In the US, there is the “85th percentile rule” that says the speed limit can’t be lower than the speed 85% of the traffic travels on that road. It’s not always followed, but is a factor I’ve heard cited in speed limit discussions several places I’ve lived, mostly as an argument against traffic calming measures for pedestrian safety. But to my understanding, the law implies that if enough people decide not to follow the speed limit, it could theoretically be deemed legally too low and would need to be increased.
The way speeds are decided are rather ridiculous too. If I recall in some places (ahem: suburbia), it’s some kind of consensus of local landowners.
So they’ll set the speed limit to 35 mph along a ridiculously long and straight road with nothing on either side but suburb entrances and sidewalks.
The limits in my city are such that going 10 over is usually no big deal. It’s weird.
Because also if you stuck exactly to that limit, everyone drives dangerously around you because they’d go faster driving a horse and buggy lol.
In the US, there is the “85th percentile rule” that says the speed limit can’t be lower than the speed 85% of the traffic travels on that road. It’s not always followed, but is a factor I’ve heard cited in speed limit discussions several places I’ve lived, mostly as an argument against traffic calming measures for pedestrian safety. But to my understanding, the law implies that if enough people decide not to follow the speed limit, it could theoretically be deemed legally too low and would need to be increased.