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Old 03-04-17, 08:41 AM
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wphamilton
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Originally Posted by Moe Zhoost
No, not very often, and this actually supports the idea of Idaho stops. If most drivers are already treating stops as yields, with few incidents, it shows that full stops are generally unnecessary. My city has been installing traffic circles with yield signs to replace intersections with stop signs. The odd think is that most drivers will stop before entering these circles more frequently than they stopped at the previous configuration.




The 85th percentile rule was rendered null after the passage of the national 55 mph speed limit. Because that limit was ridiculously low on clear, open highways, most drivers flaunted it. This conditioned them to consider any speed limit on any road to be similarly ridiculous. Coupled with the smooth insulated driving comfort of modern cars, the bottom line is that using the 85th percentile will result in speeds well beyond what would be appropriate for mixed traffic.
That 85th percentile rule has always seemed ignorant to me, because a good portion of those 15% speeders just want to go faster than everyone else. Having little or nothing to do with the actual speed, safe conditions or any other factor that should determine speed limits.
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