[MississippiMasterpiece]

Speed limits curb fuel consumption. Is that President Bush's answer?

[brivette]

Hogwash

[Semper Paratus]

"That '70s show"

[cripplecreek]

Speed doesn't have anything to do with mileage. My truck has an overdrive gear for a reason.

[jocon307]

This idea might be worth listening to, but who can listen to people who hold the American public in such comtempt?

[martin_fierro]

Of course, energy eventually became cheap again, the economy expanded and Americans became complacent and unwilling to make more sacrifices.

This is an editorial, right?

[Mr. K]

The NEW YORK TIMES shows its liberal idiocy again.

[kellynla]

One foot on the brake and one on the gas, hey!
Well, there's too much traffic, I can't pass, no!
So I tried my best illegal move
Well, baby, black and white come and touched my groove again!
Gonna write me up a 125
Post my face wanted dead or alive
Take my license, all that jive
I can't drive 55!

Sammy Hagar

[John Jorsett]

While oil consumption in most industrialized nations has either leveled off or declined, in the United States, oil demand has soared 38 percent since the first oil shock of 1973.

Well, the French get 80% of their electrical energy from nuclear plants. How about we try some of THAT, hmmm?

[Tijeras_Slim]

Great a bunch of elitist subway riders figuring out how everyone else should drive.

[DTogo]

That comes from higher diesel use and higher taxes. In France and Germany, a gallon of gasoline sells for as much as $6, with taxes accounting for about 80 percent of that. Few politicians in America might risk ridicule or rejection by explicitly supporting higher taxes on gasoline, one of the surest ways to limit the nation's dependence on oil.

What a load of crap! And should we also adopt France and Germany's double-digit unemployment rates?

Smaller efforts today could make a difference. For example, driving at 10 miles an hour above the 65 miles-per-hour limit increases fuel consumption by 15 percent; inflating tires properly cuts gasoline use by 2 percent; keeping engines idle while in line wastes millions of gallons.

El Rushbo was joking about this last week, saying that if he followed all the Liberals' ideas of how to improve fuel efficiency, 10% by driving 55, another 10% by keeping his tires properly inflated, etc., he'd end up having to empty the excess fuel coming out of his tank.

[Racer1]

Most roads here in PA are 55mph (only the major turnpikes are 65). But I will say my car gets the same or better mileage at 65mph. Its a small car though. The problem is people started buying gas hog SUVs. Now thats ok if you use them wisely, but many use them even for casual driving. I own a full size pick-up, but I only use it as needed.

[demlosers]

Hell no NY Slimes.

[EricT.]

No thank you. I'll pay up to $3 per gallon to continue driving like I want to get somewhere.

[Sooth2222]

YEAH!

Let's bring back Jimmy Carter's energy policies.!

They worked sooooo well!

//sarcasm

NYMEX wholesale gasoline for May delivery closed at $1.475/gal on Friday.

Most of the rest is TAXES!

[The Spirit Of Allegiance]

I'll gladly pay unrestricted fair-market prices of up to $5 per gallon for my FREEDOM to drive Autobahn style where it's safe, thankyouverymuch, NYTimes.

And unrestricted fair-market is the big issue, thankyouverymuch, enviro-wacko Marxists.

ANWR not A.N.S.W.E.R.

[Koblenz]

Other industrialized countries, especially in Europe, have been much more successful than the United States and have managed to actually lower oil demand, or at least keep it in check. That comes from higher diesel use and higher taxes. In France and Germany, a gallon of gasoline sells for as much as $6, with taxes accounting for about 80 percent of that.

Funny that the authors don't mention that Germany, along with high gasoline taxes, also has no speed limits on the Autobahns.

In Germany, the highways are built much better than here in the states. There's much better drainage, and much less of a gradient or curve allowed. In the United States, when we build a highway, it's pretty much just slap down asphalt over the ground. Highways in the United States can have sharp curves, steep hills, and the like. In Germany, on the unlimited speed portions, there are strict limits to this type of thing. Instead of going down a hill and then up a hill, the Germans will build a bridge over a valley to avoid a grade.

This is of course incredibly expensive, but it allows Germans to drive with unlimited speed limits. On may highways in America, even if the road were clear of all cars, driving 100 mph would be incredibly dangerous. Take 95 through Connecticut, for example.

So the Germans have high taxes, but it allows them to drive at very fast speeds, saving time for drivers. Of course, Germany is a lot smaller, so this might be an acceptable trade-off. In the United States, with a much lower population density, this might not work out so well.

[Mortikhi]

The deceased use no oil or gas. Maybe these guys should sacrafice for the rest of us and off themselves.

If enough do it, demand will go down, and will prices.

Sounds like a win-win to me.

[Paladin2]

Make the NYT slow the speed of their presses first!

[montag813]

immediately: bring back the 55 miles-per-hour speed limit.

The loss in productivity from such a limit would dwarf any fuel "savings". The answer is to open up the Floida Gulf and ANWR for drilling, the Rockies for LNG exploration, and open 5 new refineries and one nuclear plant every single year.

[Semper Paratus]

Might as well adopt the "Kyoto" method and 'buy' speeding credits from slower drivers to drive over 55.