So, taking the USA as a whole, is the highest speed limit anywhere 55mph?
I think i would actually die of boredom at that speed on the motorway.

Nope. There is a stretch of road not far from my house that has a 70mph limit. And it is a rather narrow 2 lane road (one lane in each direction, with no division in the center).

60 to 65mph is the norm in this area for interstate highways. The road I live on is 55 mph where my driveway hits it, though it does drop to 50mph a couple of hundred feet further down.

If two cars hit at 50, the occupants are usually certifiably dead, so whats really the difference between hitting at 50 and hitting at, say, 80?
Its perfectly simple to keep a car on the straight and narrow at 90mph, so if its a reasonably straight road whats the problem?

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Life on earth is the global equivalent of not storing things in the fridge.

If two cars hit at 50, the occupants are usually certifiably dead, so whats really the difference between hitting at 50 and hitting at, say, 80?
Its perfectly simple to keep a car on the straight and narrow at 90mph, so if its a reasonably straight road whats the problem?

There are MANY other factors to consider besides the speed.
In 1994, I was traveling through West Virginia, on my way back from a job interview (not in West Virginia), and was struck from behind. I was probably about 2 miles per hour above or below the speed limit, which, if I remember correctly, was 65 mph. Two truck drivers ( lorrie drivers, for you Brits ;) ) said the guy that hit me had to be doing at least 80. It was fun finding out concrete helps a car bounce, listening to Dream Theater ("Under a Silver Moon") continue to play until the car stopped spinning, etc. ... . Even more fun was finding the several foot long spray from my toothpaste tube under a truck. But the best was when the other guy's car caught fire many many minutes later. Oh, and he was drunk. But, as for injuries? A scratch on the back of one of my hands that a little while later started to look like a heart and was still visible for a year. I do not recall the other guy having any injuries at all.

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Capitalize on this good fortune, one word can bring you round ... changes.

If two cars hit at 50, the occupants are usually certifiably dead, so whats really the difference between hitting at 50 and hitting at, say, 80?
Its perfectly simple to keep a car on the straight and narrow at 90mph, so if its a reasonably straight road whats the problem?

Typically in a head on collision at least one of the vehicles has some time to get slowed (at least a bit). This is why most collisions happen at below 35 MPH. This is why child seats are specified to survive and protect the child at up to 35 MPH (stupidly they are not tested at this speed).

The 55 MPH limit makes some sort of sense in congested areas around cities, but none at all in rural areas. I believe that New Mexico has a speed limit of 80 on rural interstates. For a time Montana had a "safe and reasonable" requirement on speeds on rural interstates. Before 1973, Nevada had no speed limit on many of its roads.

By the way, on which type of road are you more likely to die, a city interstate, a city street, a rural interstate, or a rural road?

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BOINC WIKI

I believe that New Mexico has a speed limit of 80 on rural interstates. For a time Montana had a "safe and reasonable" requirement on speeds on rural interstates. Before 1973, Nevada had no speed limit on many of its roads.

By the way, on which type of road are you more likely to die, a city interstate, a city street, a rural interstate, or a rural road?

Clarification: New Mexico's speed limits on Interstate highways is 75mph, but unless you are doing something stupid, you can get away with 80 and sometimes 85. Interstate highways through the cities are 65mph.

Texas Interstates are mainly 70mph, except on Interstate 10 (might be I-20) in west Texas, where it is 80mph.

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If two cars hit at 50, the occupants are usually certifiably dead, so whats really the difference between hitting at 50 and hitting at, say, 80?
Its perfectly simple to keep a car on the straight and narrow at 90mph, so if its a reasonably straight road whats the problem?

Typically in a head on collision at least one of the vehicles has some time to get slowed (at least a bit). This is why most collisions happen at below 35 MPH. This is why child seats are specified to survive and protect the child at up to 35 MPH (stupidly they are not tested at this speed).

The 55 MPH limit makes some sort of sense in congested areas around cities, but none at all in rural areas. I believe that New Mexico has a speed limit of 80 on rural interstates. For a time Montana had a "safe and reasonable" requirement on speeds on rural interstates. Before 1973, Nevada had no speed limit on many of its roads.

By the way, on which type of road are you more likely to die, a city interstate, a city street, a rural interstate, or a rural road?

Don't we often here most accidents occur within a mile of home? Is it true? And, if so, what sorts of roads tend to be within a mile of most homes. That could lead to the answer to your question.

As for Montana, an ex-g/f told me when she lived there, her ex-husband would do 100 mph outside of Bozeman.

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There are MANY other factors to consider besides the speed.
<...>
I do not recall the other guy having any injuries at all.

