Here's One For The Guy's In the Fast Lane

[luvrbus]

Texas is raising the speed limit to 85 mph in certain areas you can air that old Detroit at 85 mph, just right for Sonnie Gray and the old Cat he can use 4th gear now lol

good luck

[Lin]

I don't like to speed.  I generally stay at 80 mph (that's a car ,not a bus).

[boxcarOkie]

Texas is raising the speed limit to 85 mph in certain areas you can air that old Detroit at 85 mph, just right for Sonnie Gray and the old Cat he can use 4th gear now lol

good luck

Raising the speed-limit is one thing, fixing the crumbling highway system is another.  Texas generally speaking has better roads the most of the country, but I cannot see myself taking advantage of this, even with a turbo-fuel guzzling Big Horse Detroit (I have Sonnie's permission to say that, he fixed my throttle servo awhile back).  I think for my part, I will just sit back, listen to my CD's and piddle the days away.  Leave the high-speed antic's for those on the German Auto-Ban.

BCO

Possibly related:  "All this new Hot Iron imported out of Detroit, buckin and snortin', high-horse macho machines, ready to hit the highway.  Texas I understand has just raised its speed limits to 85 miles miles per hour in some sections of their state ... all of it there for the taking ... Just takes a $4 gallon of gasoline to make it all happen ....  Here I sit, in my ten year old hoopie, stuck on the on ramp.  Oh well, it could be worse, I could be for instance, find myself being called to prayer seven times a day and standing on the sidewalk in Detroit."  http://boxcarokie.com/2011/04/08/hot-iron/

[Jeremy]

So does the new limit apply to all vehicles? 85mph is nothing in a car, but is a significant speed in something the size and weight of a bus, especially those in the hands of non-professional drivers.

It's gratifying - and unusual -  to see speed limits being raised in these politically-correct times. While Europe does generally have high speed limits (or occasionally no limits at all), those limits only apply to cars, and lower limits automatically apply if it is raining.

I've no idea how well speed limits are enforced or respected in Texas, but the usual arguement against raising limits is the psychological effect it has - if the average speed is 85mph in a 70mph limit (typical here), raising the limit to 85mph will make many drivers feel comfortable and justified in exceeding 100mph. (And personally speaking I'd be one of them, given a good road and the right traffic conditions. 100mph is certainly well with the capabilities of most modern cars, and my experience is that the high concentration levels required at that speed makes for good and safe drivers).

And as an alternative argument in favour of higher speed limits - I read a persuasive piece quite recently which linked the existence of no-limit stretches of German autobahns to the technological pre-eminence of German auto makers.

Jeremy

[chev49]

I wish the would raise the speed limits on all freeways across the usa, simply because the geat cars we have now are so much better than 30 or 40 yrs ago. My Amanti wants to run about 85 all the time.... so to restrain myself i gotta drive my 49 chevy or the fairmont...

[Iceni John]

Now, would the oil companies be behind this initiative?   After all, who would benefit the most from the increased fuel consumption resulting from these higher speeds?   No, of course not, silly of me to even think that, laws are never changed to benefit one particular entity or industry, certainly not here.

One can only imagine the carnage from allowing A) SUVs to travel that fast (they are already some of the most dangerous vehicles on the road), and B) letting most typically inept and distracted drivers travel that fast.   Texas ain't Germany.

What is also dangerous isn't speed per se, but the difference of speeds between the fastest and slowest vehicles sharing a road.   There could be us bus folk chugging along at 60 or so, and cars going 50% faster.   This will only work safely if very high standards of lane discipline are followed by all drivers all the time  -  yeah, dream on.  

John

[zimtok]

The type of vehicle is the most determining factor in how fast I drive.

1. My bus has a top speed of 63mph I would feel better if it could go 70mph keeping me with the flow of traffic better.
2. My "94" dodge truck can go 100+mph but I feel that 80mph is about as fast as I feel safe as a cruising speed. Above that I'm just doing in spurts to pass slower traffic.
3. My "65" GTO can go 100+mph but with the gearing it has just getting to 70mph the engine is running at 3,000 rpm so I usually run at about 60mph. I'm saving for an overdrive transmission so I can cruise as a higher speed.
4. My Triumph motorcycle has a top speed of about 135mph at which point the rev limiter kicks in but I could easily go 85-90mph and feel comfortable doing it.


