Why has no one brought up reduced speed limits and

[Bandit]

raised cafe standards? Why are "conservatives" so opposed to conserving? If we reduce the speed limit to fifty we would save more than all of ANWR could provide then if we make the Industry increase Cafe standards we would save that much again. Why has no one made such a suggestion? Are Democrats afraid of the Teamsters?

[DrGonzoLives]

1. Yeah, because people obey speed limits...

Lowering the speed limit does nothing unless you want every cop on every force out there to do nothing but bust speeders for a while.

[Warpy]

8. Most people respect them

and the same number of cops would be busting the same number of speeders we have now.

[dysfunctional press]

15. where?

try driving 55(or 65-70 where it's allowed) on any expressway and see how much respect you get.

[maveric]

41. Really now...

Its 65 in CA and most drivers exceed that limit. They would have to hire more police just to ticket speeders. The general public would love that. :sarcasm:

[CottonBear]

58. Have the war on marijuana police do traffic cop duty instead. n/t.

[XOKCowboy]

81. Reduced Speed Limits Are Not The Answer

I lived through the 55 mph speed limit days and if you did 55 you were rolling roadkill. The vast majority of drivers ignored it and became instant lawbreakers just because they were driving safely over a random selected, Federally Mandated speed limit. The insurance companies loved it. They could raise rates on people ticketed, the local cops love it because of the ticket revenue.

The biggest losers were people forced to drive long distances for business or pleasure. I live in Denver and in order to drive the 1000 miles to LA at 55 will add almost 5 extra hours to the trip. This on smooth interstates where you can see 20+ miles in all directions. The drive to Boston will add double that. That's an extra day travel. Which brings me to some eastern states with 65 mph (or lower) speed limits now on thier interstates. I've driven these roads and the only time everyone is doing the speed limit is if a trooper is nearby. Otherwise you're being passed constantly if you drive legally.

The 55 mph speed limit was a bust and I don't even trust the "science" used to justify it.

[rinsd]

82. What planet do you drive on?

Where people as a majority drive at or below the posted speed limit on a hwy?

[CottonBear]

13. I lived and drove during the 55 MPH era. It was much safer and saner.

Driving is a privilege not a right because the public health, safety and welfare are involved.
Lower speeds = less gas consumed and fewer people injured and killed in accidents.

[DrGonzoLives]

20. I'm not disputing that

I'm just saying that lowering speed limits is not going to have much of an effect.

[Bandit]

29. It had an enormous effect in the 70's

Why do you believe it would have none now adays? Maybe because it has become common place to break laws in Bush* Amerika.

[CottonBear]

33. Were you alive during the 1970s gas crisis?

Lowering speed limits did and would lower consumption and prevent accidents. It's a proven fact. I think that too many people think it's OK to break the laws (rules of the road and speed limits) and that it's OK to endanger the public by speeding and reckless driving.

As someone who was nearly killed along with my family in a terrible interstate accident (we were run off the road by a speeding, tailgating careless driver who left the scene of the accident), I resent everyone who speeds and drives carelessly and recklessly.

[uncle ray]

47. sorry for what happened to you

but driving fast and carelessly are two different things. you are letting a personal prejudice fog your judgement on the matter. a 50 MPH limit isn't going to do a damn thing to stop a bad driver who is going ot flee the scene.

[CottonBear]

62. Were you alive during the 1970s gas crisis? You did not answer?

I have also been hit by speeders in my neighborhood who were going 50MPH in a 35 MPH zone near schools, homes, churches and stores. The driver who hit me and another driver was going so fast that they couldn't stop immediately and blasted several hundred yards past me. They drove away with the bumper in the back seat of their car. My car was towed with $5,000 worth of damage.

I have been hit by a speeding pizza delivery college student guy as well who was not listed on his parents insurance policy as a driver. He not only was going excessively fast in a 35 MPH zone, he also cut a 90 degree corner making a left turn and crushed the front left of my car while I was stopped at the stop bar (not in front of it or on it like most idiot people do) on the side street waiting for the light to turn.

