55: A Meditation on the Speed Limit

[HaloMasterMind117]

May next time they will give you a ticket for driving in the left lane while not passing.

[casmatori]

To be honest. That's one of the most annoying things ever when you have a whole line of Korean cars that won't get out of the left lane! (Hyundais are the worst)

[darkwriter77]

If they tried that out here in Phoenix, at least one person would get rear-ended by a Hummer and one or more others would get shot at by tweakers and/or illegals. People out here are freakin' INSANE when it comes to the speed limit. It's 65 MPH or more on most highways, and even if you're doing 5 MPH over, people act like you're practically standing still.

Moral of the story: PEOPLE SUCK.

[neverdoubtmesucker]

I think speed limits should be modified for each lane. 55 is fine for the far right, maybe 60 for the next 65 in the middle 70 in the next and 70+ for the far left. With all of the IDIOTS on the road (that means you) it would never work, but you don't have a better idea....Oh and when I want you opinion I will give it to you. PS kudos to the GSU kids for thinking of this, like it or not you still watched the video so they accomplished what they wanted.

[qwerty112311]

It's not public obedience, it's being a complete and total asshole.

[listen2morehiphop]

real life trolls, good job nerds

[cscdigitalgraphics]

There are many other more important things to meditate on than the 55 mph speed limit.

[Tounushi]

Speed limits are LIMITS.

You shouldn't go over them. It's the law, stupid!

I have a deep disdain for people who do not follow the laws of the road.

"Meh, this speed limit is too slow, I'm too busy to abide by it."

"Bah, seatbelts are for pussies! I'm too much of a boss to wear one."

"I cannot live without my cellphone, so I need to talk to it while I'm driving."

"Those lines there don't mean shit to me! I can go wherever I want!"

Don't these people get it that those regs are there for a reason?

[sociopathicregret]

@Tounushi The fugitive slave act was the law in 1850, asshole slaveholders had deep disdain for those who didn't follow the law. You're too much of a dumbass to realize that the 'reason' isn't always right...sometimes its political, misguided, etc. If the reason is really *correct* (ie scientific setting of speed limits), then I support ticketing people if theyre causing a hazard. If highway X is 55 mph because of congestion, but there's no congestion at 9 PM...no problem driving 80. Moron.

[Tounushi]

@sociopathicregret

Bringing in a strawman... check.

Dishing out personal insults....check

Saying the law can be ignored if it happens to be inconvenient...check

Conclusion: troll

Action: Shall not feed.

[sociopathicregret]

@Tounushi It has nothing to do with inconvenience, it has to do with the fact that laws are sometimes set for purposes of expediency or politics and are not always accurate for the situation. You're completely worthless, go fight a hydralisk with a bread knife.

[Tounushi]

@sociopathicregret

Might try that. I just spent the other day skinning a cockatrice with a potato peeler. It would've taken less time if I'd killed it to stop its struggling, but I like the way it screams. Unfortunately its skin is too crappy for boots and its feathers stink to the lowest hells.

[sociopathicregret]

@Tounushi That's animal torture. I'm calling PETA.

[sociopathicregret]

@Tounushi The fugitive slave act was the law in 1850, asshole slaveholders had deep disdain for those who didn't follow the law. You're too much of a dumbass to realize that the 'reason' isn't always right...sometimes its political, misguided, etc. If the reason is really *correct* (ie scientific setting of speed limits), then I support ticketing people if theyre causing a hazard. If highway X is 55 mph because of congestion, but there's no congestion at 9 PM...no problem driving 80. Moron.

[RobSpringer85141]

@Tounushi

"Don't these people get it that those regs are there for a reason?"

You're a jackass.

[1999CSVT]

Fuck those students.

[SLF1SH]

Very good job guys, thank you!

[JulianTempest]

I agree with the point of this video: the general flow of traffic at 70-75 mph and the lack of enforcement indicates that the speed limit on that highway should be increased to at least 65 mph if not 70. The city won't do it, though; just think of how much revenue they make in 25-over tickets. Until the people openly protest the law, it won't change.

