What IF.....55MPH was the speed limit

Make & Model 55 mph 65 mph 75 mph
Acura TSX
2.4-liter 4-cyl. 39.9 mpg 35.5 mpg 30.7 mpg
Honda Insight
1.3-liter 4-cyl. 51.9 44.8 36.5
Lexus RX 350
3.5-liter V6 30.9 27.4 23.0
Mercury Mountaineer
4.6-liter V8 23.8 21.2 17.8
Toyota Camry
2.5-liter 4-cyl. 40.3 34.9 29.8
Toyota RAV4
2.5-liter 4-cyl. 34.6 29.3 25.9
Toyota Yaris
1.5-liter 4-cyl. 42.5 37.9 34.0

Most of us here are very mpg aware, so out of curosity, I found this table in an article from Consumer Reports magazine. It shows the difference in mpg in driving at different speeds. Only these cars were listed , but you can see some take a huge hit at faster speeds. Every time somebody brings up the idea of changing the interstate speed limits back to 55 , there is a major outcry from almost everyone. My question is at what point would people quit yelling " drill baby drill" and be willing to cut back on speed to conserve fuel? I know a lot of people on this forum drive slower than the speed limit, but we
are not the norm. Who would be willing to drop the speed limit to 55 to conserve ??

You can drive 55 any time you wish, you do not need to wait for a law, most freeways with a minimum speed have 40 MPH as the minimum.

Even dropping to 60 MPH appears to be unacceptable infringement to personal freedom.
In VA, repubs now in charge (Gov McDonnell) and his first action was increasing speed limits to 70+ on the main roads. Prius also drops to 40-42 MPG at 75+ MPH accounting for why some people are disappointed with their MPG. Think its bad here, try suggesting speed limits in Germany.

I would be willing... I suspect my overall would be in the 60's. No, it is just too dangerous to go anything less than the speed limit these days.

The goal is to control other people, then once a 55 mph limit is in place, the people that obstruct traffic by driving 55 on the freeway will drive 45 mph so they can still obstruct traffic.

I"ll admit, I'm not the most "politically correct" guy around, and normally I set the cruise at about 80 on rural interstates. I travel a LOT on business, and the difference between 55 and 80 is about 2 hours travel time on my normal trip. On the Prius I get about 43MPG, Various rental cars I've used, Ford Fusion gas, 4cl, 32mpg, Chevy Malibu 4cl, about 26, old 2000 Buick Century 3.1L about 28mpg, Chevy Equinox AWD about 26mpg.

I Do The Speed Limit. If They Don't Like It, I Slow Down - Than They Back Off and I resume The Speed Limit.

There are a few logical falicies in your thoughts.

The first is that fuel economy on roads greater than 55 mph are what sets your fuel economy. When most actually analyse their driving patterns, they notice that over 75% of gas is consumed at lower speeds, making savings just at higher speeds illusory. Those of us with hybrids, less than 2% of the population boost our city mileage, which means a higher proportion is spent at these speeds. Take the average car and driver, and they might save 5%. Take the guy driving long haul on the interstates, and they are going to choose the hours of their life over the small savings of gasoline.

The second problem, is the prohibition problem. We have tried the experiment before. It simply changes law abiding citizens into outlaws. Drop the speed limits again, and the population will likely speed again ignoring the limits. The last time it is estimated that it saved less than 0.5% of gasoline. Moving people into more efficient cars saves much more fuel, without crimilizing behaviour.

The third problem, is the drill baby drill people are simply not rational. Imposing a lower speed limit on them is not going to get them on your side, it will further the idea the government wants to control behavior instead of solve the problem. In the case of Nixon and 55mph speed limit that was exactly what he was doing.

It is perfectly fine for you to drive bellow the speed limit in the right lane. Where I oppose your ideas is when you want to impose your will on the rest of the population. We already have the results of the 55mph speed limit experiment.

Compromise... 60mph.

I'm old enough to have experience the national 55mph speed limit. It created many jobs in the CB radio industry and spawned the popular "Smokey and the Bandit" movie franchise.

An urban legend floating around back then went like this: Three "goody-two-shoes" types got together and drove 55mph side by side on the freeway (San Antonio in our version) to force everyone else to obey the new speed limit. Well, folks got plenty irate and via their CB's they formulated a plan to follow them home and beat them up. Which they did with no repercussions, of course.

How many of you guys remember and drove the "double nickle?"

I did for years, and I hated it.

Wait till petrol is $10/gallon in today's money. Then Merkins will whine about being forced to drive 55 mph when they want to drive slower LOL

That is not a compromise. The national maximum speed limit imposed federal will on the states. There is a whole lot of nothing in west texas, why not let the texas DOT determine what the speed limit is instead of blackmailing them by withholding highway funds to follow what a dysfunctional congress wants. Yes congressman issa would make more money with his radar detectors if we lowered the national speed limit, but why not leave it to the states. Alaska may be best served with 60mph, but certainly that is too slow for texans driving on smooth interstates in west texas.

Not illusory at all. A huge number of miles are driven in the US annually at speeds over 55 mph.

Now if only those bozos would also adopt personal responsibility we could get along.

I didn't hear the urban legend, but did see the television news reports of state patrol elsewhere performing a rolling roadblock, in an attempt to increase compliance sufficiently to take federal funding out of jeopardy.

Yes, absolutely - I'd love for the Interstate speed limit to be dropped to 55mph. When that was done priviously, we not only saved gas, but the auto deaths dropped tremendously too!

Our "beloved" ex-Governor had a little problem on the Garden State Parkway once.
CORZINE INJURED IN PARKWAY CRASH | NJ.com
The troopers said that speed didn't play a roll in the crash, that it was a red pick-up truck cutting someone off. Since there were too many witnesses, the truth came out. The governor's truck was travelling 91 mph at the time of the crash, because he was late for a photo-op with Don Imus. Witnesses also said that the red truck had absolutely nothing to do with the crash. It was also found the Governor had the most serious injuries because he wasn't wearing his seatbelt.

Now, what does all this have to do with the topic? This is what the ex-Governor gave us as a result of his crash.
Parkway speed limit dropping to 55 in Ocean and Monmouth | NJ.com
All I can say is just try doing 55 there.

When that was done priviously, we not only saved gas, but the auto deaths dropped tremendously too!


Do you have proof that deaths per mile dropped?

What you save in gas will cost you at the store for groceries, gasoline, or any consumer item that is delivered by trucks. UPS and FedEx ground would cost more.

The cost of labor for drivers would be a lot more than the amount of diesel saved.