[XOKCowboy]

86. This has nothing to do with the 55 mph speed limit

There are dangerous drivers that don't care what any speed limit is. There always will be and they should be caught and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. On the other hand someone that goes over the Federally Mandated 55 mph speed limit on a highway designed for 75 mph speeds in open country is not in the same category as you are describing.

Yes I did live through the 70's gas crisis and the 55 was a joke then too.

[uncle ray]

91. like the other respondant said

your stories have nothing to do with the double nickle speed limit, they involve idiot drivers. you keep bringing up things that are not relevant, like noninsured drivers and people not paying attention to what the hell they are doing. again, very sorry that you've been on the receiving end of some bad accidents, but nobody here is advocating that we let people drive as fast as they want or as careless as they want.

and if it really matters, yes i was "alive" during the 70's fuel crisis, though i have a difficult time remembering it, since i spent that time strapped into a car seat. yes i do remember having the 55 speed limit as the state i grew up in had it on all roads until at least the late 80's.

i'll also openly admit that i am a faster driver, but have had no incidents since i was 16. on the interstate i loathe being stuck in the pack, i'll accelerate and pass just to get away from the other idiots on the road, nothing is safer than a clear road ahead and behind. if someone is driving in my blind spot, i'll speed up or slow down to alieviate the uncomfortable situation. if there is heavy traffic, i'm the last person you'll find darting from lane to lane trying to get ahead. much of my cautious but fast driving is due to knowing my own limitations, i have a very strong eyeglass prescription, and thus terrible periphial vision so i lean toward the side of caution. furthermore, most of the cars i drive are at least 30 years old, fully updated to modern standards, my hands have turned every bolt in the car, so i don't care to wad them up. i take my driving very seriously. i too wish interstates were safer, but the danger i see is people that don't follow the most simple rules of the road, the most basic being slower traffic keep right, if every driver did this, i'd bet road rage and aggressive driving would be greatly reduced. instead the faster drivers are forced to weave their way past drivers in the left lane that flat out aren't paying attention, or think they are doing the world a favor by driving the speed they feel is appropiate, our taxes pay people to do that, let them take care of the speeders.

[XOKCowboy]

96. Amen

You do take your driving seriously and so do I. I use the interstates to get from one point to the other in the fastest and safest way possible. The Interstate System was designed for high speed and today's vehicles are safer than ever. If people would just drive like it was a privelege and keep riht except to pass then the interstates would be much safer.

[DrGonzoLives]

68. Have I said "I think people should be able to drive fast"?

My point, which has apparently gone over everyone's head, is that I don't see how lowering speed limits is going to get anyone to change their driving habits, short of a massive police crackdown.

Take a drive through Chicago sometime. The speed limits on the freeways are 55. People frequently drive 20 more than that, at least. You have to speed to just avoid being rear-ended by idiots. You think dropping that 5 more is going to do anything?

[phylny]

99. You're right about it being safer.

Near me a few weeks ago, there were several horrific accidents on a straight stretch of the New York Thruway. People were flabbergasted as to why this happened, but the Thruway officials weren't. A friend of mine has a husband who works for the thruway, and he said that stretch of road is notorious for reckless speeding. There were nine deaths in 39 days.

http://www.recordonline.com/archive/2006/03/19/thruway

[heidler1]

48. Radar with photo of offending drivers pic works here in AZ..

[CottonBear]

64. They use that in Munich, Germany. I know someone who got a ticket there.

You can drive quickly on the Autobahn but you had better not spped, run red lights or violate other traffic laws on any other roads. The Germans are dead serious about safe driving. You can't drive an unsafe junker car there eihter. Not only are the emissions checked, so are the mechanical systems and overall systems of the car.

[rinsd]

85. And all they needed was country wide video survelillance!

There's safety in the busom of big brother, I guess.

