Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
Originally Posted By: NHHEMI
Originally Posted By: Nick R
55 is sensible? Not a chance. Personally I think speed limits should go up. 75/70 in more open aareas, 60-65 in more populated, urban area highways. Texas has the right idea, with 80 and 85mph speed limits.
Have you ever driven the NYS thruway? It's long, it's flat, it's straight. Heck even I-88 is very open. And you want the SL to be 55? Why? 65 is already slow enough. I commute every day 60 miles highway, and I don't want the speed limit lowered any further, I already spend too much of my day in the car.
Since 55 is sensible, why not go further? 45? 35. I'm sure that would save loads of lives if they lowered it and enforced it.
Let's be reasonable, speed alone doesn't kill. Someone who is going to get in an accident at 75 is not much less likely to get in one at 55. Instead of trying to force people to slow down, why don't we focus on trying to make people better drivers/more aware of their surroundings?
It's wrongly assuming that driving faster is automatically much more dangerous.
Yes, 55 is very sensible with most Police allowing a 5-10 MPH cushion above that before tickets are issued so in effect 55 would be 60-65.
70-75 would result in people going 90+. No way.
Yes, I have driven the NY State Thruway many times. 55 is more than reasonable there with people going that extra 5-10 MPH as I said.
I disagree that speed isn't a big factor in accidents. People go way too fast and it absolutely makes it more likely they will get into an accident either through lack of driving skill or decreased reaction time. 55( with 60-65 being the max allowed )is plenty fast for the highways. IMOA.
If you are spending too much time in the car going to work move or get a closer job. No one forces you to commute that far. While I realize that is easier said than done, again, you made the choice to commute that far so you have to deal with it.
I am also in favor of lower the speed limits to help conserve fuel too. The amount of fuel wasted in this country by people going 75, 80, 85+ is mind blowing.
People can disagree. Just voicing my opinion. I just wish people would lay off the "you haven't driven here" or "you obviously haven't done...." stuff. Just because I don't agree that people need to go 70 MPH+ on the highway does not mean I haven't driven in a lot of different places and/or long distance.
FWIW I will be driving from NH to VA next week. I will set my CC @ 60 MPH out on the highway. I will get to my destination only an hour later than if I went 70 MPH, I won't grow old and qualify for Social Security on the way, and I will get optimum MPG from my vehicle. No reason to go faster.
I see we have somebody who would never fit in with driving in Germany, LOL!!!
I love driving fast and I'm not afraid to admit that. And while I don't drive the Expedition much more than 120-130Km/H (depending on road conditions, traffic....etc), the M5, like all cars of its calibre (like SteveSRT8's car) is more than happy to eat up the miles at speeds well over 100Mph and still feel like you are doing 60. When I drove to NC and going through the switchbacks in WV I was having a LOT of fun in those 55Mph corners. I'm not going to say any more on that, LOL
Driver training in North America, lack of respect and on-road discipline are our biggest issues, not speed. 55Mph is still dangerous if there is 1ft of snow on the ground and zero visibility, but you know there will be some clown in a Yukon in 4-HIGH doing just that, endangering the lives of those around him. The drivers are the problem, not the speed.
You have someone who has NO INTEREST in driving in Germany.
Yes, the driver's are the issue BUT you can't have no speed limits. You have to set limit somewhere. The higher the limit the more likely people are not able to handle it.
