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Speed limits on gravel roads?



 
 
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  #1  
Old September 7th 06, 02:37 PM posted to rec.autos.driving
morticide
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Posts: 267
Default Speed limits on gravel roads?

This question came up in a friend's letter to the editor in my hometown
newspaper. He had inquired with the state patrol about what the speed
limit was on county gravel roads; the response was that it's the same
as on the highways. The writer cited an incident in which someone was
flying down the gravel at at least 50 and hit a dog...and kept going,
right in front of witnesses.

I used to live on a gravel road, and anything faster than 35 on most of
them in northern Missouri is asking for trouble (dust, control loss).
Some locations, probably by county law, post a 35 speed limit. The
only gravel road I know of that has a posted speed limit higher than
that is AK 11 at 50.

I would imagine that enforcement would be rare as it would be under the
jusridiction of the sherriff's department.

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  #2  
Old September 7th 06, 03:05 PM posted to rec.autos.driving
gpsman
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Posts: 3,233
Default Speed limits on gravel roads?

morticide wrote: <brevity snip>
> The writer cited an incident in which someone was
> flying down the gravel at at least 50 and hit a dog...and kept going,
> right in front of witnesses.


Witnesses? Now *that's* ****in' funny.

Who had the ROW...?
-----

- gpsman

  #3  
Old September 7th 06, 03:30 PM posted to rec.autos.driving
Harry K
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Posts: 2,331
Default Speed limits on gravel roads?


gpsman wrote:
> morticide wrote: <brevity snip>
> > The writer cited an incident in which someone was
> > flying down the gravel at at least 50 and hit a dog...and kept going,
> > right in front of witnesses.

>
> Witnesses? Now *that's* ****in' funny.
>
> Who had the ROW...?
> -----
>
> - gpsman


I had the dubious honor of being the county dispatcher trainer. Had
two newbies and decided to send them out on a tour of some county roads
for familiarization. They managed to run over a farmers dog right in
front of him. I should have taken the clue, they both turned out to be
total losses as dispatchers. One of them couldn't even name the
nearest crossroads to his house after 5 years (took that long to get
rid of them, civil serpent rules am hard).

Harry K

  #4  
Old September 7th 06, 03:35 PM posted to rec.autos.driving
Dave Head
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Posts: 2,144
Default Speed limits on gravel roads?

On 7 Sep 2006 06:37:31 -0700, "morticide" > wrote:

>This question came up in a friend's letter to the editor in my hometown
>newspaper. He had inquired with the state patrol about what the speed
>limit was on county gravel roads; the response was that it's the same
>as on the highways. The writer cited an incident in which someone was
>flying down the gravel at at least 50 and hit a dog...and kept going,
>right in front of witnesses.


About the only good reason for stopping would have been to get the name of the
dog's owner, who let it run loose, so I could sue them for the damage to my car
from the collision. Maybe the local authorities might have something to say
about a cruelty to animals law, which has to have been violated by letting the
dog run loose near a road, where it was sure to get hit, sooner or later.

>I used to live on a gravel road, and anything faster than 35 on most of
>them in northern Missouri is asking for trouble (dust, control loss).
>Some locations, probably by county law, post a 35 speed limit. The
>only gravel road I know of that has a posted speed limit higher than
>that is AK 11 at 50.


35? Gimmie a break. Ever see those WRC rallies on the TV? They're doing it
on gravel roads, and hitting 130 mph. Anyone that can't do a (straight) gravel
road at the 55 mph speed limit needs some further driver education. Yeah,
there's some twisty stuff that can be a challenge, even on paved, but gravel is
only as dangerous as you make it.

Dave Head

>I would imagine that enforcement would be rare as it would be under the
>jusridiction of the sherriff's department.


  #5  
Old September 7th 06, 03:40 PM posted to rec.autos.driving
Brent P[_1_]
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Posts: 8,639
Default Speed limits on gravel roads?

In article >, Dave Head wrote:

> 35? Gimmie a break. Ever see those WRC rallies on the TV? They're doing it
> on gravel roads, and hitting 130 mph. Anyone that can't do a (straight) gravel
> road at the 55 mph speed limit needs some further driver education. Yeah,
> there's some twisty stuff that can be a challenge, even on paved, but gravel is
> only as dangerous as you make it.


My concern would be for my car's paint job....