[Kellanved]

97. no, that's the UK (the big brother country)

There's no widespread video surveillance in Germany.

[DrGonzoLives]

69. You really want cameras snapping photos of people everywhere?

n/t

[ixion]

2. holy cow.... I'd go nuts driving 50

I would rather see more innovation in alternative fuels. :-)

[Warpy]

12. No you wouldn't

We managed in the late 70s and early 80s just fine. More of us got where we were going in one piece, too.

[dysfunctional press]

17. we managed by thumbing our noses at the 55mph limit

and going 70+

[seemunkee]

25. 10-4 good buddy

Only reason to own a CB was to evade smokey and avoid having to drive the double nickle.

[Warpy]

53. And you never got nailed?

Most selfish fools who did that got nailed for speeding eventually.

A 55 speed limit will be horrible here in the west with long distances between towns. However, it makes a lot of sense to reduce highway speeds here from the dangerous 75 to a less dangerous 65 and to 55 within the cities.

Most folks went between 55 and 60 back then. We managed. We also had some choice words for folks who insisted they were important enough to go 70+.

[dysfunctional press]

80. most folks in the chicago area went between 75 and 80 back then-

just like they do now.

we also have some choice words for the folks who insist on being too stupid to understand the posted signs that say "slower traffic stay in right lane".

:eyes:

[ekelly]

83. I grew up in the Chicago area (north suburbs actually)

and I would be on 94 driving 70mph and getting passed!
Many, many people drive 80 or faster on the interstates there.

[XOKCowboy]

87. That was "flow of traffic"

which btw is a basic law of keeping traffic moving on today's crowded highways. When most of the cars are going 70 in a 55 mph zone then you had a bit of safety from the Highway Patrol since everyone else was going that fast.

If you don't think that the insurance cartel wants the 55 back then you're kidding yourself. The only thing the 55 does is make lawbreakers out of the majority of drivers.

[AngryAmish]

31. per mile driven driving is safest ever

ABS, airbags and other safety innovations make sure of that. Statistically driving is much safer now than the 70s and 80s.

55 sucks eggs.

My vacation property is 272 miles from my house. At 55 mph it would take 4.94 hours to get there. At 75 mph it takes 3.63 hours to get there. I'll take the higher speed.

[ixion]

74. yep, I'm with you

Driving 80, you can make a 12 hour trip in 9 hours.

[Xithras]

44. People didn't have 100 mile daily commutes back then.

I have a neighbor who commutes 140 miles a day, round trip, to get from his home to work. When the roads aren't gridlocked, that's a couple hours of driving a day. Cut the speed limit by 20+ miles an hour (many of the Nor Cal freeway stretches are at a 70MPH limit now), and you're substantially adding to the amount of time he spends in his car.

[Warpy]

51. Sprawl sucks

and your friend needs to find a home closer to work while he still is able to unload that exurbian paradise.

[theboss]

61. Any other advice on how to live our lives?

Jeez

[DrGonzoLives]

70. Easier said than done

Especially when a lot of people work in areas that they simply can't afford to live in.

Unless you think the guy cleaning toilets at Lake Forest Hospital can really afford the six-figure homes (or four-figure monthly rents) out there.

[Xithras]

77. You have a half million bucks to loan him?

Priced homes in the SF Bay Area recently? He doesn't live in the Central Valley because he wants a big yard and a suburban home, he lives here because it's as close to the Bay Area as he can afford to live. Actual workers with blue collar jobs in the Bay can't afford to live there anymore, so they commute. I know police officers and janitors that commute over 100 miles a day into the Bay Area because they simply can't afford to live near their jobs.

[ixion]

75. uh,yes, I would

I was driving in the 80's, and I couldn't drive 50ish back then, either. ;-)

[MadHound]

3. No, what the Democrats are afraid of

Is that if they take such an action, their corporate masters will stop supplying them with money for their elections and what not, and thus they lose their comfy seats of power.

