Bonneville America Forums Forums Off Topic Discussion Forums Lounge Lowering the national speed limit!!

I read an article that Senator John Warner is talking about lowering the national speed limit (60 or 65MPH) to help conserve gas. I guess it would help, but only if people actually did slow down.

Now in June I made several trips across Florida to visit with my Mom and I notices that on I-4 and I-75 the traffic in general was running slower than what I usually see. When the speed limit was 70MPH I was running at 72MPH, and I was one of the faster vehicles on the road. Last year I would have run at 75MPH and would have been in the middle as far as speed goes. So maybe people are slowing down on their own, and if so maybe the nanny state will take a pass on lowering the speed limit. One can only dream....

Tom

I know I saved a significant amount of gas when I slowed down to 65-70 through parts of northern Washington a couple weeks ago. Going 80-85 all the time really kills my mileage.

Posting speed limit signs assumes that people actually bother to look at them, are smart enough to know what they mean and care enough to do what they say.
Until recently, people would just drive as fast as they thought they could get away with. Now, they drive as fast as they think they can afford.
I'm thinking it would be better to hand out stickers to put in the corner of the windshield that shows the optimum economy speed for their particular vehicle. Or, they could give out vouchers like they are for analog TV converters to get a fuel use meter installed. On my vehicles, the optimum speeds range from 12 to 67 MPH and I know that there are some on the road that don't fit in that range. So, how do the idiot politicians, most of whom either don't drive or don't pay the slightest attention to the law, suppose that there is some "one size fits all" speed limit?

It's another one of those, "hey, I think this is a good idea, so we should force everyone to do it, regardless of how they think, feel or what is really the best thing to do" things.


Soren

It would be cool if instead of computing the mileage on the odometer like my new Escape does, it would computer the cost per mile. People just don't understand how much fast driving costs.

There used to be a speed shop here that had a sign that said, "How much speed can you afford?"

Here we go again, Didnt some other twit recently propose this. If congress wants to do somthing meaningful to save gas.

Outlaw Hummers,Escalades and Tahoes would be a start.

stupid imho if people want to save gas they will slow down, if people knew how to drive that alone would save gas

Frank

Sammy Hagar, it's time for a new song!!!!

My Jeep Liberty get about 25 mph running around 6o-63mph. That's on the freeways here in Dallas, some slowing and a bit of speeding up, but I prefer to use the engine rather than the brake.
At 70-75 mph on say I 70 or I 40, I get around 20-22, depending which way the wind is blowing. Seems I rarely have a tailwind.
Pulling my bike trailer, about 15-19 if I can keep it around 60.
The problem is if I'm going from Los Angeles to Cleveland, I don't want to HAVE to drive 60. That's close to 4800 miles / 70-75 mph = 3 solid days of driving 24 hours a day with no stopping at all. Slowing from present posted speed limits to 60 mph would add over another 24 hours of solid driving.
And you guys are right. When was the last time a senator or representative actually DROVE?
Mary

That'll be where I've been going wrong. I thought the speed limit was what you'd reached when the bike wouldn't go any faster. I've always kinda viewed the speed limit signs as a guideline, based on what the traffic should be doing when it's busy. When it's quiet and the roads are empty I just go at whatever speed suits the road.

I believe that Senator John 'Fogey' Warner is concerned that he has lately been having to drive his 'Hover-round' in the slow lane on the Virginia/DC freeways.

This is a prime example of how our congress looks for simplistic solutions to the current issues (of ANY nature) instead of attacking the real problems of government interference in private enterprise and invention which prevents us from becoming energy efficient and self-sufficient. Instead of funding the search for new energy sources, this guy seems to think that slowing down is the answer.

Warner is a blow hard who needs to retire. He's a walking advertisement for enacting term limits.

"They'll take my 70MPH National Speed Limit away from me over my cold dead right foot!!!"

(thank you Chuck Heston wherever you are)

Well I dont know if the price gas, or some sudden need for people around here to start obeying traffic laws. But I have noticed a lot more cages (specialy the big cages). Doing the posted speed limits.I Kinda like it. Havnt had a cage riding my back tire in weeks.Cruise a steady 10 mph over and they just keep getting smaller in my rearview mirrors.Only part that sucks is I keep catching up to the cage line in front of me.

Seems to be fewer kids out playing with Mommies SUV too.
Weekday daytime rides to nowhere are getting to be a lot more fun.Heck if prices go up another 25 cents a gallon WOULD SOMONE IN THE MIDDLE EAST PLEASE FART.

I need the price of oil to go up another 50 bucks a barrel.
Thank you.