[squallz13]

Slower traffic keep right... it's the fucking law. Fucking pricks shoulda been arrested

[IIKeRsEyII]

@squallz13 They were going the speed limit, they weren't going slow, fucking prick.

[squallz13]

@IIKeRsEyII

They were going slowER.. moron.. learn the rules of the road

Left lane is a passing lane. If you are not passing then you are obstructing traffic has nothing to do with your actual speed or the speed limit.

[piecharthosen]

@squallz13 slower than speed limit doofus

this is perfectly hilarious

[squallz13]

@piecharthosen

No SLOWER than other traffic.. fuck man learn how to drive.

The left lane is a passing lane. If the rules were you only have to leave that lane when you are going slower than the limit it wouldn't be a passing lane anymore.

[becomepostal]

Silly arguments ("rules are bad") and silly video (poor editing)

[korbannc]

Editing on Adderall?

[Haedrian]

Right, good idea, but whoever did the editing should be strangled. I want to watch the footage, I don't want to watch 2 seconds of footage, 5 seconds of talking, 2 seconds of different footage, 5 seconds of talking, 2 seconds of footage, 2 seconds of footage backwards, 1 second forward, 1 second backwards....

[poopsmell65]

This is a poor experiment. It doesn't matter how fast you go if you're just going to block all lanes of the highway. People driving variable speeds - regardless of what that speed might be - is what would keep traffic free flowing.

[9ipsykin9]

Mmmmmm! Nice "Avalanche" of a rack on the chick! I'd like to see her on a trampoline!

[rafaelwall]

Also, the back and forth thing when showing the train of cars... not a good idea. At least show the entire footage first. You're taking away the chance of the viewer to experience what the people on the bridge was experiencing. Then, play around with it with some voice overs if you want.

[rafaelwall]

Here's some feedback to the people who edited this video: The interview clips got way too in the way. For example, when the truck driver wanted to talk to the driver, show the whole footage. Edit the footage if you want if you want to make it entertaining or to cut the crud, THEN, show the testimonial. Rinse and repeat. Showing just one or two seconds of the experiment, only to suddenly show people talking about the experience for like 10 seconds becomes annoying real fast.

[HeManRawkz]

holy fuck this was amateur

[WorldisArt]

This just illustrates how many dumbasses are on the road..... no speed limits? in the US? First learn how to drive. Supporting baoghal here.

[boyanmusic]

people! wake up! you keep talking shit about speed and stuff and NOBODY said anything about the super funky song in the vid.. starts around 2:07 i think... who does it? it's funky as hell, i love it

[Frates1]

I think our speed limit of 70 mph on motorways (freeways) is pathetic, they should apply different limits according to the flow of traffic and time of day in my opinon.

[MaverickXeo]

People dont seem to realize that cars handle MUCH differently at the speed limit than they do when they are speeding. Most cars, when increasing speeds, will also increase stopping distances much more drastically. Not only that, but most North American roads are old; they are DESIGNED for the limit. The corners are banked enough to make them smooth and nice at the speed limit.

I will admit I do speed (maybe 10-20KM over) but really, if you have to go much faster than that, you have issues.

[sociopathicregret]

@MaverickXeo Actually most are designed for speeds faster than 55 or 65 at least, the 55's are just relics of the National Maximum Speed era. Visit the NMA (National Motorists Association) if you're sick of this bullshit

[gremlinmischief]

"you wanted to talk to me, but I could've roll down my window" LOL

[evilcobra]

Courtesy goes a long way, folks. Stay out of the left lane if you're going to drive the speed limit.

[yuravian]

If you think removing limits won't work in the US, you should czech this out:

tinyurl . com / 3cd95c (remove the spaces, youtube wont let me post a direct link)

Lane discipline and seatbelt use increased and fatal accidents fell to an all-time low in montana when an ambiguous speed limit law (that had already eliminated precise numerical speed limits) was repealed and there was a complete lack of speed limits altogether on major highways.

