I love how most of the people posting on here think they know what will and won’t work without having any knowledge of studies having to do with traffic congestion. In theory, the way the signs work makes sense, so if people would actually use them (this is the real issue) they coul ease congestion. To all the people asking what good is a speed limit of 40 when you aren’t moving anyway, you’re missing the point. The point of the signs is to slow traffic down prior to completely stopping. Again, in theory it works. As for the guy talking about the Autobahn, you are correct, Germany has fewer accidents. What you failed to mention is that Germany is also a pioneer user of variable speed limits which has contributed to cutting their accidents in half. It would be wise to either read the studies or give the signs a few weeks to see what the do before making ignorant statements.

First of all- I agree that the changing speed limit signs is bound to be more of a mess than it is worth.

However- I do *not* agree with putting up fixed speeding cameras. I’m from Australia where these horrid things are commonplace on every stretch of major highway in metropolitan (and even some rural) areas.

They aren’t there for safety- they’re there for revenue (which I might add, in Australia doesn’t even go towards maintenance of the roads! It’s just a bit (a lot!) of extra $$$ for the state!).

And I’ve got to say they are the most frustrating thing on the planet- I’m a sensible driver, yet in one week alone I got clocked twice, at two different places, going 5kmph (3 miles per hour approximately)- and got whacked with a $120 ticket for each, and a couple of licence points. And because you get a pretty picture of your car and the speed it’s going in the mail with your letter- it’s hard to contest in court.

Of course the rules are different over here, and the speeding tickets are on a different cost scale- but honestly these things don’t save lives, hoons are still going to speed no matter what… and it’s just going to make it more frustrating for the rest of us when we’re out of pocket because a speeding camera decided to take a photo of us clocking a couple of miles over the limit.

Not a solution!

In response to those who want auto speeding cameras: we would have to have a separate one for each lane, and that would have to arch over the highways so that one lane of cars wouldn’t block the others; this would make it obvious, and thus useless.

I’ll also echo the comments that the speed limits mean nothing when there is just too much volume for the roads. Besides, will it be an argument in court that you just didn’t see the changed speed limit signs because of trucks on either side of me, or because I was too busy watching traffic around me? I almost think it’s more dangerous if I have to constantly check the speed limit signs, rather than learning the speed limits and knowing it’s the same, so that I can focus on all the cars around me.

Not well thought out, if you ask me.

A classic example of a revenue enhancement device hiding under the guise of “safety”.

I used to live in St. Louis. I miss the people and my St. Louis Rams but I sure don’t miss the moronic government ideas.

Coming Soutbound 270 at 7:30 p.m. (not a.m.)today the variable speed limit sign STILL showed 40 MPH just past Big Bend and traffic was doing 60-65. There was no traffic jam anywhere from 40 to 44. There is no reason why that sign should have still be 40 mph at 7:30 p.m. Any cops there could have written us all up for 20+ mph over the limit when we were really just doing the normal limit. The news really ought to be all over this. They seem to just be announcing it for MODOT instead of really testing MODOT’s theory and holding them accountable for getting real results with all the tax $ spent on this.

Not knowing the change had gone into effect, I got pulled over last night for doing my usual speed. I don’t know if the new speeds will work, but it sure seems counter-intuitive to slow down rush hour. Did we vote on this idiocy? Probably put in place by bureaucrats who don’t drive 270 anyway.

“There’s no way to rule innocent men. The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren’t enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws. Who wants a nation of law-abiding citizens? What’s there in that for anyone? But just pass the kind of laws that can neither be observed nor enforced nor objectively interpreted and you create a nation of law-breakers.”
a government stooge, trying to blackmail a decent man, in Ayn Rand’s novel Atlas Shrugged

The lowered speed limits have huge lead times too: At 6 pm, the speed limit was set to 50 back at the St Charles Rock Road exit, with very fluid traffic. The left lane was doing 80, and the other two were doing 70. With people going at those speeds, slowing down to 50 is as dangerous as stopping in the middle of the road! And, for those that leave at Dorsett or Page, the slower limits do nothing other than slow down the commute.

Why not spend the money on fixing the exits that cause all the trouble in the first place? 44, eastbound Page. Fix the exits, and the problem goes away. But the cameras will produce revenue, which is all the police seems to be about these days.

This is a total waste of tax payer money. Honestly this is more benefical to the cops rather than the drivers. Let’s say you just saw the sign and it said 60, but as soon as you pass it they turn it to 45? You are going to get pulled over and then it is your word against the police officer and duh, let’s think about it who’s going to win? A friend of mine who is a police officer stated to me “He’s a cop, he can lie”. Technology is great, but this is useless and their is no point to it. If people cannot pay attention to the road when people or slowing down or their is an accident then they shouldn’t be on the road in the first place. I think Missouri should concentrate more on making talking on phones and texting during driving illegal. Get Real Saint Louis!

This is a joke. Who ever came up with this idea should be fired. What a waste of tax payer money.