accident on the road in the past 100 years, not necessarily related to speed, the posted speed limit drops 30MPH.
In other words, the "traffic study" concludes that the 30th percentile speed is actually the 85th percentile speed, and then that new "85th percentile" speed is rounded down 10 or 20MPH to the ZERO percentile speed, and THAT is what is actually posted. Still waiting, Scott. -Dave
