75 mph up north, the world didn't end (Portland, Bangor: home, wedding)

[CoastalMaineiac]

I just drove up to Presque Isle a few weeks ago. I figured the 10 mph difference saves about 15 minutes of driving time.

Perhaps the time has come now to allow 75 mph on the rest of 95.

[mainebrokerman]

Originally Posted by CoastalMaineiac

I just drove up to Presque Isle a few weeks ago. I figured the 10 mph difference saves about 15 minutes of driving time.

Perhaps the time has come now to allow 75 mph on the rest of 95.

I agree with this-but going thru portland is still 55

I drive 95 everyday, have for years, use to drive more north of augusta, up to houlton-but now more south to n.h and I'm seeing one particular driver on 95 in the southern part of the state- that wasnt half the problem as it is in the northern part of 95, and thats the 50-60 mph driver-
this seems to be the most dangerous driver because everyone is swerving all around this slower moving car- much more traffic in the southern part of 95,

years ago, the slower cars, were the junkers or older folks,,,,,now for some strange reason, it's the subaru's and prius's

[Zymer]

Well, I have become one of those 50-60 drivers. Why? Because it costs more to go faster. My p/u truck gets its best mileage between 45 and 55. P/Us are not particularly aerodynamic, wind resistance cubes with the increase in velocity and big V-8 motors eat a lot of gas- even more over 60mph.

Money is tight, my fuel budget is limited and I have more time than money so I go slower. Spending more on fuel means cutting somewhere else- usually the food budget. Increases in earnings have not kept pace with the rate of inflation as it is and my hours at work were just cut. Plus, I have been pinching pennies to invest in projects for future income (and pay down debt).

Minimum speed limit on a divided, limited-access highway is 45. Some people are going to stay in the lower range (and should also keep to the right). If you want me to go faster, toss a bag of money into the back of my truck every time you pass me. ;-}

[elston]

There is a lot of wisdom in your practice and attitude Zymer. I stick in the Right lane on highways....usually do make the speed limit but not the 5 miles over that lots of folk say is ok. On state roads.....I will pull over for tailgaters...but I wont let them push me over the limit.

Life is good and life is short and I intend to enjoy the ride and take it all in.

Originally Posted by Zymer

Well, I have become one of those 50-60 drivers. Why? Because it costs more to go faster. My p/u truck gets its best mileage between 45 and 55. P/Us are not particularly aerodynamic, wind resistance cubes with the increase in velocity and big V-8 motors eat a lot of gas- even more over 60mph.

Money is tight, my fuel budget is limited and I have more time than money so I go slower. Spending more on fuel means cutting somewhere else- usually the food budget. Increases in earnings have not kept pace with the rate of inflation as it is and my hours at work were just cut. Plus, I have been pinching pennies to invest in projects for future income (and pay down debt).

Minimum speed limit on a divided, limited-access highway is 45. Some people are going to stay in the lower range (and should also keep to the right). If you want me to go faster, toss a bag of money into the back of my truck every time you pass me. ;-}

[Coaster]

I've seen the slower drivers, too, and I suspect that Zymer isn't alone in his reasoning. I haven't seen the precise breakdown by model MBM has noticed, altho Prius drivers are among those who tend to stay at or just below the speed limit. There's a sweet spot right around 63-64 mph where a Prius on level ground gets well over 50 mpg, or at least mine does. The problem with the Prius is that it's so smooth and so quiet that I can be driving on I-95 and not notice that I'm doing 80-85 mph unless I keep an eye on the speedometer. Got my first speeding ticket in almost 30 years because of that.

Oil prices have taken a serious dive in the past few weeks -- crude was below $84 a barrel at one point on Thursday. There's a story circulating in the oil markets that Saudi Arabia wants prices to drop even more as a way of depriving Iran and Iraq of oil revenues and hurting their economies. Then again, it could simply be because demand is dropping as the global economy worsens. Take your pick.

Either way, we should see lower gas prices this month. I found regular for $3.599 at Tobey's on Route 3 in China last weekend. Lowest I've seen it in many months. If prices do drop, I'm planning on topping off my fuel oil tank later this summer.

[CoastalMaineiac]

Originally Posted by Coaster

I've seen the slower drivers, too, and I suspect that Zymer isn't alone in his reasoning. I haven't seen the precise breakdown by model MBM has noticed, altho Prius drivers are among those who tend to stay at or just below the speed limit. There's a sweet spot right around 63-64 mph where a Prius on level ground gets well over 50 mpg, or at least mine does. The problem with the Prius is that it's so smooth and so quiet that I can be driving on I-95 and not notice that I'm doing 80-85 mph unless I keep an eye on the speedometer. Got my first speeding ticket in almost 30 years because of that.

