Texas increases Speed Limit to 80mph on certain roads.

[MikeMike]

Texas increases speed to 80 mph on some roads
By Hugh Aynesworth
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Published May 30, 2006

DALLAS -- One of the fleetest critters in western Texas, so they say, is the kooky-looking bird called the chaparral, or "roadrunner." The main tourist attraction in Fort Stockton is a huge statue of an 11-by-22-foot roadrunner called Paisano Pete, who greets visitors from atop the town's "Welcome" sign.

But on parts of Interstate Highways 10 and 20 around Fort Stockton -- heading west toward El Paso and east toward San Antonio and Dallas -- the gawky bird no longer will be the fastest thing going.

Last week, state highway officials in Fort Stockton unveiled the first 80-mph speed limit sign -- reportedly the fastest posted speed limit in the nation.

Rep. Pete Gallego, who represents a district bigger than Connecticut, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Rhode Island combined and sponsored the bill, said it will only add to the comfort of drivers who travel the desolate highway.

"Probably the only difference might be that police write fewer speeding tickets," he said.

Some safety officials and energy conservationists predict the additional speed allowance can mean nothing but more fatal accidents.

"People don't survive crashes at that speed," said Tom Smith, director of the Texas office for Public Citizen, a consumer advocacy organization.

"This will result in more deaths," said Russ Rader, spokesman for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. "You get somewhere faster, but at what cost?"

Mr. Gallego said Texas Department of Transportation specialists had studied the situation and found that in the three years since the speed limit in that area was increased from 70 to 75 mph, the number of fatalities had actually dropped.

The highways, among the most remote in the U.S., are generally four-lane, well-maintained and straight as an arrow mile after mile. It is often 10 to 15 miles between exit ramps. The affected highways total about 400 miles.

Although much of the traffic on these east-west thoroughfares is heavy freight-bearing trucks, the limit remains 70 mph for them. The speed limit at night for all drivers is 65 mph.

State transportation officials say they tested the effects of the new law before it was even passed in the Legislature and found that 85 percent of drivers traveling in that area already were driving between 76 and 79 mph.

Told that some opponents say that most American drivers routinely drive 5 to 10 miles over the marked speed limit and that police officers generally allow at least a 5 mph leeway, Mr. Gallego laughed: "Doesn't work that way out here. We've got some really lonely stretches of highways out here. If the speed limit is 65 and they catch you going 66, they'll stop you, just to have somebody to talk to."

http://www.washtimes.com/national/20060529-114012-8197r.htm

:thumbsup:

 

[waggy]

NOO! that waste gas and is deadly!

 

[K1052]

Maybe someday they will change the posted limits on the highways here to anything below Mach 1 to reflect reality.

 

[notfred]

The people that oppose raising speed limits are delusional. Here in California, the speed limit is 65, and people all drive 85 in the fast lane anyway. Yeah, rasing the speed limit would kill so many people :roll:.

 

[AMDZen]

Originally posted by: notfred
The people that oppose raising speed limits are delusional. Here in California, the speed limit is 65, and people all drive 85 in the fast lane anyway. Yeah, rasing the speed limit would kill so many people :roll:.

QFT

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: notfred
The people that oppose raising speed limits are delusional. Here in California, the speed limit is 65, and people all drive 85 in the fast lane anyway. Yeah, rasing the speed limit would kill so many people :roll:.

we all know when you go over 55 the chances of death are 1300000% higher per MPH over!

Not to mention gas miliage is 100X worse!

 

[Thraxen]

Originally posted by: notfred
The people that oppose raising speed limits are delusional. Here in California, the speed limit is 65, and people all drive 85 in the fast lane anyway. Yeah, rasing the speed limit would kill so many people :roll:.

The obvious counter to that is that when you raise the speed limit people will drive the over the speed limit by the same amount they are now.

Note: I'm not against the speed increase, just pointing out the obvious, and IMO true, counter argument.

 

[GuitarDaddy]

All show🙁

The sections of highway that they changed are out in the middle of nowhere, going to nowhere. Probably 12 people a month travel out there😕

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: MIKEMIKE
"People don't survive crashes at that speed," said Tom Smith, director of the Texas office for Public Citizen, a consumer advocacy organization.

