Ohio Cashes In On Freeway With Artificially Low Speed Limit
Unfortunately, there are plenty of stories like this one every week:
All this week, packs of Columbus-based officers on white motorcycles have been prowling Akron’s freeways, handing out tickets faster than a political candidate distributing fliers at a football game.
During the first three days alone: 600 citations.
At best, this is dirty pool. At worst, it is dangerous.
Dirty pool? Absolutely. Many of those tickets have been written on the recently revamped stretch of Interstate 77 that runs from Copley Road to the northern city limits.
As I reported in February, the speed limit on that new segment is now inappropriately low — so much so that the Ohio Department of Transportation has been trying to raise it from 55 mph to 65.
Thus far, those efforts have failed because of a quirk in a 1996 law that made 65 mph the default on Ohio’s interstates. We’ll spare you the gory details, which were reported earlier, but suffice it to say ODOT believes the 55-mph signs left over from the pre-widening days are outdated in the wake of the $64 million widening project completed late last year.
Today, the West Leg of the Akron Expressway might be the nicest, safest stretch of urban freeway in the entire state. It features three flat, straight, wide lanes in each direction, enormous berms and a stout concrete median.
So here we are, stuck with an artificially low speed limit, and where does the Ohio Highway Patrol choose to unleash a ticket-writing frenzy?
The rest of the article can be found here.
Other Related Articles
To change the picture next to your comments, sign up at Gravatar.com. Each picture is associated with a particular email address. (This is a third-party service not affiliated with NMA.)
What makes speed limit laws any less a law than those that prohibit not stopping at an intersection or that we must drive a certain direction on the roadway?
Phil– The other laws you mention are “self-enforcing” in a Darwinian sense. *If* speed limits compiled with engineering standards (like it says in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices: ‘When a speed limit is to be posted, it should be within 5 mph of the 85th-percentile speed of free-flowing traffic.”) they’d be a lot more respected.
Instead most speed limits reflect the whims of the last lawmaker with clout, and American treat “speed limits” with the same respect the Italians have for their “income tax laws”.
https://www.italymag.co.uk/italy/politics/tax-evasion-epidemic-economy-minister-says
John Flannery,
Didn’t mean to insult your tires. I guess I should have said “a low-end tire in terms of speed rating”. Your tires are designed for all weather and snow and match the purpose of your vehicle. I don’t think your pickup can do much more than 118, as it is likely limited, or even without the limiter. The point I was trying to make is that many people have this idea that most tires on vehicles on the road today are not adequate for the top speed of that vehicle. This is not the case, especially for sporty vehicles that can attain higher speeds. It’s a non-issue. It sounds like you have just the right tires for your vehicle. Last time I checked, 118 mph is exactly putting along either. Just goes to show that even an all-weather tire for a pickup like yours is designed for speeds up 118 mph. So unless you plan on modifying your truck to increase its normal top speed and go on a top speed run, your current tires make total sense.
The Patrol coyly forgets the 1992 study “Effective of the 65-MPH Speed Limit ON Traffic Accidents in Ohio”, which found “fatal accident rates on rural Interstate highways posted at 65 mph …had not significantly changed after the implementation of the 65-mph speed limit.”
And forgets to mention that interstates account for about 25% of motor traffic, but just 10% of traffic deaths in Ohio.
How curious that the Patrol spends its time where it is least needed, but most visible.
http://pubsindex.trb.org/document/view/default.asp?lbid=371649
Duke,
I noticed this also while travelling thru Ohio recently. I drove from Toledo to Sandusky on the Ohio Turnpike and saw numerous state troopers with laser guns hiding within the openings in the concrete divider. Later I drove from Sandusky to Marion along route 4 and did not see any cops.
I don’t understand how so many people have been brainwashed to distrust themselves and their fellow citizens and run to the government for protection. You are playing right into big government’s hands. And if you don’t trust people, then you really must not trust government since it is just a select group of people with magnified power.
