There might be hope speed limit

[Frank Lee]

Originally Posted by AJI

... And much as there probably isn't much difference in journey time between 70 and 80, I suspect that for longer journeys there's quite a large difference between 55 and 70.

Math it out; it's easy.

[Bicycle Bob]

One time, I picked up a couple of teenagers hitchiking in California, their first time out on their own in the central valley. They were pretty excited, and one estimated that we'd be at their destination, 100 miles away, in an hour. I pointed out that we were goinig Sixty Miles Per Hour, and he finally understood the term. . .

[Frank Lee]

Sheesh, yer gonna make me go look this up???

Definitions of antisocial on the Web:

hostile to or disruptive of normal standards of social behavior;
"criminal behavior or conduct that violates the rights of other individuals is antisocial";
"crimes...and other asocial behavior";
"an antisocial deed"
antisocial
adj
1. avoiding the company of other people; unsociable
2. contrary or injurious to the interests of society in general

So there ya have it; you haven't brought anything to the table to convince/prove I'm wrong.

I should start a cult. Those guys have it MADE!

Guys, no one died and left Frank with the title of GOD. He isn't the one who decides what is in "society's best interests." Don't let him get to you.

Who does decide what is in society's best interests? You? OK, tell us.

So, for the personal pleasure of watching people you have passed judgment upon and found wanting suffer, you're OK with the suffering $10 gas will cause to families just making it now? You are an arrogant jerk.

Yup, I'm not only OK with it, I'm savoring the prospect of it. And I'm experiencing much shadenfreude at this very moment! Thank you!

Whoever pissed in your cornflakes this a.m. sure did a good job!

[Christ]

Previous posts edited for off-topic content.

[rebelCAFE]

(about the original post) about freakin time everyone slowed down anyway.

[tjts1]

Originally Posted by Old Tele man

SOLUTION--on all three-lane interstate highways, label each lane appropriately:

1) LEFT (highspeed) lane SPEED LIMIT = >75 mph
2) CENTER (normal) lane SPEED LIMIT = 55-75 mph
3) RIGHT (slowspeed) lane SPEED LIMIT = <55 mph

...I kinda like 60 mph, simple: one-mile-per minute!

This is the perfect solution. Everybody is happy.

[user removed]

Traffic density will increase with reduced speeds, in areas where the saturation point has been reached.

In rural areas the problem with lower speeds is they will put you to sleep.

In eastern Virginia the police will not enforce speed limits anyway, at least not to the point where they actually slow the nuts down. Speed differentials (as Frank pointed out), are already one of the major causes of accidents here, also passing on the right and following to close.

Read somewhere a long time ago that the truckers like 62 for economy and distance travelled.

I think they should first make people obey the limits that exist. Cameras on the overpasses. Ticket the vehicle not the driver, automated without actual human interaction.

As far as speed, I like 60 MPH or less. I also like the idea of slight differences in speed depending on which lane you are in. Last time I drove in Michigan, I liked the way they had it set up on 3 lane roads, with higher speed limits on the left lane, and center, and lower limits for trucks and the right lane. It sure seemed less stressful to me when I drove there, but my experience was limited to a short time.

Basically here (eastern VA) they need to enforce the existing laws, and they will probably get as much as any speed limit reduction as far as fuel consumption is concerned. They did raise the limit to 60 on the older seldom used US routes here, and they are deserted, compared to the Interstates.

regards
Mech

[tasdrouille]

Please keep it on topic. Personal attacks won't be tolerated. I encourage people to go back and edit their own posts or simply delete them before I do.

From Synthesis of Safety Research Related to Speed, Publication No. FHWA-RD-98-154











Draw your own conclusions, but my point is injuried people and dead people are a huge societal cost in lost productivity alone.

[Bror Jace]

In the midst of $4 per gallon hysteria, I started a thread about this a year and a half ago. The discussion in it was very good, if I do say so myself:

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...5mph-3732.html

I came to my own personal conclusion that speed limits are a foolish and misguided way to save fuel nationally.

1) Most fuel is wasted idling at parking lots or stuck in traffic, NOT cruising at 70mph on the highway.

2) It costs a great deal of money and fuel to enforce speed limits, reducing the gains you are trying to make.

As one person noted very early on in this thread, let's encourage manufacturers to make more efficient vehicles that can do 60-70mph and still get 50mpg. It's do-able ... but not if we are going to be driving gas guzzling, squared-off pieces of $#i+ that get terrible economy at any speed.

Until then, please err on the side of freedom.

[tim3058]

Until then, please err on the side of freedom.

Agreed. As much discussion there has been here on criticizing long commutes/large vehicles/high speed limits only the folks commuting on bicycles can really laugh at anyone. Even the best of us is using a 1800lb steel cage to move their +/- 200lb person some 30-60 miles to work and back 5 days a week and burning (in my case) almost 2 gal/day of a toxic substance that dumps all sorts of fumes into the air we breathe, along with greases, oils, filters, tires, brake shoes/pads, etc. that are regularly discarded. An EV gets its power somewhere too, there's no such thing as zero emissions. Why do we drive these things? Convenience... whether 55 or 65. Who are we to judge an SUV or a pickup's long commute and cheer at their stupidity or lobby for mandating slower speeds to save energy? Pointing fingers at someone else using the same mode of transportation (and maybe a greater amount of said materials) but celebrating my "eco-friendliness" is pretty laughable.
I like erring on the side of freedom, otherwise the bicycle commuters here could use the same argument to restrict our polluting dinosaurs as well (why not 25mph speed limit?). Those living in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. At least not if they are gonna throw em hard.