The proposal by Sen. John Warner, R-Va., that Congress consider another national speed limit to save gas seems far-fetched. But in asking Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman to assess the idea, Warner cited compelling studies suggesting that the 55 mph limit, in effect between 1974 and 1995, saved 2 percent on highway fuel consumption and up to 4,000 annual traffic deaths. When the 55 mph limit was imposed last time, during the OPEC oil embargo, gas was 55 cents a gallon and oil was a shocking $12 a barrel. Now, gas averages $4.11 a gallon and oil is $144 a barrel.
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38 Comments
Kansas should take the lead to again adopt Richard Nixon’s 55 mmph speed limit to support the international fight against terrorism and slow the use of petroleum resources.
That said, I recall the Kansas Highway Patrolman in Chase County who gave me at least three relatively successive tickets on Highway 50 just west of Strong City as I passed through the Flint Hills driving a gentleman’s 65 mph. Maddening.
Not no, but HELL NO
55 sucks. It really sucks. Any business person that spends much times on the highways will tell you what an aggravating time waster it is. Productivity falls. It was a great relief when the 55 mph speed limit was terminated.
And thankfully Rhonda, it wasn’t in force anywhere near 1995. From Wikipedia:
Opposition and noncompliance
The 55 mph limit was wildly unpopular. To wit:
* From April through June 1982, speed was monitored on New York’s Interstate highways, and an 83% noncompliance rate was found, despite extreme penalties ranging from $100 (1982 dollars) or 30 days jail on a first offense to $500 (1982 dollars), up to 180 days in jail, and a six month driver’s license revocation upon third conviction in 18 months. [6]
* Arizona, Idaho, Montana, Nevada and Utah replaced traditional speeding fines with $5-$15 energy wasting fines as long as drivers did not exceed the speed limit in effect before the 55 mph federal requirement.[7] Nevada’s energy wasting fine was enacted on April 15, 1981 when signed by Governor Robert List. Motorists not exceeding 70 mph in 55 mph zones could be issued $5 “energy wasting” fines. However, standard speeding tickets were still allowed and “troopers were directed not to take the new law as a signal to stop writing tickets”.[8]
* In 1981, 33 state legislatures debated measures to oppose the 55 mph speed limit.[9]
* Even organizations supporting the 55 mph limit, such as the American Automobile Association, provided lists of locations where the limit was strictly enforced.[10]
* On June 1, 1986, Nevada ignored the 55 mph (90 km/h) speed limit by posting a 70 mph (110 km/h) limit on 3 miles (5 km) of Interstate 80. The Nevada statute authorizing this speed limit included language that invalidated itself if the federal government suspended transportation funding. Indeed, the Federal Highway Administration immediately withheld highway funding, so the statute quickly invalidated itself.[11]
[edit] 1987 and 1988 — 65 mph limit
In the April 2, 1987 Surface Transportation and Uniform Relocation Assistance Act, Congress permitted states to raise speed limits to 65 mph (105 km/h) on rural Interstate highways.[12]
In 1988 Congress extended the same 65 mph limit to any rural roads built to Interstate standards, even if they were not signed as Interstates (although states had to apply for this privilege).
1995 — Repeal of federal limits
Congress lifted all federal speed limit controls in the November 28, 1995 National Highway Designation Act,
I hated the 55 mph speed limit and got my share of tickets for breaking the law.
But the cold hard reality is: it worked.
Energy use was cut 2% and it took five minutes longer to drive from Wichita to Emporia. A lot of people survived highway crashes and got to Emporia. (If you call that living.)
None of us like sacrifice because it involves, y’know, sacrifice!
Our grandparents were forced to drive no faster than 35 mph during WWII. (Gasoline was rationed but the program was to reduce concumption of rubber.)
Maybe John Sidney McCain the Third (for Shrub’s 3rd term) is right when he calls us a Nation of Whiners.
I wouldn’t like the 55 mph speed limit and would probably game the law and set the cruise control on 60 or so (just as I drive 70 on 65 mph highways today; just as I drove 64 mph without — mostly — consequences when the posted limit was 55).
About the only “sacrifice” involved is growing up and losing your inner Sammy Hagar.
By my rough calculation, the difference between traveling at 55 as opposed to 70 would cost you about 15 to to 18 minutes difference, Wichita to Emporia.
The sad reality is that restricting the speed limit doesn’t address the real problem: unregulated speculation in the oil market. Reducing the speed limit is treating the symptom, not the cause, and sends a dangerous message that price gouging is effectively OK.
“Maybe John Sidney McCain the Third (for Shrub’s 3rd term) is right when he calls us a Nation of Whiners.”
He didn’t say that. Why would you say he did?
I’m sure Barack Hussein Obama knows that.
McCain disawowed his advisor’s remarks.
However, McCain does have a real problem with the people he keeps around him…
“Ex-senator Phil Gramm, McCain’s top economic advisor, tells the Washington Times that we’re not in a recession, we’ve never been stronger, and people have to get a grip:
” ‘We have sort of become a nation of whiners. You just hear this constant whining, complaining about a loss of competitiveness, America in decline’ despite a major export boom that is the primary reason that growth continues in the economy, he said.
