Why is the speed limit 55 on I-81? (Elizabeth: safest, to move)

[varmintblaster]

fisheye - congrats on your retirement. I'm sure you earned every bit of it.

I have always given truck drivers the courtesy they deserve when driving. Being an observant and law abiding driver myself, I always made sure to get out of their way if I noticed a truck approaching in my rear view mirror because I know the driver is trying to maintain momentum for a hill climb. When they pass me, I give them a blink of the headlights so they know all is clear and they can safely pull over without worrying that I am about to make a lamebrain move..

I agree with you about the lawmakers making it more difficult for the low man - whether it be the clearing of snow from their trailers or the ludicrous laws in some states outlawing them from idling their trucks in the winter so they can catch a few z's in a heated cab.

[FlyerNation]

Originally Posted by Jo Bloe

Are you suggesting that doing 66 on the highway in a 55 should result in loss of license for a year and insurance increased tenfold??

Whackjob...............................

Increase the insurance rate tenfold... absolutely. It would be quite a deterrence and remind people how expensive tailgating can be.

Whackjobs who tail should also be reminded that driving is a privilege, not a right. This is something that should be severely (and I mean substantially) re-enforced to reckless drivers (tailgaters, road-rage drivers, DUI drivers, et al.)

[tijlover]

Originally Posted by Magritte25

Am I the only one that thinks 55-60 is a fast enough speed to be going??

Here in Nevada, the posted speed limit is 70MPH on our wide open rural roads.
Last month, I did a "flying" trip throughout north central Nevada, and where and when did I ever drive 70? or 80? From Austin to Battle Mountain, a steady 100, more or less.

I recently drove up to Salt Lake City where there's long experimental stretches with a posted speed of 80MPH on I-15.

Good heavens! Don't you ever get on the Autobahns or Autostradas in Europe with that attitude. No posted speed limits there. Drive 55-60 on the autobahn over there, and a driver will come by at 140MPH and cremate you!

[JamMan]

Originally Posted by varmintblaster

Not for the lead car.

Following too close and ignoring the rule of "allowing space of one vehicle length for every 10mph of speed " is dangerous.

It's just as dangerous for the lead car as it is for the tailgater, especially if you tap, tap, tap and he hits you.

[JamMan]

Originally Posted by tijlover

Here in Nevada, the posted speed limit is 70MPH on our wide open rural roads.
Last month, I did a "flying" trip throughout north central Nevada, and where and when did I ever drive 70? or 80? From Austin to Battle Mountain, a steady 100, more or less.

I recently drove up to Salt Lake City where there's long experimental stretches with a posted speed of 80MPH on I-15.

Good heavens! Don't you ever get on the Autobahns or Autostradas in Europe with that attitude. No posted speed limits there. Drive 55-60 on the autobahn over there, and a driver will come by at 140MPH and cremate you!

The wide expanses of Nevada and the autobahn are quite different from the stretch of Rt 80 through the Burgs.

[fisheye]

Originally Posted by varmintblaster

fisheye - congrats on your retirement. I'm sure you earned every bit of it.

I have always given truck drivers the courtesy they deserve when driving. Being an observant and law abiding driver myself, I always made sure to get out of their way if I noticed a truck approaching in my rear view mirror because I know the driver is trying to maintain momentum for a hill climb. When they pass me, I give them a blink of the headlights so they know all is clear and they can safely pull over without worrying that I am about to make a lamebrain move..

