Today, everything is supposed to be done quickly. Hurry. Hurry. Come on. We praise the fastest runner at the Olympics, crave the fastest sports cars, and demand the fastest Wi-Fi … the list goes on. We seem to be obsessed with speed. Is this need for speed built into our genes?
Take the upper highway on the big island. They bumped up the speed limit to110K and now everyone is driving 120K or more. We like to trespass into the prohibited territory, because we secretly crave speed, height and adventure. In a 2023 Canadian Automobile Association survey, Canadians admitted to speeding on the highway (45%), engaging with technology in their vehicle (32%), speeding in residential zones (22%), driving “well over” the speed limit (19%) and driving when too tired (18%). Which one are you? On Hornby, tourists in the summer drive 30-40K in the 60k zone, then 60K in the school zone. Analyze that.
Leon James, a psychology professor at the University of Hawaii, said on NPR that folks are inclined to speed because we don’t call it speeding. According to James, people simplify their own definition of speeding as going over posted limits by 20 or 25. They don’t even consider their speeding or consider that something is unsafe. Most people take risks when they are driving and this is true of any activity. The risks we’re taking tend to be very consistent. And it depends slightly on the situation, but when we’re in a hurry and we decide that it’s safe to break the speed limit by 20 then we go ahead and do it.
There is a phenomenon, similar to herds of sheep, of driving in packs in the passing lane. Many studies show that the person who goes much faster or much slower than the pack, creates a traffic safety hazard, but not the people who are breaking the speed limit in the pack. This is why certain people should not be part of the pack. Take that herd mentality and park it in the right lane, buddy. In other words, if you can’t keep up with the pack, stay out of the way.
It feels almost natural to drive over the speed limit. Everyone is doing it after all. We’re going with the flow, because if you don’t you’ll hear about it. Is the practice of speeding a learned behaviour that we’ve grown to accept as normal? Speed is certainly something we celebrate in our society and if you look at car commercials and gadgets, you can see the emphasis placed on going fast.
We like to cut corners where ever we go, as my mother used to say, “we are all in a hurry to get nowhere.” We’ve become more impatient. The internet is not fast enough. Time is precious. Hurry. When we cut corners we think we’re saving time. Even though the actual savings in time is insignificant, it’s the feeling of saving time that makes us feel good. It gives us a rush, when we’re in a rush.
A study in the US proved that if you’re going 10 above the speed limit in a 45 mph zone, you’re travelling 30% faster but, you save yourself only six minutes. If the speed limit is 65 mph and you’re going 75 mph, a mere two minutes was saved – even though in both scenarios, you’re going 10 over the speed limit. Ponder that.
Since I switched to automatic, I’ve noticed I’m bit more chill on the highway, and blissfully watch all those speeders whizzing by me with determined abandon. Some lane swerve and tailgate dangerously – only to find themselves next to you as you gingerly approach the stoplight. Wow. You’ve come a long way baby.
The threshold for excessive speeding in BC is travelling more than 40 kph over the posted speed limit. In addition to a ticket, a minimum $368 fine, your vehicle will also be impounded for seven days or more. The badge of honour also comes with three years of driver risk premium payments and possibly a driving prohibition. These are pretty serious consequences compared to a regular speeding ticket for travelling anywhere between 1 and 40 kph over the speed limit, which carries a maximum fine of $196, but no impound, and no driver risk premium.
Even in 1899 you could get into trouble on the road. A New York taxi driver named Jacob German was thrown in jail for going over the 8 mph speed limit on straight roads and 4 mph around corners in his electric car. According to the cop that threw him in jail, he was endangering the public by driving an astounding12 mph.
When it comes to excessive speeding it’s often all about testosterone and sports cars. But when it comes to road rage, the American Automobile Association found that women admit to the same road behaviours – although not to the full extent. Regardless of gender, nearly 8 in 10 drivers resort to aggressive driving behaviours. So, instead of being in a rush, maybe we need to take the road less travelled – indirectly is a far more scenic route.