Such is just one of many problems with this two party/same corporate master system of government.

[rucky]

24. It's just as much about "we the people" not willing to sacrifce our 65mph.

reducing speed limits makes total sense, but it really hurt Carter.

[MadHound]

30. Please, we the people did it once

Albeit with grumbling and whining, and if was slapped back down to 55, we'd do it again, albeit with whining and grumbling.

And it isn't like people would be sacrificing their 70mph, a lot wouldn't. There is always that group of people who are going to speed matter what. However instead of running seventy or even *gasp* eighty(big ticket range) when the speed was fifty five, now people are regularly running eighty five, ninety.

Yes, the people will moan and groan, comedians will have fun for awhile, another bad singer will put out a song about it, but the vast majority of people will slow down to fifty five-sixty mph. And soon, they will see that once again they're saving money, the number of people in accidents are down, and they will say OK, this sacrifice was worth it.

[CottonBear]

35. Americans are selfish & short sighted with no sense of sacrifice or duty.

You are so right about those who will always speed. They are idiots and fools.

I live near Atlanta and I dread driving there. There is zero law enforcment on the Perimeter Loop interstate and people regularly speed at 80-95 MPH. It is freaking insane. Semis, crotch rocket motorcycles, SUVs, trucks sedans and sports cars all tailgating, passing on the right, not using turn signals, cutting in and out of traffic and generally being assholes. It is terrifying to drive there and it is not fair to those of us who drive the speed limit in an attempt to avoid death and save gas.

[jukes]

40. absolutely correct, MadHound.

and americans are too apathetic or delusional to accept that fact. serfdom is returning.

[Norquist Nemesis]

4. Because in Con world

Conservation BAD
Con$umption GOOD

[atomic-fly]

5. It makes too much sense...

A change in driving habits could really help, but
it would cut into the profits of big oil.

[rodeodance]

6. that would call attention to the problem!

[Ilsa]

7. I wouldn't mind a drop in speed limits on Texas' Farm to Market

roads. I'd decrease speed accordingly. Even a drop from 70 to 65 or 60 would save. 55 is too hard to manage, IMO.

[ekelly]

95. I have always driven 5 over

the speed limit.
A month ago I started driving AT the speed limit.....no more 5 over. That, combined with adjusting other driving habits (no more fast starts, hard breaking, etc...) I have noticed that the gas lasts a little longer.

A little effort does make a difference.

[Ilsa]

100. I think that is very true, but for some reason,

55 feels so much slower than 60 even though there is little difference. I guess it depends on how far one has to go. I live in TX, and sometimes there are long stretches of highway.

[951-Riverside]

9. How about giving those oil execs the old "Enron Treatment" first?

:)

[Roland99]

We'd be better off putting vehicles on diets

What's the average weight for a family sedan these days?

[LaPera]

10. What do teamsters have to do with it? Dem's are for unions Repukes despise

ALL unions!!!!

[Bandit]

19. Teamsters are truck drivers and they don't want speed restrictions

They make their money by the load so the quicker they get their load delivered and on to another one the more money they make. :shrug: They care more for themselves than their country IMO.

[Ikonoklast]

43. You are 100% wrong on this

Most Teamster drivers are paid by the hour, and the many of the mileage runs ones are a set run each day, period. Every single company I know that is union organized (and many that are not) drive speed-governed vehicles to maximize fuel efficiency already.

They are fighting the current HOS regulations in federal court to SHORTEN the maximum hours that a driver may put in behind the wheel.

There are only so many hours a day that the company will let you drive; go over that and you will not be employed for very long.

I am in the business, and formerly drove for two of the largest Teamster-employing companies.

Get your facts straight.

[uncle ray]

49. not to mention

that professional drivers are the least likely to have an accident or speed.

[Bill McBlueState]

71. if you're looking for people to take a hit in the pocketbook...