.

[zimtok]

Now, would the oil companies be behind this initiative?   After all, who would benefit the most from the increased fuel consumption resulting from these higher speeds?   No, of course not, silly of me to even think that, laws are never changed to benefit one particular entity or industry, certainly not here.

One can only imagine the carnage from allowing A) SUVs to travel that fast (they are already some of the most dangerous vehicles on the road), and B) letting most typically inept and distracted drivers travel that fast.   Texas ain't Germany.

What is also dangerous isn't speed per se, but the difference of speeds between the fastest and slowest vehicles sharing a road.   There could be us bus folk chugging along at 60 or so, and cars going 50% faster.   This will only work safely if very high standards of lane discipline are followed by all drivers all the time  -  yeah, dream on.  

John

Oil companies would never do something like that...

It could be that the higher speed limits are just one more way to help reduce the population.

Maybe they should raise the minimum speed limit also....



.

[Jeremy]

Now, would the oil companies be behind this initiative?   After all, who would benefit the most from the increased fuel consumption resulting from these higher speeds?   No, of course not, silly of me to even think that, laws are never changed to benefit one particular entity or industry, certainly not here.

One can only imagine the carnage from allowing A) SUVs to travel that fast (they are already some of the most dangerous vehicles on the road), and B) letting most typically inept and distracted drivers travel that fast.   Texas ain't Germany.

What is also dangerous isn't speed per se, but the difference of speeds between the fastest and slowest vehicles sharing a road.   There could be us bus folk chugging along at 60 or so, and cars going 50% faster.   This will only work safely if very high standards of lane discipline are followed by all drivers all the time  -  yeah, dream on.  

John

I don't disagree with anything you say here, but I look at it from the other way around:- expect more, and you will get more. If people expect to be able to travel at 85mph (safely, economically & comfortably), then the automakers will provide the vehicles to do it. Likewise, roads and driving standard will be dragged up too.

You can buy four-door family cars from Audi, BMW, Mercedes etc that will happily sit at 160mph all day long. SUVs from Land Rover and Porsche will do the same at 140mph. And they'll do so whilst meeting extremely strict environmental and safety standards. Texas could be Germany, if you wanted it to be. Getting there is just a matter of setting the right expectations.

Jeremy

[luvrbus]

Trucks will be limited to 75 mph and 65 at night cars and buses will be 70 at night, 100 mph would be good between El Paso and Junction Tx lol worst 220 miles you can drive nothing there fwiw Texas don't give you but 5 mph over the speed limit where it is 80 mph now don't ask how I know that

good luck

[Cary and Don]

We just drove that for the first time.  We are used to California speed.  At first 80 was really fast.  Then we set the cruise control.  Everyone set their cruise control and there wasn't any slow car, fast car log jams.  We think it was actually safer at the higher speeds with everyone doing the same speed.  There seems to be a speed that drivers won't go over no matter what the sign says.  That appears to be around 80mph.  The truck drivers seemed to have their limits too.  That appeared to be around 75mph when the wind wasn't blowing.  We think that the difference between the cars doing 80 and the trucks doing 75 isn't as bad as California and the cars doing 70 and the trucks doing 55.

The roads out there are a lot better.  When we got to California we had to tape our cabinet doors shut the roads were so rough.

1973 05 Eagle
4107 GMC
Neoplan AN340

[fe2_o3]

The speed law that tickled the wife was (I believe) in Cal. No unoccupied vehicle can go over 60 mph... Those with toads will understand..Cable

[John316]

Now that is news. Bring it on! 85, yes!

I wonder how ours would do. I know 80 easy, but I imagine 85, on fairly level ground, would be no problem.

Thanks for letting us know.

God bless,

John

[boxcarOkie]

Now that is news. Bring it on! 85, yes!

I wonder how ours would do. I know 80 easy, but I imagine 85, on fairly level ground, would be no problem.

Thanks for letting us know.

God bless,

John

Should be greaat!  Until either the left front or right front let's go, and then it's like the jumpsuit guys sings ... Off To The Promised Land.

BCO

[Red Rider]

FWIW Utah has sections of I-15 in the southern part o.f the State that are also 85 MPH speed limit