Driving 55 Mph

[Da and Linda]

ABC news asked the public how we felt about a mandatory 55 MPH speed limit (again.) I thought I would express how I felt here as well,
Look I am 100% for slowing down, I always travel at 50 MPH in my Motorhome (always) everyone passes me and I am Ok with that. I am NOT OK with being told I have to slow down! I am positive that if I drive 50 Mph in my Smart my mileage is going to really go higher. But I did not purchase my Smart for the mileage; I purchased it because I wanted a small, tiny, very safe, fun and comfortable car to drive.
I ordered my Smart over a year ago, before the gas prices doubled. Heck the super mileage I now get is just gravy.
I feel it is part of our last rights to decide if we are going to throw away money or NOT throw it away. If people want to pay through the nose so they can drive 65, 70 or 75 MPH I say it is their money and their decision. I will drive at 50, either way.
I just don't think that I have to be told by the very best Government that money can buy what I need to do so I can save money. (they sure as heck can’t save any!)
I do not need Big brother helping me out. I would hope and pray that our government would get their own house in order before worrying about mine. They need to stop throwing our hard earned money away on pet PORK projects
Hmmm maybe if I pay them they will stay out of my business? Hey wait a minute I do pay them in my Tax’s, On second thought I know others are paying them much more on top of their salary just to get them to stay in my business! It maybe better to just ignore them and keep doing what I feel is best for my family and me.

[Da and Linda]

My, what a nice responce!

[unicycle]

I actually do drive an avg speed of 55 mph on my route, but only bc the traffic is fairly thin -- otherwise I'd have to go faster just to avoid being honked at endlessly or even causing accidents.

I'd love to see the limit back to 55.

1. It would be better for the enviro
2. It would force us to conserve fuel, putting less in the pockets of oil companies both foreign and domestic. And if there is a coming shortage of fuel (a la Mad Max), this will at least forestall it somewhat.
3. It's safer -- fewer crashes.

People smoke and eat poorly and so on, but only because they can't break from habits they know are bad for them. It's not like any kid wants to grow up fat and hard-of-breathing. There are many of us who do what's bad for us (and others) because we're allowed to. I don't like gov't regulation, but I also don't like having to pay for others' bad habits, and to me, driving really fast in cars that suck up gas is a bad habit. If that same car were running on farts and 2nd-hand smoke, then I'd be ok with it -- or at least ok'er with it. The speed is an issue, but for me it really comes down to the environment.

Here is a compromise: Have a lane dedicated specifically to certain speeds. I'd love a 55 mph lane. Anyone caught speeding in it would pay dearly.

[nprsmart]

Originally Posted by unicycle

I'd love to see the limit back to 55.

1. It would be better for the enviro
2. It would force us to conserve fuel, putting less in the pockets of oil companies both foreign and domestic. And if there is a coming shortage of fuel (a la Mad Max), this will at least forestall it somewhat.
3. It's safer -- fewer crashes.

Let's add another...

4. My son and lots of other sons and daughters could come home instead of having to be half way around the world protecting our supply of foreign oil... purchased, I might add, from people who want us dead. We are financing both sides of the war on terror.

[lydan]

no. los federales should stay out of mph on freeway posting. in a few years, when gas is lower and cars are getting sane gas mileage, we will have to fight to get mph back up to 70 or 65 - it "ain't" easy. i admit to over 70 but sometimes i don't know how fast i'm going, it's fun, like to show people how fast i can go - the inner child.

[nprsmart]

I should add that one of my favorite songs from the 80's was one by Sammy Hagar... "Gonna write me up for 125, post my face wanted dead or alive, take my license and all that jive...(everybody sing along) I can't drive 55"...

[Da and Linda]

Man I really like the thought of a designated lane for a max speed of 55. I like the slower speed because we get to see more, enjoy more, and we save more. The benifit of going slower is so much more than just saving on gas!

[vwW12]

Originally Posted by Da and Linda

I just don't think I have to be told by the very best Government that money can buy that I have to do anything on what I need to do so I can save money.

[rawlus®]

i think speed limits are a state and local gov't matter, not fed.

[blackbeagle]

Wow...the hypocrisy of our government.

They tell us to slow down to save gas but yet they are quick to sending our troops into another war to protect oil interests, spending money this country doesn't have, in turn bankrupting this nation, weakening the dollar so much that the very dollar we spend on gas buys us a lot less gas or anything else for that matter.

If you're going to tell us to slow down to save money/gas (and I don't have a problem with that), then put your money where your mouth is and don't put us into another war because I can assure you that the money spent to do that is going to be a hell lot more than the cost savings of slowing down to 55mph.

Ok....stepping off the soapbox now.