There's a well-supported theory that suggests higher speed limits can actually reduce accidents.
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Drivers normally travel at a speed that feels safe and comfortable depending on road and weather conditions regardless of the posted speed.
So a speed limit that's below this comfortable rate means drivers sticking to the slower limit can disrupt the flow of traffic that's found its own pace, and if you're driving slower than the other cars, you might be the one posing the safety risk.
When motorists are all generally going at the same speed, it's a safer corridor and there are not too many drivers sticking to the 70km/h and 80km/h limits on the northern distributor road.
In Orange, nobody drives at our slow 50km/h limit anyway and if you do, there's a tail-gating bullbar in your mirror going much faster. We're already being slowed on roads because of poor maintenance.
The Cargo Rd is one where an 80km/h limit has been imposed because of the condition of the road and speeds were reduced from 70km/h to 50km/h on a safe, straight section of Burrendong Way south of the Northern Distributor. And it's now excellent hotmix.
The RMS says almost a quarter of cars involved in fatal crashes are unregistered or driven by banned or unlicensed drivers. A similar number are drunk, drug-affected or not wearing seatbelts. Speed is not the real factor.
Modern cars have excellent road holding and good brakes and are safe to drive faster than the older cars of yesteryear.
Illuminating discussion
Those blue headlights on cars are becoming more popular in Orange, with every second vehicle fitted with these searchlights, blinding you for the rest of the night. Or day.
And so are the drivers who hoon around the place with fog lights on, which is illegal. Fog lights are for fog and are not to be used at any other time but if you do, there's a $108 fine.
The excessively glary blue lights dazzle other road users and create dangerous situations, yet apparently, they're quite OK, otherwise the police would be out there handing out tickets left, right and centre to Orange drivers, who seem to love them.
And why is it legal to use high beam in town?
Headlights must be dipped to low beam when a vehicle coming toward you is within 200 metres but few people do it.
Time for a laugh
Fred has been fishing all day without any luck. On the way home, he stops at a fish shop and asks the bloke behind the counter to throw him three of his largest trout.
The bloke is puzzled: "Throw them to you? Why?"
"I want to be able to say I caught them myself."
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