**Moved** Imagine a 55 mph Speed Limit

Re: Imagine a 55 mph Speed Limit

If you had gone faster maybe they couldn't have rear ended you.

Methinks he doth protest too much! This is starting to sound hysterical.

How in the world does going faster help cause a rear end collision on the speeder? Cutting in and out of lanes might help but higher speed on the part of the person rear ended, in and of itself has nothing to do with this type of accident.

Sounds like you are ascribing the accidents to the behavior you want to blame. Illogical at best, disingenuous at worst. Either way, doesn't make any sense.

I haven't had a ticket in over 30 years. I do not religiously follow speed limits, but I try to be smart about it. I also do not think that having a nationwide 55 mph speed limit would do anything but cause frustration, anger and yes, road rage. I guess I just don't think that everyone has to do exactly what I do, just because I know best.

 

Re: Imagine a 55 mph Speed Limit

You are going 50-60 on a Dallas-area freeway at dawn. Suddenly, it goes to bumper-to-bumper gridlock. I slowed down in time, but the car behind does not and rearend me. Had I been in less of a hurry I'd seen the gridlock sooner and stopped less abruptly.

Now that you know the specifics of that 2001 rearender, you know if I went faster, I would have rearended someone (which I did not).

I'd suspect a detailed police report would not stop the sniping to those speeding is a religion, addiction, or both.

 

Re: Imagine a 55 mph Speed Limit

I know I should leave the thread, but its like a train wreck. I have to keep watching, and then say something stupid to respond.

I thought it was to resurrect a Nixon law and stop tailgating. Or maybe it was to solve the arab oil embargo, I can't remember. Please drive a safe speed that let's you hypermile, and let me drive faster when I have to go to a 3 hour meeting in Houston, and want to sleep at home at night.

Don't do that, why not leave some coal power. A little more research money and you can sequester the CO2 or use it to feed algea for biofuels or other uses. No one wants a nuke in their backyard and the problem with disposing of the waste is tougher to solve than coal. No Nuke can be built without government funding and insurance as the potential disaster liability is so high that private insurance cost would make building impossible. Besides, texas is doing quite well with consumers voluntarily paying more for green energy and building wind. My local utility says the cost would be high but wind could provide 500% of the electrical needs of texas. Wind in 6 cents extra a kilowatt hour to me.

Chuck, I believe you when you say you may have been going to fast for conditions. But give it up man. You aren't making any points. If the speed limit was 60 and you think you were doing 50-60, how could you be speeding. Even if the speed limit was lowered to 55 do you think you would have gone slower than 60? Think about what we are hearing.

I do like speed not speeding, and I enjoyed cruising around in a bmw on the autobahn. I also was let on the daytona 500 track in a bad rental car and got it up to 120. I fly, I skydive, and got a speeding ticket on my bicycle in palo alto flying down a big hill at 40. So I am a speed and freedom advocate. Not a speeding advocate.

 

Re: Imagine a 55 mph Speed Limit

I give up. You win! Your unassailable logic and perspicacity have won the day! Besides, you have an opinion that can't be shaken because you have the answers to all the problems of the world.

I am done. You obviously have your beliefs, however illogical they are, and I am certainly not going to try to drill a hole in you to convince you of anything.

As I told you, I am not a speeder, (not much, anyway) but your repetitive posts have not done your position the slightest bit of good.

Good bye for now. I am done! Have fun and try to avoid having more accidents. Maybe a course in defensive driving might help. Or maybe driving faster and paying attention might help too.

 

Re: Imagine a 55 mph Speed Limit

re: 55 mph. Been there, done that. Hope to never go back. The reason I got the Prius was to drive like I want, when I want, and still afford it. 45 mpg at 75 mph works for me. Selfish? Yes.

Driven in Europe? Much higher fuel prices, much higher traffic speeds (when it can move).

You can drive 55 any time you want to, but please no more double nickel limit!

BTW, my last speeding ticket was in 1979, but not for lack of trying!

 

Re: Imagine a 55 mph Speed Limit

Then take your own advise...if you tell me to give it up, yet you can't give it up?......I was driving too fast for conditions years ago - isn't that the definition of speeding? It's not just the sign posted (which is 60 on that specific incident). You aren't making any points either.

Maybe a few of you are in sales. (Or read How to Win Friends and Influence People) How do you influence people to buy? Suggesting they are smart or stupid? A few here think the later will work and I will convert...isn't that the height in being delusional? This is a general statement on arguments I've seen over the years: When an argument has gone insultive like this one you are never going to win over the opposing side...would you? Over the last ten years of forums I've never seen it happen. Never.