If you're looking for people to take a hit in the pocketbook for the good of the country, I'd start with the CEOs before going after the working class.

[DrGonzoLives]

72. mmmmmm, love that anti-union attitude

"Union members are lazy, selfish and dumb" is something I'd expect to hear out of a Republican.

Provide some evidence that "unions oppose lower speed limits" or drop the argument.

[Toots]

88. You do know that the Teamsters hired scab labor to build their Union Hall

in Houston Tx in 2000. They said Union Labor was too expensive. They also have sided with the Republicans since Bush* came to power. Whether the Teamsters actually will be upset about lowered speed limits or not as the poster suggested I wouldn't know but as a Union they suck....

[Ikonoklast]

92. IBT endorsed Gore in 2000, then Gephardt in 2004

Last time that I looked those two guys are Dems. What the local in Houston did was *one* local. Not the international. What union affiliation do you have?

[RufusEarl]

11. I did just the other day!

And you should have heard all the whining and bitching going on. Like i can't drive 55, and it takes to long to get to work etc.etc.

It should have already been done, drooping the speed limits should have been done months ago. It was done some years ago, and proved to work very well. It saved gas and cut down on auto accidents. I agree, it's a no brainier!

[laheina]

18. After that topic came up the other day, I noticed that

I'm not the only one that has been driving more slowly. People weren't speeding up to red lights just to stomp on their brakes. People seemed to be coasting between lights, and the overall speed was *below* the speed limit by choice.

I think that the gas prices are having an effect.

Lowering the speed limit on the freeway wouldn't be a bad idea.

[atomic-fly]

21. we need to work on this....would solve lots of issues

|CAR| ---SPACE---- |CAR|

[Journeyman]

14. Talk of reduced speed limits would invoke memories of Nixon. . .

and this White House is desperate to keep those comparisons out of the news...

[Democrats_win]

16. Did everyone forget Lott´s Purple People Eater as reason against CAFE

standards?

This is what you get when your country is run by propaganda instead of good sense.

http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,51077,00.html

--snip
2002-03-15

In a dramatic moment during this week's Senate debate over whether to raise automotive fuel economy standards, Minority Leader Trent Lott (R-Mississippi) pointed to a blowup photograph of a tiny, purple, ultra-efficient "minicar" that is popular in Europe, and, in one catchy phrase, sounded the death-knell for strict mile-per-gallon requirements on automakers.

"After all," Lott declared, "this is still America.... We shouldn't have the federal government saying you are going to drive the purple people eater here.
---

It´s still America, but big oil is saying you are going to pay unfair prices for gas.

[Mrspeeker]

22. why has no one brought up NOT DRIVING!

YES not driving:

YES for all that jump in your car to go get a ice cream through the drive through!

YES for all you commuters that bought houses 100 miles away form your job its time to change your life style.

YES for anyone that would sits in bumper to bumper traffic day in and day out knowing damn well that they are just burning up gas, find a new source of transportation like a bike.

YES to ending the so called sport of NASCAR.

YES to limiting politicians flights and trips to and from capitol hill its time for them to conserve!

YES to taking public transportation instead of driving yourself by yourself with all the others driving themselves to work!

YES for anyone that owns a collection of cars and you people no yourselves, its time to get walking

You no what? just plain go cold turkey, cars suck and you will be in much better shape by walking, running or riding a bike and if you have to drive do so sparingly, its time for so real conservation!

Did we really think that fossil fuel would be our replacement for legs?

[leftyladyfrommo]

37. Because there is no way for us to "not drive"

Its the only kind of transportation we have here in Kansas City. Our public transportation is just no good at all.

It also doesn't help that people are unwilling to walk even a few blocks.

[CottonBear]

38. It is too far to walk to work & there is no public transit in that county.

I do live in an urban area and I can and do walk to stores and shops in my neighborhood. Unfortunately, my job is in a red county which doesn't want pulbic transit becaue then blacks and Mexicans without cars might come there. :(

So, I drive the speed limit and I drive sensibly in order to save gas. I plan all of my trips each day to not back track or go out of my way.

