There are plenty of arguments against the idea of reducing speed in towns and cities. Most are based on the notion that there will be a loss of personal freedom, or that travel time will be significantly compromised.
None of the arguments have any basis in fact. Even the 85th percentile argument is flawed, because it fails to account for road users other than motorized vehicles.
There’s an ongoing blame game that tries to project the fault onto pedestrians, cyclists, the distracted or the elderly. If drivers were without fault, this would be easy to argue.
You can do a lot more damage if you’re driving a car.
The car is a wonderful transportation device, but it’s time for our car-centricity to yield. Reducing speed limits where people live is a simple way to improve the livability of our communities and the health of our population.
Real-world experience and multiple studies have verified this. One study states that it’s only a question of “the regulators’ willingness to act on the evidence.” Congratulations to Victoria city council for having the foresight and the fortitude to consider doing that.
Dave Ferguson
Saanich