Jim,
The reason why people do all the things you speak of in the left lane is because the law encourages it. It favors the incompetent and punishes the competent. If the speed limits were higher or removed and drive-right was made law, people could no longer use the excuse that they are doing nothing wrong (even though they already were, impeding the right to travel of others when they could simply move over). Now the law would favor the competent and punish the incompetent. What we have now is reinforcement of negative behavior by law. If you are waiting for some magical day for people to start driving like they are on an Autobahn when the current rules completely mismanage the roadway it will never happen. First the rules have to be changed with some meaningful enforcement and then driver behavior will adjust. This is exactly the propaganda the establishment pushes saying, “It’s your fault things are the way they are and we won’t change the rules until you change your ways.” When in reality their policies are creating the problem. Have you ever noticed on the TV channel RealTV a.k.a. “the law enforcement channel” there is a show called “Speeders” whose sole purpose is to try and make anyone who is speeding, especially if they try and stand up for themselves, look like the dumbest person in the world. It is like a lame form of peer pressure trying to say, “Don’t speed or you are just as stupid as this guy. You don’t want to be a moron do you? Don’t dare challenge the law. The law is never wrong only you are.”
Three biggest myths said about why we need these ridiculous speed limits:
1. Germans are such highly trained drivers, we simply could never drive that good:
Autobahn driving is only a small and easy portion of their test. It’s all the rules once you get off the Autobahn on local roads that are complicated. Autobahn driving is simple, drive right pass left. It’s not hard. Our government has simply failed to execute sound traffic road policy, and then blames us that things aren’t working and calls for more unsound policies and tickets.
2. Their cars are better:
Totally false. I see much better cars in America than in Germany. Most cars driven would be considered tiny and underpowered by American drivers. Yet make no mistake, they are not driving slower. The 85th percentile speed as recorded in 1999 is 15 to 20 miles per hour higher in Germany. Some people have nice cars, but you will definitely see more BMWs in America then Germany. They have an car inspection that must be done every 2 years which is very basic and costs about 40 euros. Many states in the U.S. already have similar inspections. Also, new cars are exempt for the first 4 years. The idea that every German drives an M3 with a pit crew in their garage is fantasy.
3. Autobahn is better than our Interstate:
As stated before false. Look at your own State’s design manual. You can probably download it for free. They are all based on the AASHTO manuals which you can get but will have to pay for. The German RAA (Richtlinie für die Anlage von Autobahnen) can also be purchased for about 50 Euros. The design speed for Autobahn highways is 75 to 80 miles per hour in rural areas and the geometric parameters used are slightly less conservative than U.S. Interstates. For example, when calculating stopping sight distance Germany uses 2 seconds for driver reaction time to brake, U.S. uses 2.5 seconds. The design speed, as acknowledged in both countries, is based on a a driver with a low-percentile reaction time, vehicle with marginal tires and braking capabilities, and wet roadway conditions. A given design speed ensures safe and comfortable passage for virtually all passenger vehicles that might use the roadway during wet conditions at that speed. Being that the MINIMUM design speed for U.S. interstates is 70 mph, it’s easy to see that an average driver in an average vehicle can safely exceed this speed, especially during dry conditions. In fact a FHWA study found that a curve with a design speed of exactly 70 mph and no more, can be driven by a typical passenger vehicle at 120 mph before impending skid during wet conditions and 177 mph during dry conditions.
“Truck Characteristics for Use in Highway Design and Operation” Volume I, Research Report, Publication No. FHWA-RD-89-226 August 1990, p. 199
Most people like to make excuses, saying this is the way it’s always been and there is no other way to do it because if they admit they are getting screwed, a self-respecting person might just have to do something about it. 1960′s and 70′s speed limit simply are no longer compatible with vehicles and driver expectations in the year soon approaching of 2010.
By the way, driving is a right and not a privilege, encompassed by the fundamental right to travel. This has been recognized by courts throughout the country. Many freak out when you say this though because they think if they acknowledge driving is a right then there can be no rules and regulations and everyone can do what they want. This is propaganda to keep people in line using fear. Rights can be regulated, but the level of scrutiny on those regulations is just much higher. The courts have referred to this as the “strict scrutiny” standard. The state must prove that a regulation on a fundamental right is necessary and effective in achieving a compelling state goal (i.e. protecting the fundamental rights of others, the right to life, public safety) and is doing so in the most narrowly tailored fashion possible. If a less drastic means is available, the state must choose the less drastic means. In practice, because a speed limit is restricting the right to travel the state must show that the speed limit is substantially effectual in achieving public safety and is no lower than absolutely necessary. If the state can’t prove this it must be raised to a level at which the state can prove this. If the state can’t prove this at any level then the speed limit must be removed all together. If other less restrictive regulations can achieve the same ends, such as traffic flow management (keep right except to pass laws), then these methods must be employed instead.
