New fueleconomy.gov tips
 

So I was frequenting fueleconomy.gov, and I went to the driving more efficiently section, (even though I've been there more than a dozen times) and I realized that they had changed their guidelines for driving speed. Before they said that every 5 MPH you drive over 60 is another $0.24 per gallon you pay, but they've changed it to 50! Check it out:

Gas Mileage Tips - Driving More Efficiently

That to me is rather significant. Most highways in the US are 65, some ranging up to 80, but it used to be 55. I wonder if they are going to bring the speed limits back down to more fuel efficient speeds, and if they do, it'll be way easier to go 50-55 on the highway than it is now.

Any thoughts?

Thoughts? Typical Gobberment stupidity! The EPA et.al. are STILL thinking "National Speed-limit" is 55 MPH which is well, stupid!

The EPA fuel economy "estimates" SHOULD (IMHO) be given as MPG±xx at various speeds, i.e. something like this: XXMPG±xx @ 45MPH, YYMPG±yy @ 55MPH, ZZMPG±zz @ 65MPH, etc., where the "±xx" tolerances would account for things like passenger/cargo, A/C and headlight loads.

Well I totally agree that more info concerning specific models optimum speeds and the such should be available, and the lack therof can be frustrating, but It's really hard for the EPA to put out MPG numbers for different speeds, etc. just because cars are so extremely different. I've seen speed to MPH charts that show some cars maxing out at 60, and some as low as 40.

And frankly, I will embrace a national decrease in highway speed limits. 65 in my book is too fast and 75-80 in some places is way to fast, not to mention that most people go 5-20 over the speed limit anyway. Let them lower the speed limit and let them start giving out speeding tickets in earnest for going over. Maybe it'll teach people not to waste gas, and it'll help people like me to not feel like a jerk when I go 50-55 and everyone is whizzing by at 75. Their wallets will thank them for it when they pay less at the pump.

Around my section of Virginia you have a choice between the Interstate at 65-70 posted and the older US routes at 55-60 posted. The older routes are pretty much deserted while the Interstate can really slow to a crawl, sometimes less than a couple of miles in an hour getting past another wreck.

I prefer the older routes, but with the heavy traffic on the Interstate, if you can get behind a larger vehicle you can get the same mileage as you would at 55 without a draft. In heavy traffic separation gets down to below 100 feet AVERAGE which requires extreme concentration and the ability to react very quickly to avoid debris in the road.

Not really a fan of gubbmint regulation, but I think a well enforced 70 MPH limit is good. It was that speed 40 years ago when cars had drum brakes and compared to today they were deathtraps. Of course a lot more people died on the highways back then.

regards
Mech

I agree. It might even save some fuel and if we had better enforcement of the existing regulations, maybe we would need less regulation. (like that would happen)

Here is a crazy thought the speed limit for a car and driver should be determined by the vehicles stopping distance and the drivers reaction time or the the mass and reaction time or MPG.

So, how big is your house? How many kids do you have? How far should this moral authority go? People should know better than to do drive fast, or buy bigger cars than they need and the government should be the ones to tell them so. Really?

Be careful how you speak on these subjects. Our government is taking massive authority in the name of our safety (TSA is just one example) for our own good.

I for one, believe that the individual should make the choices they want and it is not the government's job to decide for them.

If you want to go 50 -55mph in a 65mph zone (for example), that is your choice. But let me decide how fast I want to go. And as long as you are in the right lane, I'll smile and wave as I pass you by.

Probably the best way to do it is to have the speed limit set per lane rather than for the entire highway. So maybe the speed limit in the right lane is 55, 65 in the next, 75 in the next, and 85 in the far left, or maybe even no speed limit in the far left. And to help make it less complicated, you could color code the lines to correspond to the speed limit in that lane, instead of just having white and yellow lane line colors, like green for 55, blue for 65, etc. etc. Maybe it's too complicated, but it would make it a lot easier to drive.

ExCUSE me? That doesn't sound nearly arbitrary enough for a government decision
:P

Speed differential in such close quarters is worse than the whole clump going too fast.

Speed limits were raised, to my knowledge, because of increased technology- better fuel efficiency, and high speed stability. Our cars now at 65 are more stable and fuel efficient than than years past at 45-55.

I believe we should have the right to choose to a reason. Speed limit is 65, you can go as slow as 40-45, and here are the consequences forngoing faster.

Not perfect, but I think we have the best set up now, to please as many people as possible. And if people do not care about FE, and they want to getsomewhere fast, let them.