Community Forums

cb5300 · 01-02-2009, 05:08 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by robert h:
What happens when a tire blows at 80 MPH?

The samething that happens at 55...The tire goes flat and you wind up calling AAA!!!!

melvonnar · 01-02-2009, 05:25 AM

Quote:

The samething that happens at 55...The tire goes flat and you wind up calling AAA!!!!

[]

Or the next of kin calls for the meat wagon

ScottyP · 01-02-2009, 08:52 AM

Lots of feelings on both sides of this discussion. I remember growing up a comercial which was put out by the NHTSA about driving speeds. From what I remember the comercial showed an older lady driving with her friend on a two lane road. There was a driver attempting to pass her, who was clearly in the wrong. She was telling her friend how much of a jerk the other driver was and saying how she was doing the speed limit and she was in the right, etc. On opening in the traffic came up and the other driver tried to speed on by her and the pictures fades with the sound of a crash. The voice over says "She was in the right, dead right". I believe the message was yes, you can drive down the road and be "right" without regard to the traffice around you. Yes the other person was in the wrong, but we do affect others driving around us. Do they need to bend to our right since they and breaking the law? Do we have any responsibility? I believe we all have a part in safety. Several people have voiced their desire to drive 5 - 10 mph below the posted speed limit. Aren't they posing as much of a safety issue as those driving over the speed limit? I guess it depends on the situationa and the ability of the driver, rig, etc. Unforunately it seems that common sense doesn't have have a place in life anymore. Lowering the speed limit to 55 won't have that great of an impact on fuel consumption nor traffic fatalities/accidents if common sense is taken away.

Jo/Lee · 01-02-2009, 09:47 AM

And don't forget the moron that takes it to the extreme with road rage!!!
You don't want to be the first RVer to be shot and killed by him or her. Do you want to be "DEAD RIGHT" Remember there is no substitute for common sense.
I think this thread has gone on long enough, time to close it. There is nothing to be said that hasn't already been said.

Lee

melvonnar · 01-02-2009, 10:12 AM

Quote:

I think this thread has gone on long enough, time to close it. There is nothing to be said that hasn't already been said

I disagree: traffic; with all it's problems, is now, and will always be the: ( MOST IMPORTANT SUBJECT) for those that travel the highways.
This post is a place for those folks to vent their likes and dislikes; get it out in the open where it belongs.

historyljc · 01-02-2009, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Several people have voiced their desire to drive 5 - 10 mph below the posted speed limit. Aren't they posing as much of a safety issue as those driving over the speed limit?

Please remember, the speed limit is the maximum that one legally drive under ideal conditions. Nowhere does it state that it is the required driving speed. On the interstate system there is a minimum that requires that you drive at least that fast, conditions permitting. Superseding the maximum limit is a basic speed law that states you can only drive as fast a conditions permit regardless of the posted limit. We can all exercise a little patience and courtesy. Remember the old saying: It's better to be late at the golden gate than to arrive in hell on time.

jspande · 01-02-2009, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Several people have voiced their desire to drive 5 - 10 mph below the posted speed limit. Aren't they posing as much of a safety issue as those driving over the speed limit?

A small but important correction - I don't think anyone has voiced a desire to dive 5-10 mph below the posted speed, but rather just slower than 70 - 75 mph. That is, if the 55 mph national speed limit were reimposed (the actual topic of this thread) would they then want to drive at 45 - 50 mph? I don't think so.

It is only rational to assume most slower drivers simply feel uncomfortable going 75, not that they want to always go slower than prevailing traffic whatever it's speed.

Thus another effect of the 55 speed limit (well enforced) should be to reduce the speed differential on the highways, which I believe most everyone here has said is safer!

