How Do You Remember the 55MPH Speed Limit Days? (buy, driver, gas)
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It was 50 mph in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, New York, and New Jersey.
In November 1973, I'd just gotten my Vermont learner's permit which you could get at age 15. I was the designated driver every weekend driving from Massachusetts to the Vermont weekend ski place. We carried our own gasoline and had a stash in Vermont in case we couldn't buy any. Mom said "go 70". I'd get pulled over, show the cop some flimsy piece of paper with no photo and no license number. It was like having diplomatic immunity. There was no way the cop could write me a ticket. All they'd do is tell me to slow down.
i survived by going with the flow of traffic for the most part. cops rarely singled out people driving above the speed limit when there were a gaggle of cars all doing the same speed.
I remember when president Nixon signed the 55 mph into law in 1974 i had a 1964 Dodge Polara with a 318 v8 and and had a hard time adjust going from 70 mph on the freeway to 55 mph it felt like you were driving miss daisy.
I fondly remember road trips where everyone traveled at the same speed of 55 and we all stopped at the same rest stops. Looking back it was a simpler more laid back time. Today everyone is in such a rush with no regard for anyone around them.
There is always some bozo that is going 70 in a 60 and is mad at me for only doing 65. Oh well.
The speed limits were 75 in parts of the State I was in back in the 1960's-70's (Imagine driving in a '48 Mercury going down these roads at 85mph!). The adjustment to 55mph wasn't bad at first because you were trying to have enough gas to get to point a to b, then all the new cars in the late 70's were detuned and 55mph felt like you were going 100mph.
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