Yes traveling is a right and today we travel in a car, just like before people travelled on a buggy with a horse in front of it and before that people rode on a horse alone. Never in history was the speed at which a man could travel, using a means other than his legs, limited.
this just is not natural. and i am sure it is unconstitutional. that is why when you challenge a ticket, the state throws it out after having cost you a lot of money in lawyer fees. Its time some lawyer sue the states over this law and get rid of it everywhere forever.
A majority of people by their actions do not believe in speed limits.
Jeff,
You have the right to drive as fast as you want to. It will cost you extra to drive at speeds in excess of what has been posted as the limit but you can drive as fast as you want. That being said, why do you feel your right to drive at a speed that gives you a thrill or saves you 30 seconds off the drive to work should take precedent over my families right to life? The Germans are allowed the unrestricted speds on PORTIONS of the Autobahn because they have demonstrated to the regulating officials that they can do it responsibly and reasonably safely. This country has had unrestricted roadways but after our drivers demonstrated how irresponsible they would handle such a scenario the unrestricted highways were once again regulated.
A tire rated for 118 mph is a low end tire. Most tires exceed this with the highest rating (Y) being 186+ miles per hour. No car comes off the assembly line with tires rated below the vehicles top speed. If they do then a governor is in place to limit the speed. If someone wants to purposely put a low end tire on a vehicle and then exceed the speed of those tires, that is not smart. Besides, there is no normal tire you can purchase for a passenger vehicle that is rated anywhere near the highest speed limit in the United States of 80 mph. Claiming tires can’t support higher speeds is a dead argument. Tires are not a limiting factor when it comes to speed, unless you specifically go out of your way to make this the case.
Unnecessary speed limits on limited-access roads designed for high speeds are detrimental to safety. They impede the flow of traffic and breed tailgating and dangerous right lane passing maneuvers. “Keep right except to pass” and maintaining a safe following distance are the main safety factors on such roads. Speed limits are only effective on roads designed for lower speeds whose chief purpose is access and have a very dynamic traffic flow.
The design speed of interstates allows for speeds well in excess of 100 mph safely. On virtually all rural interstates it is impossible for you to attain a speed that will cause you to depart the roadway. Only the more curvy urban interstates would present problems in the low 100s. Some of the most heavy urban interstates with pronounced horizontal and vertical curves might require speed limits of 70 to 80 mph, but these are rare in comparison to the entire interstate system. Simply review the AASHTO design manuals. The secret of the Autobahn is that they just execute traffic engineering policy. The roads are virtually identical, with the exception that U.S. interstates have a left shoulder and wider medians. Autobahns have no left lane shoulder.
yes some of the U.S. roads are as capable as the autobahn the drivers aren’t the american driver feels that driving is a right and not a privilege also american drivers do not feel they should be accountable for there actions the saying i’ve got insurance what do i care is not herd in germany there drivers respect the fact that they can drive it cost a lot of money to get a drivers license and for the most part they don’t play games on the roads in germany the drivers understand they are not the only ones on the roads and they for the most part respect the fact that other people are useing the roads not so in america the person in front of me is not driving as fast as i want him to so i’m going to get as close to him as i can the person in front of him i’m in the left lane i’m going at 3 miles per hour over the limit and no one needs to be going faster than me anyway but i’ll sit here and read the paper,text,talk on phone,eat,drive drunk,watch tvor anything else that people do instead of driving if everyone would worry about driving their own car and respect the fact that other people have just as much a right to be on that road that they do things would go a lot smoother and then we can get the speed limits up to where they belong untill then we all suffer from the ignorance of others
Don’t call my tires low end. They are indeed speed rated up to only 118 mph, but they are knobby, aggresively treaded BF Goodrich All Terrain tires that are excellent in foot-deep snow (past three winters in the Northeast), not purposely built for interstate high speed long hauls. And yes, I know all the alphabet soup of tire speed ratings like a nerd knows the Periodic Table.
Those tires come stock on my 1500 series 1/2 pickup truck (for the sake of anonymity:), and after 15k miles still have 8/32″ left. I do not envision doing too many of 800 miles per day traveling, so by the time I need new tires, I do not mind at all getting those same tires for snow days (max. six months per year in my area).
To the National Motorist Association, and fellow members,
Very interesting website, I believe in some of your theories, but I have a reason to disagree with a lot. I can truly sympathize with the folks travelling thru Akron on the new piece of pavement.