Oil prices have taken a serious dive in the past few weeks -- crude was below $84 a barrel at one point on Thursday. There's a story circulating in the oil markets that Saudi Arabia wants prices to drop even more as a way of depriving Iran and Iraq of oil revenues and hurting their economies. Then again, it could simply be because demand is dropping as the global economy worsens. Take your pick.

Either way, we should see lower gas prices this month. I found regular for $3.599 at Tobey's on Route 3 in China last weekend. Lowest I've seen it in many months. If prices do drop, I'm planning on topping off my fuel oil tank later this summer.

It's $3.55 here in Searsport today at the Sunoco station, with 4¢ off of that if you pay in cash.

[beltrams]

I did 65 or so last week heading back to Houlton as my Ranger pickup was pulling a trailer loaded with lumber that was right at the Ranger's tow limit give or take. 75 would have been just too much.

I don't think I'm too much of a problem for the 75'ers to go around as long as I stay in the right lane.

Other times, yes, I go 75ish, though not always.

I wouldn't have a problem with 75 on the rest of 95 excepting the present 55 limit areas in Portland as well as the 55 section where the road gets pretty curvy and crowded over the stream crossing in Bangor. I pull back to 55 to 60 tops, especially in Bangor, and am glad most other people do too there.

I've also noticed, having driven the 75mph section quite a bit now (too much actually), that it is indeed true people don't automatically go 10 mph over any speed limit. That is, I don't see people going over the 75 limit nearly as much as people go over the 55 and 65 limits in those other areas. So, all those that predicted carnage can relax.

[Maine Writer]

Originally Posted by beltrams

I've also noticed, having driven the 75mph section quite a bit now (too much actually), that it is indeed true people don't automatically go 10 mph over any speed limit. That is, I don't see people going over the 75 limit nearly as much as people go over the 55 and 65 limits in those other areas. So, all those that predicted carnage can relax.

That's been my experience. I've been on the portion between Bangor and Lincoln quite a bit since the change and haven't noticed any problems. A lot of us were already driving 75 mph. Now we're doing it legally.

[Submariner]

Has there been any actual increase in traffic fatalities since the speed limit went up?

Our Prius [gen-3] does get better mileage at the 30-45mph speeds. Though we have not been able to tell any difference of mileage between 65 and 75. My Dw drives it daily, part interstate and part city traffic. She gets a consistent 51-52 mpg. Two months ago we did a road-trip to attend a wedding [4100 mile round-trip: to DC, then Kansas, then to DC and home again to Maine]. Most of it was all interstate with the cruise-control on. We got much better mileage then she usually gets in her daily commute.

[CoastalMaineiac]

Originally Posted by forest beekeeper

Has there been any actual increase in traffic fatalities since the speed limit went up?

Our Prius [gen-3] does get better mileage at the 30-45mph speeds. Though we have not been able to tell any difference of mileage between 65 and 75. My Dw drives it daily, part interstate and part city traffic. She gets a consistent 51-52 mpg. Two months ago we did a road-trip to attend a wedding [4100 mile round-trip: to DC, then Kansas, then to DC and home again to Maine]. Most of it was all interstate with the cruise-control on. We got much better mileage then she usually gets in her daily commute.

Most vehicles are probably about the same on the fuel-efficiency vs speed scale.

I have a 99 Saturn (23 mpg city, 34 highway according to FuelEconomy.gov). On a trip to Portland, driving the speed limit the whole way down (55 on Route 3, 65 on 295), I would get about about 39 miles per gallon, just by maintaining a fairly steady speed with my foot (I don't have the luxury of cruise control). I realize this is by no means a great comparison (different roads, different terrain, different weather), but on a recent trip to Presque Isle, at the new speed limit, the car still got around 36 mpg, still better than what the EPA says it should get on the freeway.

My own personal opinion, however, is that when setting a speed limit, the fastest speed that is safe under optimum conditions is what it should be. Fuel efficiency shouldn't even enter the equation when setting speed limits. After all, if you want to save gas, there's nothing saying you can't drive slower. As long as you're not impeding the flow of traffic, who cares?

What is the maximum safe speed? Well, that's where the 85th percentile rule comes in. You can read more about that at Procedures for Establishing Speed Zones: Determining the 85th Percentile Speed if you're interested in that sort of thing.