[JULESRULES9969]

Yuu

[METZOMB09]

This makes me glad that I live in Texas. 80 MPH roads is one way how we get things done :]

[theweakwillwalk]

OH MY GOD THIS IS INSANE!!!!

[yeknom02]

Actually the 55 mph mandate (at the federal level) came from the Emergency Highway Energy Conservation Act, a response to the 70's gas crisis. The highway fatality rate dropped afterward, so they concluded that it must have been a result of the new speed limits.

[smokeshaq]

60mph is still a joke... 70-80mph is ok for major freeways, 60mph when interchanges come along...

[anivasion]

This was a really good exercise in proving a point, and a good one at that. The editing is god awful, I am sorry to say. I'm not trying to be mean, it's just true. The music at the beginning is way too hot and drowns the dialogue.

Like I said though, I agree with your message. The rationale behind the 55 is that most people speed about 5 over so if you raise it, they will be STILL speeding. BUT, no one drives 55 there. And if someone tries, this happens and it's dangerous. Raise it to 60mph.

[HCastator]

What's with the horrible back and forth bullshit at the end of the video? Why would anybody think that's a good idea? Just show the footage.

[ikillhippies]

@HCastator you think that's bad? there's an extended cut

[punkrocker7788]

UPDATE--- Speed limit is STILL 55 uugghh..

I agree with yall though. 55 on 285 is one of the dumbest things ever. And 285 is 64 miles long.. even worse. Nice vid though, funny

[acslims]

This has been on my lifes to do list for some time but cross country so when you get pulled over you can ask the cop/ judge "how much faster than the speed limit do you want me to go" also call the cops for ever car that passes on the shoulder.

[texoreilly]

I suppose if you created a 100 car pile up they would actually start enforcing the law instead. i say do this daily.

[Joke9972]

We Europeans are driving like it is some kind of art, still using gear shifts, like half rally pilots. You Americans do a lot of things, and amongst them is driving. Less nerves, reading a book. Sometimes I wish we could do that, but our infrastructure doesn't allow it. I drove in the States, eating a whole menu and it took me about 10 miles to change my outfit, including shoes.But never being able to hit the gas, that is also boring, I can understand the frustration.

[bkwashpa]

I've driven in Holland and Belgium. I've never wanted to slit my own wrists at any given time in my life more than that.

[Elbiatch]

Yeah, only europeans use manual and it makes them all "half rally pilots." Right. Guess I'm half a rally pilot too. My 56 year old mom too.

Driving stick is not that big a deal people

[Blackstone1955]

Austria and Germany have no speed limits on their highways in some places and they have the two highest highway accident death rates in the world. The accidents are horrendous. This is a stunt designed and implemented by boobs. Speed limits might seem dumb but the alternative is dumber.

[jos31999]

@Blackstone1955 that is actually a myth. Germany has zones with no max posted limit, but those typically only last a few kilos. At each city, there are limits and they are strictly observed. BIG difference.

[smokeshaq]

@jos31999 yes, speed limits in Germany are very stricly observed... it's gotten out of control... mobile speed cameras (laser, radar, light barrier, video sensors) out in force every day, and some even late at night...!

[smokeshaq]

@Blackstone1955

Only Germany has stretches of Autobahn with no speed limit...! Austria is 130km/h!!!

Blackstone: two thirds of the Autobahn are without limits... and people drive safe... but Germany/Europe has a strict speed lane law, if you don't pass you need to move over to the most right lane possible... and no passing on the right side, only on the left side!!!

[ahyahyahy]

Kick ass, good job.

[Gito360]

Hell fuck yeah man!!! They should change the fuck out of that law. Well done

[jdf018]

Hilarious...I laughed so hard...

[styleKIMCHI]

I'm not in any shape or form supporting a speed limit law. I was just stating that a speed limit law based on economic performance is just crap since it varies by car. And the only reason less people die in Germany is because of the rigorous driving school training issued. I rather deal with a harder driving school program and wait till Im 18 to get my license then put up with the nonsense speeding laws here.

