55MPH National Speed Limit ?

I would like the right hand lane be set to a maximum of 65 and the inner lanes, wide open. The reason is very simple:

• accelerated reality training!

After a couple of months, the wide-open *ssholes will have burned up all their gas money and we'll all be able to cruise at 65 mph. <GRINS>

Bob Wilson

 

I drove back and forth to college on a 55mph highway and did the speed limit. Even sheriffs would tailgate me so I find Bob's plan very appealing. It'd be nice to have a designated "slow" lane to tool along in while everyone else went zipping by. For the record, though, I would support lowering the speed limit (with the provision that the enforcement was also stepped up).

 

Hi All,

I favor going back to the national rural interstate speed limit before the Oil Shocks of the 70's.

It was 70 mph for cars, AND 55 mph (strickly enforced, and religiously adhered too!!!) for large trucks. A car that wanted to go slower, could just pull over into the right lane and cruise with the truckers. Cars that wanted to go faster, could just move left and go. The only place I remember it being faster was the straight sections Pennsylvania Turnpike. Where the car limit was 80 mph. I imagine out west there were 80 mph sections too.

What is really unsafe and wasteful (as Trucks are not aerodynamically shaped, or capable of short stops) is 18 wheelers doing 70 mph in the right lane on interstates. Allot of this rat-racing on American highways is due to the degradation of respect for traffic laws, similar to what happened during Probation.

Its time to put things back to what worked, and get tuff on anybody over 70 mph.

 

I think back in the 55mph days there was a gas "shortage". Now it is gas "high" prices. Not the same thing. I have seen no change in driving habits. Still speed and styles that consume gas as well as one person per SUV and truck. Price needs to be higher before people might be willing to bite the bullet.

 

Hi Sheepdog,

It was, but not until after the oil shocks. During the 60's and early 70's when I was growing up, rural interstates were always 70/55 in the midwest roads we travelled on. Our family did allot of car trips. My Dad worked for Chrysler as an engineer, and one of the perks was a new V8 car every other year.

Two Lane State Highways were 65 in rural areas and 55 in metro areas typically. The road I live on, but just to the east of here was actually a 50 mph two lane road the year I got my drivers license. Most people drove it 45, due to the altitude changes and blind curves. But as houses got built on it, its now 25 mph speed limit. Big Change.

 

Hi LenS,

I think I read somewhere that the peak gasoline US average in the 70's was like $3.87, adjusted to 2008 Inflation. So, its not that much different than today.

 

I think speed should be restricted by mpg
10 mpg-10 mph
22.22 mpg- mph
I get to go 56.3 at the moment

 

I agree. I drove our new Prius home from Tampa on I-75 and I-10, had no problem with the car on 75 (which, you are aware, limits trucks to the two right lanes where it is a 6-lane. I was not trying to go 80 when I was on 10 heading west, but I did it a few times, looked at the speedometer and backed off a bit. But I was pacing all the other westbounders at 80 mph.

 

I don't know the adjustment figure, but when the became scarce and in our neck of the woods reached 40 cents a gallon, it created a tight feeling around the billfold. On a trip to Arkansas, I refused to pay 60 cents a gallon. And I was making about $1.85 an hour then as the only breadwinner in a three-kid family.

 

The speed limit should be increased - there should be a slow lane on the right and vehicles above a certain weight could perhaps be limited to 55mph but speed limits could probably go to 75MPH in most areas for most cars and 90MPH in limited areas.

If you tried to put a 55MPH speed limit in Boston you'd have most people ignoring it going 85-90 and random people trying to be good and going 55...creating tons of accidents. Guaranteed. There is really no need to "save" gas as there is plenty, we just need to get to the oil. It's amazing that people want to mandate absurdly low speed limits and heavy handed CAFE standards and such but don't want to create real solutions like allowing for more drilling and creating a new public transportation initiative. We need real public transport in a bad way in this country....build cheap public transport and if gas gets really expensive people will abandon their urban sprawl - inspired home and move closer and the market will take care of the rest.

 

55 would be fine for me, but I see 60-65 as more reasonable. But really, there is no need for a speed limit, if it's not enforced. I can't tell you how many times I was passed by cops flying over the speed limit in Florida. Not to mention how many other drivers were cruising on by, 80, 90, more.

 

i think the highest cost for gas adjusted for inflation was 1981 and the adjusted price was significantly lower than it is now. seems to me the adjusted figure was around $3.50 to 3.60 a gallon. i remember the announcement when the national average record was set... that was only a few months ago...

too bad everyone thought jimmy carter was a nut... he was so right on with the energy scene...if we had listened to him, we would have been so much better off. the problem was, he was too far ahead...

 

Using the following variables: Car estimated highway mileage: 30mpg.
50 miles per day (each way is 25miles)
$4 gas

65mph is only 18% "faster", but 20% less efficient... in lab conditions. Assuming an average of 25 miles on the highway, you only save 4 minutes, but you'll spend an extra $1.40 each day for gas... which is equivalent to over $21 an hour (not including income taxes!).

Internet Tip - Gas VS speed calculator

 

Bob, you can't reason with a troll. We have several tonight.

 

you got that right!

however i'm especially satisfied when the one being pulled over is a big truck/SUV driver (which, in East Texas, is most of the time)

 

Only if your hummer lasts for 200,000 miles more then the prius.

that "Study" is made up of pure bullshit.

 

no need to slow down, i'm already going slow enough to see plenty. 55-65 on hwys, 40 or less around town (changed driving habits at 20,000 miles and saw a huge increase in FE, so I think i'll stick with the new habits)