It all started ten years ago, when the local police here in Ontario went from "Waterloo Regional Police Force" to "Waterloo Regional Police Service". They're now advertising themselves as public servants, and no, they won't clean your carpets too, for now.
I think it's absurd why people even travel 130km/h in a 100km/h zone. This is the problem right there. Sure, people who come from Europe with the higher speed roadways think we're nuts, but as mentioned, our drivers don't have basic training mastered and get their license off a whim that the examiner gave them a break.
People just don't care.
It's become a me-me-me-and-me society. People are becoming two faced. They might be nice to talk to in person up close, but once behind the wheel - look out! road rage is everywhere. Everyone is essentially to blame, from automotive marketers (more power so you can drive like an idiot, too!), to us drivers ourselves. I saw it this year again where winter tires were advertised to "increase your winter driving confidence"; meaning you can drive more like an idiot in the winter with better traction.
Going back to speed limits, cops USED to pull people over to failing to signal, now a days its common practice not to use indicators. I don't know why they're still installed on cars to begin with. In Ontario failing to signal is 2 demerit points on your license plus a fine. Technically you can get a $110 ticket for going 15km/h over the limit. Personally I'd pull everyone over and FINE them for going 115km/h, because they're adults and should KNOW BETTER. This is what YOUR kids see first hand, daddy or mommy breaking the law, and they do it so regularly that they think it's OK!
Cops are more lenient in some places because they allow for the speed variance. This variance is with your vehicle. Honda, years ago, recalled vehicles because the speedometers were greater than 7% off of your actual speed. If your car is off say 5% (industry average is roughly 3%) and your tires are inflated to max pressure and you decide to go on a long highway jaunt, and after an hour your tires are up a few pounds of air, the diameter also increases slightly allowing more of a speed difference. These slight calculations can add up. A GPS can come in handy here as it keeps a true speed even though there's a couple second lag time in most cases. So you're speedo can read 115km/h, when in fact you're traveling at 125km/h. HUGE difference. Thus you get pulled over.
If you had set cruise at say 105km/h and your actual speed might have been in the 110-115km/h zone. It can also go the other way, and read 5-10km/h faster than your actual road speed.
This is why there is a 15km/h threshold that cops allow before they pull you over. A lot of people fail to realize that even a $100K vehicle won't be 100% accurate in terms of speed.
I'm at fault as well, I admit it regularly that I'll set my vehicles speed at 110km/h according to my GPS on the 400 series highways here in Ontario, and at 90km/h for the 80km/h roads. However I don't exceed the speed threshold that police use to base citations on. It's a bad thing to get into. I find it's quite relaxing to set the cruise at around 105km/h (GPS indicated speed) and I won't have to pass a soul, except for a few transport trucks. If I hit traffic buildup, I lose time irregardless if I speed or not. If time is that important to travel, save your aggravation and fly.
Not to mention the fact that speed does a lot more things than just burn more gas and get you in trouble with the law. It wears your vehicle faster, in regard to pumps, bearings, tires, brakes, and even transmissions, where heat all plays a major role in component life.
Radar detectors should be banned for sale, and confiscated if found in use in any vehicle. They're not necessary. Children our the future, so lets be sure to raise them properly and teach them how to be adults, even behind the wheel.