[ComerPerro]

56. Is there a nice view up in that ivory tower you live in?

[Mrspeeker]

101. I live in a house and BTW

I don't drive and don't own a car!

I live next to a bus route and live with in walking distance from work!

I've made the necessary changes in my life to adapt to the gas problem!

NOW ITS YOUR TURN!

[noonwitch]

23. The 55 speed limit was a failure, because we like to drive fast

God help us in Detroit if they ever lower the speed limit on 696, where everybody is going 85+.

[DetroitProle]

34. God help you if you drive on I-696

I'm a competant driver, driving neither too slow nor too fast, and 696 scares the hell out of me most of the time.

[CottonBear]

39. It was not a failure. The Republicans who repealed it were failures.

They proved themselves to be greedy, self-serving unpatriotic Americans by leading us away from the path to conservation, safety, efficiency and alternative energy that President Carter set us upon.

[rinsd]

84. psssttttt

Part of the reason, the Republicans were in a position to do so was the nat speed limit and the reaction against it.

[calico1]

26. My dh and I were taking my mother in law to a

dr's appt yesterday at Yale New Haven. Its about an hour ride for us. My dh was doing about 70 mph and cars were flying past him including LOTS of SUV's, trucks and big cars.

[NoPasaran]

27. Life is too short to drive 55

If you've ever driven across Texas (yeah, I know EVIL RED STATE) you know what I mean.

I think I'm choking on the smug* in this thread.

*WARNING: South Park reference---this week they're EVIL because they mocked Al Gore, cancelling how much DU loved them when they mocked Scientology.

[xultar]

76. I agree. Put the peddle to the metal baby!

[madinmaryland]

28. The CAFE standards must be raised and raised dramatically.

While lowering the speed limit will also help, it will only serve to enrich local police departments.

[proud2BlibKansan]

32. Because reduced speed limits don't save that much gas.

You don't want to go there. It was a nightmare.

[SaintLouisBlues]

55. 7%-23% gas savings, according to this source

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/driveHabits.shtml


Drive Sensibly

Aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration and braking) wastes gas. It can lower your gas mileage by 33 percent at highway speeds and by 5 percent around town. Sensible driving is also safer for you and others, so you may save more than gas money.
Fuel Economy Benefit:
5-33%
Equivalent Gasoline Savings:
$0.15-$0.96/gallon

Observe the Speed Limit

Graph showing MPG VS speed MPG decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 mphWhile each vehicle reaches its optimal fuel economy at a different speed (or range of speeds), gas mileage usually decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 mph.

As a rule of thumb, you can assume that each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an additional $0.20 per gallon for gas.

Observing the speed limit is also safer.
Fuel Economy Benefit:
7-23%
Equivalent Gasoline Savings:
$0.20-$0.67/gallon

Remove Excess Weight

Avoid keeping unnecessary items in your vehicle, especially heavy ones. An extra 100 pounds in your vehicle could reduce your MPG by up to 2%. The reduction is based on the percentage of extra weight relative to the vehicle's weight and affects smaller vehicles more than larger ones.
Fuel Economy Benefit:
1-2%/100 lbs
Equivalent Gasoline Savings:
$0.03-$0.06/gallon

Avoid Excessive Idling

Idling gets 0 miles per gallon. Cars with larger engines typically waste more gas at idle than do cars with smaller engines.

Use Cruise Control

Using cruise control on the highway helps you maintain a constant speed and, in most cases, will save gas.

Use Overdrive Gears

When you use overdrive gearing, your car's engine speed goes down. This saves gas and reduces engine wear.

Note: Cost savings are based on an assumed fuel price of $2.91/gallon.

Data Sources

[ComerPerro]

57. You're confusing aggressive driving and driving over 50mph

A lot of people do this.

