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Dec 6th, 2017
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A prominent Republican solon goes legacy shopping: WASHINGTON (AP) - An influential Republican senator suggested Thursday that Congress might want to consider reimposing a national speed limit to save gasoline and possibly ease fuel prices.
Sen. John Warner, R-Va., asked Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman to look into what speed limit would provide optimum gasoline efficiency given current technology. He said he wants to know if the administration might support efforts in Congress to require a lower speed limit.
Congress in 1974 set a national 55 mph speed limit because of energy shortages caused by the Arab oil embargo. The speed limit was repealed in 1995 when crude oil dipped to $17 a barrel and gasoline cost $1.10 a gallon.
As motorists headed on trips for this Fourth of July weekend, gasoline averaged $4.10 a gallon nationwide with oil hovering around $145 a barrel.
Warner cited studies that showed the 55 mph speed limit saved 167,000 barrels of oil a day, or 2 percent of the country's highway fuel consumption, while avoiding up to 4,000 traffic deaths a year.[snip] 
Last edited by Harv3; 07/08/08 03:32 PM.
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stranger
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stranger
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It's his retirement party, let him poop it.
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old hand
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That is on the surface a good idea but it will never happen. People just like to drive fast and the modern automobiles of today are designed to cruise at around 80mph. At that speed fuel efficiency drops dramatically from 55, but most people didn’t spend a small fortune for their fancy car only to putt along at 55.
I was in the Bay Area about 5 years ago riding my motorcycle on I-580 heading west to San Francisco in a pack of cars nearly bumper to bumper averaging 80mph. That was pretty hairy and scary for me, but point being Californians (and others) love to drive fast and many consider 75 mph to be cruising.
The 55 limit was tried before but dropped. Was cheap oil the only reason? I was also surprised to read that the 55 law was in effect until 1995. Seems to me it was changed back earlier than that, but I don’t really know. And it also seems to me that it would be a tough political sell to go back to the days of 55mph, but then again, are Americans ready to begin sacrificing? Visions of Jimmy Carter in his cardigan sweater telling people to turn their thermostats down to 68 in the winter pop into my head. That went over like the aforementioned turd in the punchbowl.
Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please.
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Harv3, are you objecting to just the proposed 55 mph limit or to all speed limits in general? If you agree that certain speed limits are acceptable for public safety reasons, then why would you object to a government mandated speed limit designed to promote economic safety? I'm not saying that I support the 55 mph...I tend to have a bit of a lead foot...but I'm just curious if you find all speed limits (and traffic laws?) equally objectionable.
Larry
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"To the intelligent man or woman, life appears infinitely mysterious. But the stupid have an answer for every question." - Edward Abbey
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There was a time when laws were based on logic and need, and for the most part traffic laws are still mostly based on those principles. The 55 MPH speed limit didn't work before and history says it won't work now.
If a law is being considered for implementation and history tells us that enforcement is spotty at best, does the law deserve to be reimplemented? If that law is subject to irregular enforcement, with no verification required to prove guilt, and has a high probability of being abused by law enforcement, should we implement the law in the name of feeling good?
A proud member of the Vast Right-wing Conspiracy, Massachusetts Chapter
“The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.”
Thomas Jefferson
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The only way to make it work, would be to MAKE it work by requiring installation of maximum speed governers on every registered non-emergency vehicle. For many vehicles these days, this would just consist of a new software download. For older ones, it would be done by installing a cruise control system with a preset limit.
I confess to cruising at 70-75 during my (unfortunately long) commute, but that is mostly because the rest of the traffic is going that fast. I've actually tried driving slower to see if I could lower my gas bill, but it was too scary with everybody zooming past me. I was right behind a Highway Patrolman today: We were ALL going about 75!
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That is on the surface a good idea but it will never happen. People just like to drive fast and the modern automobiles of today are designed to cruise at around 80mph. At that speed fuel efficiency drops dramatically from 55, but most people didn’t spend a small fortune for their fancy car only to putt along at 55.
snip
The 55 limit was tried before but dropped. Was cheap oil the only reason? I was also surprised to read that the 55 law was in effect until 1995. Seems to me it was changed back earlier than that, but I don’t really know. And it also seems to me that it would be a tough political sell to go back to the days of 55mph, but then again, are Americans ready to begin sacrificing? Visions of Jimmy Carter in his cardigan sweater telling people to turn their thermostats down to 68 in the winter pop into my head. That went over like the aforementioned turd in the punchbowl. (my bolds) You know I read this and then immediately started googling (when speed limit was set at 55 before) and came up with all kinds of articles showing how many lives were saved, how much less fuel was used etc and then thought....what's the point. Ken you said it all up top there. The answer....NO Americans ARE NOT ready to sacrifice or cut back. I read some of the comments in the articles I found. Americans are outraged when asked to cut back on their macho fancy cars "designed to cruise at around 80". Why else would they spend a small fortune. I would also like to point out the most civilized place I've ever been as far as drivers go (by my judgment) is Portland, Or...your state, Ken. Rarely does anyone go over 55 or 60 (on the interstates I'm talking). It is one of the most unstressful places I've ever driven. No I don't know about the accident rate there or how many of these peaceful mellow drivers get taken off into the woods and get assassinated by furious truck drivers. I'm just saying... I'm disgusted by the insinuation that Americans shouldn't be asked to cut back, cut down, sacrifice.
"Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass...it's about learning how to dance in the rain."
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Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
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I like to drive fast as much as anyone.
The fact remains that the quickest way to impact the price of oil is to reduce our consumption
And the quickest way to reduce our our consumption is a reduced speed limit.
It is a sad commentary on our nation that sending our children to war is more acceptable than a 55 MPH speed limit.
"It's not a lie if you believe it." -- George Costanza
The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves. --Bertrand Russel
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veteran
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"Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass...it's about learning how to dance in the rain."
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