I just wanted to voice my opinion over a very sensitive matter.
I had spent about $4000 on advanced driver training before I lost my licence and know what some people on this forum mean when they say don't always point the finger at the driver.
Two of my business mates are retired infrustructure engineers ( road designers ) and what they have to say will amaze you. Any one notice speed limits decreasing over the last few decades? Any one ever ask themselves why? It's not like the roads get less-safe.... No moron! Drivers standards are decreasing! (based on a mean average ) In other words, F1 drivers go 130km/h around a corner because they have the skills and are simply VERY GOOD DRIVERS. Same goes on the public road - you get drivers who simply are better drivers by nature and then you get drivers who, well you know, let's just call them not very good drivers. The problem is, and as auto insurance companies have stated, there are more of them (in %) than there where 10-20 years ago.
Now these infrustructure engineers are to set the speed limits for the less able driver, which is kinda thier best option to keep things fool proof. So when they design and lay down a new road they must factor in these "not so good drviers" and set a speed limit which is safe to EVERYONE, and they know too well that the road is capible of much faster traffic.
To further prove my point, look at the driver structure in Germany. Notice they HAVE NO SPEED LIMITS on thier main roads yet the accident rate is ridiculously low. But then I bet you haven't seen the method of getting your licence there. They train and test the raisins out of you and you can know all the road rules they impose, but the rule stands of you are not a good driver you will not get your licence.
So who are to point and say you are a terrible and unsafe driver? When we can't even prove how we would react in an emergency situation, the "speeding" driver could very well be the better.
Now I'm not saying all speeding drivers are not at fault. Most of them are. I am just annoyed at people pointing at all the ones who got caught.
The guys who get them selves wrapped around a pole are obviously the idiots and really should have thier licences revoked - but you get drivers who are perfectly able to travel 30-50km/h over the speed limit in a car and on a road that has been engneered to do so (as proved in Germany). The problem is exposing who is and who isn't.
FYI I was doing 116km/h in a 60km/h zone on a dead straight 4 lane road at 12am. and lost my licence for 19 months (NSW)
That is my 4.9345 cents
Justin