Aggressive driving is bad for fuel efficiency, true. But thats because aggressive driving involves a lot of speeding up and slowing down (aka, changing speeds) and quick accelerating.

Moreover, as long as you watch your RMS, there isn't much difference between 50mph and 70mph.

I have a car that does 70mph at about 2500-3000 rmp, same as it would do 50 in a lower gear, and I drive 70-75mph pretty regularly (the limit is 70 here).

I get fantastic mileage, still.

Its because I drive a constant speed whenever possible.

[SaintLouisBlues]

59. Item 2 is speed related

Item 1 was aggressive driving

[ComerPerro]

63. and, im telling you, the only reason speed might affect mpg

has to do with the gear you are in, and the RPMs you are running at.

If your car can only do 70mph when in fourth gear at 4000rpm, then of course you will have better fuel efficiency at 50mph.

But if your engine can run 70mph at lower rpm, then you won't see a loss of fuel economy.

[SaintLouisBlues]

66. This source disagrees.

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/question477.htm

So, for most cars, the "sweet spot" on the speedometer is in the range of 40-60 mph. Cars with a higher road load will reach the sweet spot at a lower speed. Some of the main factors that determine the road load of the car are:

* Coefficient of drag. This is an indicator of how aerodynamic a car is due only to its shape. The most aerodynamic cars today have a drag coefficient that is about half that of some pickups and SUVs.
* Frontal area. This depends mostly on the size of the car. Big SUVs have more than double the frontal area of some small cars.
* Weight. This affects the amount of drag the tires put on the car. Big SUVs can weigh two to three times what the smallest cars weigh.

In general, smaller, lighter, more aerodynamic cars will get their best mileage at higher speeds. Bigger, heavier, less aerodynamic vehicles will get their best mileage at lower speeds.

[ComerPerro]

67. My point: I can get 30mpg just fine at 70-75.

I doubt it would get any better at 50

[proud2BlibKansan]

60. You are correct

Maintaining a constant speed is better for your MPG than driving slower.

[leftyladyfrommo]

36. Jimmy Carter did that and we all know what happened to him.

[Strelnikov_]

42. Nah. Getting To Ones Vacation Property A Little Sooner Is More Important

than saving fuel for our children's future.

We are Merican's, after all.

All one has to do is review this thread, and see the self-centeredness on display even at a 'liberal' site, to know why I am a Kunstlerian Doomer when it comes to the looming energy crises.

[speedingbullet]

45. 55

I recall my father theorizing that a 55 mph speed limit saved additional gas by making it so awful to travel that people were more inclined to stay home.

[catmandu57]

46. I notice around here that when gas goes up

people slow down, especially people driving large vehicles. I could love with freezing the speed limit at 65 and enforcing it, we prety much obeyed the limit when it was lower because one never knew where that cop was.
It was standard practise back then to give people five mph over, so the majority of people were doing 60, no problem, I suppose that would mean 70mph now, but it would slow people down from 85-90.

[geniph]

50. Changing driving habits would help a little

although any kind of social engineering like that is VERY difficult to accomplish. However, the technology already exists to dramatically raise MPG in existing vehicles; the automakers simply resist implementing it. Until they're forced to do so, they will not. Pushing CAFE standards - and increasing them - is much more a winner for us than being perceived as the "drive-like-a-gramma" party. People hate being told they have to sacrifice. Sure, some people will do it voluntarily, but nearly everyone has some degree of resentment when change of habit is FORCED on them.

What I'm doing in the interim myself is to use my cruise control whenever I can. I find that using my cruise control for even 5 miles of my 22-mile commute makes a huge difference. It's amazing how much fuel it saves. I'm not in a position to not drive; I can't afford to live closer to where I work (housing prices are INSANE here), I can't afford to quit this job and try to find one closer to home, and there literally is no public transportation that will get me from home to work. I wish I could telecommute - I could do 90% of my job from home - but I work for a school district, and they'll never be very open to that, because the teachers would protest if other staff members were allowed to telecommute (obviously, the teachers can't).

