Thread: 55 MPH rearing it UGLY head again?

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Originally Posted by shawnlee28

Plan on getting up 30 mins to one hour sooner and get home that much later in the evening too!!!!

Not me, still only 20 paces to the garage. Doubt I could move fast enough to get a speeding ticket unless it would be while falling down the steps!!!!

Originally Posted by Dave Severson

It's just amazing to me that so many people can't figure out for themselves that if they slow down they'll save gas..... I went to Sioux Falls the other day for a doctor's appointment, 50 miles each way. Speed limit on the interstate is 75, I ran 65 as did a lot of other cars.... Most everyone who was out in the right lane still hammering on it were the big SUV's and the full size pickups, many of them are still running 80 and bitchin' about how much fuel costs!!!!! Idjuts....

Just a dang shame that some people will have to wait for the government to mandate the 55 mph crap again when all they would have to do is back off a bit and save some fuel voluntarily.... Sometimes I gotta wonder, maybe we are just getting what we deserve.....

Dave, I have said the same thing. I drive 60-65 and I am sure in the way.
And on truckers. I do have compassion for their economics but there are a lot of real jerks driving trucks, they tailgate and cut lanes like a high school girl in a Honda. And what's up with that setting on the floor look, I saw one today and all there was visible was his cap and sunglasses. Is that like some trucker coolness I missed out on?

It's a bunch of crap. My 1 ton truck gets its best at 80 mph, right at the base of the torque curve in OD on the 454.

I think this does make sense if you study torque-speed curves on ICE's.

Kitz

The one thing nobody has brought up is the fact that there is NO fuel shortage!! There is PLENTY of gas and oil out there. The prices are being driven up by demand and the speculators. So drive 55 if you want, (and I agree it saves you gas) but dont push it down my throat.....I enjoy doing the 70 mph speed limit and then some. When I cant afford to pay for the gas, I will self impose a lower speed, but I dont need or want big brother telling me I have to do 55......

Originally Posted by T42

The one thing nobody has brought up is the fact that there is NO fuel shortage!! There is PLENTY of gas and oil out there. The prices are being driven up by demand and the speculators. So drive 55 if you want, (and I agree it saves you gas) but dont push it down my throat.....I enjoy doing the 70 mph speed limit and then some. When I cant afford to pay for the gas, I will self impose a lower speed, but I dont need or want big brother telling me I have to do 55......

My sentiments exactly. Big brother needs to fix the problem, not clamp a band-aid on it.

Restriction of the people is a simpler action than actually doing anything towards fixing or eliminating the problem ......the way its always been ...restriction.

Originally Posted by Dave Severson

Not me, still only 20 paces to the garage. Doubt I could move fast enough to get a speeding ticket unless it would be while falling down the steps!!!!

The only drivers driving 55 were the ones following the state cops. No cops, no 55.

Speed limit on my work drive is 65, average is 80 including the cops. Move it to 55 and it may drop to 55 for a day or so, and then jump to 70. Not enough cops to police the entire interstate and state hiways, and we don't have the speed cameras yet.

I went to York PA a couple of weeks ago - 315 miles each way. I set the cruise at 62-63mph(2000 rpm) on my 7400# F350 guzzle 10. My average to York was 12.2. Returning home I said @#$% it, and drove my usual 70-72 (2300rpm) and averaged 13.7. There is a 'sweet spot' for most vehicles and on that V10 it appears to be in the 22-2300 rpm range and even with the areodynamics comparable to the side of a barn.

Yesterday on the Adirondack Northway, I-87 I encountered 3 vehicles at ~50 mph in a 65 zone, and of course in the center lane. Traffic in that area normally runs in the low 70's. Amazing how these folks can really screw up traffic flow - coincidentally all three were Toyota Camry's.

With the gearing and camming in both my mustang and 57 Plymouth peak mileage on both is at approximatly 75 MPH. Although I haven't got enough break in miles on it to check yet but I suspect on the 76 Dodge truck I'm finishing up mileage above 60 MPH will take a siginificant hit (but I didn;t expect good mileage out of it anyway.

Personally I ENJOY traveling the interstates at the current speed limits. I suppose that may have to do with growing up in a rural community and spending the time on secondary roads.

I generally build my cars to be interstate cruisers and actually using them in that manner. I have been taking a 3000 mile round trip vacation annually in the cars I have built. From first hand experience the 55 MPH speed limit adds 15-16 hours to the trip.

A large number of trips in our cars and trucks are short ones, 5-10 miles. Time difference between 55 and 70 is barely measurable. Even a 30 mile trip is only 5 minutes difference. Slowing down definitely saves gas. I am not for any legislation, but if people are whining, they need to slow down. We are in for some life style changes in the coming years, like it or not. I gues it depends how important driving faster is to you compared to other things you spend your money on.

Pat

Just some fun with numbers......
10 mins a day {2 way commute}
60 mins a week {6 day work week}
240 mins a month
2880 a year
I can think of alot better things to do than drive with that time ,thats alot of work time on the hotrod or family time.......it does add up.
Thats over a 40 hour work week in a year...........
I used to drive 100 to 150 miles a day and got paid by the job ,not hours.

Yeah, my Crown Vic gets better milage at 65 than at 45. It isn't due to the overdrive either, that kicks in at 42.

Don

If the speed limit drops to 55, then my Rambler will actully be able to keep up with traffic.. It doesn't like to go faster than 65, and 55 it rides pretty good at.. I havn't a clue on MPG yet.. I'll figure that out when I go to the Syracuse Nationals

There is a lot more to mileage than the speed, as we can see from the posts. However if you have a car specific built to a lower speed then it should get better mileage at the lower speed. Sure everyone wants to keep driving fast, we are in a hurry. Maybe we should run a 55 lane on the service road and just open up the interstate like the old autobahn. Then you could be part of the carnage or not. Already the metros are kind of that way. We never go near Dallas during peak traffic because you know that you will be setting still for 2 hours while they spatula someone off the road. Might as well go the secondary roads through the small towns and enjoy it.