Not sure if I commented on this already but the same thing is going on around my parents' place in the country around Guelph and Rockwood. These new parents move in on an 80 kph road and then complain it's too dangerous and get it lowered. Same roads I played on from age of 8 or younger on my bicycle with my friends. We just knew to stay out of the way of cars. Back then people would fly down those roads at like 120 and no one cared. Now last year I passed a guy checking his mail while I was doing 10 over the limit and he gave me the finger when I gave him a friendly wave. Over the last few years I've also had people on those roads see you coming at just above the limit, pull out right when you get to them, drive 10 under, and then give you the finger when you have to brake for them. Seems they all think you're trying to kill their children or something now.In response to the lowered speed limits on Hamilton country roads, I think it has alot more to do with the surge in urban sprawl here than anything else. More and more of that outlying farmland is turning into suburban yuppyville.
Wouldn't be so much of a problem if these weren't the main routes to the highway that some people need to commute on daily.