Kansas House Kills 80 mph Speed Limit Bill 

"davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com" (davesaddiction) 02/25/2016 at 10:37 • Filed to: long straight and flat out

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As someone who may have been ticketed a few years back doing 90 in middle-of-nowhere western Kansas, this disappoints me.

There’s nothing out here.

While many motorists drive 80 mph on major Kansas turnpikes and highways where the speed limit is posted at 75 mph, a proposed 80-mile an hour legal speed limit bill has been killed in the Kansas State House.

Members voted Tuesday against increasing the speed limit on multilane divided highways from 75 to 80 mph.

The measure had been introduced by Rep. John Bradford, R-Lansing who noted five other states had raised speed limits to 80 and Texas even bumped its speed limit to 85 in remote parts of western Texas.

“This does not say everyone has to drive 80 mph. We do have the right lane for slower vehicles[!!!] ,” said Bradford in advocating the increase.

Opponents argued that if the speed limit was increased, it would raise the “buffer” to 90.

“You’re looking for a disaster to happen,and it happens very quickly,” argued Rep. Les Osterman, R-Wichita. “I’m not going to have it on me that I raised the speed limit to cause more deaths in the state.” [Dammit, Osterman...]

However, one part of the measure was approved and it will allow the secretary of transportation to increase speed limits on rural two-lane highways by 5 mph. The bill heads to the Senate for consideration.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 02/25/2016 at 10:38

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Bonus photo of US Hwy 50:

EL_ULY > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 02/25/2016 at 10:41

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ugh, 75mph down that would drive me insane!

Slant6 > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 02/25/2016 at 10:43

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Honestly I think the 55mph national speed limit should come back.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > EL_ULY 02/25/2016 at 10:44

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Since this section of 50 shown above isn’t divided, I understand a lower limit, but on I-70, where it’s divided, two lanes both ways, I don’t see any issue with raising the limit (at least in uninhabited areas).

PilotMan > EL_ULY 02/25/2016 at 10:44

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Can you imagine 55MPH? N

Ash78, voting early and often > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 02/25/2016 at 10:45

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I’ve done I-70 across the middle and 85mph is pretty casual — even in an early 90s Sentra going as fast as it can go, with so much wind noise that you can’t carry on a conversation without shouting.

However, the closure rate against a stopped car in the shoulder (or an oncoming car across the median) can get exponentially scarier at those speeds...never mind how much worse your fuel economy gets at that range.

For comparison, we got about 22-23mpg in that Sentra across KS and MO at 85-90mph. Normal highway driving would be ~35mpg. It was pretty drastic.

EL_ULY > PilotMan 02/25/2016 at 10:48

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HammerheadFistpunch > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 02/25/2016 at 10:50

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Utah did this years ago, guess what they found...most people just go 80, and road safety is more or less the same.

wiffleballtony > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 02/25/2016 at 10:51

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So if I understand this correctly the counter argument is that people will continue to break the law regardless? What’s the point of even having laws.

Tripper > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 02/25/2016 at 10:53

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lol I would be so arrested on that road

wiffleballtony > Ash78, voting early and often 02/25/2016 at 10:54

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I just came back from a road trip. I think we spent most of it going closer to 100 than 65. My fuel economy improved slightly from what it is during my daily average to about 23.2 mpg.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Tripper 02/25/2016 at 10:54

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Pretty much.

Urambo Tauro > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 02/25/2016 at 10:55

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Opponents argued that if the speed limit was increased, it would raise the “buffer” to 90.

That’s a common misconception.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Slant6 02/25/2016 at 10:57

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wat

Wheelerguy > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 02/25/2016 at 10:59

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1. Oh, so apparently the world is concave.

2. Certainly the land space there is big enough and unpopulated to fit a place the size of Isle of Man. I so do want to do that giant “Race tracks to scale” thing. If not, find me such a place.

3. Where are the cops or radar guns located on that?

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Slant6 02/25/2016 at 10:59

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dafuq?

hell no

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 02/25/2016 at 11:00

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damn that sucks. I hear Michigan is thinking about it again.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Wheelerguy 02/25/2016 at 11:04

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1. seemingly

2. yesyesyesyesyesyes

3. The guy that got me (on I-70) was heading the opposite way on the highway. I saw him, and slowed down a bit, but he must have already had me pegged. After a while, I thought I was good and sped back up and then several miles down the road he caught up with me, after turning around and apparently BOOKING IT for several miles.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Urambo Tauro 02/25/2016 at 11:06

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Is it? I pretty much drive 5-9 over all the time...

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 02/25/2016 at 11:06

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Aw, dammit.

jariten1781 > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 02/25/2016 at 11:10

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How 'bout letting KDOT (or whatever the agency is called in Kansas) set the speed limits rather than having the legislature play in it?

Wheelerguy > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 02/25/2016 at 11:11

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2. I forgot NIMBY-types. How far are they from there?

3. Holy freak flying fuck.

Urambo Tauro > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 02/25/2016 at 11:11

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I don’t think most speeders are enthusiasts, though. Those of us who are actually capable of competent driving at high speeds are the minority here. It’s the mindless drivers that cause problems at high speed. They’re just driving by feel, and there is bound to be a speed at which they aren’t comfortable.

Jarrett - [BRZ Boi] > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 02/25/2016 at 11:13

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Does Grandma though?

Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) is dead, long live Bman76 M. Arch > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 02/25/2016 at 11:16

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As a Kansan, there’s no reason that I-70 west of Topeka shouldn’t just go unrestricted. There are no curves, lights, or anything else that would warrant a slower speed limit. I constantly drive back and forth from Manhattan to KC and it’s mind numbing.

The Ghost of Oppo > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 02/25/2016 at 11:18

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When I first started to read the title, I thought it was going to be a joke about a house blown around by a Tornado. I also put cold water in my french press this morning, so it hasn’t been one of my best days so far.

Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 02/25/2016 at 11:18

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Bradford for President, 2016.

While I like many things about living in Kansas, this rejection is backwards, and its reasoning a knee-jerk decision based on fear, rather than facts. Read some stuff, 68-year-old Les Osterman. Cars are better now.

haveacarortwoorthree2 > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 02/25/2016 at 11:20

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I feel you — 92 on the turnpike last July. Isn’t bad enough that I have to pay a toll, now you are going to make me pay a speeding ticket too?!

StoneCold > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 02/25/2016 at 11:22

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Kansas needs to get on this so Nebraska can get jealous and get this too. Driving across that state is INSUFFERABLE.

haveacarortwoorthree2 > Slant6 02/25/2016 at 11:22

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I thought Alissa Walker posted under her own name here?

You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 02/25/2016 at 11:40

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But would you if the speed limit was reasonable?

You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > HammerheadFistpunch 02/25/2016 at 11:41

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But it cuts down on ticket revenue. I mean road safety. Sometimes I get those confused.

Gone > Urambo Tauro 02/25/2016 at 11:50

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That’s true from what I’ve personally seen. 80 in TX buffer is less than 5mph generally from what I’ve seen. Same with 85mph on the tollways in Austin.

So to me, the higher the speed limit, the smaller the buffer from what I’ve seen. In fact it’s common on I-10/20 where it’s 75mph for a large portion of vehicles to be traveling 72-75. If I set my cruise to 77, I pass much more traffic than I get passed by - easily 25-1+ ratio. Also, the DPS also has strong opinions about the buffer. You most likely will get popped for 85 in an 80, but less likely for 75 in a 70. It seems you might get 2-3mph buffer at 80 from most DPS troopers perspective, but no more

If there is a large event (college football games, for ex) that has a lot of city folk traveling to smaller towns using I-10/20/35/45, then they’re more likely to push speeds up. But the DPS buffer does not change.

And finally, this holds true for actually highway traffic, not in-city highway traffic. Different ball of wax there. For I-10 in Houston, you better push 10-15+ over if the traffic is moving in order to not get run off the road. On a clear light traffic day (it happened once, I swear!), 80-85 in a 60 is not uncommon.

Scott > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 02/25/2016 at 12:01

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This makes sense to me, growing up my Mom would always go around Kansas. As she said the whole state is one big speed trap, and it’s so flat and boring everyone tries to race through the state to get it behind them. Better to drive around Kansas at higher speeds with more to see than through it and get tickets and bored to death.

Justin Hughes > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 02/25/2016 at 12:07

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You could watch your dog run away for three days.

HammerheadFistpunch > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 02/25/2016 at 12:19

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FYI

http://thenewspaper.com/news/29/2941.a…

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > wiffleballtony 02/25/2016 at 12:19

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Revenue!

WasGTIthenGTOthenNOVAnowbacktoGTI > Slant6 02/25/2016 at 12:31

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Haha so you can keep up?

Slant6 > WasGTIthenGTOthenNOVAnowbacktoGTI 02/25/2016 at 12:33

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You got me. 55 is a bit scary in the Dodge but that’s just because of the dry rotted tires. I really should replace them.

JCAlan > Urambo Tauro 02/25/2016 at 12:40

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When the interstate speed limit here in Ohio was 65, I kept my cruise set at 72. Now that it’s been raised to 70, I still keep it at 72. I do this because that’s a reasonable speed, and I appreciate the fact that they recognized that by raising the limit. They should get credit for that, and my little way of paying it to them is to not jump my speed up.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > HammerheadFistpunch 02/25/2016 at 14:25

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Nice! Proves the science that most people will drive at a safe speed, regardless of limit.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Justin Hughes 02/25/2016 at 14:25

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I laughed!

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Scott 02/25/2016 at 14:26

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Pretty good advice!

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much 02/25/2016 at 14:27

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My car cruises pretty comfortably at 90...

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > haveacarortwoorthree2 02/25/2016 at 14:29

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Lame.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) is dead, long live Bman76 M. Arch 02/25/2016 at 14:30

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Hammer down!

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Jarrett - [BRZ Boi] 02/25/2016 at 14:32

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I think he's referring to the buffer above the speed limit that many (not all) people drive with little fear of enforcement.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Wheelerguy 02/25/2016 at 14:35

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2. There are still places in western Kansas where they are literally giving land away. We can put our massive circuit at the foot of a huge windmill field.

Shane Turner > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 02/26/2016 at 01:33

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Back in 2004 when Kansas was trying to raise the speed limit to 75 this Les Osterman wanted the buffer to only be 5 mph over in 75 mph zones. Because of the discrepancy back then of the 10 mph buffer it never got raised to 75. Kansas should have been raised to 75 back in 1996 when the law handed the choice of speed limits to the states. Kansas finally got the 75 mph speed limit in 2011 and the buffer stayed 10 mph over or less. This guy cited back in 2004 that it would be too much to think someone would escape a blemish on their record for going 84 mph in a 75.