I agree with you about the lawmakers making it more difficult for the low man - whether it be the clearing of snow from their trailers or the ludicrous laws in some states outlawing them from idling their trucks in the winter so they can catch a few z's in a heated cab.

varmintblaster,


Yes; the idling law went after the low man. How are you supposed to sleep when you are freezing? The law makers should have forced the manufacturers into putting in some small (energy efficient) motor to power heating and cooling units. That was not the case. There are truck stops that offer truckers heating and cooling - but they are not everywhere.
One little note about the Western states and their higher speed limits: I was driving through New Mexico, on the 75 MPH Route I 40 one night, when I came up on an accident scene. A driver, pulling a 53 footer, hit his brakes and did not have the pins locked on his sliding tandems. When that happens; the whole rear wheel assembly (8 wheels axles and frame) drops on the road. I am not sure how much this assembly weights (maybe six to ten thousand pounds)? There was a little red sports car that could not stop before it hit the tandems. It was not recognizable - other than a little red paint. A set of tandems, when it drops out, has no lights (all the wires are ripped off). The only sign, that approaching drivers have at night; is smoke and the sparks flying off a trailer (still traveling with no wheels). That same year; I saw the aftermath of five other accidents like this one. One of these tandems would probably kill you just as quick at 55 as it would at 75.
Truckers slide their tandems to change weight distribution. Sometimes that makes all the difference between being legal or overweight. To me, it would not be difficult to design a lock-out device (that shut off our air to our brakes) if the pins were not locked. Instead; government makes the low man responsible and other motorist can pay the price.

[Magritte25]

Originally Posted by tijlover

Here in Nevada, the posted speed limit is 70MPH on our wide open rural roads.
Last month, I did a "flying" trip throughout north central Nevada, and where and when did I ever drive 70? or 80? From Austin to Battle Mountain, a steady 100, more or less.

I recently drove up to Salt Lake City where there's long experimental stretches with a posted speed of 80MPH on I-15.

Good heavens! Don't you ever get on the Autobahns or Autostradas in Europe with that attitude. No posted speed limits there. Drive 55-60 on the autobahn over there, and a driver will come by at 140MPH and cremate you!

Don't worry, I won't! I see absolutely no need to go so fast!

[thecoalman]

Originally Posted by FlyerNation

Increase the insurance rate tenfold... absolutely. It would be quite a deterrence and remind people how expensive tailgating can be.

Not that I would agree with this for a variety of reasons but if something like that were to be passed the same should be applied to those traveling in the left lane.

[Trucker7]

Originally Posted by fisheye

varmintblaster,


Yes; the idling law went after the low man. How are you supposed to sleep when you are freezing? The law makers should have forced the manufacturers into putting in some small (energy efficient) motor to power heating and cooling units. That was not the case. There are truck stops that offer truckers heating and cooling - but they are not everywhere.

I think this is what you're looking for:
Teleflex Thermal Systems
I'm pretty sure that there are other manufacturers out there that can build something similar. I've seen these used on buses to shorten the engine warm-up. Probably, they thought that prohibiting idling would lead to trucks being outfitted with these devices, but must drivers don't own their trucks, and big trucking companies won't spend the extra money if they don't have to.

[fisheye]

Originally Posted by Trucker7

I think this is what you're looking for:
Teleflex Thermal Systems
I'm pretty sure that there are other manufacturers out there that can build something similar. I've seen these used on buses to shorten the engine warm-up. Probably, they thought that prohibiting idling would lead to trucks being outfitted with these devices, but must drivers don't own their trucks, and big trucking companies won't spend the extra money if they don't have to.

Trucker7,
Yes, that would take care of the cold. Then all you need is a system to take care of the heat. It is extremely hard to sleep in trucks without air conditioners when it is hot outside. Like you said; the big companies only look at the bottom line. Just try to get the ladders and tools to clean your roof of ice and snow. Some of the larger terminals will have roof scrapers. However; they still need to keep plows going constantly to remove the ice/snow that comes off the roof - other wise it builds up to where the system doesn’t work.

Like I also pointed out; it would not be difficult to manufacture a safety device that cut air to the tandems when the pins were not locked. They put pressure on the truckers to comply with the weight limits. Some tandem sliders are not easy to operate by yourself - people will make mistakes. It would be better to have a failsafe locking method.

Even though (nationally) there are not too many sliding tandem accidents; it is still a very good reason not to tailgate commercial vehicles.