93 in a 55 in Rural Virginia

@DismalScientist 92089 wrote:

Ummm… It wasn’t a single lane road. Have you ever driven out west on perfectly straight roads with excellent sight lines? Speeding isn’t like drunk driving.

I’m in that area a lot and bike there often, though I avoid Lee Highway there on a bike other than to cross it. It’s not a single lane road, no. In many places in fact it’s a divided highway of sorts with a large grass or wooded median in the middle. And it’s relatively straight in that area. BUT it rolls a bit and does have some curves. Furthermore, it’s not a restricted access road like an interstate. This is not a case of going 93 on an interstate in Montana. This is a case of going 93 on a road where people are entering the road from their driveways or lots of side-roads. There’s simply no excuse for driving that fast in this sort of place.

@thucydides 92102 wrote:

I’m in that area a lot and bike there often, though I avoid Lee Highway there on a bike other than to cross it. It’s not a single lane road, no. In many places in fact it’s a divided highway of sorts with a large grass or wooded median in the middle. And it’s relatively straight in that area. BUT it rolls a bit and does have some curves. Furthermore, it’s not a restricted access road like an interstate. This is not a case of going 93 on an interstate in Montana. This is a case of going 93 on a road where people are entering the road from their driveways or lots of side-roads. There’s simply no excuse for driving that fast in this sort of place.

There are cyclists who ride it though. The strava heat map proves that, so definitely include them in the discussion. And given the type of road with hills, curves and not much shoulder to speak of, people driving this fast could mean certain death for a cyclist. Something I’m not crazy about, just so some numbnuts can go fast for no apparent reason.

For once I’m kinda proud of VA for having strict rules that hurt drivers. This coming from a guy who just paid DC $100 for a freakin’ speed camera trap for going 11-15 over on the Suitland Parkway at Stanton Rd.*

*Which is ridiculous because anytime I go less than 50 there drivers tailgate the HELL out of me. Oh well…. DC must be raking in the money there.

@dplasters 92083 wrote:

My guess is this has nothing to do with cycling? He disliked comments both pro and negative to the driver in question… so its all I got.

Correct! This is a biking centric forum, and car-only discussions generally don’t belong here; however, I do appreciate the warnings about going 80+ MPH in VA as many drivers are probably not aware of it.

@rcannon100 92121 wrote:

So u gonna start disliking all my posts about puppies?????

But all your puppies ride bikes, so it’s ok.

…All your puppies do ride bikes, right??

Speed doesn’t kill. Bad driving kills. Three years on the Autobahn with a formidable sports car and a German license that was not easy to get taught me that. That said the journalist should have picked another place to test the limits. Summit Point was not far away. Just my two cents.

Haven’t seen many cyclists on the road in question and honestly I would never ride my bike on that road because I don’t want to die over a recreational bike ride. That road, it’s terrain, and the apparent lack of motorist driving skill are not well suited to bikes. Not sure I understand some of the anti-motorist angst or perhaps rage. Forgive me.

@VikingMariner 92129 wrote:

Speed doesn’t kill. Bad driving kills. Three years on the Autobahn with a formidable sports car and a German license that was not easy to get taught me that. That said the journalist should have picked another place to test the limits. Summit Point was not far away. Just my two cents.

Haven’t seen many cyclists on the road in question and honestly I would never ride my bike on that road because I don’t want to die over a recreational bike ride. That road, it’s terrain, and the apparent lack of motorist driving skill are not well suited to bikes. Not sure I understand some of the anti-motorist angst or perhaps rage. Forgive me.

Actually it’s rapid deceleration and blunt force trauma that does most of the killing – both related to speed. You’re actually saying that all the racecar drivers who have died in crashes were not skilled? And how many regular Joes are going to say, “you know what? I’m a bad driver, I’m not going to go 100 mph on this road.” Yeah right. Also, just because you wouldn’t ride on it, doesn’t mean it’s not rideable. Sometimes roads like that are the only way to get from A to B, even if it’s just for a mile or two connecting more rural roads.

You skip 20 hours in a thread and you miss so much! I am open to the idea that drunk driving and speeding are very much different. I said it mostly cause I was hoping someone would throw down a scientific study that showed that only after doing 50 mph over the posted speed-limit is your ability to control your vehicle impaired to the point of a drunk person (given the distance covered per second, human reaction time, ability to react to those entering/exiting road etc). Surely someone has done a study of this?

I don’t think anyone here is anti-car. There is clearly room for debate on if it is appropriate to send someone to jail for a single speeding offence. You won’t get as much sympathy on bike forums though because users are likely well aware of the number of fatalities that cars cause every year in the US.

I started doing the speed limit (even on interstates *gasp*) after getting a ticket for 8 over on I-81 in Staunton. In the class you take (so they don’t add points to your license) they nudge you to do the math and see how much actual time you’re saving by speeding. Its really just not worth it. Plus I’m cheap as hell and I love getting 50+ mpg in my car. Don’t even get me started on the Fairfax County Parkway. A friend of mine had to drive up from Harrisonburg to renew his Visa paperwork. His first question was “That road.. 286 .. why does everyone race between the redlights? They don’t get anywhere faster.”

The puppies are too damn cute.

@dplasters 92145 wrote:

I don’t think anyone here is anti-car.

Some of us even own one (or more)! I would consider myself “pro efficient transportation.” Cars have their place, but all too often they are given primacy over all other forms of transportation with no thought to the consequences.