Any such driver should have already suffered enough consequences from three big accidents to have changed their behavior. And if they haven't changed their behavior, how is a speeding ticket (which costs a lot less than three big accidents) supposed to?
> Real engineers have liability and licensing implications for fucking up.
For things like bridges and buildings, yes. And for consequences that are easily seen, yes. But what consequences do road engineers suffer if they set the speed limit on a road too low, forcing people to take more time and burn more gas?
> There are several tight turns near my house. One's a 25 mph one, another is a 15 mph one.
Yes, turn warning signs with a safe speed recommendation included. No problem there. But can you get a ticket if you go around the turn at a higher speed than posted, but don't cause any harm? (As I understand it, you can't; the speeds on those yellow warning signs, unlike the ones on the white speed limit signs, are advisory only and you can't be ticketed just for exceeding them. Which is exactly the kind of thing I'm advocating, just for all limits.)
They were there when the road was designed and built, and they did various calculations based on actual physics, road width, medians, upcoming intersections, etc. to determine a limit. "Eh, this feels like a 75" from an untrained driver with three big accidents on their record shouldn't be of equal value.
edit: Here's the US DOT's flowchart for picking speed limits: https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/uslimits/documents/appendixk.pdf - they even have a handy web tool for putting in the variables. https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/uslimits/
> Also, the road engineers suffer no consequences if the limits are wrong.
Real engineers have liability and licensing implications for fucking up.
> If so, I think it's because individuals have no voice in determining the limits...
Nor should they, really, as they're supposed to be based on empirical data about the nature of the road. Your attitude reminds me of this New Yorker comic: https://www.newyorker.com/cartoon/a20630
> That's what warning signs are for. There's no need for it to be a speed limit; just a "caution, hairpin turn" sign is enough.
There are several tight turns near my house. One's a 25 mph one, another is a 15 mph one. Even as a local, I find the numbers a handy reminder; there's absolutely no way a non-local would be able to figure out which turn should be taken at which speed.