Posted on 07/26/2008 10:17:58 AM PDT by Entrepreneur
Liberals say Iraq is another Vietnam; conservatives say Barack Obama is Jimmy Carter redux. ABBA's a mega-hit and Elton John's going to be performing at Madison Square Garden. Had enough of these '70s flashbacks? Brace yourself for another: the return of the national speed limit, courtesy of one of the country's most venerable politicians.
Senator John Warner (R-VA) — elected in 1978 — recently expressed interest in the idea of a national speed limit to conserve gasoline. Warner, who is not running for re-election this year, wrote to U.S. Secretary of Energy Sam Bodman, asking "at what speed is the typical vehicle traveling on America's highways today most fuel efficient?"
Warner told TIME his concern is for "the many millions and millions [of Americans] of limited means, sitting around their kitchen table trying to figure out how to make ends meet." Unlike long-term alternative energy sources, Warner says, a speed limit would work to bring down gas prices immediately. "Maybe some guy's got a better idea," he says. "But I haven't seen it."
The National Maximum Speed Limit of 55 mph was created in 1974, when Richard Nixon signed the Emergency Energy Highway Conservation Act. Prior to that, states had been free to set their own speed limits, but the new law threatened to strip Federal highway funding from any state straying above the national standard. The ostensible purpose of this limit was to keep down gas prices, which had been driven through the roof by an OPEC embargo touched off by the 1973 Arab-Israeli war. And with gas-prices once again sky-high, Warner isn't alone in talking up a cap on speeding.
(Excerpt) Read more at time.com ...
The way cars are geared today, you actually waste gasoline by driving 55. You save gas at steady higher speeds. All you have to do to prove that is to look at your tachometer at 55 and at 75 on the open road.
We have ding-bats and dufuses in the congress who need to be educated on this kind of stuff before they pass more stupid laws that cost us even more money.
Dumbasses.
I don’t believe the proposed legislation has anything to do with saving anything. It’s about unreasonable control of the peons.
If I owned a TESLA all electric sports car (220 mile range, 125 mph top speed) would I be exempted from the 55 mph limit?
So does my TR7.
How do you find out these things?
Controlling movement and weapons are critical. They already control the press. The Internet is next.
NONONONONO!!!!
yes
No,no,no! We must take this to the most logical,, safe, and cost effective conclusion.
Since the Federal bumper standards are five miles per hour we must have our Nanny State demand we drive at half that speed, 2.5 miles per hour. This way if we get into a head on collision neither vehicle will be damaged much and we will all save on our insurance bills as well as save tons of money on gas.
At this speed we would get so frustrated that we would never travel anywhere and thus save even more fuel and also support our local stores even more!
I shouldn't have to post this as sarcasm but I will for those who are too literal.
There are too many frivolous laws.
Yes but only in a 45.
When traffic is slowed, it increases congestion.
I wonder if CB radios will come back.
With construction on the freeway some areas will go from 65 to 55 then 45. I will be going ten over the speed limit and panic when I see a cop behind me. Only to see him drive around and speed off.
Try the stretch between Junction and El Paso, Texas. Over 400 miles of NOTHING but a few scrub brush and tumbleweeds. That would be over eight hours of driving - taking a few breaks in the small towns out there.
I’m now 77 years old so that’s the speed I’ll drive at on highways. Another thought...highway mileage figures on vehicles is significantly higher than city mileage. Why the guberment says so. OK, the faster we go the more we fuel we save. Think what that does for the WOGW(War on global warming). Gore would be put out of work. Mount a solar panel and a wind turbine on the roof of your vehicle for that extra boost. Attach a liberal politician(a RINO will work too) to your rear bumper with his/her rear pointed to the rear. Need I explain how that increases your gas mileage?
Take it from here folks. I gotta crank up old betsy and head for the coffee shop.
Wow!
Sounds like Montana between Babb and Butte!
Ed
Believe me, I drove a military truck from Austin to El Paso along that route. The governor was set at 57 MPH. That truck could have easily run 75 without the governor, but that was our policy. Over 600 miles in one day, even though we were not supposed to be behind the wheel more than eight hours without sleep.
After placing 1800 miles on my car for summer vacation last week, I can say I got the best mpg readings for my ‘03 Chevy Impala LS with cruise set at 73 mph. I averaged 28.9 mpg for the trip, for a car that has 108k miles on it. I was rather pleased by that. What to go GM!
I remember when the idiots in Washington decreed that speedometers could only go up to 85. That was supposed to make people drive slower.
It didn’t.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.