National Speed limit

And there it is. I just saw on the Today Show that Senator John Warner said Congress may want to reconsider instituting the National Speed Limit of 55mph, which was in effect from 1974 to 1995, according to the report.

I figured someone (congress/president/presidential candidate) would get around to proposing this in an effort to increase gas mileage, I just thought it wouldn't happen until after the election, b/c I don't think it's going to be a popular thing to do.

i didnt mind it when they did it before. i wont mind if it happens again.

floridafun wrote:i didnt mind it when they did it before. i wont mind if it happens again.

I remember as a kid visiting relatives in Cleveland. Ind limit 65, Ohio 55 and there was a lot of Ohio between Ft W and Clev. but we always made it...

I think it's a great idea for everyone. I think I heard once that most of the roadway was designed for 55 mph.

I just checked my fuel economy last night and over the last 2.5 tanks of gas (40 Gal) I have "saved" enough to travel 80 miles. That's 32 mpg, when the highway rating on the 'new' system says I should get 30 mpg. I drive a daily commute which averages 38 mph from start to finish, but 85% of the distance is 55 mph. I make the trip faster at 55 than I did when I drove 60-65 conincidence? I think not!

I wouldn't mind it too much. Lots of positives (increase gas mileage, less severe accidents, etc.)...probably the one time I wouldn't like it is driving a long distance (like to Florida), but that doesn't happen very often, so I could just deal with it.

Cincy Fan 44 wrote:I wouldn't mind it too much. Lots of positives (increase gas mileage, less severe accidents, etc.)...probably the one time I wouldn't like it is driving a long distance (like to Florida), but that doesn't happen very often, so I could just deal with it.

Ever seen the Pixar film "Cars"?

"It used to be that people drove to have a good time, not to make good time."

As I have gotten a little older, I have taken my foot out of the engine, so I would not mind if it were changed!

I think the change would stink. As it is the people already drive 75 to 80 with the speed limit at 65 and 70 and this would just be another revenue enhancer for the state and local communities. If people want to drive 55 fine just stay in the right lane, don't need government to tell you.

meta4 wrote:I think it's a great idea for everyone. I think I heard once that most of the roadway was designed for 55 mph.

I just checked my fuel economy last night and over the last 2.5 tanks of gas (40 Gal) I have "saved" enough to travel 80 miles. That's 32 mpg, when the highway rating on the 'new' system says I should get 30 mpg. I drive a daily commute which averages 38 mph from start to finish, but 85% of the distance is 55 mph. I make the trip faster at 55 than I did when I drove 60-65 conincidence? I think not!

Wow, 38 miles one way?
I drive about 4 miles one way to work and everything is one the way to and from work for me, shopping mall, banks, grocery stores, money burning stations and an entertainment park. Even the place I go for my oil change and service is on the same street.

meta4 wrote:

Cincy Fan 44 wrote:I wouldn't mind it too much. Lots of positives (increase gas mileage, less severe accidents, etc.)...probably the one time I wouldn't like it is driving a long distance (like to Florida), but that doesn't happen very often, so I could just deal with it.

Ever seen the Pixar film "Cars"?

"It used to be that people drove to have a good time, not to make good time."

This may sound strange, but the only way I can answer that is "Maybe." The kids have watched it a lot, and I've caught a section here and a section there, but never have watched it from start to finish in one sitting. But I do know the scene you're talking about.

If I recall Congress passed a law allowing the states to determine their own speed limits last time they dicked with them. So if the states are concerned, they can lower the limits.

I'd like to see Congress address issues with future energy needs rather than current band aids.

cardinal5150 wrote:If I recall Congress passed a law allowing the states to determine their own speed limits last time they dicked with them. So if the states are concerned, they can lower the limits.

I'd like to see Congress address issues with future energy needs rather than current band aids.

Card that ground is shaking ... we have met on common ground, or is this holy ground?

I'd like to see split speed limits eliminated first. They are dangerous for everyone.

Do it! I am driving slower now anyway for better mileage.

Bman wrote:

cardinal5150 wrote:If I recall Congress passed a law allowing the states to determine their own speed limits last time they dicked with them. So if the states are concerned, they can lower the limits.

I'd like to see Congress address issues with future energy needs rather than current band aids.

Card that ground is shaking ... we have met on common ground, or is this holy ground?

That's because you aren't being blinded by your man crush here...

Canuck wrote:

meta4 wrote:I think it's a great idea for everyone. I think I heard once that most of the roadway was designed for 55 mph.

I just checked my fuel economy last night and over the last 2.5 tanks of gas (40 Gal) I have "saved" enough to travel 80 miles. That's 32 mpg, when the highway rating on the 'new' system says I should get 30 mpg. I drive a daily commute which averages 38 mph from start to finish, but 85% of the distance is 55 mph. I make the trip faster at 55 than I did when I drove 60-65 conincidence? I think not!