  #6  
Old September 7th 06, 03:53 PM posted to rec.autos.driving
gpsman
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Posts: 3,233
Default Speed limits on gravel roads?

Dave Head wrote: <brevity snip>

> About the only good reason for stopping would have been to get the name of the
> dog's owner, who let it run loose, so I could sue them for the damage to my car
> from the collision.


The dog owner probably never thunk of that...

> >I used to live on a gravel road, and anything faster than 35 on most of
> >them in northern Missouri is asking for trouble (dust, control loss).
> >Some locations, probably by county law, post a 35 speed limit. The
> >only gravel road I know of that has a posted speed limit higher than
> >that is AK 11 at 50.

>
> 35? Gimmie a break. Ever see those WRC rallies on the TV? They're doing it
> on gravel roads, and hitting 130 mph.


Those are race cars and race drivers, not really applicable. And after
a few cars it's more dirt than gravel on the driving line/s.

> Anyone that can't do a (straight) gravel
> road at the 55 mph speed limit needs some further driver education. Yeah,
> there's some twisty stuff that can be a challenge, even on paved, but gravel is
> only as dangerous as you make it.


Well, there's gravel roads and gravel roads. Sometimes there's little
gravel, sometimes there's a lot. Sometimes it's pea gravel, sometimes
it's crushed rock.

At about 35mph on lots of gravel is about where it can begin to be like
driving on ice. At my top speed on many gravel roads, 90mph, they all
seemed like ice. There wasn't any prize and 90 was all the excitement
I required.
-----

- gpsman

  #7  
Old September 7th 06, 03:57 PM posted to rec.autos.driving
C. E. White[_1_]
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Posts: 933
Default Speed limits on gravel roads?


"morticide" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> This question came up in a friend's letter to the editor in my hometown
> newspaper. He had inquired with the state patrol about what the speed
> limit was on county gravel roads; the response was that it's the same
> as on the highways. The writer cited an incident in which someone was
> flying down the gravel at at least 50 and hit a dog...and kept going,
> right in front of witnesses.
>
> I used to live on a gravel road, and anything faster than 35 on most of
> them in northern Missouri is asking for trouble (dust, control loss).
> Some locations, probably by county law, post a 35 speed limit. The
> only gravel road I know of that has a posted speed limit higher than
> that is AK 11 at 50.
>
> I would imagine that enforcement would be rare as it would be under the
> jusridiction of the sherriff's department.


In NC, the speed limit for a rural (non-residential, non-business) dirt
roads would be 55 unless otherwise posted. I own a farm on what used to be a
very isolated dirt road. I drive 50+ on it all the time with no loss of
control. However, the road has one very sharp unmarked curve - and it you
hit that at 55, you will probably die (and someone did last year). They are
going to pave the road this year. Since it is isolated and has two 2 mile
long straight-aways connected by a very sharp curve, I am expecting a lot of
accidents at this curve after the road is paved. In the last few years
developments have opened up at the far end of the road, and apparently
people from the North can't drive. I've never seen such rude impatient
people in my life. If they could keep a d%^& car in the road, it might not
be so bad, but not only are many of them rude and impatient, they also can't
drive worth a d^&*. Sooner or later one of them is going to clip a piece of
farm equipment when they try to make a zoom pass and someone is going to
die. I just hope I am not involved. Here is a piece of advice for all you
uber drivers on rural roads - When you catch a piece of farm equipment make
sure the operator sees you before you try to streak past him at 80 mph in a
blind curve or a no passing zone. I've had losers come up behind me out of a
blind curve, run off the road in an effort to pass me and almost clip me as
they try to whip it back in the proper lane. If I see you coming, I'll get
out of your way, but give me a second to get off on the shoulder.

Ed


  #8  
Old September 7th 06, 04:03 PM posted to rec.autos.driving
morticide
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 267
Default Speed limits on gravel roads?


Dave Head wrote:
> On 7 Sep 2006 06:37:31 -0700, "morticide" > wrote:
>
> >This question came up in a friend's letter to the editor in my hometown
> >newspaper. He had inquired with the state patrol about what the speed
> >limit was on county gravel roads; the response was that it's the same
> >as on the highways. The writer cited an incident in which someone was
> >flying down the gravel at at least 50 and hit a dog...and kept going,
> >right in front of witnesses.

