Posted on 06/27/2005 8:37:42 PM PDT by Diddle E. Squat
Drivers in Texas, Iowa, and Indiana will enjoy higher speed limits next month as legislation raising the top speeds on rural roads takes effect.
On Friday, Texas Governor Rick Perry (R) signed HB 2257 into law making 80 MPH the maximum allowable speed in the state. Rural portions of I-10 and I-20 will enjoy the new top speed, while other rural roads could see the limit rise to 75 MPH. Both the state House and Senate adopted the legislation without opposition last month.
On July 1, a law signed by Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack (D) creating a 70 MPH speed limit goes into effect. This new limit better reflects the actual speed of cars on rural highways which averages 69.8 MPH according to sensors embedded into the pavement.
In May, Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels (R) signed SB 217 into law raising the maximum limit from 65 MPH to 70 MPH in areas with less than 50,000 population. The law also raises the limit for trucks from 60 to 65 MPH, and gives a 10 MPH boost to several roads currently posted at 55 MPH. The state will begin placing the higher-limit signs on July 5.
(Excerpt) Read more at thenewspaper.com ...
I drove an average of 80-110 mph in Germany in a Ford Mondeo over 3000 km and got a mileage of 38 mpg.
Are you seriously suggesting I'd have gotten 50+ mpg at 55 mph?
Personally I never drove faster than 85MPH, because my car was designed for stateside driving. US transmissions don't have coolers like the European. The German wife of a colleague melted the transmission of a brandnew Dodge within six months by driving back and forth to visit her family in a city forty miles away. He said she kept it at 110 (top apeed).
I was driving between Nuermberg and Muenchen in a snow storm. I was going about 110 kph and guys in Mercedes keep passing me at light speed. Then I cam to a Strau, and had to wait an hour for the police to carry away the wrecks. Always carry food and drink.
Its tough to imagine the semis barreling through at 80, but in California where they allow auto traffic up to 70 but limit trucks, trailers to 55 you see a jamming up of the freeways that follows every heavy vehicle. I am not sure what makes the most sense, because of course even if all can travel at the maximum posted speed there will always be those who travel at a lower speed and cause crowding.
Not if you drive friendly. :-)
Agree 110% with you. I cannot believe it. Remembering when 55 mph signs were going up everywhere. Remembering when automobiles were being sold for fuel economy alone in the mid-1970's. Don't people remember the OPEC trying to bankrupt America? And Jimmy Carter . . . ? Sheesh! Pardon me while I take a nap now. Must be getting old.
If you're doing 80 on a rural Texas highway at night, you're an idiot. You should see the damage that hitting a good sized critter can do to a car and its occupants.
Well Dangit my taxes pay for that dadgummed left side of the road and I'm gonna use it whether you like it or not! (/wreck-causer)
You'll have to prove that. Wind resistence increases geometrically, so I'm not buying it. It takes considerably more energy to push a car at 70mph than it does at 50mph. I'm not buying it.
Well, for me, I top out at about 84, and that's at optimal conditions and in flat West Texas.
How about tripling the fine for left-lane hoggers?
Looks like i'm gonna need a faster truck......
AN ACT relating to the speed limit on certain highways in rural counties.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 545.353, Transportation Code, is amended by adding Subsection (h-1) and amending Subsections (h) and (i) to read as follows:
(h) Notwithstanding Section 454.352(b), the commission may establish a speed limit of 75 miles per hour in daytime on a part of the highway system if:
(1) the commission determines that 75 miles per hour in daytime is a reasonable and safe speed for that part of the highway system; and
(2) that part of the highway is located in a county with a population density of less than 15 persons per square mile.
(h-1) Notwithstanding Section 545.352(b), the commission may establish a speed limit of 80 miles per hour in daytime on a part of Interstate Highway 10 or Interstate Highway 20 in Crockett, Culberson, Hudspeth, Jeff Davis, Kerr, Kimble, Pecos, Reeves, Sutton, or Ward County if the commission determines that 80 miles per hour in daytime is a reasonable and safe speed for that part of the highway.
(i) The speed limits authorized by Subsections (h) and (h-1) do not apply to:
(1) trucks, other than light trucks and light trucks pulling a trailer; and
(2) truck tractors, trailers, and semitrailers.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2005.
If you've ever driven from El Paso to San Antonio, then you know why they want to make that stretch of I-10 80 mph. There's absolutely nothing out there.
Who's driving mid=70's model cars anymore? That was 30 years ago.
The sun has risen,
The sun has set,
But we ain't out
of Texas yet.
I wish we would either limit the speed a semi could do or have a special lane for them. If so, the roads in the midwest would be alot safer.
Depends on if the trucks have lower limits, separate lanes, higher diesel taxes, and a vigorous Highway Patrol.
Doubt if they'll enforce it on truckers. I have yet to see a MO HP pull over a trucker for speeding. The scenario you described is common--and absolutely chilling. It has led to the death of more than one new driver.
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