What does speeding really get you?

fantasy3I remember as a kid trying to keep up with my dad as he walked. His legs were much longer than mine since I was only a kid, so it was almost as if I had to jog to keep up with him when he was in a hurry. I kept thinking, man is he fast! As I got older, my legs obviously got longer and it was not a problem keeping up with him. Keeping up with people now, even while driving isn’t a problem either. However, there are still those people who always want to go fast. But why?

Teaching people to drive is always fun and interesting. Well, almost always. Getting a new driver behind the wheel becomes a task in itself to try to get them to press the gas pedal enough to travel at least half the speed limit in residential areas. They always feel it’s “just so fast”. Once they get used to that speed it does become easier to get them up to the speed limit. But what happens in a person’s life that takes them from that place to the place of having to drive well above the speed limit?

We constantly hear about drivers who we traveling so far above the speed limit that it made no sense. Here’s just such an example. http://www.hamiltonnews.com/news-story/6237484-police-clock-teenage-driver-at-141-km-h-in-40-km-h-zone/. Driving at such a high speed there would be no chance for survival if a pedestrian or cyclist got in their path. The first question I would want to ask them is “What were you thinking?” There’s absolutely no hurry to reach the next stop sign.

And then there’s this driver. Driving more than double the speed limit on a busy expressway. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/napanee-stunt-driving-208-1.3313747 Was it just because they wanted to drive fast? Was it because they had a high powered vehicle? Only they know the true reasons. Granted, these two examples are speeding severely, but driving just 20 km/h over the speed limit in the city isn’t any better. The reality is it’s reckless. This isn’t a driving error. It was a choice the driver made. This is just a flagrant disrespect for everyone’s safety on the road, including their own safety.

For those who feel there’s nothing wrong with speeding on public roads, here are a few things you really should consider. If you’re speeding through the city you risk another driver pulling out from a side road or driveway just ahead of you. They glance back and see you’re far away and feel they have enough time to pull out. The problem is you’re driving so fast that the space between you and them is reduced so much quicker. The result is either a severe crash or you swerve to avoid them. That too could very easily end up in a crash…including with a light post, a building or into another vehicle. Injuries. Death. Financial loss. It’s more than about the fine.

Many highways and expressways are built for speed. The curves on those roads are banked to allow the driver to maintain their speed while handling the curve. Not so in the city. Taking a curve at a high rate of speed and inertia takes over. The result could be a skid or perhaps a rollover. Not really worth speeding now is it?

Stopping and braking distances have too many variables to give a specific number for specific speeds. However, driving twice the speed limit can increase your total stopping by roughly triple that of city speeds. That’s if the road conditions are ideal, your brakes are in excellent shape, your tires are at correct inflation and proper tread levels and your reaction times are top notch. See, I told you there were a lot of variables; and these are just a few.

Speeding through the city will almost always mean you reach the red light first. No problem, we’ll see you there in a few seconds. Speeding and weaving through traffic may allow you to gain a few seconds from where you were. So what? Is that enough of a time savings that can really make a difference in your life? Maybe if you left sooner, you wouldn’t feel the need to speed.

There’s a time and place for driving fast. Public roads are not that place. You could easily ruin the lives of others; not to mention your own. If you really want to drive fast, join a club that allows you to do it safely on a track with the proper safety equipment and training. Do this before you ruin the lives of others…and possibly your own.

**Have a quick listen to this short episode of the “Speed Bumps” podcast as we discuss unnecessary speeding!