[jrowe6]

i agree 1000000000%

[jrowe6]

perhaps make it so under 18 without having passed the hard test you can only drive on public roads. no highways. then when you are 18 you can take a high speed driving test and if you pass you can go on the highways. i also think different types of vehicles should have different speed limits. why can a huge truck with a 12" life and 38" tires go the same speed as a guy in a BMW or a Benz. or motorcycles. i dont know, i would do things differently

[PTRJason]

Ages wont matter as they would still drive, just like now, people without licenses are on the road every day, about 2 in every 10 cars is probably an unlicensed driver. Also California has a 55 MAX on any auto/truck with a trailer, including semis, regardless of posted max for regular auto, they still drive 70+ People will do what they want. Just need more cops to enforce the law, but economy wont allow it.

[jrowe6]

ticketing people more is not a good fix. there are better ways to improve the safety and efficiency of the roadways.

[styleKIMCHI]

Some of the posters here are complete idiots. It depends on the car and how you use it when it comes to maximizing economic performance. Top Gear perfectly demonstrated this on the episode featuring the Prius racing down a track while having an M3 keeping up behind (not passing). Guess which car got the better mileage at the end of the race or demonstration since it technically wasnt a race?

[Jonstewart1234]

So you investigate the problem by being it? Doesn't seem very fair...

[bike756]

morons....

[askhere]

When you grow up you will understand how stupid this is.

[endlessness80]

Ive been saying this for years. 55 mph is way to slow.  Just dont go over 80mph or you'll get ticketed.

[italiafutball932]

this is fantastic stuff. good video, guys.

[ReggaetonMusic]

this is HILARIOUS!

[SuperFinGuy]

LOL Another myth vaporized by the facts.

[MrCropper]

Privatize roads TODAY!!!

No more government infrastructure!!!

[Pimpmastahanhduece]

that would so suck sooooooo bad. every road will have huge potholes and never get paved.

i definately think there need to be a reasonable speed limit, but its always much less than what it could be and safe. maybe teens wouldnt get such a rush out of going normal speed and want to push it till they are just that tiny bit to fast that they spin out on the turn and die.

[datooie]

lol give me a break. nothing remotely similar to the highway system would exist without the government.

[MrCropper]

"nothing remotely similar to the highway system would exist without the government."

Would you say the rail system and airport system are "remotely similar" to the highway system? If so, perhaps you'll take back what you said. Surely you don't think the government built the railways?

[kill3r1130]

wow those losers thinks they are cool.

georgia state offically sucks balls.

[swarthypete]

Atlanta drivers are some of the worst I've ever seen. The great irony would have been if the four drivers would've been pulled over. The people passing the shoulder and getting all pissed off were the dangerous drivers.

[jimsvideos11]

Congratulations, you managed to be rude, stupid, selfish and inconsiderate all at once, and all while endangering the lives of innocent people.

[sicktrix91]

how is driving the speed limit endangering peoples lives?

[vein300]

yeah you stupid scumbag they just obeyd the law !

[Thoughtfulguy68]

The speed limit was lowered to 55 nationwide during the energy crisis of the 1970's to conserve fuel. Cars and trucks are (were) most fuel efficient at around 55 to 60 mph. An unexpected result of this new law was that traffic accident fatalities decreased significantly with the lower speed limit. The 55 mph limit in busy urban areas is only to make the roads safer for all of us.

[johan404]

And yet they have less accidents on the German Autobahn where there's no speed limit.

[baoghal]

Yeah, our rules are definitely stupid. I think just opening the floodgates autobahn style won't work in the US, because US drivers have no lane discipline whatsoever. I think anyone that has driven in both the US and in Germany for an extended length of time would likely agree.

[CicadaTehL337]

"US drivers have no lane discipline whatsoever"

this is so true.

[smokeshaq]

people would adapt... the "no passing on the right side" would needed to adopted & advertised... fast lanes/autobahn style only works if you don;t pass on the right side, only the left/faster side...

[InquiringMind63]

@baoghal You are basically right about the lack of lane discipline in the US. I Drove in Germany. I drove as fast as I wanted to & I kept to the right except when passing - like everybody else!