Wow, 38 miles one way?
I drive about 4 miles one way to work and everything is one the way to and from work for me, shopping mall, banks, grocery stores, money burning stations and an entertainment park. Even the place I go for my oil change and service is on the same street.

Oops, I guess it may be confusing. The 38 mph is the number the computer tells me is my average speed for the trip to work. However, I have seen mpg for the trip home to be right around 37 mpg, which is a 23% increase over the EPA est. highway economy for my car. Every 0.5 mpg (tank average) increase I can squeeze gives me 8 more miles per tank. My tank average for 2 tanks was about 32.7 mpg works out to $0.13 per mile so I have saved $18.50.

That's about the cost of a case of beer...

moondrop wrote:Do it! I am driving slower now anyway for better mileage.

This is the quickest way to reduce excess fuel being used. Most people wouldn't even notice. We're talking about highway driving, everyone knows the I-80 around Chicago and rush hour traffic would still move at it's natural rate.

Scooby01_98 wrote:I think the change would stink. As it is the people already drive 75 to 80 with the speed limit at 65 and 70 and this would just be another revenue enhancer for the state and local communities. If people want to drive 55 fine just stay in the right lane, don't need government to tell you.

I think 10 years ago I would have agreed with you completely. Can anyone remember the reason we moved to 70mph? Just so people can go faster on the interstate doesn't mean they'll make good time to their destination. In winter it encourages not only cars to go faster than they should, but also semi's, much more dangerous in winter weather.

There shouldn't be any more revenue generated at a 55 speed limit than a 70... if people are going to follow the speed limit, they'll do it at whatever speed...

meta4 wrote:
I think 10 years ago I would have agreed with you completely. Can anyone remember the reason we moved to 70mph? Just so people can go faster on the interstate doesn't mean they'll make good time to their destination. In winter it encourages not only cars to go faster than they should, but also semi's, much more dangerous in winter weather.

There shouldn't be any more revenue generated at a 55 speed limit than a 70... if people are going to follow the speed limit, they'll do it at whatever speed...

I believe the reason they removed the 55 an hour speed limit is because of the sparsley populated West, i.e. Montana, N Dakota, Wyoming etc. Why Indiana went to 70 I don't know, but I like it.

But yet the most recent study shows no difference in fatalities at 70. hmmm

Before they lower the speed limit they first need to close every drive thru in the country i.e. fast food restaraunt, bank, pharmacy etc. Tax every SUV & pickup an extra 5K a year and give the money to any college they want that has a research department for energy reduction research. The exceptions would be for actual business that need those vehicles i.e. farmers, construction company. Just no need for joe smoe and suzy q to have one to keep up with the Jones.

After the government does that then come back and lower the speed limit. Like I said nothing stopping the people that want to drive 55 to do it right now.

One foot on the brake and one on the gas, hey!
Well, there's too much traffic, I can't pass, no!
So I tried my best illegal move
Well, baby, black and white come and touched my groove again!

Go on and write me up a 125
Post my face wanted dead or alive
Take my license, all that jive
I can't drive 55! Oh No!

Scooby01_98 wrote:

meta4 wrote:
I think 10 years ago I would have agreed with you completely. Can anyone remember the reason we moved to 70mph? Just so people can go faster on the interstate doesn't mean they'll make good time to their destination. In winter it encourages not only cars to go faster than they should, but also semi's, much more dangerous in winter weather.

There shouldn't be any more revenue generated at a 55 speed limit than a 70... if people are going to follow the speed limit, they'll do it at whatever speed...

I believe the reason they removed the 55 an hour speed limit is because of the sparsley populated West, i.e. Montana, N Dakota, Wyoming etc. Why Indiana went to 70 I don't know, but I like it.

But yet the most recent study shows no difference in fatalities at 70. hmmm

Before they lower the speed limit they first need to close every drive thru in the country i.e. fast food restaraunt, bank, pharmacy etc. Tax every SUV & pickup an extra 5K a year and give the money to any college they want that has a research department for energy reduction research. The exceptions would be for actual business that need those vehicles i.e. farmers, construction company. Just no need for joe smoe and suzy q to have one to keep up with the Jones.

After the government does that then come back and lower the speed limit. Like I said nothing stopping the people that want to drive 55 to do it right now.

Granted, neither you nor I know why Indiana raised it's speed limit to 70, but I do recall cheers when they did it... just can't figure out why. For truckers, this meant a 55 to 65 mph speed limit increase for trucks carrying over 13 tons. While the original idea meant for faster delivery, I doubt you'll find anyone in the trucking industry complain if it was lowered to 55. I doubt you'll find any credible report that says a semi can deliver a load faster with interstate speeds being 65 vs. 55 mph.

I guess those are some good ideas... which ones will lower US consumption of gasoline?

