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Master and Commander
Posts: 1431
| Subject: I agree with Sen. John Warner
Lower the Speed limit to 55mph. |
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COMSUBBBS
Posts: 3202
Location: Alexandria, Virginia | Subject: RE: I agree with Sen. John Warner
RCK...Makes sense on several levels especially fuel consumpton. There WILL be some form of rationing..that's in the cards. DEX |
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Senior Crew
Posts: 214
Location: Ladson SC | Subject: RE: I agree with Sen. John Warner
Dont know that we need to lower it to 55. I live in SC and travel I-26 and I-77 frequently. It appears that I am one of the few that travel at or near the posted speed limit of 70. I set cruise at between 70-75. Most vehicles are traveling in excess of 80 mph and some well in excess of 90mph. If everyone would slow down to the posted speed limits in the US we would save at least 10 percent of our gasoline consumption. Ten percent might not solve our current situation caused by speculators but it would certainly make a difference. |
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Old Salt
Posts: 489
Location: San Freakcisco CA area | Subject: RE: I agree with Sen. John Warner
It iis impossible to decide who to believe since politicians and oil companies are on both sides of the argument -- but NOBODY is talking about a shortage of oil ala the Arab embargo during Nixon's last days in office -- we seem to have all of the fuel we choose to buy. My wife and I are on a 3 week vacation and have yet to see one single gas line anywhere.
What we all do see, however, are gas stations on all four corners of every major intersection with plenty of access room to pull up to a pump -- and stomach-knotting, barf-inducing prices.
If there is a supply-and-demand mechanism at work here, it has to be on a global scale and not limited to just the USA. I wish I was smart enough to figure out the answer - other than to maximize our use of public transit wherever we happen to be at the moment. |
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Senior Crew
Posts: 157
Location: Clarinda, IA | Subject: RE: I agree with Sen. John Warner
One thing that people in the east often forget is the distance travelled for some out west and the fact that speedlimits in the two states that most in Congress live in a good part of the year, have never been as high as those out west. Here are some observations from the Traffic Engineering Bureaus of Maryland and Virginia.
From Maryland
Common Misconceptions
“Lower speed zones reduce speeds and reduce accidents."
Setting an arbitrarily low speed limit is not proven to cause nominal speeds to drop. Before and after studies consistently determine that speeds remain very nearly the same regardless of the number on the sign. Unrealistically low speeds promote a general disregard for all speed limits. Frustrated drivers may speed up (to make up lost time) or pass illegally to get around slower traffic. Enforcement personnel must not only deal with the 15% minority of unreasonable speeders, but now must bear the brunt of the dissatisfaction when ticketing reasonable drivers who "violate" the low number when conditions clearly support higher speeds.
Raising the speed limit by 5 or 10 mph will raise the speeds by 5 or 10 mph. It is a mandate to promote speeding!"
Most all speed increases are the result of speed studies that have determined that the posted limit is sufficiently below the measured 85th percentile. Given this presumption, the new limit will not cause drivers to go 5 or 10 mph faster, but rather is a correction to bring the posted speed in line with what the given conditions already support. Also, it is now easier for enforcement personnel to target the 15% minority of unreasonable drivers who are truly speeding. The Office of Transportation Engineering will always endeavor to do before and after studies to confirm this premise.
Setting Speed Limits
Years of experience and research have led engineers to the conclusion that the 85th percentile speed is a reasonable speed. This is the speed at, or below, which 85 of 100 drivers will travel the road. It is an acknowledgement that 15% of drivers drive unreasonable for the given conditions. Many speed studies conducted over the past several decades have found that the likelihood of an accident is lowest when the majority of motorists are moving at the same rate. The 85th percentile speed is the safest rate for all ranges; safer even than the 50th percentile (half travel faster, half travel slower) or the average speed (sum of all speeds divided by the number of vehicles) for the simple reason that the speed differential is least for this group. Measurements of the 85th percentile are made under free-flowing and ideal traffic conditions. Finally, the engineers will consider other factors such as number of driveways, the volume of traffic, the proximity of schools and playgrounds, and the like; however, the basic speed limit through a zone remains premised on the 85th percentile. There are other appropriate signs (curve warnings, intersection-ahead signs, school signs, etc.) that are intended to complement the overall signing scheme.
I saw this demonstrated when the speed limit was 55 in Arizona. I was traveling 110 miles a day one way for about three months and what would happen was that the truckers would drive 80 until a cop was sighted, then go back to 55. Numerous cars would of course follow along with the trucks. Then there would be the guy to go around that was doing 45. That is what isn't safe, not the average speed that traffic is using. Once the speed limit was raised, then people teneded to drive 70-75 and the first year the death rate went down.
From Virginia more of the same reasoning on why speed limits are set by things other than gas prices.
From Virginia
Have interstate speed limits in certain areas increased recently?
Yes. Speed limits on several major interstates in Northern Virginia, central Virginia, Hampton Roads and the Bristol region were raised to improve safety and traffic flow. In these areas, speed limits on several interstate segments were raised from 55 to 65 mph outside urban areas and from 55 to 60 mph near urban areas.