McCain campaign statement: “Phil Gramm’s comments are not representative of John McCain’s views. John McCain travels the country every day talking to Americans who are hurting, feeling pain at the pump and worrying about how they’ll pay their mortgage.
Maybe Phil Graham was talking about people like Borghunter and outlander.
“My gas is to high, whah, whah, whah, BUT I refused to slow down and save my own pocketbook and the Guvment shouldn’t FORCE me to slow down and save my pocketbook, but the Guvment should do something about the high price of gas.”
Why should the speculators be stopped. It’s supply and demand. These people refused to slow down and save gas and their own money, so obviously they demand the gas and as such are willing to pay a premium. As long as you have this many people who will NOT do anything to save their own money, I say let’s see 6.00 a gallon.
Wasn’t it Phil Gramm, McCain’s economic advisor, who called us a nation of whiners?
The top 10 campaign goofs by McCain – all brought to you last week:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/max-bergmann/the-week-that-should-have_b_111983.html
Go John, go!
Gramm is right.
Point all the cameras in Senator McCain’s direction, leave all the mics open to catch his every word. No one will even need to campaign against him while he does himself in. Isn’t it a great world!? ;-)
This was and is a good idea.
And not just because of gas mileage.
As a society, we move too fast in the pursuit of commerce. Slow it down.
You can do these calculations yourself
Wichita to Emporia according to msn maps 89.1 miles, round to 89.
You drive round trip to emporia three times a week, total mileage 534 miles.
Now lets say that at 65MPH your car gets 20MPG.
To do the 534 miles your car will need 26.7 gallons of gas.
Now lets say that slowing to 55MPH increases your mileage to 25MPG. (Mine actually increased 6MPG)
To got the 534 miles at 55MPH at 25MPG, you will need 21.3 gallons.
So if gas was 4.20 a gallon
At 65MPH, cost of 112.14
At 55MPH, cost of 89.46
Difference of $22.68.
So if you have to make the roundtrip from Wichita to Emporia, three times a week, by slowing down and increasing your mileage by 5 MPG, you will save $22.68 a week or $1,179.36 a year.
BUT if you are whining about having to drive 55 to put that money back into your own pocket then maybe Phil Graham is right
It’s not a matter of saving gas or money. It’s a matter of getting through this state as quickly as possible. Driving through western Kansas, all there is are cows, crops, the occasional tree and a lingering fart fog from the feedlots. I’d pay more the be there less.
Wasn’t it Phil Gramm, McCain’s economic advisor, who called us a nation of whiners?
Wasn’t it Wright, Obama’s spiritual advisor, that said “GOD DAMN AMERICA”?
Not all vehicles have their optimum speed at 55 mph. Many of the small fuel-efficient cars are geared such that they do better at a higher speed.
generaston – even your ‘improved’ 25mpg is pretty low.
What will it cost, in production and transportation and payroll, to make all of the new 55 MPH speed limit signs?
What will it cost to dispose of all of the old speed limit signs?
I drive quite a bit, all over Kansas. I get a kick out of the “hybrid” SUV’s with Obama stickers on them.
My Chevy Impala gets almost 30MPG, much better than the average hybrid SUV.
Also, all of those vehicles with Obama stickers on them are going at least 70 MPH.
Anyone who WANTS to drive 55 MPH is free, NOW, to do so.
Typical liberalism: “Do as I say, not as I do!”
—-
By the way, as far as “chasing commerce” is concerned, I can get a great deal done, at 70 MPH.
If you change the speed limit to 55 MPH, I might have to be on the road 2 days, instead of getting my travel needs knocked out in one day.
Or, perhaps, it will take me 3 days to do what I used to get done in 2 days.
People are NOT availabe 24 hours a day. Generally, you need to see business owners between 9 and 5. Typically, individuals do not want to set appointments past about 8 PM.
If I have to see two people, one on the Nebraska border, just off the Pony Express Highway, and then I have to drop by to see someone else in, say Topeka on the way back, that is not a bad day. I could easily squeeze a third appointment into the day, if someone were to call me and needed to see me.
In fact, I have run as many as 5 appointments, in different cities, on the same day.
It does not make much sense to pay Super 8 or Motel 6, to spend the night somewhere, when I can be home in 3 or 4 hours. If I am really tired, and it would be dangerous to drive, then I will get a room. However, I usually drive home at the end of the day.
If you lower the speed limit, those who travel frequently will simply have to travel more.
I will come home, then drive back out, to the same place, the next day!
George Bush’s own words 18 billion barrells. Divide that by 20.7 million per day that is 870 days worth of oil or 2.3 years worth. Still not nearly enough to dismiss the tourism industry’s concerns so quickly.
ANWR may be another story. Shale and expanded refinary capacity can be a good idea. As many say, the devil is in the details.
Still nothing serious from either candidate regarding the Brazilian model for energy independence.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080714/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush
“I will come home, then drive back out, to the same place, the next day!”