[CottonBear]

65. It wasn't hard to accomplish in the 1970s. We did it. n/t

[Siyahamba]

52. Enforcing the existing speed limits would be a start

In Michigan, the speed limit for heavy trucks is 55, yet most of them not only exceed that, but they exceed the speed limit for everyone else of 70. I've yet to see one pulled over.

[ComerPerro]

54. Because it wouldn't do any good. That's just a myth

Unless your car is geared very poorly, driving at 50mph doesn't consume any less gas than driving 70mph (the limit around here).

The key to fuel economy isn't driving slowly, its driving in a consistant manner. That means, once you hit a speed, drive at that speed if you can.

I drive 70-75 mph in the 70 mph zones, and manage to get about 30mpg on the highway out of my 4-cylinder Oldsmobile (which is not exactly known for being a fuel efficient car).

[LSK]

73. do you plan to add an hour to the day to make up for this???

Some people dont have all year to go somewhere on vacation or even to get to work.

[lectrobyte]

78. If the difference between a 65 MPH speed limit and a 55 MPH one

is adding that much time to your drive, you may need to move closer to work. I travel about 26 miles one way to work, 18 miles of that is on a 6-lane 65mph interstate type highway. Traffic moving 75 when it can. If the limit was 55, I'm pretty sure from what I can remember of the 1970's, we'd still be going at least 65. What's the time difference? A minute and a half? Even doubling or tripling the distance driven, it's still just an extra song or two on the radio. I'm thinking if everyone just slowed down to the speed limit, we could probably save lots of gas. My car at 75 or 80 gets much less mileage than it does at 60.

[jbnow]

89. Thanks for offering that point

You don't save that much time. I understand wanting to go fast, we live life in a hurry. But this thread has just amazed me. I expected a discussion of mileage and speed and can't believe all the "We won't slow dow." "Won't work"

Traveling at 55 mph give you up to 21% better mileage compared to 65 to 70 mph and mileage gets worse from there. That is no minor savings.
We sound like cheney here when he was mocking efficiency, just not the American way.

Try it now and get flipped off but if the speed limit was down there would still be speeders but you wouldn't cause angst doing just the limit. If there was a lot of publicity about improved mileage at lower rates many would be smart enough to want to save.

Over at DailyKos there was a diary about a bunch of truckers doing 60, sometimes in both lanes so everyone had to do it. Truckers are in a hurry but they also use a lot of gas.

A lesser way to save is inflating tires properly, that can cut gasoline use by 2 percent.

We didn't have that kind of choice about home heating, we couldn't walk slower and use less gas. We had to turn the heat down and wear layers. That was uncomfortable and not a 21% saving.

We need other options, more efficient vehicles, other forms of fuel...but while that happens we really could frigging drive slower.

[electron_blue]

79. Well, perhaps Bush isn't the only one making money off the high oil prices

?

[KoKo]

90. Bill Frist brought it up on Hardball, tonigh! ROFL!

He could have been Jimmy Carter for his Spin! He said "Americans are conserving and they know they can drive 55 instead of 60 and we need to work on CAFTA...yadda...yadda."

Since Whore Media doesn't ever have a Dem to refute and tonight there were none...Frist almost sounded like Carter!

[kestrel91316]

93. WTF????? REDUCED SPEED LIMITS??????????

That would be (gasp) unamerican!!!!!!!!!!!

I know this because Unca Dick said, "The American way of life is not negotiable."

[Dunedain]

94. Because

everybody knows that this exact combination causes rabbits to grow ten times there normal size and make amphibious assault's against unsuspecting people.

:sarcasm:

Just in case it isn't obvious.

Carter had us on the path...sigh.

[B Calm]

98. I would like to see all truck drivers get paid by the hour

instead of by the mile. We would save unbelievable amounts of fuel!