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From: wfi@rti-sel.UUCP (William Ingogly)
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: They Can't Drive 55
Message-ID: <420@rti-sel.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 23-Sep-85 13:46:09 EDT
Article-I.D.: rti-sel.420
Posted: Mon Sep 23 13:46:09 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 25-Sep-85 03:27:39 EDT
Distribution: net
Organization: Research Triangle Institute, NC
Lines: 51

Most states in the U.S.A. have cracked down on drunk driving with a 
vengeance in response to public outcry. As a consequence, most people 
are changing their behavior in response to the severe penalties that 
result from a DUI or DWI conviction. I've been noticing a related 
phenomenon lately, however, that has me puzzled.

We've had a nationwide maximum speed limit of 55 miles per hour since
1973. As you'll recall, that speed limit was instituted in response to
the so-called 'energy crisis.' Various arguments supporting the 55 MPH
speed limit were offered over the years; most of them pointed to
reduced traffic fatalities as a result of lower highway speeds. 

Many Americans seem unhappy with the 55 MPH speed limit. Sammy Hagar,
who seems to be a right-wing rock and roller of the 'populist' stripe,
had a hit last year with his song "I Can't Drive 55." As I recall, 
Ronald Reagan promised that he would do away with the 55 MPH speed limit 
when he became president. Since then, I've heard precious little about
doing away with this law.

All this suggest several questions that net.politics people might want
to batter about (whoops, I meant banter, really I did ;-):

   1. Why has Ronald Reagan abandoned his promised destruction
      of the 55 MPH speed limit? Why is no one calling him on it?

   2. Automobiles can be engineered to get good gas mileage at
      higher speeds, so the original motive behind the limit
      is not as important as it once was. True or false?

   3. Are fewer lives REALLY lost on our highways due to the
      lower speed limit? What about interstate highways as
      opposed to secondary roads?

   4. Finally, it seems to me that Americans are by and large
      IGNORING the 55 MPH limit and driving as fast as they want
      to on our interstate highways. This is a fairly recent
      phenomenon. The 'virtual' speed limit on many highways
      seems to be about 65 MPH, and a sizeable minority seems to
      be driving at 70 MPH or higher. You're a genuine HAZARD if
      you attempt to obey the law. When people spot a speed trap,
      they typically slow down to 60 MPH but I've even seen 
      situations where the cops would only bust people travelling
      at 65 MPH+. Why haven't I seen this commented on by the
      media? Has anyone else noticed this phenomenon? If Mr. and
      Mrs. Joe Average are so keen on law and order, how do they
      rationalize their selective breaking of this law? And most
      importantly, doesn't anyone else think the near-hysteria
      regarding drunk driving is a little hypocritical when NO 
      ONE SEEMS TO CARE ABOUT THE DAMNED SPEEDERS??

                            -- Cheers, Bill Ingogly


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