Should consumers brace for a return to the double-nickel?
Spurred by high fuel prices, New Jersey governor Jon Corzine has introduced a plan to decrease fuel prices that would bring back the 55 MPH speed limit. OK, so it's only a proposal, and it's only one state, but pundits suggest that something like this could spread like wildfire in today's current tinder-like political climate. (As evidence of how weird everything tends to get when prices at the pump jump up, note that Republicans are suggesting oil companies pay a windfall tax to support a $100 fuel rebate).
As The Auto Prophet points out, fuel prices haven't really resulted in people driving under the current speed limit, so such a move would seem to make little sense from a practical standpoint. Of course, cognitive reasoning rarely gets in the way of a successful career in politics, though.
Sammy Hagar could not be reached for comment.
[Source: The Daily Record]
Get a WordPress.com Blog
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 9)
Riker 1:13PM (5/04/2006)
I'm sure the practicality of the plan has nothing to do with prices encouraging drivers to pilot their vehicles at more 'economic' speeds; if anything, they want to generate more speeding ticket revenue and use that money to offset gas taxes. At least, that's how I would propose to do it.
Reply
Finished.Law.School 1:16PM (5/04/2006)
Jon Corzone sounds completely inept. I'd love to hear him rationalize this...
Reply
Ford Mustang 1:17PM (5/04/2006)
Lowering the speed limit will only do one thing; put money in the governments pockets.
It will not result in the majority of drivers driving slower, and it will not save fuel. All it will do is increase the number of speeding tickets.
Reply
Ed Kapuscinski 1:19PM (5/04/2006)
Instead of lowering speed limits, maybe they should work to eliminate some red lights & stop signs.
I bet more gas is wasted stopping and starting at those than is eaten between 55 & 85 mph...
Reply
Judd 1:22PM (5/04/2006)
I would do it if that big rig and SUV is willing to not RUN ME OVER!
Reply
Corey W. 1:26PM (5/04/2006)
Riker,
I agree, nothing more is needed than "suggesting" people drive at a lower speed to save money. Officially lowering the speed limit is just going to increase the chances of Road Rage... More Road rage would me higher health care cost, more tickets, which will increase insurance premiums....etc. This country won't be happy till everyone is riding around on hybrid tri-cycles
Reply
Richard Warren 1:26PM (5/04/2006)
One foot on the brake and one on the gas, hey!
Well, there's too much traffic, I can't pass, no!
So I tried my best illegal move
Well, baby, black and white come and touched my groove again!
Gonna write me up a 125
Post my face wanted dead or alive
Take my license, all that jive
I can't drive 55! Oh No!
Uh!
So I signed my name on number 24, hey!
Yeah the judge said, "Boy, just one more
We're gonna throw your ass in the city joint"
Looked me in the eye, said, "You get my point?"
I said Yea!, Oh yea!
Write me up a 125
Post my face wanted dead or alive
Take my license, all that jive
I can't drive 55!
Oh, yea!
I can't drive 55!
I can't drive 55!
I can't drive 55!
I can't drive 55!
Uh!
(Solo)
When I drive that slow, you know it's hard to steer.
And I can't get get my care out of second gear.
What used to take two hours now takes all day. Huh!
It took me 16 hours to get to L.A.
Gonna write me up a 125
Post my face wanted dead or alive
Take my license, all that jive
I can't drive 55!
No, no no,
I can't drive...
(I can't drive 55!)
I can't drive...
(I can't drive 55!)
I can't drive 55!
Good ole Sammy, get ready to break it out again
Reply
Philip Dunlop 1:27PM (5/04/2006)
It's 8 years since I've been in the US and so I'm a little ignorant on the subject, but what is the current speed limit and when was it changed from 55 mph?
Surely the cost in replacing infrastructure (signs, etc) would offset any potentially gained revenue from speeding tickets for, well, quite a while. I live in Ireland, which is a much smaller country, and we recently switched our speed limit signage to kilometres per hour (because it's pretty fucking pointless having limits in mph while direction/distance signs remain in kilometres), and the cost of the changeover, as well as the literature which had to be sent to every house in the country as a way of educating the people about the changeover, ran into the tens of millions. Ireland is a country of comparable size to West Virginia (or slightly larger, according to the CIA World Factbook), so I'm sure the cost of doing it in across the country, or even in one state, since West Virginia ain't exactly behemoth, would be excessive, borderlining on impractical.
