Posted on 07/12/2008 12:37:30 PM PDT by The Duke
Please pardon this "original material" vanity posting, however all the talk this Saturday morning (and previously) of re-imposing a nationwide 55 MPH speed limit has motivied me to take up the keyboard to make an important point that seems to be being missed in this debate. That point is that imposing such a limit inherently places a value on peoples' time.
Let's do the math. Since both sides have been claiming that this speed limit will result in fuel savings of 2% from traveling at 70 MPH, then let's do the math using those numbers. We'll also use a vehicle that gets 25 miles per gallon, and consider a trip of 100 miles.
If I'm traveling 100 miles at 70 miles per hour, then I'm going to arrive at my destination in 1.43 hours (100/70). If I travel the same distance at 55 MPH then I'm going to get there in 1.82 hours (100/55). The additoinal time to arrive at my destination is 1.82 - 1.43 hours = 24 minutes.
Now, if I'm paying $4/gallon for fuel and getting 25 miles per gallon, then the trip is going to cost me $16 dollars. A two percent savings of that is exactly thirty-two cents.
So, if I'm in favor of reducing the speed limit from 70 MPH to 55 MPH then I'm saying I would be willing to lose right at a third of an hour in exchange for right at a third of a dollar. In other words, my time is worth no more to me than a dollar an hour!
The reality is that this ridiculous 55 MPH speed limit idea isn't about saving fuel or money - it's about asserting control. There are those in our society - mainly those who have gravitated towards politics - who derive their sense of fulfillment by seeing others obey their dictates.
Several years ago when Al (never-met-a-tree-he-didn't-hug) Gore had the floodgates for a river opened just so he could have his picture taken in a canoe, he wasted an amount of water equal to the savings realized by the entire nation's use of low-flow toilets for TWO YEARS. Do you think this clown really cared about the environment? Of course not, the perfumed prince simply got off on the thought that he could force an entire nation to start flushing twice.
The next time you're on the Interstate conduct a little test and slow down to 55, and just get a preview of what the liberal clowns have in store for us all. While you're at it, you might as well bump up the thermostat in your home by a few degrees. Maybe, just maybe, you'll then be motivated to make your own feelings heard by our poltiical "leaders".
Where’s Sammy Hagar when we need him?
I’m 100% sure the 55 MPH speed limit will be imposed on us again. The only way to stop it is to hang the first couple of politicians who mention it.
1) A lower speed limit means a lower death and injury rate. Presumably, your life has some value.
2) There ARE other forms of transportation. You have heard of trains, planes, buses and the like, right?
3) We are at war, and money for oil in foreign hands is one of the weapons against us in that war. If we the people decide that you must sacrifice your precious time, or stop using your vehicle so much, well that's democracy for you.
Other than that, nice post
Congressman Billybob
First in the series, "American Government: The Owner's Manual"
Can some auto expert figure out the cost of running the engine without the cost of the gas and factor that into the equation? In other words, if it takes an hour longer to get to ones destination, just running the vehicle that extra hour has what cost?
Every minute we spend on the road is one less minute we get to spend enjoying our lives.
Even though I’m a private pilot who can fly above it, let me just go on record as saying that I’ll contribute money **AGAINST** any candidate of any party who advocates going back to a national speed limit of any number.
Let the states set it, or else lose my thousands per year in contributions, as well as have my thousands go to your opponent...and I’m a fund raiser for President Bush.
Democrat. Republican.
I don’t care.
I’ll go to the mat to prevent another national speed limit.
See post #7.
Been there, done that.
Actually, I've put the cruise control on 60 mph. Let me tell you what difference it has made.
Zip. Zilch. None. Nada.
My combined city/highway mpg is 18 mpg. No matter if I drive 60 or 70-75 mph, it's all the same difference.
Why? because today's fuel efficient vehicles are engineered to maximize better mpg's at average highway speeds.
I understand all of that, but their still going to do it because they know what is best for us. If they would just do what we pay them to do we would not be paying these prices.
Being the cynical, grumpy individual that I am, I only have one thing to say. There’s a lot of revenue in them thar speeding tickets!
it’s really an east coast war vs the west.
we westerners drive long distances.
and, please compare euro gas prices; they tax more.
Wasn't there a video or documentary on this. They got three cars and started going 55 along side each other on the interstate. Then they had someone video from an overpass. They showed a film were there was absolutely no traffic in sight, then over the horizon you see a huge pack of cars coming, all in a huge traffic jam behind these three cars going the speed limit.
If you’re also running an A/C for those extra minutes — the “savings” would be even less.
I hope that was sarcasm, because it sounds like you are advocating socialism.
Speed limits should be based on engineering, not social engineering.
lololol.
A lower limit on BAC levels would also mean a lower death an injury rate. But if you've spent any time at all on some of FR's infamous pro-drunk driving threads, you know - without a doubt - that many FReepers are in FAVOR of abolishing all DWI laws.
After all, nobody but MADD nanny-staters are in favor of imposing drunk driving restrictions on us, right?
If we simply reduce the demand curve to a point lower than the supply curve, the bidding dies down and the price declines.
Even though I can't do much as an individual to affect the supply curve, I can do things that affect the demand curve, and which improve my MPG. One is to drive slower. Another is to drive prepared for action. We don't know how bad this is going to get so it may be necessary for a peacetime highway militia to rise up and make sure everybody slows down.
No need for the government to get involved either. All they should do is report to the scene of "incidents" to pick up the pieces, and then retire to their police enclaves along the major highways.
Now remember, I said that's if it gets real bad ~ at the moment it's just a nuisance but it will get worse before it gets better as long as the Democrats are in power.
You can get the same efficiency by add a couple of pounds of air pressure to your tires.
I’m willing to bet if there is a deal made on the off shore drilling with the Democrats a lower speed limit will be part of it. I hope its not lowered all the way down to 55mph. On the interstate that would be like crawling.
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