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Automotive News & Views Should the US government bring back the 55 mph max speed limit again?
1418 messages, Last post on Dec 16, 2008 at 11:21 AM
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Replying to: euphonium (Nov 14, 2008 5:18 pm) Yes that's partly it. But the other reason for atificially low SL's, is so the police have a reason to pull over anyone they don't like the looks of. The local police chiefs have been quoted this in our papers, stating that they sit at the town boundaries and keep potential troublemakers out this way. They set the SL's so low, that ordinary traffic-flow wil be above it. This is certainly a way around our Rights, not to be unreasonably stopped and searched. The SL is so low they can stop you and search whatever they can can see thru the windows. Having had a black Firebird, I can tell you that the police do this, and when they see you're a middle-aged commuter, they just say - It's a warning, slow down.", "or nice car, I had a Camaro 5 years ago ...". I have never gotten a speeding ticket for going 10 mph over the limit, which is my normal driving, as the cops know that is aceptable and normal, compared to the exceptionally low SL's posted..
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Replying to: kernick (Nov 15, 2008 11:47 am) It turned out his stopping us was not for any possible speeding, but for the Saturday night "Sniff test". His parting remark was "Slow it down." 
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You personally may want to drive at slower speeds for your own reasons, such as fuel efficiency, safety, the law or just plain scared. My time and mood determine how fast I will drive at any given day on the road. If I am time constrained I will drive faster. If I just feel like cruising and taking in the scenery I will drive slower. Being in the military I make several long distance trips a year (400 to 1200 miles) to see freinds and family in different states. In reality what is going on here is that you don't want to drive faster and you don't like the fact that others are allowed so you make up EXCUSES (I stress that word because thats all they are) why others should have to drive a speed that you pull out of a hat. You hide beind numbers such as 40mpg, 55mph, and use statistics to supposedly prove your point. Actually the numbers of fatal accidents on the highways are low statistically when compared to the number of people on the road. There is fast driving, there is wreckless driving and there is fast, wreckless driving. The individual driving decides how fast he will navigate the roads and whether or not he will abide by the speed limit. Knowing this you have a choice set by the government to either join the others driving faster or moving to the right lane set aside for slower peeds with a MINIMUM in most states of 40 mph. So why is it so hard for you to drive in that lane and just let the others pass you by? Instead slower drivers who claim they want slower speed limits for safety in turn help cause accidents on the highway with what is known as road rage. When you get in the middle and left lane and and drive 45 or 55 mph to try to force someone to go slower, you are raising the risk of an accident significantly. You are also breaking the law which states slower traffic keep right so in essence those who do this are nothing more than hypocrites. The government in my opinion has done the right thing by raising the speed limit and designating the right lane for slower speeds. They also regulate that speed limits be slower in areas where there may be a lot more traffic or pedestrians may be in the road and that is why you see speed limits on the highway range from 55 to 75mph. It is also my opinion that the idiots driving wrecklessly at slower and/or higher speeds have no regard for thier own life much less anyone elses and should be punished accordingly. These are the people you should be targeting, not the speed limit because they are going to drive wreckless regardless of what the speed limit may be. As for 55 being better for fuel efficiency, I just don't beleive it. Like I said earlier I travel quite a bit and ALWAYS stop in the same places and at the same amount of miles to refuel regardless of how fast I am driving on that particular trip. I have found that your driving habbits will determine whether or not you get better gas mileage. Things like taking off from a stop more gradual than stomping on the gas pedal, coasting when you don't need to hit the gas, using cruise control and coasting to a stop instead of gassing it until you have to stop. Safety, like I said the individual determines safety. A person driving 55 can be just as unsafe as a person driving 70. I personally try to keep a good stopping distance from cars in front of me and all to often vehicles driving at slower speeds will use that gap to cut me off to get around an even slower driver or just to try and slow me down. In this scenario it isn't my speed that would have caused an accident but the ignorence of the person cutting me off. Consideration of others on both sides (fast or slow) can make driving a lot safer. Don't drive wreckless, don't be ignorant and be aware at all times and lives will be saved. |
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Replying to: euphonium (Nov 15, 2008 12:34 pm) Sorry, I couldn't resist 
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| maximum speed recommended by the manufacturer, and no other. | |
| Heavens NO !!! One can already legally go 35 mph in a 65 mph zone !!! Why would you want to go any slower? | |
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As far as I know there have not been any major changes in SL, yet we have this wonderful drop in fatalities. Lowest since Lyndon Johnson, so that is even lower than - when the SL was 55mph, and there were a lot less drivers and autos on the road. http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2008-12-11-auto-deaths_N.htm |
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Replying to: kernick (Dec 11, 2008 4:44 pm) |
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Replying to: kernick (Dec 11, 2008 4:44 pm) First, there was a 3.5% drop in miles traveled. Original NHTSA paper Second, seat belt usage rose to 83% in 2008, the highest rate in history. Third, from From a NHTSA web page "Improved Road Safety" The above are facts from NHTSA, one speculation from me is with $4+ gas, some people may have actually slowed down to save gas. (not to 55, but maybe to the SL instead of 5-10 over?) 
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Replying to: cdn_tch (Dec 11, 2008 7:19 pm)
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