You probably know that most freeways are designed to be driven at a speed about ten miles over the posted speed limit at any given location. That is, if the driver is wide awake, competent and in constant full control of his or her well-maintained vehicle — as I’m sure you are.
Speed limits optimize safety when set at the 85th percentile of what drivers would naturally drive (which explains how the autobahn has the lowest fatality rate on the planet).
If drivers aren’t awake or competent, slowing down doesn’t improve safety (it creates dangerous speed differentials). These folks should get tickets for impaired driving. Not used as vague justification that limits might be too high, or I’m driving too fast.
BTW, how about those “no passing zones”?
Do you have equal disdain for those as well?