>
> About the only good reason for stopping would have been to get the name of the
> dog's owner, who let it run loose, so I could sue them for the damage to my car
> from the collision. Maybe the local authorities might have something to say
> about a cruelty to animals law, which has to have been violated by letting the
> dog run loose near a road, where it was sure to get hit, sooner or later.
>
> >I used to live on a gravel road, and anything faster than 35 on most of
> >them in northern Missouri is asking for trouble (dust, control loss).
> >Some locations, probably by county law, post a 35 speed limit. The
> >only gravel road I know of that has a posted speed limit higher than
> >that is AK 11 at 50.

>
> 35? Gimmie a break. Ever see those WRC rallies on the TV? They're doing it
> on gravel roads, and hitting 130 mph. Anyone that can't do a (straight) gravel
> road at the 55 mph speed limit needs some further driver education. Yeah,
> there's some twisty stuff that can be a challenge, even on paved, but gravel is
> only as dangerous as you make it.
>
> Dave Head
>

55 is OK on gravel if it is in good shape. Most in MO are not. I have
been on gravel roads in Iowa in which driving 55 was more reasonable
than on several of the lettered paved roads in Missouri.

I double checked...the patrolman was a bit wrong in this case. MO
Statute 304.010 paragraph 5 states that if the county commission does
not post a speed limit, the speed limit on gravel roads is 50 (the
county can not post over 55). County speed postings have to clear the
state DOT and HP for approval.

  #9  
Old September 7th 06, 04:17 PM posted to rec.autos.driving
Brent P[_1_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 8,639
Default Speed limits on gravel roads?

In article <450033a3$1@kcnews01>, C. E. White wrote:

> blind curve or a no passing zone. I've had losers come up behind me out of a
> blind curve, run off the road in an effort to pass me and almost clip me as
> they try to whip it back in the proper lane.


Sounds like the people I encounter while biking... they decide to
move back to the right but they haven't yet cleared my front wheel or
sometimes are still along side me. Idiots... I am only going 5mph slowe
than they are most of the time...


  #10  
Old September 7th 06, 04:20 PM posted to rec.autos.driving
Mike T.
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Posts: 563
Default Speed limits on gravel roads?


"morticide" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> This question came up in a friend's letter to the editor in my hometown
> newspaper. He had inquired with the state patrol about what the speed
> limit was on county gravel roads; the response was that it's the same
> as on the highways. The writer cited an incident in which someone was
> flying down the gravel at at least 50 and hit a dog...and kept going,
> right in front of witnesses.


Uhhhh . . . you are aware that driving slowly on gravel is a really bad
idea, right? Not only does it make the ride much rougher than it needs to
be (for you), but it's also tough on your car's suspension. For each gravel
road (all are different, obviously) there is a certain speed UNDER which the
ride will be extremely rough. Where I grew up, most gravel roads, you
needed to go at least 45-55 or so to smooth them out to a point where your
teeth weren't being rattled out of your skull. What happens is, when the
car reaches a certain speed, the tires are skipping across the tops of
bumps, averaging them out. Thus, below that certain speed, your car hits
EVERY BUMP, INDIVIDUALLY.

So if you are doing say, 50, which is the speed you NEED to go, on gravel,
and you hit a dog in front of witnesses, what do you do? Well I would hope
that you'd stop. But even if you stop, there is nothing that YOU can do,
personally, for the dog at that point. Me, I would have stopped. But maybe
this guy figured the witnesses were best equipped to take care of the dog,
and kept going. He was most likely RIGHT in that assumption.

>
> I used to live on a gravel road, and anything faster than 35 on most of
> them in northern Missouri is asking for trouble (dust, control loss).


Dust, definitely. Control loss? Totally depends on the individual road and
the skill of the driver. Driving on gravel is different from driving on any
other road surface. Either you have the experience to handle it or you
don't. If you DO have the experience to handle it, you do not drive slowly
on gravel, as that is a really bad idea.

> Some locations, probably by county law, post a 35 speed limit. The
> only gravel road I know of that has a posted speed limit higher than
> that is AK 11 at 50.


Many states have a default speed limit and unposted roads (such as almost
all gravel roads) would be subject to the default speed limit. Every state
I've lived in, gravel roads would be subject to the default of 55MPH, which
is good, as you need to go almost that fast on most gravel road surfaces.

> I would imagine that enforcement would be rare as it would be under the
> jusridiction of the sherriff's department.


Now that you mention it, I have not ever seen cops on speed patrol on
dirt/gravel roads. Not once, in my entire life. -Dave


 




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