Posted on 06/07/2012 5:28:32 PM PDT by bgill
The Texas Department of Transportation is considering the move on a portion of state Highway 130 that would run north-south between Austin and Seguin, a town just east of San Antonio, spokesman Mark Cross said Thursday.
The agency is looking at the toll road's topography, checking what speed most drivers are traveling on existing parts of the highway and ensuring the access points and cross-sections would still be safe with an 85 mph speed limit, Cross said.
(Excerpt) Read more at startribune.com ...
I suppose they haven't considered the congestion caused by all the emergency vehicles and lane closures for all the accidents. People always push the limit so we're looking at 95-100 mph crashes. The EMS better stock up on body bags.
They already drive 85 anyway.
Anyway, a couple of dramatic rollovers will have insurance lobbyists greasing lawmakers and that will be that.
Different strokes for different folks — in Germany the autobahn goes faster than this. But also in Germany you have to go through a far more rigorous process to get a driver’s license. Maybe there ought to be a fast lane or lanes and a special license sticker to qualify for it, in which you’d have to take a driver’s test on the strip.
It’s embarrassing, but a lot of Harleys (some people allege they are motorcycles) would not be able to keep up with this. In top gear.
Have you driven I-10 lately? Even at 85 you get passed like you are driving 50.
West of Kerville on I-10 the speed limit is 80 all the way to El Paso. Most people drive 85-89. EMS haven’t ordered any body bags, yet. If the road is done correctly 85, even 95 is not a problem. the gubmint has usurped enough power already in the name of safety. Time to get some back.
Just drove on 130 last Sunday from Pflugerville to where it intersects with I-35 north of Georgetown. The speed limit is already set at 80 and there is very little traffic on this road.
Having said that, I only drove about 70, but I did get passed by a few vehicles that were probably doing 80. Didn’t seem like a problem to me being that there were so few cars.
You're decades out of date. I've got a 74c.i. Sporty that would have do 137 before I hit the ignition's rev limit. The new 103c.i. engines will go faster yet. I've never gone that fast, but I've ridden for great stretches at 110 and hit 120 once or twice.
The question is: Why would anyone want to go that fast? Or worse, why would anyone want to drive on a road with others going that fast? I have to agree with previous posters. 85mph speed limits are just asking for trouble.
Btw, you're out of date on the autobahns as well. Most of them have speed limits now. The highest are 130kph. Only the most remote sections are still unlimited and there are plans to end that as well.
80+ is the default speed on the NJ Turnpike. Anybody driving the speed limit is creating a hazard to navigation.
I suppose they haven’t considered the congestion caused by all the emergency vehicles and lane closures for all the accidents. People always push the limit so we’re looking at 95-100 mph crashes. The EMS better stock up on body bags.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nonsense. Cars these days have so many airbags and crumple zones and other elecronic safety geegaws there’s no reason why we can’t do 100mph safely.
I don’t know what you are talking about. My harley will do 120+ MPH...and I only have a 5 speed.
Of course, if there had been a government "looking after" American citizens in the 1800's, the West never would have been settled either.
In my old car 80 or 85 is about as fast as is comfortable for cross Texas or desert driving, but it must be difficult for people in new, quiet, luxury cars to have to hold it down to 80.
When I would drive my friends Lexus to Big Bear, 70mph seemed ridiculously tame, I kept finding myself at 95 and came to depend on auto pilot to keep my speed legal.
“Different strokes for different folks — in Germany the autobahn goes faster than this. But also in Germany you have to go through a far more rigorous process to get a driver’s license.”
Germans follow lane discipline; Americans won’t. That makes any speed dangerous.
I’ve driven from Lost Angeles metro to Phoenix several times on I10, which is good quality road most of the way.
Many go 85 which is okay with me. What is NOT okay and NOT safe are those who pass on the right, or stay in the left holding up traffic.
I lived in Germany, drove the Autobahn, and they are better drivers, and they will follow lane discipline, which makes it safe to go 85 and faster.
every time someone talks about raising speed limits the bed wetters come out of the woodwork crying and wringing their hands about the carnage that will happen. It never does.
It may not be legal, but folks drive 85mph (and over) every day of the week on DFW area freeways.
In 2009 I was cruising the autobahn at 160 kph (100mph) thinking it was cool. Then a Porsche passed like I was standing still with a huge whale tail fin up. Anyway, I caught up tp him in a few minutes at the next traffic cogestion point.
Hated 55, love 75. 85? I’ll go libertarian on that. If you drive 85, you damn well be able to handle it, or face the consequences, if you hurt someone else.
“It’s embarrassing, but a lot of Harleys (some people allege they are motorcycles) would not be able to keep up with this. In top gear.”
Yeah, we old grey beards will have to stay over in the slow lane...
The biggest risk will be the idiots that insist on squatting in the fast lane going 55.
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.