Common sense prevails (finally) in Ohio

[OldRightHander]

http://www.trucknews.com/issues/ISAr...issue=04032009

Ohio to increase truck speed limit

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- It appears as though trucks will soon be able to travel at the same speed as cars through Ohio, after the Senate approved legislation that would create a single speed limit for all vehicles.

Currently, trucks are limited to 55 mph while cars can travel at 65 mph on Ohio interstates, with the exception of the Ohio Turnpike. Ohio is one of 11 states that currently has split speed limits.

The Ohio Trucking Association began lobbying for uniform speed limits for trucks and cars earlier this year.

Local media reports the increased speed limit for trucks will take effect in 90 days.

[Redhook]

It should be 70mph outside of city limits.

[Caseyfan21]

It should be 70mph outside of city limits.

I was just going to post the exact same thing.

[NJReds]

On the interstate that I take everyday, the speed limit is 65 and many trucks go much faster than that. And while I've seen plenty of cars pulled over in speed traps, I've never seen a semi get stopped.

[camisadelgolf]

Talk about a thread title I thought I'd never see . . .

[Redsfaithful]

Why is this common sense? I genuinely don't know. I know that in Atlanta I felt like I was taking my life in my own hands with semis down there, they drove like psychopaths, something I had never thought in Ohio. But I couldn't even tell you if the speed limits for trucks were any different in Georgia, I didn't really pay attention.

[Yachtzee]

Why is this common sense? I genuinely don't know. I know that in Atlanta I felt like I was taking my life in my own hands with semis down there, they drove like psychopaths, something I had never thought in Ohio. But I couldn't even tell you if the speed limits for trucks were any different in Georgia, I didn't really pay attention.

May be a different driving culture down there.

I'd say it makes sense in that there tend to be fewer accidents when there is a consistent flow of traffic. Hopefully with the change, you'll have fewer drivers trying to fly past a trucker putting his signal on to avoid getting stuck behind the passing truck. Also, it won't be so annoying to be stuck behind a line of passing trucks. Truckers will still be subject to reckless driving rules (just like everyone else) if they go too fast, and for them it could mean a loss of license.

[pedro]

Why is this common sense? I genuinely don't know. I know that in Atlanta I felt like I was taking my life in my own hands with semis down there, they drove like psychopaths, something I had never thought in Ohio. But I couldn't even tell you if the speed limits for trucks were any different in Georgia, I didn't really pay attention.

I agree with your sentiment about driving in Atlanta. In fact, pretty much everybody drives insane down there.

[15fan]

I agree with your sentiment about driving in Atlanta. In fact, pretty much everybody drives insane down there.

Several million aspiring NASCAR drivers.

[deltachi8]

I am not a truck driver but am in favor of this. I always hated driving through Ohio as it seemed like there was never any flow on the interstates. Perhaps this split speed limit had much to do with it.

As for Atlanta...different world of driving, one that I am not eager to revisit again anytime soon.

[OldRightHander]

Atlanta is absolutely nuts, but that's a whole different story. The truth is that split speed limits create more interaction between slower and faster vehicles, which creates more opportunity for accidents to happen. The states with uniform speed limits have a much better flow of traffic and lower accident rates involving trucks.

[reds1869]

I'm very glad to see this. Split speed is an incredibly dangerous system, one that as previous posters have mentioned causes accidents and flow problems. Thumbs up to Ohio on this one.

[Redsfaithful]

That makes sense ORH, thanks for explaining.

And yeah Atlanta is really insane. I'd heard stories, but it was still shocking to see people driving so aggressively. I'm the guy that never goes more than 5 over though, so it was probably especially weird for me.

[vaticanplum]

What was the reason for it being lower in the first place? Were there any safety concerns involved? (though ORH's safety argument makes perfect sense). In 1999 I was hit by a semi; it totaled my car. The back of the semi veered into my lane, arguably because it was swaying from going too fast, so I've always been a little leery of fast-traveling semis unfortunately.

[Caveat Emperor]

Atlanta is absolutely nuts, but that's a whole different story. The truth is that split speed limits create more interaction between slower and faster vehicles, which creates more opportunity for accidents to happen. The states with uniform speed limits have a much better flow of traffic and lower accident rates involving trucks.

Hopefully this will cut down on the insanity that is one truck passing another truck, taking up both lanes of travel in one direction on a four lane interestate, with one doing 55 MPH and the truck in the "high speed" lane passing at 55.5 MPH.

I once sat behind two trucks passing one another for almost 7 minutes (I timed) on I-75. When the pass finally finished, traffic was backed up at least 25 cars deep in both lanes.