More on Texas' 85-mph speed limit

"Perhaps by 2030 we'll be able to lawfully drive as fast as we should have been allowed to drive back in 1990. But don't count on it. There's too much revenue at stake."

and ...

"If it was "safe" and "reasonable" for a 1958 Chevy with drum brakes and bias-plys [and independent suspension, non-independent rear axle, anti-sway bars, etc.) to operate at 70, what of a 2013 Chevy with high-performance four-wheel disc brakes and 17-inch alloy wheels shod with modern radials designed for safe travel at continuous speeds in excess of 130 MPH? There isn't a new (or recent vintage) car that isn't inherently safer (more controllable, less likely to crash) at 90 MPH than any car of 1958 -- or

1968 (or 1978) -- was at 70. Yet speed limits are, for the most part, just about back to where they were circa 1970."

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Reply to
HeyBub
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The problem with driving at 85 mph is that, even a small ripple or object on the road will make my truck lurch and I will spill my beer !!!!!

Reply to
Robert

Regardless how good the cars are made, I think the weak point is people's reflexes and reaction times. The only fallacy to this is that I have also seen speed limits change back and forth for given stretches of roads. FWIW, many years ago I was told out in west Texas, people used to drive at 90+ mph minimum tho the speed limit was less. This was where it was desert and straight boring roads.

Reply to
Doug

The difference is the drivers in 1958 were not busy texting.

Reply to
diy savant

On the other hand- the most important piece of equipment in autos has gone *way* downhill. There were no cup holders, cell phones, GPS's, laptops, or noise canceling headphones in the cars of the 70's.

Too many drivers are doing too many things other than driving- so the rest of us need to be hyper alert to look out for them.

Jim

Reply to
Jim Elbrecht

Not to mention having to put my book down to correct the steering!

Harry K

Reply to
Harry K

Re rflexes/reaction time. Those went out the window when it became standard to tailgate. 90% of the cars I see in moderate to dense traffic are way to close. Just eyeball the next clump of cars you see.

Re 90+ Back then, just as today, such claims are 90% BS I spent many years in the 60/70s in Central Tex (San Angelo/San Antonio) Traffic on those wide open, straight streches were the usual 'posted plus 10%' which is common in every state

I live on a major 2 lane hiway and edveryone says "drive 65 and you'll get run over (posted is 60). Odd, I hit that highway for a 50mile trip, set my speedo at 64/65 and will be passed at most by two vehicles and will pass maybe 3 in that 50 miles.

Harry K

Reply to
Harry K

No difference, the morons still drive as fast as they would if not texting, etc.

Harry K

Reply to
Harry K

I won't even talk on my cellphone while driving, if I answer it I tell the caller, "I'm driving and I'll call you when I reach my destination." If it's an emergency, I pull over to the side of the road and talk to them. I spend half my drive time dodging yackers and texters who are an extremely hazardous impediment to the efficient flow of traffic. O_o

TDD

Reply to
The Daring Dufas

Try driving 4-5 MPH over the limit on many highways and you'll be holding up traffic. Most 65 MPH highways I drive on run at 75 and higher.

On one major 65 MPH interstate that I drive on a lot, I set the cruise to

74 and drive right past the troopers in the medium. I gave up slowing down when I see them many years ago because they obviously allow 74. I typically drive in the left lane, moving to the right only when someone approaches from the rear at a higher speed. I don't see the sense in moving left-right-left all the time when driving 74 will mean that I will be passing a lot of - but certainly not all - cars.
Reply to
DerbyDad03

I don't even look to see who called until I get where I'm going. I'm not a cardiac surgeon, so I assume that a few minutes one way or the other is inconsequential.

More amazing is that my 25 yr old son is the same way! [Daughter not so much-- she has the 'hands free' setup-- but IMO spends too much time on it.]

Jim

Reply to
Jim Elbrecht

Ever drove on German Auto Bahn?

Reply to
Tony Hwang

Well, the only time I may use the phone while driving is when I'm getting directions in real time but not at 80mph and certainly not in heavy traffic. ^_^

TDD

Reply to
The Daring Dufas

Illegal in the UK to use hand held cellphone while driving, has been for years. Or any other device

Reply to
harry

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Reply to
harry

I did the same on I-71 going to Austin and back....set my cruise to 74 and drove by state troopers with no problem. I usually stayed in the right lane unless I needed to pass. Of course there are some who pass me up.

Reply to
Doug

I don't see a problem with 85 or even 95 under the right conditions. Daylight, dry, relatively straight road with easy curves, good tires and suspension.

Some drivers though, do stupid things. Just last week I was doing 95 and was about to pass a slower (about 95) car and he changed lanes with no signal. I just went around him, but he would have made it safer with a blink of the turn signal so I knew where he would be when I got to him.

Reply to
Ed Pawlowski

On Sun, 18 Nov 2012 10:19:26 -0600, The Daring Dufas

I tried using my phone in the car but I ran out of cord before I even got out of the driveway.

Reply to
gfretwell

Yea but do the gals still.... you know, while the guy is driving? O_o

TDD

Reply to
The Daring Dufas

There are chargers that plug into the cigarette lighter socket. O_o

TDD

Reply to
The Daring Dufas

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