BTW, just for full disclosure, I prefer driving 75 myself, and make a point of staying with the prevailing speed. But I can recognize that the 55 mph national speed limit would be a wise and prudent thing for our nation, and I'd be happy to make that small sacrifice for the national good. But it does our country no good if a few individuals voluntarily reduce their speed - only a requirement that we all do it will help (like reducing the price at the pump).

cb5300 · 01-02-2009, 04:29 PM

Do you REALLY think that reducing the speed limit to 55 will cause the price at the pump to drop? There are already articles on the web that the Feds are talking about INCREASING the tax on gas and diesel because of the drop in sales (which is costing the govt tax dollars). If the Federal Govt increase taxes then you will see an increase at the pump plain and simple.

melvonnar · 01-03-2009, 04:02 AM

An increase in fuel tax is comming no matter what; it's only a matter of time.
Those that think otherwise (just wait) the goverment is looking for money; it may be called a lot of things; the latest I heard was a user fee. anyway you cut it it's a tax. the Democrats call them taxes; the republicans call them user fees. enjoy the lower fuel prices while the last, it won't last.

have a nice day

jspande · 01-03-2009, 01:19 PM

cb5300, you make a valid point. It is much too simplistic to say prices at the pump will be reduced. For sure they won't be reduced from what they are right now, what with the huge increase in demand for oil that is coming from China and India. Maybe they would be reduced from what they otherwise will be without fuel conservation measures but certainly taxes and fees could very well affect that.

What we can say with confidence is that as long as we need to import oil, every drop of fuel that we save means that much less money leaving our economy for distant shores. So every drop we save benefits us financially, maybe by better returns on our investments and 401(k)'s, maybe by higher wages and maybe by lower prices at the pump. But whatever the ultimate way, we will benefit.

But make no mistake, we will never find a single 100% solution to our energy situation, and certainly not one that requires no sacrifice from us. Rather, we need a hundred 1% solutions (55 speed limit is just one), each of which will surely have a "constituency" that protests "we don't wanna". It's going to take a little more political will than has been typical up to now.

R1Kirby · 01-03-2009, 03:54 PM

I am totaly amazed to see so many reasons not to drive within the posted speed limits. Instead of doing what we should be doing, there is more thought for not doing what we should be doing in the first place.

hamguy · 01-04-2009, 08:15 AM

"But make no mistake, we will never find a single 100% solution to our energy situation, and certainly not one that requires no sacrifice from us. Rather, we need a hundred 1% solutions (55 speed limit is just one), each of which will surely have a "constituency" that protests "we don't wanna". It's going to take a little more political will than has been typical up to now."

The 55MPH didn't work in the 70's and it won't work now. I agree there is no one 100% solution but there is a 90% solution.

Drill-Drill-Drill. That solution will mostly eliminate foreign oil, it will provide jobs, lower the price of oil, etc. In addition, built 20-30 nuke plants, develop nat gas resources. Dump battery cars until a battery that is 25 times more efficent can be developed (never, IMHO). Eliminate fuel oil heating of homes.

Oh, I will not entertainn a single comment about AGW. It is phony. If anyone wants to argue AGW, please provide a link to a scientifically derived study which proves the notion.

I can hear the buzzing of the naysayers now.

historyljc · 01-04-2009, 06:52 PM

hamguy, I'm with you on this one. Should have done it 30 ago.

jspande · 01-05-2009, 08:04 AM

Arguing with "Global Warming Deny-ers" is a pointless as arguing with "Holocaust Deny-ers" or "AIDS Deny-ers" - no matter how much and how overwhelming the evidence, they simple insist it's not "proof". But for reasonable people the consensus of scientists should be the best guide. For a summary check out Scientific Consensus
Even the Bush Administration has finally acknowledged that Global Warming, and man's contribution to it, is real!

As for the "90% solution" - get real! If memory serves, the USA has just 3% of the proven oil reserves of the world. And it's been widely reported that it would take nearly 10 years for any new drilling to contribute. China has over 3x our population, most don't yet have cars but want them. And then throw in India. We're facing an increased demand for oil that is many times greater, not just a few %. And you say our measly 3% is 90% of the solution??????

But this is just another example of the temptation to believe in "painless" solutions.