Reply
David 1:39PM (5/04/2006)
In my state the limit on the interstate is 70. I've started driving at 70 instead of my usual 80 and I've noticed two differences; I use less gas and I have stay in the right lane. If our limit was 55 and they enforced it the way they enforce the current limit, we'd all be doing 70 so I don't have much to lose.
Reply
Jellodyne 1:44PM (5/04/2006)
Tell you what, let's calibrate this. Find out how much fuel a GMC Yukon uses in a mile at 55 MPH, and then I'll limit the fuel use in my Accord per mile to the same. Only I'll be going 90.
Reply
pavster 1:44PM (5/04/2006)
Around Boston, most of the highways are still 55. Does anyone drive 55? Of course not; more like 75-80.
I agree with #2; improving the traffic light system would go a long way toward reducing gas consumption; around here, each light is on its own, so you end up stopping at pretty much every other one.
Reply
mickster 1:44PM (5/04/2006)
Keep the limits high or the traffic won't move and more polllution will be created and gasoline/diesel wasted.
Like Texan signs say:"Keep Texas Moving." so that some dumb yokel in the left lane isn't driving 40 MPH holding up the flow...
Reply
Edsel 1:53PM (5/04/2006)
Hey, everyone!!
Let's lower the speed interstate speed limit to 10 mph, we'll save lots of gas and lives! Even the ever speedy Amish would finally be permitted to travel the interstate.
http://www.csun.edu/~vfgeo008/DSCN0977.JPG
Just remember to carry a shovel.
Reply
bgdc 1:57PM (5/04/2006)
I've ripped off 30 mpg while running 95-100 from SF to LA or San Diego to Vegas. 55 mph isn't very efficient with some cars - I'd have to drop to 5th or maybe 4th to not lug my engine at those speeds.
Reply
Howard Kerr 2:02PM (5/04/2006)
The speed limit on the "urban loop" around here was 65 mph until you left the city limits where it went up to 70. (Cops sit on the edge of the interstate where the speed changes so they can nab folks who speed up early leaving town or don't slow down entering town.)
A few months ago, the speed limit for TRUCKS ONLY was reduced to 55 in a very feeble attempt to get this area into pollution compliance. Trucks and cars were doing and CONTINUE to do 70+ mph. For whatever reason state governments lower the speed limit, they will not see a reduction in gas usage because it will take TWICE as many cops to enforce the new/ridiculous speed limit.
By the way, I love those signs in Virginia that say "speed checked by electronic devices". What? My speed might be checked by a TV or microwave oven?
Reply
glitched 2:20PM (5/04/2006)
Going off the traffic light argument...
Id like to see more round-a-bouts, id think that would help to.
Reply
Philip Dunlop 2:26PM (5/04/2006)
Round-a-bouts don't help! For hoons, it's just a reason to speed up. They're only useful if there are five or more roads diverging upon one point and a standard traffic junction becomes too complex. They were never intended to reduce speed, and certainly won't reduce emissions.
Reply
Alex 2:28PM (5/04/2006)
Hey New Jersey, Texas did that already. The strech of highway 6 before the 290 was dropped down to 55 from 70 for the same reason. Later they did a study and showed that there was little benefit, so they raised the speed back to 70. All the better for me.
Reply
Sean Flanagan 2:40PM (5/04/2006)
Mr. Corzine (not Corzone) also proposed to increase statewide spending by $3+ billion to an all-time record of $31.9 billion, increasing taxes by $1.9 billion. Given that the state already had a budget deficit of a few billion dollars, I can see where he's coming from on this: cut spending for emergency services and give them a way to make that money back by increasing ticket revenues, and tell the citizens that it's for the benefit of gas mileage.
Oh wait, Corzine wouldn't cut spending on anything...
Reply
TheOne442 2:53PM (5/04/2006)
Round-a-bouts are fun to test g forces though!
Reply