Joe166, your last post is one of a line of posts that were emotionally overcharged vents before I weighed in.

I've slowed down and practiced a lot more defensive driving since 2004. Slowing down has given me more buffer in Dallas-area traffic to avoid collisions and the numerous bad drivers there. It's definitely worked for me and others.

 

Re: Imagine a 55 mph Speed Limit

I told you...I'm out. You won. Brilliant argument. Congratulations. I give. No mas!

 

Re: Imagine a 55 mph Speed Limit

I'd like to leave this thread alone, bet a number of you do too.

Could we mutually agree to stop quoting against each other in "honor postings?"

That way, we can all move on without feeling disrespected.

 

Re: Imagine a 55 mph Speed Limit

I don't like your tone. Just exactly what are you implying. Why don't you go back and read my previous posts so that you have some clue.

Sorry, I couldn't resist.

Tom

 

Re: Imagine a 55 mph Speed Limit

we have a large country. 55mph on the interstate is unacceptable.

you know what would benefit all of us? some nice high speed rail connecting cities together. until then, 70mph plz.

 

Re: Imagine a 55 mph Speed Limit

You live in SE Michigan. From my experience, 70 mph is a minimum in that part of the state.

Tom

 

Re: Imagine a 55 mph Speed Limit

It would be interesting maybe to see how many people that think the speed limit should be 55mph actually use the interstate regularly?

Meaning, if you drive around town and use the interstates to go 5miles let say, then of course there is very little benefit. 6minutes instead of 4 minutes. At that time "savings", of course speed doesnt matter. A 55mph limit would effect you essentially not at all.

If you use them to get from your town to another in a morning/evening commute lets say and it is 55miles away, it is a bigger consequence. 1hr @ 55 versus 40minutes @ 80. A 55mph limit would annoy you and you can feel 20minute differences. But I think you could cope with it assuming you could get up 20minutes earlier in the morning and get home 20 minutes later in the day knowing that is just wasted time you could be doing something else.

If you drive cross country routinely like I do (2800mi there and back non-stop each way) it will take you 51 hours @ 55 vs 35hours @ 80. 15hours is pretty consequential. And honestly, even 80mph is conservative.

So just wondering if there is another personal greed to this, how often do you use the interstate system and what speed do you think it should be. For those that dont have anything better to do (i.e. the retired) it doesnt really count. For those that have places to be and people to see, I think we will find a general trend of the less you use it, the less you care about what happens to it. This is human nature, you dont care about the consequences of your actions if they don't effect you.

Interestingly, what about truckers? An extra 15 hours or 130% on the road per delivery route, means that you would need 130% of the truck drivers their are now, so 130% the number of tractor trailors. Also every one of those trucks would need to pay them more. Not really hour based work, but the contract delivery would go up. My guess is this would save you gas, burn more truck diesel, and cost you more to buy everything from produce to mattresses. Note this last paragraph is thinking off the top of my head and I might have very well missed some correlation that would not make this happen. Just an interesting thought that I wanted to share...

 

Re: Imagine a 55 mph Speed Limit

Do I want them to change the speed limit to 55 mph? Only as a last resort.

I drive 55 mph on the highway for my daily commute because I bought the best gas mileage car I could get and I'm going to maximize my mileage (in the far right lane). This is the posted speed limit (under ideal conditions) that trucks with 3 or more axle and cars towing trailers are to comply with.

The driving public needs to "adjust their expectations" when it comes to people driving 55 mph. They should expect that some percentage of the vehicles on the road will not be exceeding 55 mph (trucks, cars towing trailers). Call it 3% of the vehicles on the road.

My commute is 35 miles. Of which, 3.5 miles is surface streets, 3.5 miles are slow and go (going to work). Coming home, I have the same in surface streets and slow and go (although the latter is in a different area). Thus 28 miles of "freeway". Of the 28 miles, traffic is sufficiently crowded that only half of it would allow speeds faster than 70 mph and the other half would be a max of 65 mph. Assume 70 mph as an average (75 mph on the wide open spaces).

28 miles at 70 mph = 24 minutes of freeway time
28 miles at 55 mph = 30.5 minutes of freeway time

Thus, everyday I cost myself approximately 11 minutes of extra commute time for the benefit of never getting a speeding ticket, being relaxed coming home, and getting 20% better fuel economy. People refuse to believe the math, but there it is. I realize it "feels" so much slower, but the math doesn't bear it out. Leave 5 minutes early and arrive at the same time.

