Monday, July 19, 2004

Speed limits on Federally-funded highways

I support a tiered system of speed limits on highways built even in part with Federal funds.

If a citizen owns an automobile or motorcycle that is engineered to cruise safely at 100 miles per hour, and he is willing to insure it for such driving habits, and his insurer offers coverage for such driving habits, and the road and traffic can tolerate it, and the State will go along with it, I want the Federal government to get out of the way and let it happen.

It is a State matter and a free country. If she wants, Colorado can issue special hot-pink license plates, with transponders built in that identify the vehicle as a lawful 100mph platform whenever a police radar strobes them. Colorado can charge $1000 a year for it and there will be takers, enough to support the costs of enforcing the program, with some money left over to fund some pet guilt program. That's Colorado's business. I support the idea if it can be made pay-as-you-go.

2 Comments:

At 6:58 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm not sure about the statement "insuring it for such driving habits". Many driver controlled habits increase risk to insurers. Following too close. Not signaling. Running red lights. Cell phone chatting. All of which are ticketable, but not added to insurance premiums up front ala carte. Unless these other "priviledges" are front loaded, I don't want to pay more for my vice of choice.

A couple things I would like to see. It is far to easy to get a drivers liscense. I understand that people need to get to work and much revenue is generated from vehicle ownership and usage. But I want more stringent practical and written exams to weed out the completely undeserving. We call driving a priviledge, only the joke is that we are not earning it through our current testing. If only 10-15% of drivers were removed from the road, based on traffic density alone that should make the roads safer. Especially since the high risk types comprise that group. And insurance premiums should drop as risk will drop with both factors as well.
Now I would be willing to pay Colorado additional tags and liscense fees for increasing speed limits on interstates and highways. Capped at say 100mph. And not paying more than say 500 hundred more than we do now. Charge only those of us who choose to and give us our special "Red" plates.
The revenue can go to additional public transportaion costs as needed for the now walking employed. Which means more jobs. Or for whatever. If .5 million take it which is probably 20% of coloradans, that it 250 million dollars to go 25 to 35mph faster on purpose built roads. But giving added time and driving pleasure to us better qualified drivers.
And I'm fine with increasing the penalties for severe traffic infractions as well. Basically, loosen up the rules and let me and my personal ORM skills decide daily on what I'm willing to do. With greater responsibilities/liabilities will come those greater priviledges.


GBR

 
At 6:55 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

He stresses, though, that he's running for a Federal office, as a Federalist. He wants to get the Federal government out of the business of regulating highway speed limits, so States can do what they want.

So if Fuz succeeds, you can work toward whatever speed limit regulatory scheme in your state that you want.

 

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