this should be illegal

If any drivers really need an variable speed limit sign to tell them that there are brake lights and congestion ahead of them, they need to hang up the cell phone and start paying attention. I feel that this system will be a disaster. Now instead of keeping their eyes on the road and paying attention to the cars around them, drivers will now be very distracted with trying to check to right hand shoulder to view EVERY speed limit sign that they pass just in case the signs change. I am picturing people slowing down when the sign changes only to have other drivers just viewing the sign slamming into the back of them. Didn’t I just read an article about MoDOT running out of money. I am sure the $900,000 price tag on these new signs did not contribute to that at all. Reminds me of Red Light cameras… ohhh, almost forgot. Those were installed with our tax dollars for our safety too.

No one is going to pay attention to those changing speed limits- I-270 is the Indy 500…

I wish they would install the cameras that give out tickets too. Most accidents are caused by morons who drive too fast in rush hour traffic.

It was flashing 45 mph at me this morning. Mocking me while I was going 0 mph at 270 and 44.

Oh Country Smooth. That comment was priceless.

I have a lead foot and even I don’t think I’ve ever been able to get above 60 mph on the times I’m on 270 going to and from work. This is the biggest waste of money, especially since you know the cops are going to be out in force. 40 mph on a highway? You’ve got to be kidding me.

It doesn’t matter what the speed is. There are too many cars getting on at the points of traffic jams. No variable speed limit is going to change that. Ta-da! I should work for MoDot (and I think I’m qualified, gien I know next to nothing about these types of things).

This is slightly off topic, but does anyone know of radar and cameras being used to automatically write speeding tickets? I’m thinking of something like the red light camera only for speeders.

Here’s how I think this could be helpful. I’m sure you have all seen the portable radar units that the county sets up on various streets for a few days (the ones that flash your speed as a reminder to slow down.) What if there were something like that only with a camera that could take pictures of the driver and write a ticket?

My street is a narrow residential drive that is a popular cut-through between two busy streets. When the county police occasionally shoot radar in there, they catch all kinds of drivers doing 50-60mph in a 25mph zone. Of course the police can’t be there all the time, so I wish there were radar cameras that could be set up for a few days here, a few days there. My neighborhood association would probably pay for one just to be used in our neighborhood.

Any thoughts?

Oh, please! It doesn’t matter what speed limit the sign says if you’re only going 10 mph in traffic. Those won’t do a thing to ease congestion. It’s another example of a waste of taxpayer money. Elliot Davis should be up in MoDot’s faces with his mic.

Jonny,

We have the very same problem in our subdivision. I’ve been thinking about setting out barracades intermittantly along the road - although, they’d probably plow right through them. We’ve even had the STL county police sit on the side street a couple times. I think the automatic ticketing is a great idea.

hey why don’t we install monitors in your car, it can send you a ticket if you ever go over the speed limit. We should outlaw alchohol and cigarettes, salt, and fatty foods too. we could install litter bug cameras, you drop your paper, it mails you some paper to replace what you lost. Come on people, you can’t be serious, you really want big brother watching every move you make. Red-light cameras lead to speed cameras, lead to who knows what next. Sounds a little too 1984 for my taste. But we could install those speed monitor device in your car if you like.