ed_m wrote:
SafeSpeed wrote:
My answer is: Speeding is a side effect of the safe driving process.
i'm not completely sure i buy this.
cameras not withstanding, i make a concious effort to keep track of what the limit is.
and knowing this i (sometimes) make a concious choice to exceed it depending on the road & conditions amnd a zillion other (yes maybe subconcious) variables.... the amount to which i choose to exceed it also varies based on the above.
i guess it depends on the kind of road you travel on... 50% of the time (i.e. in town & on NSL lanes) i'd say i run on subconcious speed choice with the limit being mostly a periperal concern.
the other 50% on free flowing mways, DC & major SC the max speed my subconcious would go to may be significantly beyond the limit.. hence my choice is governed by a perceived acceptable margin over the limit for that particular road.
and in the case of approaching a bend on a major SC road i would say yes i do switch easily between the two methods of speed selection.
I reckon you're thinking about the wrong sorts of hazards, and the wrong sort of performance failure.
Lets say kids playing on the pavement well ahead. As you get closer your concern rises, and as you get very close, one runs out suddenly from the group.
I'm pretty sure that I'd first lift off LATER (but maybe not by much) if I was trying to drive to the speed limit. There HAS to be a mode switch and it has to take time and resources.
The bend is a bad example, because it isn't (normally) an accident risk situation - it just 'normal driving' and you have plenty of time to adjust to the requirements of the bend.