I don't mind your suggestion that fast food drive-thru restaurants waste gas, but they have nothing to do with the speed limit on highways. No body is forcing restaurant patrons to use the drive through, and I dare say you'll be hard pressed to find a fatality in the drive through lane... but anything is possible I guess.

Would the Truck/SUV taxes still apply if I do not have Truck plates? What about my 2005 Ford Mustang Saleen w/modifications that gets 9.5 mpg? Should it be taxed as well?

Please post a link to the study that shows highway fatalities, whether increased or decreased, are directly linked to speed.

I don't have a problem with Interstate toll roads having a 70 mph speed limit, just the interstates.

I believe he may have been referencing this:

http://www.purdue.edu/uns/x/2008a/080623ManneringSpeed.html

Maybe we'd rather have this going on in Indiana? In Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, et. al. almost all automobiles must be certified yearly, or bi-annually to meet (for example) the requirements below...

http://www.dep.state.pa.us/aq_apps/emissions/testinfo.htm
http://www.dmv.org/nj-new-jersey/smog-check.php
http://www.nydmv.state.ny.us/vehsafe.htm#einspect

I believe in most places, you have to pay to have the car/truck inspected and certified. In 1996 my sister paid about $70 in PA for the "sticker" on her 1990 Toyota Corolla which (of course) passed with flying colors.

IMHO, I'd prefer to have the speed limit lowered to 55 and take a chance on a speeding ticket rather than paying for an inspection... i'm just sayin'

The recent Purdue study was the one I was thinking of.

So Meta are we talking saving gas or lives here???? I thought it was saving/conserving gas.

As far as your mustang goes did you pay a federal gas tax (not sure what the tax is really called) on that vehicle when you bought it? I know the GTO's had it on there stickers, but for some reason our illustrious congress decided to exempt trucks and SUV's from the tax (the tax was for poor gas mileage). So right now I won't push for a couple of specialty cars.

Now if you want the lower speed limit for safe driving. Then I am sure you will be willing to give up your cell phone in the vehicle (not just hands free), dvd player in the back, eating in you vehicle, applying make up, texting, reading etc. While these may not cause your fatalities, they cause accidents and should also be banned as we are safely driving 55.

Matter fact steel cars are safer than plastic, lets make the automakers go back and do away with plastic and make them steel again. Just think of all the union steel workers that will be put back to work!!

As for Semis, hey get rid of the over the road trucker...If there cargo goes through more than 2 states put the trailer on a train and ship it by rail. Less congested highways, saves mega fuel, and will make the highways safer.

If they want to make all the interstates toll roads then go for that also, I have no problem....just keep me cruising at 70 or 75.

Scooby01_98 wrote:The recent Purdue study was the one I was thinking of.

So Meta are we talking saving gas or lives here???? I thought it was saving/conserving gas.

As far as your mustang goes did you pay a federal gas tax (not sure what the tax is really called) on that vehicle when you bought it? I know the GTO's had it on there stickers, but for some reason our illustrious congress decided to exempt trucks and SUV's from the tax (the tax was for poor gas mileage). So right now I won't push for a couple of specialty cars.

Now if you want the lower speed limit for safe driving. Then I am sure you will be willing to give up your cell phone in the vehicle (not just hands free), dvd player in the back, eating in you vehicle, applying make up, texting, reading etc. While these may not cause your fatalities, they cause accidents and should also be banned as we are safely driving 55.

Matter fact steel cars are safer than plastic, lets make the automakers go back and do away with plastic and make them steel again. Just think of all the union steel workers that will be put back to work!!

As for Semis, hey get rid of the over the road trucker...If there cargo goes through more than 2 states put the trailer on a train and ship it by rail. Less congested highways, saves mega fuel, and will make the highways safer.

If they want to make all the interstates toll roads then go for that also, I have no problem....just keep me cruising at 70 or 75.

Good post, if you advocate changing the world in a day or two. I want to be clear that I was just arguing fuel econ at 55 vs 65 with the point of reference being Nixon's emergency national max speed limit of c. 1974...

Your argument proposed the safety aspect so I decided to "hitch" to your argument for arguments sake I really felt this was a (weak, as in your *hit... hehe) tangent to the main context of the Nat'l Max Speed Limit, because the 1974 emergency act by Nixon was aimed at fuel savings, not at saving lives. Currently we're facing a gas price "crisis" (for lack of a better word), not a safety issue. However, the national ad campaign afterwards featured slogans such as "55 saves lives" and was promoted in the years following the '74 act.

I agree that the Trucks/SUVs should not be exempt merely because they are trucks vs. cars.

If all the interstates went to privately owned toll roads, the federal and state taxes would not be available for these roads, leaving much more money available for non-interstate roads. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, most of the money would not be available from a state and federal level and would be paid by the counties/cities instead. How much fuel would this actually save? (rhetorical)