Quick Energy Fix -- Bring Back the 55 MPH Law?

[Amused]

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/01/business/01oil.html?

http://www.bugmenot.com/

The gist is, (after a bunch of typical NYTimes hand wringing and praising of Europe's gas tax raping of their citizens), that the US should reimpose the 55MPH max speed on all highways to save gas.

Your thoughts?

Also, for a related thread and article on the opposing side, see this:

http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...atid=38&threadid=1575980&enterthread=y

 

[Anubis]

bad idea

and you need to login to the NY times


imposing a law that says all news caes made must get 30+ mpg is a much better idea

 

[Amused]

I know you need to log in, that's why I posted the "gist."

OK, try this:

http://www.bugmenot.com/

 

[CrackRabbit]

Thats a Negative, People drive faster than the speed limits at 70MpH what makes you think they will slow down to 55?
The only thing the 55MpH speed limit did was create a TON of revenue for municipalities by setting up speed traps.
Another thing is that cars are 2 to 2.5 times as efficent as they were in the mid 70s and have no problem sustaining 20(+) to 30MpG on the highway at 70-75MPH.
This move is BS, Pure and Simple.

 

[jpeyton]

Our state's current 65 MPH limit doesn't do anything to stop drivers in the left lane from doing 75-80 MPH.

 

[Lonyo]

How about the Gubment gives tax breaks to more fuel efficient cars? Wouldn't that be simpler? Or increase taxes to less efficient cars (where needed - ie: not haulage trucks, but SUV's and crap which aren't usually necessary)
Or increase gas taxes and encourage people to buy fuel efficient cars to save money.

Persoanlly I wouldn't get anything with less than 40mpg average (in the UK, where diesels are much more efficient and the fuel is easy enough to get, without high taxes, it's easy to get a family car which will do 100mph+ speeds, good acceleration and get 40+mpg under general use)

 

[Gibsons]

Originally posted by: Lonyo
How about the Gubment gives tax breaks to more fuel efficient cars? Wouldn't that be simpler? Or increase taxes to less efficient cars (where needed - ie: not haulage trucks, but SUV's and crap which aren't usually necessary)
Or increase gas taxes and encourage people to buy fuel efficient cars to save money.

I prefer this a million fold to a 55 mph speed limit.

 

[tm37]

My car get 5 MPH better if I drive 65 as opposed to eighty

I have made this reduction without any government laws.

 

[lobadobadingdong]

it won't work, the speed limit in dallas county is 60 (for polution reasons), everyone still drives 90 like they did when the speed limit went up to 70. (coincidentally everyone drove 65 when the speed limit was 55)

 

[lobadobadingdong]

Originally posted by: tm37
My car get 5 MPH better if I drive 65 as opposed to eighty

I have made this reduction without any government laws.

ROLF 5 miles per hour better when you drive 15mph slower eh

 

[Gravity]

The notion is total BS. Gearing and engine rpm's determine mpg. Our technology can move it either way.

I hate speed limits. I wish we had an autobahn....what are we inferior to the germans?

 

[sharkeeper]

I hear that the pens they use to write this nonsense will save a considerable amount of ink if they write slower...

 

[Taggart]

Originally posted by: Gravity
I wish we had an autobahn....what are we inferior to the germans?

No, their standards for acquiring and keeping a license are MUCH more strict.

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: Taggart

Originally posted by: Gravity
I wish we had an autobahn....what are we inferior to the germans?

No, their standards for acquiring and keeping a license are MUCH more strict.

That, and congestion means most of the autobahn does have a speed limit, and is gridlocked much of the day.

 

[StageLeft]

fvck no!!!!!!1

 

[nakedfrog]

Originally posted by: Gravity
I hate speed limits. I wish we had an autobahn....what are we inferior to the germans?

We've got a LOT more roadway that we'd need to make sure was up to snuff.

I'm against the idea of lowering the speed limit. My car already gets 27-31 mpg doing 75-85 mph (and around 20 mpg city), I somehow doubt it's gonna shoot up to 36 mpg by doing 55 on the highway.

 

[EyeMWing]

I get better MPG at higher speeds. 55mph is high RPM. 80 is mid-RPM.

 

[EyeMWing]

Originally posted by: nakedfrog

Originally posted by: Gravity
I hate speed limits. I wish we had an autobahn....what are we inferior to the germans?

We've got a LOT more roadway that we'd need to make sure was up to snuff.

The majority of the interstate system was designed for AT LEAST 80.

 

[Triumph]

Capital Beltway speed limit is 55 mph. NO ONE goes that slow. Obviously speed limits don't matter. Much like the invisible hand of economics, the speed that people travel is guided by what the 85th percentile is comfortable with. That is how speed limits should be set.

 

[Ornery]

I think gasoline should be rationed, like it was during WWII, only not so drastically. I can think of NOTHING more fair, so I doubt Hillary & company will go for it.

 

[Engineer]

Originally posted by: Gravity
The notion is total BS. Gearing and engine rpm's determine mpg. Our technology can move it either way.

I hate speed limits. I wish we had an autobahn....what are we inferior to the germans?

You forgot wind resistance.

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: Engineer

Originally posted by: Gravity
The notion is total BS. Gearing and engine rpm's determine mpg. Our technology can move it either way.

I hate speed limits. I wish we had an autobahn....what are we inferior to the germans?

You forgot wind resistance.

Engineer is correct.

Because of WR, after approximately 45 MPH (give or take a couple MPH, depending on the CD of the car), MPG start dropping.

 

[Triumph]

An engine efficiency map plots efficiency (work output over input) vs. RPM. A typical efficiency map is plotted via throttle load; full, half, three quarters, etc, across the RPM range of the engine. Many engines operate most efficiently at full throttle and low RPM, although every engine's map will look different. This is NOT the same thing as fuel economy. They are independent. A consequence of lowering speed limits to increase fuel economy could be operating the engine in an RPM/throttle range where it is not most efficient. There may very well be many cases where a lower speed will result in better fuel economy, but there are too many factors involved to make a blanket statement that 55 mph would be best. For all anyone knows, 65 mph may produce better fuel economy for the majority of cars. It may be 62 mph. Who knows. Until someone does those exhaustive calculations, I can only go by what my car experiences. And I don't see too much of a difference between 60 and 70 mph.

 

[cavemanmoron]

Originally posted by: Anubis
bad idea

and you need to login to the NY times


imposing a law that says all news caes made must get 30+ mpg is a much better idea

:thumbsdown:
Been there did that,

Back when the average car size was Huge,the aerodynamics and the avg fuel economy
of the cars was much worse than Now.

My parents had a 1972 Ford station wagon,it got 14mpg,at 65-70 mph,and at 55-60
it got 15mpg.

My G/F has a mid 90's Crown Vic,and we took it on a road trip last year.
It got 25-28mpg,with the speed 65-75mph.In W.Virginia,the legal speed is 70mph,on the Interstate I was on.

If you are going on a 2,000 mile trip,and can save 2mpg,vs 6.5 hours,which would you rather do?

2,000 mile trip,divided by 60mph avg speed,= 33.33 hours.
2,000 miles divided by 50mph average,=40 hours !!!!

If you go 55-60 mph,and stop for bathroom,and gas you will be lucky to avg. 50 mph.

I would rather pay an extra $15 for an extra 6-7 gallons of gas,instead of driving an
extra 6.5+ hours.

 

[WiseOldDude]

You want to drive 55, it is a free world, drive 55.

BUT GET OFF THE FRIGGING INTERSTATE AND GET THE HECK OUTA MY WAY!