Whereas 75 MPH crashes, on the other hand...😕

 

[AMDZen]

Originally posted by: Thraxen

Originally posted by: notfred
The people that oppose raising speed limits are delusional. Here in California, the speed limit is 65, and people all drive 85 in the fast lane anyway. Yeah, rasing the speed limit would kill so many people :roll:.

The obvious counter to that is that when you raise the speed limit people will drive the over the speed limit by the same amount they are now.

Note: I'm not against the speed increase, just pointing out the obvious, and IMO true, counter argument.

I don't think thats true. Once its 80, most people don't drive faster then 85. Honestly, I don't pay much attention to speed limits, I know I know the law doesn't apply to me, whatever. My point is that most people aren't going to be comfortable after 85 or so. Where as people who are comfortable over that speed (85) are going to drive over that speed regardless of speed limit - like myself

 

[notfred]

Originally posted by: Thraxen

Originally posted by: notfred
The people that oppose raising speed limits are delusional. Here in California, the speed limit is 65, and people all drive 85 in the fast lane anyway. Yeah, rasing the speed limit would kill so many people :roll:.

The obvious counter to that is that when you raise the speed limit people will drive the over the speed limit by the same amount they are now.

Note: I'm not against the speed increase, just pointing out the obvious, and IMO true, counter argument.

That's only true to the point where people stop feeling comfortable going faster. I don't think that if they raised the limit to 85, people would drive 105. Even the fastest people on the road right now don't typically go faster than 95. I think the mid 90s is about where most people would top out if there wasn't a speed limit at all.

 

[Thraxen]

Originally posted by: AMDZen

Originally posted by: Thraxen

Originally posted by: notfred
The people that oppose raising speed limits are delusional. Here in California, the speed limit is 65, and people all drive 85 in the fast lane anyway. Yeah, rasing the speed limit would kill so many people :roll:.

The obvious counter to that is that when you raise the speed limit people will drive the over the speed limit by the same amount they are now.

Note: I'm not against the speed increase, just pointing out the obvious, and IMO true, counter argument.

I don't think thats true. Once its 80, most people don't drive faster then 85. Honestly, I don't pay much attention to speed limits, I know I know the law doesn't apply to me, whatever. My point is that most people aren't going to be comfortable after 85 or so. Where as people who are comfortable over that speed (85) are going to drive over that speed regardless of speed limit - like myself

There is truth to that. I'm sure people will reach a speed at which they no longer feel more comfortable going faster, but you can rest assured that many people will indeed drive faster.

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: notfred

Originally posted by: Thraxen

Originally posted by: notfred
The people that oppose raising speed limits are delusional. Here in California, the speed limit is 65, and people all drive 85 in the fast lane anyway. Yeah, rasing the speed limit would kill so many people :roll:.

The obvious counter to that is that when you raise the speed limit people will drive the over the speed limit by the same amount they are now.

Note: I'm not against the speed increase, just pointing out the obvious, and IMO true, counter argument.

That's only true to the point where people stop feeling comfortable going faster. I don't think that if they raised the limit to 85, people would drive 105. Even the fastest people on the road right now don't typically go faster than 95. I think the mid 90s is about where most people would top out if there wasn't a speed limit at all.

yeap i agree with this. i usually go about 90mph depending on other traffic and the car.

 

[AMDZen]

Originally posted by: Thraxen

Originally posted by: AMDZen

Originally posted by: Thraxen

Originally posted by: notfred
The people that oppose raising speed limits are delusional. Here in California, the speed limit is 65, and people all drive 85 in the fast lane anyway. Yeah, rasing the speed limit would kill so many people :roll:.

The obvious counter to that is that when you raise the speed limit people will drive the over the speed limit by the same amount they are now.

Note: I'm not against the speed increase, just pointing out the obvious, and IMO true, counter argument.

