DRIVE TIME

By Mike Leidemann

The debate over speeders and speed limits raced along at about 75 mph last week. DriveTime readers continued to offer a variety of views on the subject. Here's a sampling of what they had to say:

Going fast isn't unsafe

If I see a guy in a relatively new car, paying attention to what he is doing, traveling at 65, 70 or even 75 mph in the left lane, I do not feel like my safety is threatened. If I see someone who is obviously having difficulties keeping the vehicle in the lane, with an expired safety (i.e., no insurance), and traveling substantially slower than the flow of traffic, I feel that an accident is much more likely.

All you do is drive

Driving at high speed is much safer, because when you are traveling down a public road at 120 mph, you must anticipate what will happen as far ahead as you can see, and that leaves no time at all for cell phone conversations, sipping drinks, or searching for CDs, tapes or radio stations.

I often joke that I would rather be speeding down the road next to an Italian steering his car with his knees than next to a Hawai'i driver with both hands on the wheel (or, most certainly, one hand on the wheel and the other holding a cell phone, flagon, etc.).

Fast lane is a fast lane

This ain't the Mainland, but a fast lane is called a FAST lane for a reason ... all over the world. We were taught in our driver training that the fast lane is for passing, and if someone comes up behind you and wants to pass, you must move over ... are they still teaching that?

Perhaps it should be a question on the drivers exam.

Driving lessons needed

Everyone needs to take lessons on driving or some education, as we are finding more and more drivers not obeying street signs. Many cars don't stop at stop signs, causing accidents. People should be taught also to stop tailgating.

Punishments, please

One of the big problems we have is that there are not enough consequences for those who kill and injure others with their vehicles, whether or not they were speeding, driving drunk, talking on their cell phone, or just not driving responsibly.

The real issue is traffic

Traffic doesn't go faster just because you can drive faster. The average freeway speed limit in Washington state is 65. It's up to 70 in less populated areas. Lo and behold, traffic still exists. Traffic is caused by (1) too many cars on the road, (2) accidents, (3) construction, usually aggravated by decreasing lanes, (which relates to No. 1: too many cars for a confined stretch), or (4) your occasional stupid driver who takes up two lanes and swerves, (which usually leads to No. 2).

Who needs aloha?

People in Hawai'i could be a little more aggressive in their driving and stop being nice. My wife will not drive on the Mainland because she thinks people drive too fast there. I tell her it's not that they're driving too fast, it's that people from Hawai'i don't know how to adapt and drive on the Mainland.

Until someone dies ...

Most people feel that everyone is driving too slow until they or a family member becomes the victim of someone driving too fast.

Other drivers matter

I was always told that speed doesn't necessarily lead to accidents. What leads to accidents are speed differentials. Whether someone is traveling at 30 mph or 80 mph if they come upon another driver going 20 mph faster or slower there is an increased likelihood of an accident.

Where "speeders" logic fails is they assume that if limits were raised to 75 mph, everything would be fine. What they don't account for is Grandma going 50 mph or Junior ripping along at 90 mph.

Reach Mike Leidemann at mleidemann@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-5460.