Lane discipline can be learned here, especially if cops enforced it - instead of speed laws. But that's another debate.

IMO Speed laws are used to raise revenue NOT make our roads safe.

[InquiringMind63]

What happened here is a demonstration of the fraud behind the speed limit laws. People won't drive any faster then they can safe operate their vehicle. Yet when a wall was made by cars driving abreast of each other obeying the speed limit, an artificial  traffic jam resulted. This is more dangerous than driving fast with the flow of traffic, but if there was no speed limits in place - then how can the police fund itself? It funds itself by criminalizing normal human behavior -Imposing fines.

[IdRatherBeOutRiding]

@baoghal I'm pretty sure autobahns are restricted now due to too many people taking advantage.

[bobdylan91]

HHHHHHAHAHAHAHAHAhahaha thats fucking right.

Mad props to you guys... mad props.

Fuck the man

[dippydoo2]

What is the name of that Porn song at the end.

[mdluccia]

I drive everyday in Brazil 34 miles on the road where the speed limit is 70miles/hour but I always go at 55miles/hour, then Im very surprised because my car is saving a lot of gas doing between 36 to 38mpg, the environment say thanks...

Unfortunable I can use just 25% of etanol in my car, which one preserves the environment, because my car is not 100% prepared to used it

[webtwopointoh]

Overall I liked it but it could have used more on-the-road footage. Lots of talk about what happened, not enough of the actual happening!

Oh, and way too much crappy editing on the bridge cam footage, I would have liked to see that without all the stupid, jerky backwards-forwards effects and porn music.

[neonova03]

This is asinine. Going the speed limit in the right lane is perfectly acceptable.

If you feel compelled to go 20 over just to get to your nail appointment because you chose to leave so late that you had to speed just to get there on time, the left lanes are yours to waste your gas in.

[youtubasoarus]

I would have agreed to this if you guys weren't obstructing the left lane. That's unlawful if I recall correctly. Not being a stickler, but if you want to prove a point, at least give the people a place to pass.

[CicadaTehL337]

left lane is for passing only...

but people ignore that.

[425Velocity]

@CicadaTehL337 That is true... BUT... just because you're passing someone doesn't give you grounds to break the speed limit. By the letter of the law, if you have to speed to pass someone, you should not pass them. The purpose of the video was to demonstrate how stupid the speed limit is. So, technically, if everyone was going 55, and they left the left lane open, no one should have needed to use the left lane to pass them. Obviously, that's not realistic - which was purpose of the video.

[cmhiekses]

There are safer ways to prove a point. Why put the general public's safety at risk? This is completely irresponsible and self-righteous. Over a year has passed since this video was posted and the speed limits haven't changed. Way to go, guys... you successfully pissed off hundreds of innocent commuters and achieved what exactly?

[Surkis]

Whoever decided to lower the speed limit to 55 on the highways is a fucking moron and should get kicked in the face and told to cut that shit out and actually think things through before they make new laws.

[stephaniebarney]

whats with the porn music

[davesevaw]

Now I know who you are. I was there.I got all your plates Me and my friends need to talk with you. Just talk thats all. I have your address now. Thanks

[Surkis]

What are you gonna do, throw dildos on their lawn or something? Fuckin' moron.

[lowjeep]

Technically they were not following the law. They were following the speed limit law but they were breaking the law by continually driving in the inner most lanes without passingand moving back to the right. Most states have laws against driving in the passing lanes. Hence the signs that say keep right except to pass or slower traffic keep right.

[DareToDriveTheSpeedt]

The speed limit is the speed limit. I'd like to see regular events like this done spontaneously as like-monded drivers to their everyday destination find others at the speed limit and follow the law in one, two three, four or five lanes to prove a point. This could be "obedience mass", to show that the speed limit needs enforcement. Let's all get a habit of driving to the legal limit.

[cheezgrated]

That simply provokes other drivers to perform dangerous passes to get around the rolling roadblock, or to tailgate.

I'm all for safe driving, but I'd call the cops if I saw a line of cars intentionally impeding traffic. A rolling roadblock is not safe.