I don't think thats true. Once its 80, most people don't drive faster then 85. Honestly, I don't pay much attention to speed limits, I know I know the law doesn't apply to me, whatever. My point is that most people aren't going to be comfortable after 85 or so. Where as people who are comfortable over that speed (85) are going to drive over that speed regardless of speed limit - like myself

There is truth to that. I'm sure people will reach a speed at which they no longer feel more comfortable going faster, but you can rest assured that many people will indeed drive faster.

But as I said, those people who will drive faster, will drive faster any way. Such as myself. I'll drive 90 in a 55, I'll drive 90 in a 65, or 75 mph speed limit area. I just drive around 90 because thats the speed I like to drive. Asssuming its safe to do so of course and only on high ways, some highways get jampacked. But there are highways around here that have 50 mph speed limit and some that still have 55. So taken from this article, where the guy says "this will simply result in less tickets." I think thats 100% true because people usually drive at the speed their comfortable at. I see people around here on high ways that are 75 now, still driving 65 or sometimes slower. Its because their not comfortable doing 75. Those people are the real danger on the road, the people who are driving slower then the posted speed limit

 

[Babbles]

Weee, my turn to be a REPOST Nazi!

Being that I made the original thread I must do this to help boost my poor self esteem. Then I am going to get a margarita so I can lower the bar and as a result not have to boost my self esteem quite as high.

 

[Britboy]

80MPH is really not a high speed for your average car today. On roads like that I would drive between 100-120 if I wasn't worried about getting thrown in PMITA prison if caught.

 

[CaptnKirk]

They already drive that fast in the parking lots, why not let them take it to the road.

 

[trmiv]

They need to do this for most of highway 5 here in California

 

[spacejamz]

Edit: must have skipped over Babbles post...ooopsss😱

they are gonna do this way in West Texas on I10 and I30 in the middle of nowhere...

not gonna even come close to metro areas like Dallas, Houston or Austin...nothing to get too excited about...move along..

 

[EatSpam]

Originally posted by: waggy

Originally posted by: notfred
The people that oppose raising speed limits are delusional. Here in California, the speed limit is 65, and people all drive 85 in the fast lane anyway. Yeah, rasing the speed limit would kill so many people :roll:.

we all know when you go over 55 the chances of death are 1300000% higher per MPH over!

Not to mention gas miliage is 100X worse!

Maybe in your 1974 Ford Crapster... I get better mileage at 75 than at 55.

 

[SithSolo1]

Still too low 🙁

 

[CaptnKirk]

Originally posted by: spacejamz
Edit: must have skipped over Babbles post...ooopsss😱

they are gonna do this way in West Texas on I10 and I30 in the middle of nowhere...

not gonna even come close to metro areas like Dallas, Houston or Austin...nothing to get too excited about...move along..

Between Fort Worth and Dallas, while it may not be the standard, it is close to the norm, and a big moneymaker for the area police.

 

[thomsbrain]

Originally posted by: notfred
The people that oppose raising speed limits are delusional. Here in California, the speed limit is 65, and people all drive 85 in the fast lane anyway. Yeah, rasing the speed limit would kill so many people :roll:.

the last time we raised the limit, fatalities per mile dropped considerably, a pattern that has been pretty consistent across the nation. higher limits = less deaths, because it encourages the do-gooders to drive the flow of traffic, while research shows that the speeders don't change their speed at all. less difference in speeds means safer driving.

 

[thomsbrain]

Originally posted by: Thraxen

Originally posted by: notfred
The people that oppose raising speed limits are delusional. Here in California, the speed limit is 65, and people all drive 85 in the fast lane anyway. Yeah, rasing the speed limit would kill so many people :roll:.

The obvious counter to that is that when you raise the speed limit people will drive the over the speed limit by the same amount they are now.

Note: I'm not against the speed increase, just pointing out the obvious, and IMO true, counter argument.

your opinon is unfortunately false, as research has shown. for example, the montana highway patrol said average speeds didn't rise significantly when they abolished speed limits entirely, let alone raised it. for the most part, people don't speed up, they just stop being criminalized for driving safely.

 

[buck]

There are alot of roads that i have been on in Michigan that the posted limit is 80, kinda cool actually.