Speed Limit 85 - Texas (Austin, West: move to, vehicles, best)

[BestintheWest]

sure, raise the speed limit, absolutely brilliant now that gas is approaching $4 a gallon.

[movealongs]

We should adopt the methods that work in Germany and Europe. No more lingering in the left lane. Use it for passing only. slower-traffiic-keep-right.com movealongs.com

[TexasHorseLady]

Anyone here want to take me up on the bet that when the speed limit is raised to 85, that people who currently drive 85 "because it's the right speed for the conditions, not 70" will be driving 100?

[blkgiraffe]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

Anyone here want to take me up on the bet that when the speed limit is raised to 85, that people who currently drive 85 "because it's the right speed for the conditions, not 70" will be driving 100?

Doubt it. People are already doing 100 and those who already are will keep doing those speeds. I drive within 80 - 85 range because it feels good to my body. Honestly, when I'm driving 60 or 70 on a freeway; I feel like I'm getting nowhere and get this claustrophobic feeling. Hard to explain.

[TexasHorseLady]

Oh, I know exactly what you're talking about (that feeling). Thing is, it's VERY subjective, and speed limits should be based on the speed that it's objectively safe for the majority of drivers to drive on that particular road in that particular area. Something that can't be determined based on whether you, personally, feel you are getting anywhere or not.

People driving based on what "feels safe" to them subjectively (and some of them are dramatically wrong not only about that but about their own driving ability) is how we get, oh, I don't know, people driving the speed limit and people coming up behind them at a much higher speed and having hissy fits and having all of their driving ability fall apart in rage as a result. In other words, the problem is that people are driving like that, and that not only doesn't work, but often doesn't work in a way that can be deadly.

[rickc007]

Originally Posted by eepstein

Ah yes, leave it to the "green" Austin lawmakers to propose yet another rediculous law in Texas. As i'm sure VERY few people in Texas know, with few exceptions, driving faster than 60 MPH actually reduces your fuel economy. Going faster than 70 MPH actually produces enough drag to decrease your overall fuel economy by nearly 25%. These numbers are SLIGHTLY lower with small cars that are lower to the ground. However, the trucks and SUV's at over 75 MPH can actually loose 30-35% of their already bad fuel economy because of their extremely boxy shapes.



In these times of higher gas prices and shaky economic conditions, the speed limits should be REDUCED to save millions of gallons of gas per year.
Assuming people will go 5-10 MPH over the speed limit, lower it back down to 55.

This is SO TRUE
New York had 55 mph

I moved to South California, it was 65, or 70
Here 75

The drag goes up exponential with speed.
Notorious waste of gas, and increase in fatalities ???

Myself, I drive as fast as I'm allowed (and then a pinch more)

But for "Green" States ????

[eepstein]

Well I don't think even any the of the "green states" out there have a 55 MPH speed limit. Perhaps 65 in the northeast. I know that California is 70 in the rural areas, and people are almost always doing 80-85 on I-5 in the central valley.

What could possibly be a bigger gas saver than lowering the speed limit? All of the whining it would cause wouldn't be too harmful to the environment.

Originally Posted by rickc007

This is SO TRUE
New York had 55 mph

I moved to South California, it was 65, or 70
Here 75

The drag goes up exponential with speed.
Notorious waste of gas, and increase in fatalities ???

Myself, I drive as fast as I'm allowed (and then a pinch more)

But for "Green" States ????

[Dopo]

Here we go, passing laws to benefit a few (truckers) instead of passing a law that will benefit most of us (most car drivers).

Instead of this law, they should copy what Illinois did.
Have a speed limit for cars and one for semis 5 MPH slower that will keep them from driving on the highway as if they are driving a japanese sport car.

I'm not concerned at all about people doing 100MPH on the highway,
I'm concerned about trucks passing me on the highway doing 80 MPH.

[catman]

If one drives at the speed limit when everyone else is speeding, it is more dangerous to him than if he goes with the flow. It works best when everyone is driving at a similar speed.

I can understand why the speed limit might be raised in West Texas. It's a long way between anything.

[rickc007]

Originally Posted by catman

If one drives at the speed limit when everyone else is speeding, it is more dangerous to him than if he goes with the flow. It works best when everyone is driving at a similar speed.

I can understand why the speed limit might be raised in West Texas. It's a long way between anything.

Bingo !

The first time I drove the Turnpike from CT to MA, I was
driving 75. I was practically getting rear ended.
Flow of traffic was 85 - 90

Straight Road, not many entrances/exits .....