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My second speeding ticket in as many years, which is unusual for me. So naturally I come here to carp about it. This time it was at the infamous 45 down to 35 transition coming into Hilo. The problem for me, coming from California, where highway systems are, you know, somewhat intelligently designed, is that I have the sinking feeling that I may not actually be able to prevent future episodes, in which case I think a radar detector might actually be critical to my financial survival. It's not that I don't agree that the speed in that region should be 35, given that there are crosswalks across the highway, it's that some part of my brain tells me that I should be able to go 50 there, since it's the main thoroughfare through Hilo. It may only seem like the traffic systems here were designed by someone on LSD, but it may be more true that the unique history of land inaccessibility has made legacy upgrades the norm. In other words, they're "kludges" that people keep jury-rigging to work instead of tearing them all down and starting fresh. Case in point, the Puainako shopping strip, stretching from O'Reilly's to KTA. Can anyone seriously contend it wouldn't be improved by a bulldozer?
/rant
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I think the Feds must allocate a certain amount of money to each State for highway signs; So Hawaii has to keep putting up more and more street signs to keep those Fed $$$ rolling in.
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Yet "Bus Stop Here" signs are outlawed.
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As I recall the 35 MPH speed limit going into Hilo was the result, years ago, of letting the developers of the area off the hook for traffic improvements.
Assume the best and ask questions.
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I have never seen anyplace where there are as many street signs/mile than BI. Sheesh
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Watch it when going to Keaau also, when you turn off the main highway. No tickets for me yet, but I know someone that got one there and have seen many others. It's 25 mph all through Keaau. And drivers seem to think that that is just for near the schools. It's not. It's 25 mph all the time and all the way through Keaau. No matter. Every time I go to Keaau I have speeders riding my bumper there.
Jon in Keaau/HPP
Jon in Keaau/HPP
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Jon, I hear ya! I'm one of those people that actually like the 25mph there. I've had kids (and adults) just run in front of my car just about everywhere there. It irks me most when they are 20 feet from a cross walk.
I do think that in that area the 25 speed limit is reasonable. And yeah, I go 25 and people don't like that very much.
Dayna
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Can't help but think the Keaau speed limit is little more than a revenue generator for the county and a way for the police to write some easy tickets so they look like they are doing their job. It's easier than catching criminals. I've seen as many as six officers playing their speed trap game at one time.
In the other hand what's the hurry? If you are compelled to go as fast as you can, drive 50 because it's a "main thoroughfare" or generally drive like it's a mainland big city perhaps that is where you should be driving. This ain't the mainland and a lot of people, myself included, like the slower pace. As speed limits increase so do stress levels in all aspects of life.
life is short. enjoy it
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How much over the limit? being cited for 28 in a 25 maybe not cool --- 45 in a 25 may be a fair reminder
agreed - speed limits change frequently - and are tricky - newer cars like to roll and are quiet - easy to do 50 on a nice paved road....
How much over the limit was the ticket?
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The last ticket I got the officer felt compelled to tell me that it was because of complaints from families with kids crossing the road after getting off the school bus, and how the guy behind me was going even faster than I (there were four of us pulled over at once at one point). Now, I feel that the lighted signs that show your speed and flash when it is over the limit are extremely effective reminders. I always slow down for them. They are there night and day. They would do a much better job overall at protecting kids than letting drivers get used to speeding along a certain section then setting up a trap to bust them. Admittedly there are some sour grapes involved but it struck me then that the process of revenue generation has a higher priority than minimizing pedestrian fatalities. This is of course based on my assumption that the signs are more effective than speed traps at ensuring compliance with speed limits.
45 in a 25 may be a fair reminder but suddenly dropping the limit from 45 to 25 where it would otherwise be out of place compared to how highways are designed everywhere else indicates a flaw in the highway design and planning. Working backwards, look at where lots of tickets are generated and ask whether there are really that many scofflaws strangely attracted to that stretch of road or whether there is a problem with that section of road.
