why can cars exceed the maximum speed limit?

Answer 1

The extra power is there for climbing hills, mountain roads, and pulling trailers etc etc, NOT for speeding.

Answer 2

Well, first off you have to identify the maximum legal speed limit. In the US, the highest posted limit is 80 MPH on some rural interstates in West Texas. In Montana, there are no daytime speed limits on rural interstates.

Then there is the issue of emergency situations when higher than legal posted speeds can be justified. Have you ever been chased down the road by some maniac trying to run you off the road? I have and can tell you it's a terrifying situation. Or rushing a child to the hospital following a drug overdose. Been there, done that too.

Or how about passing on a two-lane highway? I drive to work along a rural two-lane highway and often have to pass slow-moving trucks or construction equipment. The legal limit is 60 but you need to get back onto your side of the road as quickly as possible for obvious safety reasons so a burst up to 80 or so is completely reasonable. At least the judge thought so when he dismissed the ticket! (Lucky me that he drives the same road!)

Then there is also the issue of freedom of choice. If I choose to exceed the speed limit I take the risk of having to pay extra for the privilege. It's all a game and as long as I don't put anyone else at risk (DUI, etc.) there is no harm caused.

Answer 3

Speed Limits differ from country to country. A car that maybe set for the correct limit in one country would be able to speed whilst driving through a country with a lower limit.

Germany for example has no max speed limit on the motorway, however most German made cars are limited to a top speed of 155mph.

Plus even if you couldn't exceed 70mph in a car you would still be able to speed in areas set with lower limits, such as built up areas where speeding is a lot more dangerous.

Answer 4

I am forty, with some 23 years of fairly high-mileage driving behind me. I have never had an accident, and have a clean licence. I respect, religiously, the 20, 20 and 40 mph limits, but national limit areas I use my discretion. The police turn a blind eye to anyone in the South of the country driving at up 90 mph on the motorways, and believe me there would be chaos if there was a zero-tolerance, stop-and-fine-them-at-71 mph-approach. I've been in cars with off-duty coppers, who have been driving at over 100mph. The speed limit shoud be proportionate to driver ability, experience and testing.
I long ago passed the Institute of Advanced Motorists' Advanced Driving Test, I have experience of race-tracks and rally stages.
Years ago, I would drive regularly at 115-120, on my commute. And if I'm clean and sober, alert, relaxed, experienced, and my car is capable, well-maintained, with excellent brakes and suspension, my driving is always safe, curteous and professional, then what's the problem, exactly? In France, Belgium and Australi, when I've been trying to cover a lot of ground quickly, I've had long stretches of 130-145. No bother, no problem.
Why not have to breathe into an intoximeter before the car will start? Drink-drivers cause death and injury, along with - statistics say - young men showing off with friends. 78% of young males will have an accident in the first year of driving.

I didn't.

Answer 5

Because people want cars that can accelerate rapidly. That requires a powerful engine and power can also be used for speed.

There are cars that will not exceed the speed limit by much, but they are underpowered and also will not accelerate quickly. That makes it difficult to pass another car or to merge onto the interstate.

Answer 6

Because you may want to use it on a race track or off road and have some FUN without being dictated to. People like taking risks, and always will. Also, have you ever been stuck behind 2 trucks with speeed limiters trying to overtake each other? If cars were the same, the country would grind to a halt.

Insomniac, you got it spot on.

Answer 7

i guess if you think about it if we all had a set standered, speed on our cars how would say i was going 30mph, and the car in front was doing 30mph, how the hell would i be able to overtake another car. i guess also if you think about it the emergency services sometimes have to exceed the maximum speed limit, in order to do their job effectively,because if a police car was fitted with the maximum speed limit it would not be able to respond to a incident in minimum time.

Answer 8

sometimes we need to exceed the limit to pass other vehicles. Also, not all countries have the same speed limit....and finally, it gives the car the power we need to accerlate out of danger because sometimes the gas pedal is just as necessary for safety as is the brake pedal.

Answer 9

Speed limits are different all around the world, and why would you buy a car that can ONLY do 60?

Answer 10

Damn good question , i know what your getting at here! Why not govern cars to the national speed limit maximums?
I'm glad they dont! as i'm a speedster it's the one thing that keeps me young! The governments could'nt restrict vehicles, if they did the consumption of fuel would drop the floor and hold back MASSIVE tax revenues! They want you at those fuel pumps as often as possible !!

Answer 11

Because some roads dont have a speed limit in some places like an alto barn in Germany