I can remember a time when us Brits used to gasp at the 55 mph we had heard about from the US and when I visited in 1997 was surprised to see in many places this was either not the case was was not enforced or totally ignored.
Boston was a prime example on Friday night, supposedly there was a 55 mph in force on the freeway we were on but cars were going past us at 80 or 90 plus and the police were totally ignoring them just thankful to get them out and away from the city on a Friday night.
Your memory is intact. Out our way, a driver going 55 on an open highway had to be careful not to get run over by some big rig barreling down the Interstate. Heck, even the police shook their heads over how stupid it was.
This same thing is going on now with eliminating the Bush tax cuts. The media and left refuse to acknowledge how tax cuts increase revenues. They just cannot believe it happens.
Thus my comment: Democrats want to repeal the law of supply and demand.
In parts of West Texas, I think it was always ignored. When you have long, straight highways with nothing to get your attention, why go 55? It takes too long to get any where anyway. (I once passed an acquaintance who later was also a co-worker, reading the USA Today as he drove down the road.)