HILL DRIVE FOR '55' ( National Maximum Speed Limit )

New York Post ^ | May 24, 2006 | IAN BISHOP

[george76]

- In a surprise move yesterday, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton called for "most of the country" to return to a speed limit of 55 mph in an effort to slash fuel consumption...

"The 55-mile speed limit really does lower gas usage.

And wherever it can be required, and the people will accept it, we ought to do it," Clinton said at the National Press Club.

[george76]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCDGpYssqBk

"I can't drive 55"!

351 by RockinRight

[Torie]

and the people will accept it,

Maybe on Manhatten Island.

[george76]

If Hillary likes 55 for us little people..why not 25 ?

/s

[SierraWasp]

I knew I'd find you guys down at the end of this thread, bichin about the bich!!! Ha Ha Ha!!!

[TheLion]

Thanks for that! Right now I am on an old win 98 computer that works well with freerepublic. I'll check that out later on my "state of the art computer" with win xp.

Interestingly, the win98 works faster on the internet. I am using dial-up.

[SierraWasp]

By the way... That was the ONLY good thing Bill Clinton ever did was rid us of that phony Jimmy Carter speedlimit!!!

[Torie]

My vehicle is happiest going about 70 mph on uncrowded freeways. I try to keep it happy.

[george76]

Have fun...

bichin about the bich!!!

[SierraWasp]

Geez... I can't believe I actually got a couple of replies at this late hour! (grin)

That Hitlery... She's gonna give us ALL sleepless nights!!!

[billbears]

And before we lay all the blame on Clinton for this stupidity (not that she doesn't deserve it), let us all remember Elizabeth Dole pushed for maintenance of the 55 mph speed limit. She also pushed for the legislation leading to third brake lights, air bags, and mandatory seat belt laws. Just amazed it's taken Democrats over 20 years to catch up to this form of nanny statism first introduced by Republicans

And yes NC stupidly elected this woman to be our Senator, to 'win back the Senate' or whatever nonsensical catchphrase was being stated at the time. And I can almost guarantee she'll be standing by Hillary supporting this nonsense 100 percent.

[george76]

The old unsupported 98's still hang in there.

slow but effective for some stuff.

[pissant]

Dingbat, just like her husband.

[george76]

I should be in bed.

My fingers and brain are slowing down.

[TheLion]

With win 98 I have had few virus problems , if any. A whole batch with win xp, even though I had Norton! At this point, I usually use win 98 on the internet....mainly since I spend most of my time around here and it doesn't seem to cause me any problems.

[Myrddin]

On a ten hour drive...with an extra 20 mph average ( 55 versus 75 ) is an extra 200 miles per day.

My actual distance is 925 miles. I normally stop for gas a Nephi, UT. 2nd gas stop at St. George, UT plus 30 min for food/restroom. 3rd stop for gas at Barstow, CA. Final destination San Diego, CA...with 1/2 a tank left. Breaks add under 1 hour end to end. At 55 MPH with no traffic the time would be almost 17 hours of driving. The real route today has 70/75 MPH for 710 of those miles. That 9.5 hours for the 710 miles. The rest is currently posted 65 MPH, thus another 3.3 miles. That's 12.8 hours plus 1 hour for breaks. The real trip works out to 14 - 15 hours most of the time with normal traffic and small variations in service at the restaurant in St. George.

[jonrick46]

Reducing the speed limit also reduces the through-put of the highway. When the freeway through-put decreases, the car density increases. If the car density exceeds the carrying capacity of the highway, you have stop and go traffic. Then the gas mileage drops down below 20 MPG. When traffic flows through a highway system in a stop and go pattern, the accident rate increases.

One way to increase fuel efficiency is to drive in the "sweat spot" of speed-to-mileage. Such a sweat spot is nearly impossible for the average person to calculate. However, for about $170 one could install a electronic device that would give your instantaneous MPG. Such would give one the type of feedback they need to determine what type of driving habits would optimize their auto fuel economy. Each auto has a different optimum speed. For one to determine their car's operating performance one needs the ScanGaugeII at: http://www.scangauge.com/

Another method is for manufacturers to start making performance curves for each brand of automobile. That way drivers could pattern their driving habits for their vehicle's performance characteristics.

One thing for certain, we do not need politicians to tell us what the optimum speed should be for our automobiles.

One also needs to realize than for every 100 lbs of extra weight their car is carrying, MPG is reduced by up to 2%. This is something to consider when one is tempted to use their trunk for extra home storage space or neglecting to pull out that bag of cement you purchased a week ago.

[dalereed]

"The 55 limit was a joke to begin with .. almost nobody ever payed attention to it, not even the cops"

The last ticket I got was on the first day of the 55 enforcement for 57 in a 55 in Los Angeles.

[george76]

Thanks.

With your trip, you could save 2 to 3 hours.

But it is not only hours behind the wheel, but also you arrive earlier in the evening which could be nicer for family or friends who might be waiting up.

Lefties might say : 'break the trip into two days'...then you have the expense of a motel, etc. each way plus if ones vacation time is limited...that would be 4 traveling days versus 2.

and...

[kevinw]

Actually, the 55 MPH speed limit started under Nixon, not Carter. I should know, because I was alive when Nixon was President (I was born in 1970; the 55 MPH speed limit was signed by Nixon in 1974).

[kevinw]

Nixon signed the 55 MPH into law in 1974. You’re too young to remember that, but I vaguely remember the Nixon years.