—–
Paul, you could stay there as another option. Maybe in a hotel without internet access? ;-) Just a thought.
I make several trips a year to Liberal. A year or so ago, I decided to set my cruise control at 65 mph for a standard highway speed. Before, like most others, I drove 75 in a 70 mph zone, and 70 in a 65. My 2005 Hyundai Sonata got about 25 to 26 mpg, and it took me 3 hours and 40ish minutes to get there.
At 65 mph, it takes me about four hours flat, an extra 20 minutes. My mileage ranges from 29-30 mpg going out there driving into the ever-blowing south/southwest wind, to maybe 32 on the way home with the wind as a tail wind.
That’s pretty close to a 10 percentish improvement. With gas – more expensive in Liberal – real close to $4 a gallon, I figure I’m saving enough for a nice lunch or two during the week. And the extra 40 minutes? Hey, ain’t that big a deal.
Dennis
I find this article exceptional – I’m truly interested in reading more from you…
This is what is driving the United States economy into bankruptcy and could push oil to $500 a barrel.
This reckless toying with the American People’s well being needs to be stopped, by force if necessary.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1001526.html
I have no objection setting standards at 55 miles per hour.
Was funny, back in the day of the 55 mph, I obeyed the law and set the cruise control. I was always seeing the tail lights of cars and trucks.
Radar detectors and the CB radios were as common as cup holders back then. There were literally convoys of law breakers a mile long too.
It’s the ‘tortoise and the hare’ story, some lessons are never learned.
I’ve only had three accidents my entire driving life. And, guess what, the other driver was using excessive speed when they all happened.
It’s good to have low insurance rates when your a good driver. :)
“Regular” struts –
“It’s good to have low insurance rates when your a good driver.”
How fast can a HoveRound go anyway?
How fast can a HoveRound go anyway?
Back in the day I had a behemoth 1967 Dodge Monaco. I called it the ‘Queen Mary’ as it was quite long and glided down the highway like it was floating on water.
The 55 MPH speed limit won’t work for the simple reason that OPEC will just cut production to offset any savings and keep the price of a barrel of oil up.
Isn’t that the same argument you “drill nowhere, drill never” people use whenever the “drill here, drill now ” folks make their case?
Chris
Great point!
Since PRICE is a factor of supply and demand —
Since liberals claim that new supply, domestically, will only be met by OPEC cutting back, on supply to keep prices up —-
Why COULDNT OPEC likewise cut supply if we cut demand?
The libs can not have it both ways.
You have to expect some do gooder will want to take away some of your freedom in the way of setting speed limits. Very few people will drive 55 mph. Some will say don’t drive at all. Politicians want control of all things in our lives.
What is the hang up scientifically or technologically that would raise the CAFE standards. Doesn;t seem it would be a huge scientific breakthrough — is it a carburation issue?
Bill Bradleys book a little while back indicated that if our CAFE standard was 35 mpg we wouldn’t need to imprt any oil —-
or is it just car and oil companies not wanting to ? Congress should be putting more than a little pressure on car companies —
CAFE standards? The only way to make any more changes is to make cars lighter and more dangerous. That, or the public will have to start buying more of the smaller cars, on their own, and fewer of the larger vehicles.
There are physical limits folks.
You can’t just keep pushing the frontiers on these things.
Less steel, more aluminum. Less steel, more plastic.
It is not the ENGINE that is modified, so much, as the entire body of the car.
It will cost more lives, in crash situations, to make our cars lighter than they already are.
econ,
Don’t you ever get tired of spreading falsehoods?
‘Building a Better SUV
A Blueprint for Saving Lives, Money, and Gasoline.’
http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_vehicles/cars_pickups_suvs/building-a-better-suv.html
Read section on light vehicles, page 44 (PDF page 68)
http://www.oilendgame.com/ReadTheBook.html
econ posted July 14, 2008 at 7:11 pm
“Why COULDNT OPEC likewise cut supply if we cut demand?”
————
Assuming OPEC causes oil prices to remain level, some differences are:
* We still pay less, if/when we get higher mpg.
* Less demand on refineries will help lower gas prices.
* Investing for higher mpg is much cheaper than buying oil.
* It helps preserve our small oil reserves for future use.
There’s a simple reason not to do it. All this theorizing about how much oil &/or lives might be saved is irrelevent.
The fact is, people simply will not do it. And a law that is routinely ignored and treated as a joke is worse than no law at all.
Now let’s get serious on some proposals that actually could command relative support, rather than attempting to impose what we know people won’t do.
Or, is it what we’ve always suspected: it’s not about the “policy,” it’s about control. And the liberal need to impose it.
Yes, we could save a little gas by driving 55 mph. But not really that much. America just better get used to the idea of paying alot for gas like the rest of the world has been for many years. Our larger city highways with major traffic problems would benefit more from commuter trains than tweaking the speed limits.
We could build this into cars you know.
That would be kind of cool. There could be governors that would prevent a vehicle from exceeding 55.
What might be even better would be a computer voice….
“Attention, you are wasting gas. Are you really in such a hurry?”
55 increases hours per gallon not miles per gallon.