It is always best to let those who are experts in thier area and part of the country decide these things; not some federal bureaucrat.
Viejo
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COMSUBBBS
Posts: 6180
Location: Summerville, SC | Subject: RE: I agree with Sen. John Warner
Why should the government do anything about it? If gasoline costs too much don't buy it. When you do buy it don't waste it by driving unnecessarily. Conserve. But no, let the other guy do it, not me. Government control will just screw it up worse than it is. Wait and see what it is like next year. |
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Master and Commander
Posts: 1405
Location: Houston, TX (Best state in the US) | Subject: RE: I agree with Sen. John Warner
I'm with Ralph...the best government governs least....and do you really, really, really think that Pelosi, Reid, or anyone on the left (and very few on the right) know how to wipe their butts? I don't think so.....and I don't trust those {censored} twits to do anything that isn't in their own self interests....vote the incumbents out...we may lose a few good ones, but we'll rid ourselves of a whole bunch of maggots.....................
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COMSUBBBS
Posts: 2673
Location: New Jersey | Subject: RE: I agree with Sen. John Warner
I'm with Ralph & Dave on this issue. The Feds have had thirty years to "fix" this problem...Did they? NO! They just took money from the oil companies lobbyists NOT to make any changes. So why does anyone think they will do anything intelligent this time around. Lowering the speed limit to 55 is the easy way out and takes the onus off themselves.....Lowlife, useless f***ers that they are.
I hope I haven't offended anyone's sensibilities with the above. If so tuff s**t! 
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Great Sage of the Sea
Posts: 854
| Subject: RE: I agree with Sen. John Warner
that is more government interferance in our lives. Leave it to the states! There is to much regulation on the federal level as it is |
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Great Sage of the Sea
Posts: 811
Location: NW Connecticut | Subject: RE: I agree with Sen. John Warner
Lowering the speed limit did not work before and it won't now. Most new cars are designed and geared to attain their best mpg at around 65 mph.
My fleet of trucks all get their best MPG at 60-65 mpg speeds..It was the trucking industry who fought for the abolishment of national "55".
The higher cost of Gas is bringing the speeds down anyway and this trend will only continue. Passing laws that only benifit the ticket writers is a cop-out
It's not supply that's the problem it's cost and doing 55 mph is not going to reduce the cost of a gallon of gas, if anything it will increase the cost of everything due to the problems 55 mph brings to traffic and mpg figures..
And rationing? Rationing what $5 a gal gas... I don't see that happening anytime soon. The rush for gas at our local gas stations doesn't seem to be happening, Fewer people are driving and there is plenty of gas available if you can afford it.
The chicken littles in Congress like John Warner who have no idea on real life traffic and driving needs of Americans and business owners should do a little research before they knee jerk stupid laws that only make the situation worse. If this is the best answer we get out of DC for $5 a gal gas then we are indeed in more trouble that we think.
Edited by Smiley 2008-07-07 5:06 AM
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Old Salt
Posts: 438
Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL | Subject: RE: I agree with Sen. John Warner
Typical feel good nonsense that is already proven not to have the desired effect. One of those things that sounds like it ought to make a difference but, upon actual analysis, proves to be worthless. Someome said that we should do it because we will, in their opinion, have a future embargo. If we are going to have a future shortage what sense does it make to implement a plan now that won't make a bit of difference in any case.
This has been studied to death and Sen. Warner must be getting a little long in the tooth. BTW, I heard him being interviewed today and he now says that it is not a proposal but just something to look into. He sounded very much like a guy who just stepped into it and was trying to not look like a total dumba**. |
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COMSUBBBS
Posts: 3673
Location: Kansas City Missouri | Subject: RE: I agree with Sen. John Warner
Driving 55 may not save fuel, but it has the potential of saving the lives of vast numbers of mice, rats, frogs, snakes, bunnies (sniff,sniff) dogs and cats. Our nationwide deer shortage would certainly be helped. Just imagine the millions of poor defenseless flying insects we would save. It seems Sen. Warner values American wildlife. |
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Master and Commander
Posts: 1324
Location: Oxnard, CA | Subject: RE: I agree with Sen. John Warner
I am in favor of gas rationing ONLY FOR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS! Limit them to 2 gallons/day until they finally get it through their heads that there really IS a problem. |
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Master and Commander
Posts: 1796
Location: Albany, GA. | Subject: RE: I agree with Sen. John Warner
Enforce the existing speed limits. Without enforcement, the 55 limit will have little effect. Most folks run at ten over around here. There aren't enough enforcement officers out there to effectively slow them down, and attend court. Our State Patrol is afraid of the potential for wrecks if they really enforced the limits around Atlanta. Then there are the State Legislators and their wives who with their prestige tags tend to run twenty over. There is also a law that says they can't be stopped or ticketed while the Legislature is in session. So enforcement may be the key, I doubt we would ever see it fairly applied. |
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I agree with Sen. John Warner