[zer0graph]

Not really, you are still moving through air, wich slows you down. The faster you go, the more power it takes to keep you at that speed, the more gas you use.

Air is not "nothing", it exists and it has it's weight.

[spoolinko3s]

yet you are forgetting that you are moving at a higher speed, hence covering more ground in a shorter period of time which brings your mpg back up. The increased air does hurt it but not enough to make your mpg go down.

[sociopathicregret]

It's revs versus distance covered, not every car's best mileage is 55 but most are in the 50-70 mph range. Some decrease heavily, some decrease slowly. Depends on aerodynamics. That being said, higher fuel economy is not an excuse to ticket people for driving fast.

[DareToDriveTheSpeedt]

You need to learn physics and aerodynamics.

[sociopathicregret]

Miles per gallon is simply about distance covered versus RPM.

[kill3r1130]

if you have problem with gas dont drive....

[DMlloyd01]

lol awesome. There are people in Atlanta that hated you guys for like 2hrs

[degnaw]

I had cruise control at 63 in a 65 zone for an hour on highway 75, in the right lane (which is the same highway as in the movie, except in ohio), to save gas. Surprisingly enough, that was the speed of traffic in that lane ("normal" traffic was in the other 2-3 lanes going 70-75).

[1eyeblue]

Way to go guys!! I have wanted to get a group together and do the same thing. I live in Hawaii, and you should see how ridiculous the traffic gets here on Oahu. Our H1 freeway is less than 30 miles long. If you go from the west end to the east end the posted speed limit goes from 45 to 60 to 50 to 45 to 50. During rush hour which can last a few hours in the morning and afternoon, going over 10mph is an accomplishment. If people would give each other some space and relax, we could get somewhere.

[DeeMosh]

Totally...Hawaii traffic is a bitch.

[flybynightvideo]

ugh, the editing... !

[phishstyx]

"asshatterey" I think sums it up. If this was LA it would be video of four chumps taking incoming rounds on an interstate. For their next act I suggest "blind interstate j-walking".

[DcTalkUnitecom]

lol i looked this up because a clip of it was on the national news today..

sweet.

[h190jinx]

what a bunch of self-righteous do-gooders. well, they did serve a point, at least showing the speed limit should be upped to 65 there.

[KreativeKricket]

Ever since my friend got a ticket for going 70 in a 65 I have wanted to do something like this. You guys are so cool.

[MichelleLeah]

Today they were doing radar on my road so I had to go the speed limit (30) and I was pratically run off the road by some guy behind me. We all usually do around 40-50 on the road...

[pushtheenvelope]

55? What...the...hell? I pity you all.

[greentrees12]

This is like the best video ever!!!! Totally loved it.

[georgiams100]

people will run you over if your not going atleast 10 over

[muchachaverdeygris]

everyone goes over the speed limit anyway, and when i fisrt started 2 drive i did not know this so i made a few people angry, but then that made me angry, because i was following the law! LOL

[illmagnified]

this movie sucks- i want my 3 minutes and 7 seconds back right now! Not even worth my free time...

[illmagnified]

i agree with jaclyn

[VioletisSane]

thats tightt

[sociopathicregret]

Reminds me of the NJ turnpike.

[andrewcm07]

This is 285 Atlanta's Perimeter. Where Driving 55 is a joke!!!!!!!

[AngusYoung93]

This was filmed in Atlanta, Ga. They said so in the video. >_>

[blackpager]

lol, guess i wasnt paying attention... california is so kewl!

[montyeich]

great concept, however editing it like MTV's the "The Grind" makes little to no sense... a warning should be placed on this video so epileptics do not suffer from seizures

[jaclyndave]

While the point is valid ... the general asshatterey of the participants, and what is possibly the worst editing I have ever seen detract from it quite a bit.

How about a simple statement of purpose, then camera shots from the cars going 55, followed by the payoff shot from the overpass?

Dump the "confessional camera" first of all, reality TV is not where you should be learning to edit video.

Speed limits for revenue and not safety are crap - but your little video is even crappier.

[kevas05]

hell yea