So I’m going to offer my views on a few things about Ohio and other states, since I’ve lived here most of my life. Let me start by saying that I had my share of speeding tickets and for a five year period I must have collected one every other month. No joke. So one piece of advice for the out of state speeders who think that Ohio loves it’s Laser. Most of my tickets came from the eye in the sky, and no equipment available today can deal with a stop clock and little white lines on the pavement. They had to cut back on this trick due to budget constraints.
One great thing about the interstate system was that it actually shut down a few speed traps on US 40. Heck, there was a few little villages on US 40 that was nationally famous for their speedtraps in the 1950′s. It was just a few years past that one individual got elected mayor of a little village west of Columbus and basically did away with the “family owned” speed trap. You should check this out. Imagine the time when there was no interstate, and you still had to deal with those speed traps.
Since I was in the military for a few years, and done plenty of cross country driving myself, I have to rank Ohio somewhere in the middle. And I’ve drove all over from Califonia to Florida to Pennsylvania. They are not perfect in Ohio, and they do have their issues. Since I did not wear seat belts for the longest time, instead of collecting a speeding ticket every time I got stoped, I would be issue a failure to wear a seat belt ticket. It was a ticket that did not issue points.
A few years ago I flew out to California to move my daughter and her girls back to Ohio and here is what I’ve noticed. As I drove east thru Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, the speed limit was 75 mph and rightfully so. My daughter drove a mile behind me the whole time and I was still able to see her. I wanted her in fornt of me, but she did not like me on her behind. As we got into Missouri the speed limit was 70 mph, a little more congested, and in my opinion the speed limit was rightfully dropped. As we crossed the Mississippi River, if I remember correctly, the speed was 65 in Illinois, but at 70 mph in Indiana. Again with the interstate was a little more congested, the speed should be rightfully slower. My daughter had to drive closer so I could see her from time to time in the mirrors. You know thre drill, more traffic, harder to see who was who.
Ohio’s speed is set at 65 mph for a reason. We have how many cities that are over 100,000 people; Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Toledo, Dayton, Akron, Canton, and maybe Springfield. How many Ohio’s can you fit in Arizona or New Mexico. Do away with the Chicago area and Indianapolis area and how much of Illinois and Indiana is actually urban and suburban. The other problem with Ohio interstate is the usage. Since Ohio is in the middle of most of the traffics flowing east and west and from Canada flowing south. Since this country does things on the cheap, it is no surprise to see our road crews out and ripping up highway and repaving it all of the time. Remember, the Ohio State animal is the Orange Barrel.
Last year my father and I drove from central Ohio to Pueblo Colorado for a visit. Prior to driving, we calculated when it was the best time to drive thru some of these congested areas while driving on I-70. You know, cities such as Indianapolis, the ST Louis bypass, and Kansas City. Guess what, going out and coming back we made excellent time thru those congested areas and drove 5 mph over the speed limit to prove a point. We had fuel pump issues going out, but the trip back was 17 hours. We did not waste much time in those fuel stops.
In my youth, I’m now 53 years old, I’ve collected tickets in Florida, Mississippi, Alabama, Texas, Arizona, Kentucky, and leaving the best for last I was pulled over three times in thirty minutes in Arlington VA in 1979. No, wait a minute, maybe it was the ticket for going one mph over the limit on I 40 east of Flagstaff. Anyway, no tickets were issued for the Arlington fiasco, but they sure thought about putting me in jail for the night after the third stop.
I was just reading one response about the tire rating, seems like a good reason to keep the speed below 100 mph. How many people understands that a huge issue with small trucks and SUV’s is the majority of the time when there are tire issues the tires were underinflated. I remember when I was stationed in Arizona, I had taken my vehicle in to get a front end alignment. The standard in 1975 was 55 mph nationwide. And I found the problem while driving 65 mph. The mechanic scolded me for driving 65 mph. However, I let him have it by telling him that If I hadn’t driven 65 mph, I would not have found the problem until way too late and he was also making money off from me for the repairs.
Wait a minute, let’s not forget the time in 1979, when I was caught speeding 10 mph over the limit in northwest Texas, and after being issued the ticket, I had to follow the officer for 10 miles out of my way to pay the ticket in full before moving on.
Let me end it here. I’ve not been issued a ticket in five years and my issurance has dropped drastically. I use no gadgets, I do not need them if I don’t drive more than 5 mph over the limit and neither vehicle has speed control. The monies I’ve saved has been put to better use. And here is a little piece of advice for you folks that swears by those gadgets, you are due for a landing. To those who have the time, please do some research on the drag racing problem on the interstate in the Columbus OH area in the past couple years. As for Ohio’s speed problem, go back and look at the suburban sprawl since 1960 and maybe it might provide a clue to their 65 mph speed limit. When they built the I-270 loop around Columbus, the engineers felt they had 30 some years leeway before the city grew outside of the loop. But thanks to enforced school busing. I can only count a handfull of situations where the limit should be raised. But if you give an inch, people will want a mile. One last thing, if you are going to speed, do it without your damned cell phone.
