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From: jan@hou2g.UUCP (J.NAGEL)
Newsgroups: net.bicycle
Subject: Re: 55 mph speed limit
Message-ID: <469@hou2g.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 13-May-85 16:37:06 EDT
Article-I.D.: hou2g.469
Posted: Mon May 13 16:37:06 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 14-May-85 20:44:51 EDT
References: <2097@decwrl.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Holmdel NJ
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<<	So, my questions are: would bicyclists elsewhere be placed in more
<<	danger if the speed limit on limited access highways were allowed
<<	to go up?   Would people in your area stand for allowing the speed
<<	limit to go up ONLY on limited access highways?  Would bicyclists
<<	be placed in appreciably more danger if their non-limited access
<<	roads got higher speed limits (I seem to remember a 65 mph limit on
<<	one narrow road in Michigan back in '64 when I lived in Ann Arbor.)	  
The answers are "NO" to the first question and "YES" to the next two.

Because of the 55 MPH limit on limited access roads, there is widespread
contempt and disregard for this law, even on the side roads that I as
a bicylist use.  There should be no question that driving faster
increases the risk of serious injury to drivers and also to bikers
travelling the same road.  If there were a higher speed limit on limited
access roads that bikers can't go on anyway, lower speed limits (i.e. 55 MPH)
would be more enforceable and more palatable on the side roads.

In addition, a higher speed limit on limited access roads would be good
for bicyclists because more fossil fuel would be used up,
making driving more expensive and reducing car traffic.

	Jon Nagel
	..hou2g!jan