For longer hauls (trips from the bay area to southern California), I'll up my speed to somewhere around 62 - 65 mph in a 65 mph zone or 67 - 70 mph in a 70 mph zone.

I don't have a problem with 65 mph speed limit (or 70 mph on roads like highway 5). I do have a problem with how gasoline is used. The problem I have is that there is little "cost" to it. When gasoline approached $4.50 per gallon in CA, people's behavior's changed. SUV's were dumped and people tried to get into fuel efficient cars. Carpooling was more prevalent. People TRIED to conserve. It was good to see. However, it was hard on lower income folks.

Instead of messing with the speed limit, I'd like to see gasoline rationed. This would encourage more "creativity" in the general public. People would drive more fuel efficient cars, car pool, use mass transit, telecommute, work 4 x 10 hour days, and (eventually) slow down.

However, no politician has the balls to try to commit political suicide to suggest nor implement this. We have become a nation of spoiled, immature whiners. We want what we want, when we want it, and as much as we want. It is depressing. Although I'm taking his quote out of context, Phil Gramm wasn't far off when he referred to us as a "Nation of whiners". Not everyone is a whiner, but as a collective, we are a very short sighted, indulged, and spoiled community.

What was the topic again?

 

+1.:rockon:

 

Re: Imagine a 55 mph Speed Limit

Thanks Dave, I didn't write the Article just posted it.
(This is Russ I just changed my name)

And thanks, I'm planning on getting my Prius next month I can't wait. :rockon:

 

Re: Imagine a 55 mph Speed Limit

The problem about us using Mass transit, is our Working ethics don't mix with Mass Transit.

When I worked at Intel there were Tons of times I had to Arrive 15mins befor work or leave 30mins after, or announced that I had to be at another site in 10mins for another meeting (And I was the only one on the campus to go their)

Intel did impliment Busses, however it would take you to all campuses and 1.5 hours for a total loop....

If I used Mass transit while I worked at intel I calculated it would take me 1.2hrs to get to and from work (only a 18min drive)
And I would spend about 8hrs a week riding the company bus.

I didn't like 2hrs of my day away from my family and Intel Did't like 8hrs a day me riding a bus.

For us to Be a Mass Transit, the companies we work with have to change their Idea of how an employee works..

I don't know where you guys work but at Intel I probably worked 10-20hrs a week MORE and it was expected. (Salary)

If I rode the bus I would only work 40 MAX and then 8 of that 40 would be lost riding the company bus...

I honestly wish we could go to a 4 day week. IMO that would be the easiest way for us to cut down..

And for most people they would work less and get more time off for family!

My 3 cents
Russ

 

At my previous employer it was mandatory that you take a company bus, (you were allotted 6 personal drive outs per year, for things like Dr. Appointments) as our access crossed private land and our contract promised to minimize liability. So I rode very nice buses 43 miles to work each day. (A/C, reading lights, Laptop power, reclining seats, etc.)
[ame=http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=40.972909,-116.352174&daddr=Unknown+road&hl=en&geocode=%3BFSa_bgIdYMsY-Q&gl=us&mra=mi&mrsp=0&sz=15&sll=40.971636,-116.352682&sspn=0.020381,0.04446&ie=UTF8&ll=40.852774,-116.113129&spn=0.326685,0.711365&t=h&z=11]Unknown road to Unknown road - Google Maps[/ame]

Before that I used a monthly bus pass in Seattle. (I would nominate Seattle as the best bus service in the US) Mass transit CAN work in the US, but someone has to be committed to making it work.

Metro Transit System Map

 

Jimbo, You're the second person who has said that seattle have the best bus service in the country. Which would normally not bother me at all, Except for the fact that olympia probally has the worst for service in the country.
Around capital during business hours once every 10 minutes. But get away from downtown and the service is pathetic. Outer county connections runs once an hour It must transfer at the main transit center Which means you must leave it at least 2 hours early To make it to work Unless you're lucky enough to live on the same Bus line as where you're at work located

 

Jimbo, You're the second person who has said that seattle have the best bus service in the country. Which would normally not bother me at all, Except for the fact that olympia probally has the worst for service in the country.
Around capital during business hours once every 10 minutes. But get away from downtown and the service is pathetic. Outer county connections runs once an hour It must transfer at the main transit center Which means you must leave it at least 2 hours early To make it to work Unless you're lucky enough to live on the same Bus line as where you're at work located