Posted on 06/27/2005 8:37:42 PM PDT by Diddle E. Squat
Drivers in Texas, Iowa, and Indiana will enjoy higher speed limits next month as legislation raising the top speeds on rural roads takes effect.
On Friday, Texas Governor Rick Perry (R) signed HB 2257 into law making 80 MPH the maximum allowable speed in the state. Rural portions of I-10 and I-20 will enjoy the new top speed, while other rural roads could see the limit rise to 75 MPH. Both the state House and Senate adopted the legislation without opposition last month.
On July 1, a law signed by Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack (D) creating a 70 MPH speed limit goes into effect. This new limit better reflects the actual speed of cars on rural highways which averages 69.8 MPH according to sensors embedded into the pavement.
In May, Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels (R) signed SB 217 into law raising the maximum limit from 65 MPH to 70 MPH in areas with less than 50,000 population. The law also raises the limit for trucks from 60 to 65 MPH, and gives a 10 MPH boost to several roads currently posted at 55 MPH. The state will begin placing the higher-limit signs on July 5.
(Excerpt) Read more at thenewspaper.com ...
And it's a good thing it's 75, since I'm going to be driving from Amarillo to Flagstaff during day 4 of my trip. I will definitely be enjoying those high speeds!
I'll bet you $10 they won't; let's give it five years and settle it then.
I guess I should have said I normally only go 5 over.
It is very rare for me to try 10, but I did the other day...but I was looking for those lights in my rear view.
It's 400 miles from Dallas to Amarillo. much of it on roads that are empty. Besides, the German Autobahen used to have no speed limit but there were not an extraordinary number of deaths. You have a point aboiut the trucks. But the big problem is their speeding in urban areas.
I said most modern cars e.g. built in the last ten years will give you optimal fuel economy in the 70-75 MPH range. Everyone gears it that way and most modern engines can pull it off. Except for grossly under-powered vehicles, it really does not matter what you are driving. I was just giving an example I am familiar with because I've had more than one car in that power range with detailed real-time fuel efficiency data.
Anyone who rides motorcycles knows how wind resistance starts increasing significantly as soon as you get above 50mph or so. I prefer "increased fuel use" which is a fact as opposed to "waste gas" which is an opinion. :)
Ever driven Jamaica Avenue in Queens? Or the Cross Bronx Expressway? Almost bad enough to be considered "off roading."
Someone else who thinks government needs to be a nanny?
I could go 100mph through many parts of Nebraska and South Dakota that I drive once in awhile, but don't.
It isn't speed limits that cause problems on the roadways, it is lack of driver training. A LOT of people don't know the simple rules of the road (Keep right except to pass, etc).
I don't like Sebelius, but that is dang funny.
I saw a TV show not too long ago which pointed out that there are still no-speed-limit zones on the Autobahn. The Autobahn isn't one big no-speed-limit zone anymore, however.
I can only imagine...
Note that Arizona is 75 too. Cut my Santa Fé to Los Angeles time by 6 hours.
"Explain how the autobahn is one of the safest roads in the world despite no speed limit at all?"
This is kind of a tricky question. I know it wasn`t directed at me, but I can`t help myself here.
The Autobahn is very well maintained , that in itself makes it a safer road to travel. It is much different than the highways in the U.S.. Most to all Germans who travel it kind of know the rules and follow them fairly well. When you have cars traveling at very high rates of speed coming up behind you, you tend to pay attention. The Autobahn is also well policed and there are stiff penalties for doing the wrong thing.
Unlike our highways, which are crap , and people act like idiots because they do not respect other drivers.
So comparing our highways to the Autobahn is really not a good comparison, IMO.
Yes. Boston to San Fran in my '91 Vette. 28 mpg. The 325i does it at around 32 mpg. The gas cry-babies need to look at their income tax returns and the fuel taxes, before whining.
Seems to me most "cars" on the roads are pickups, minivans, and SUV's... I would like to see a fuel efficiency test redone with newer cars.
I was actually driving back from Klobenz. I drove from Mainz to Koblenz along the river. Best road trip I have ever made.
i would venture to guess that with no speed limit, especially in more rural ares, people tend to drive according to their driving abilities -- which in some cases may be lower than what the posted speed may have been.
by stating the speed "limit" as 65, people (i.e. older people, people with distractions, people with limited coordination, etc.) tend to try and get as close to the speed "limit" as possible even if they should only be driving 40.
...just a thought.
some good points
They could raise the limit on our roads all they want. Our vehicles would just bounce off the pavement into the ditch all the quicker.
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