Re-Institute National 55mph?

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by ALS

This whole gas shortage garbage was created by Government.

What gas shortage? I haven't seen any lines at gas stations, or signs saying "No Gas Today". Seems like anyone can buy all they want, if they're willing/able to pay the price.

We have had this major exodus from out cities due to high taxes and a decline in the quality of life. The people fled to the suburbs...

I think you've got that backwards, too. You seem to be thinking that living in a city is a normal state of affairs, when historically it's anything but. It's just that before automobiles & cheap gas, living in a city was an economic necessity for most people. When people got the means to change this, and obtain even a halfway decent quality of life by living in a suburb, they did so.

If there's a solution, it's not cramming people back into cities, but realizing that today people often don't have to be physically where the work is located.

[Figjam74]

Originally Posted by jamesqf

If there's a solution, it's not cramming people back into cities, but realizing that today people often don't have to be physically where the work is located.

Now we just need a system of tubes to deliver goods from centralized warehousing facilities.... "Scientists, get to work on the tube technology!"

[ebacherville]

Originally Posted by trikkonceptz

Here's a funny thought, imagine a hwy system where there was no speed limit posted .. just a sign that dictated mpg for the road.

Instead of 55 speed limit it would say;

35mpg strictly enforced. That would definately curtail speeds then ...

Then all I can see is everyone putting along @ 45 mph except for Basjoos, doing 80 in the fast lane ...

Hahaha .. that would rock ..

Thats would be sweet, Basjoos would be doing abotu 100mpg id be behind him doing 90.. i recently did a high speed highway run 132 miles each way 264 miles total at 75-80mph and pulled down 47 mpg.. no way a prius could pull these numbers at those speeds.. Areo mods help considerably.

However in not in favor of LAWS limiting speed, the gas prices will dictate people use of vehicles.. bring on the $10 a gallon gas..

[dremd]

My votes:

1) Enforce speed LIMITS to a T! 1 mph over is 1 mph OVER! put up speed cameras everyplace; I don't care how you do it.
2) Make speeding tickets building AKA first offense is "dropped" as long as you don't speed again for 3 years and is fairly cheap. 2nd offense 2x $ and is definitely reported 3rd offense 4x $ and loose drivers license for a week 4th offense 8x $ and loose drivers license for a Month. Or something like that . . . . .
3) Make speed limits reasonable! DO NOT make a 25 mph speed limit on a 4 lane road for no apparent reason. (I drive one of these almost every day; I get passed at my 40 mph every time) DO NOT make the speed limit on a major interstate 45 mph 25 miles away from construction (That was true for 3.5 years near my home).

[ALS]

If you think the English can get mean at soccer matches. Wait until the average American has to put up the level of speed cameras that the British driver does.
This is how the English deal with a speed cameras.
Speed Cam

[getnpsi]

with the rumors of all the new obd tricks the government wants, cars will have transponders to report failing emission equipment. they should look into some sort of feedback where your car lights up in the dash when your speed or driving style isnt acceptable. more mpg computers standard will make people slow down on their own

[cfg83]

getnpsi -

Originally Posted by getnpsi

with the rumors of all the new obd tricks the government wants, cars will have transponders to report failing emission equipment. they should look into some sort of feedback where your car lights up in the dash when your speed or driving style isnt acceptable. more mpg computers standard will make people slow down on their own

I heard that this would be a big part of the clean-diesel tech. The Honda diesel solution would closely monitor emissions to assure compliance. I don't know if it would transmit anything, but it would warn you to service your car ASAP.

CarloSW2

[Bror Jace]

"cars will have transponders to report failing emission equipment. They should look into some sort of feedback where your car lights up in the dash when your speed or driving style isn't acceptable."

And to think ... George Orwell didn't live long enough to see this.

I do agree, though, if you put a real-time MPG number on the dash or otherwise always-visible, people will figure out just how bad some/most of their habits are.

[extragoode]

So maybe there should be no speed limit at all, but a mpg minimum. Put a big LED display on the front, back, and sides of all vehicles. No more radar guns, the cops and just sit back and read the the displays. "Ma'am, do you know why I pulled you over? You were only getting 20mpg out of this beast. You're going to have to slow down. I'll give you warning this time, but keep your foot out of it!" That'd have us impatient Americans driving little fuel efficient cars in no time. You want to go 70-80mph, bajoos, go right ahead, you in the Excursion, you're just screwed! Interstates could have lower minimums than city streets. And then at least the crazy differences in speed on the interstate would be roughty equalized by the weight of the car. If you got in an accident with an SUV it'd only be at 40mph, and if you were in an 80mph accident, it'd only be with another 2000# car. Alas, everyone would just break that law like they do the current ones.

[Bror Jace]

Yes, enforcement is a massive problem.

I drove to Saratoga and back to Albany today. About half the trip was posted 55mph, half was 65mph. Most people were going 70-75mph regardless.

Hey, any of you clever buggers out there with scangauges, you want to tell us the difference YOU get between 55mph and 65mph in actual mpgs to the nearest tenth of a gallon? I'd love to see more data on this.