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A vehicle driving at 55 MPH uses less fuel per unit distance than a vehicle driving at 65 or 70 MPH. This is an indisputable fact of physics. A lower speed limit will reduce the demand for and increase the supply of oil, all else equal.
Elementary economic theory suggests that supply and demand are intimately related to price - one would reason that lower demand and increased supply will result a lower price. And I do think gas prices will drop if a lower speed limit is implemented...The degree of price drop is certainly debateable as the market for oil is far, far from a "free market" theory
Pepe, driving 10 MPH faster during an 8 hour trip saves 80 minutes. Why do, I have this tax on my time? If the argument is "we can't tax gas guzzlers and mongo-sized SUV's" then why tax my time with an artificially low speed limit?
I love it, so many in this country want to push their agenda onto everyone else.
If my explorer will get better than 21mpg at 55 vs 70, please let it know so it will do it as it does not do it right now.
Plus those long trips will just have me stay in a hotel more often, thus canceling out any fuel savings, plus I can see hotels jacking up their rates even more if the 55mph comes into effect.
easiest? Probably, certainly requires little thought, something congress is very accomplished at
More effective would be allowable speed based on mpg, why should someone driving a vehicle getting 40mpg at 70mph be forced to drive the same speed as some bloated luxo-barge getting 15mpg at 55mph?
That's not saving energy, it's a thinly veiled revenue producer and nothing but another tax.
A 55mph 1067 cars will pass a point at 65 mph 1132 will pass the same point (assuming 17' car, 3 sec between cars) That's 65 cars, in each lane of traffic, where are you going to put them?
you'll be surprised how little time you save by speeding!
Today I drove 240 miles at 75 mph (speed limit on the roads were mostly 70mph) Mustang Island to Austin Texas it took 3:20 hours. Had I driven the 240 miles @ your suggested 55 mph it would have taken me 4:36 hours....
SURPRISED ???? Same short trip would have taken me an extra 1 hour and 15 minutes!
My actual fuel cost to drive it was about $54 using v93 @ 4.15 per gallon. Maybe I burned an extra $5 of fuel going 75 mph vs 55 mph, but
1 hour and fifteen minutes I can never get back!
Location: By the sea, by the sea, by the beautiful sea
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cubssoxfan
Pepe, driving 10 MPH faster during an 8 hour trip saves 80 minutes. Why do, I have this tax on my time? If the argument is "we can't tax gas guzzlers and mongo-sized SUV's" then why tax my time with an artificially low speed limit?
Because you don't contribute as much to politicians as the auto industry.
Today I drove 240 miles at 75 mph (speed limit on the roads were mostly 70mph) Mustang Island to Austin Texas it took 3:20 hours. Had I driven the 240 miles @ your suggested 55 mph it would have taken me 4:36 hours....
SURPRISED ???? Same short trip would have taken me an extra 1 hour and 15 minutes!
My actual fuel cost to drive it was about $54 using v93 @ 4.15 per gallon. Maybe I burned an extra $5 of fuel going 75 mph vs 55 mph, but
1 hour and fifteen minutes I can never get back!
well done. now with your new found prowess in elementary mathematics maybe you could do the calculating on my tax return!
This one really *#sses me off! Why not find a better way than infringing on my most valuable commodity-time. What do y'all think about this stupid idea?
I generally drive slower than the posted speed limit because I am just not comfortable driving fast. The difference in time is negligible. I drive 50 miles an hour and it takes me about 45 minutes to go from my house to Springfield. Other people drive 60 - 65 and they get there what? Ten minutes sooner? Big deal. If they get stuck at one or two traffic lights, I have already caught up with them.
Lowering the speed limit would have the added advantage of saving about 1,000 lives a year.
Of course, enforcement is an issue. After all, on multi-lane highways people seem to be going 10 - 15 miles over the speed limit with impunity. So if you cannot enforce a law it becomes rather moot, don't you think?
Plus those long trips will just have me stay in a hotel more often, thus canceling out any fuel savings, plus I can see hotels jacking up their rates even more if the 55mph comes into effect.
How do you figure that? I drive 400 miles a day. Regardless of when I start or when I stop or how fast I am going. If it takes me 7 hours at 55 or 6 at 65, I am still staying the same NIGHT at the same HOTEL. Somehow I cannot believe that you are driving so fast that you can actually shave 24 hours off of your driving time thus eliminating a full nights hotel stay. What am I missing here?
20yrsinBranson
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