I think I’ve said enough.
This is incorrect. Nearly all of the speeding tickets issued in Ohio come from either radar or laser readings. The “eye in the sky” is rarely used (mostly during holidays). There sure is equipment to deal with the “eye in the sky”. Try using a CB radio and a mobile police scanner.
I was in the Chicago suburbs a few weeks ago. What a joke – all I see are “Speed Limit 55″ signs. Of course, I ignored these just like I did back in the 1980s with the help of my radar detector and CB radio. However, I noticed all the locals were afraid to drive faster than 65.
I hit 110 mph in my pickup truck last August on the Ohio turnpike, aka I-80, on my 15-hour, one day drive back to NY from Chicago. There was a four-lane stretch in one direction, arrow straight for about 3 miles and then bending. There were no other vehicles in front so I hit the gas. I ran out of space two-thirds of the stretch because I could not see what was out there beyond the bend; otherwise, I could have done 125 (did in my car on I-84 EB NY).
Back home I found out that the tires on my truck are speed-rated only up to 118 mph. Heck, if they want to double-bill and charge me 10 bucks to cross Ohio on an interstate highway, I might as well enjoy it. (V1 securely attached to the windshield, of course:)
I don’t know what the fuss is all about speeding tickets. Don’t want one? Then get a radar detector. Most state troopers just keep their radar guns on and play pocket pool on the side of the road. One can stay out of trouble most of the time by using a decent radar detector (I have used four so far, including V1 and Bel STi).
Other times, use common sense: slow down approaching a bend, etc., because you cannot see very far and a cop might be lying in wait. It is safe driving too. I drove in Maryland last year and approached a sharp bend on I-95. I was thinking out loud that what a great ambush site it was. Five seconds later after rounding the bend, I saw a trooper sitting by the road side with his prey. So, there you go.
Be careful…Ohio State Troopers use laser enforcement about 95% of the time on the Turnpike. This is why I had a laser jammer installed in addition to my Valentine One–I can “feel safe” when driving at 100+ MPH. But to be honest, the Troopers on the Turnpike are so predictable that I don’t mind them (and having a laser jammer, I really don’t mind them shooting laser at me). But out-of-state drivers may not be aware of just how much the Troopers here prefer laser over radar, so don’t rely solely on your radar detector when on the Turnpike!
Lasers will damage your eyes. each time you are hit from the front end at over 1000 feet you are getting damage to your eyes. check the laser manual. check with a eye doctor. your eyes are getting damaged.
I hate to drive in Ohio , two x wives are in Ohio …………. THese roads should be posted @ at least 75 or 80 mph as that is the normal 85th percentile SAFE travel speed …………..
That road should probably be at least 70, probably 75 mph.
The speed limit on the Ohio Turnpike was 75mph prior to 1974. The speed limit on Ohio freeways was 70mph prior to 1974.
Most cars of any make can safely travel at speeds well above 80mph. I speak from personal experience.
A CB radio is very useful when driving thru Ohio.
Unfortunately, I drive this route several times a week. After having driven the entire eastern half of this country at one time or another, I can easily say that this portion of Interstate highway is perhaps the safest highway to be found anywhere (as is the Ohio Turnpike, which is, for the most part, one of the best built and maintained highways anywhere on this half of the U.S.).
Being that my career forces me to drive many thousands of miles per month, I have learned that in Ohio especially, a laser jammer is a must for ANY driver. Our local cops and state troopers are addicted to laser enforcement.
The problem with our speed limits here is that they counter human instinct. In my opinion, the people have voted with their feet–that is, they continue to drive at 80+ miles per hour in these areas (the Turnpike, notably) because these roads are so well engineered that they can be traveled at these speeds both safely and comfortably.
My final complaint is that I purchased a high-performance vehicle whose high price tag resulted in a high sales tax. I’ve already paid the local government more to have the privilege of driving such a fine automobile; now why should I be punished for driving it the way it was engineered to be driven? Wasn’t I already taxed for the privilege of driving the car? (And by the way, most cars of ANY make or model today can safely travel at 80MPH)