If he was speeding then this causes problems with drivers within the limit, but if you had both been doing 80 then there wouldn't have been a problem.
If both cars are doing the same speed then it doesn't matter if its 30 or 130, they still won't collide. (This is two cars heading in the same direction)

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Life on earth is the global equivalent of not storing things in the fridge.

By the way, on which type of road are you more likely to die, a city interstate, a city street, a rural interstate, or a rural road?

I would rank them as follows (most dangerous to least dangerous): city street (non-residential area), city interstate, rural interstate, city street (residential area), rural road.

There are MANY other factors to consider besides the speed.
<...>
I do not recall the other guy having any injuries at all.

If he was speeding then this causes problems with drivers within the limit, but if you had both been doing 80 then there wouldn't have been a problem.
If both cars are doing the same speed then it doesn't matter if its 30 or 130, they still won't collide. (This is two cars heading in the same direction)

And therein, I think, lies the problem with the US speed limit laws being turned back over to the states about 12 years ago. If you are on an interstate that has medium to heavy traffic, there are several other drivers that go at least 5-10 mph over the limit, and enough that far exceed that. So, to be safe, even someone who would rather do the limit or maybe a little less finds themselves pushed to do at least 5-10 over the limit as well. That way, they keep with the flow of traffic, do not create a problem by going too slow and do not find people tail-gating them as much.

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Capitalize on this good fortune, one word can bring you round ... changes.

And therein, I think, lies the problem with the US speed limit laws being turned back over to the states about 12 years ago. If you are on an interstate that has medium to heavy traffic, there are several other drivers that go at least 5-10 mph over the limit, and enough that far exceed that. So, to be safe, even someone who would rather do the limit or maybe a little less finds themselves pushed to do at least 5-10 over the limit as well. That way, they keep with the flow of traffic, do not create a problem by going too slow and do not find people tail-gating them as much.

So, from that logic, the speed limit should be raised by 10 mph, agreed. :)

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Life on earth is the global equivalent of not storing things in the fridge.

And therein, I think, lies the problem with the US speed limit laws being turned back over to the states about 12 years ago. If you are on an interstate that has medium to heavy traffic, there are several other drivers that go at least 5-10 mph over the limit, and enough that far exceed that. So, to be safe, even someone who would rather do the limit or maybe a little less finds themselves pushed to do at least 5-10 over the limit as well. That way, they keep with the flow of traffic, do not create a problem by going too slow and do not find people tail-gating them as much.

Uh, that happens at any speed, regardless of where the speed limit is set. It's part of the nature of using a vehicle on public roadways.

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Cordially,
Rush

elrushbo2@theobviousgmail.com
Remove the obvious...

Uh, that happens at any speed, regardless of where the speed limit is set. It's part of the nature of using a vehicle on public roadways.

Now if there weren't any speed limits, then would this problem be reduced or increased?

I think reduced, anyone else?

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Life on earth is the global equivalent of not storing things in the fridge.

And therein, I think, lies the problem with the US speed limit laws being turned back over to the states about 12 years ago. If you are on an interstate that has medium to heavy traffic, there are several other drivers that go at least 5-10 mph over the limit, and enough that far exceed that. So, to be safe, even someone who would rather do the limit or maybe a little less finds themselves pushed to do at least 5-10 over the limit as well. That way, they keep with the flow of traffic, do not create a problem by going too slow and do not find people tail-gating them as much.

Uh, that happens at any speed, regardless of where the speed limit is set. It's part of the nature of using a vehicle on public roadways.

I don't recall it happening as much before 1995, but then I've only been driving since 1985 and the powers of observation and memory are not perfect.

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Thanks labbie.

Surely a better idea to conserve fuel would be to ban cars with huge inefficient engines, and instead sell cars with smaller, far more efficient engines.
I've always been surprised how American engines manage to get such a small amount of horsepower out of huge engines. Take, for instance, the HEMI V8, if you gave 5.7 litres to a European engineer theyd get far more out of it than 330 bhp.

Also, on a side note, my car has a 1.1 litre engine, would this sell at all in the US?

Only if you are selling a MOPED !

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Having driven in a lot of countries I am beginning to believe the reason for speed limits is not to do so much with safety or fuel economy but more to do with the cost of the roads and their maintenance.

One of the reasons there are high or no speed restrictions in Germany (the old western part) is that the autobahns were built to be military runways, during the cold war years.

From my not too good memory I think that the damage done by by a vehicle to the road is either a squared or log function on axle weight and speed. So any roads that are of a just about acceptable standard now would be totally ruined in a year if the speed limits were raised 10 mph.

Andy

Interesting post, WinterKnight.

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Capitalize on this good fortune, one word can bring you round ... changes.

I find it interesting because we sell much cars from germany in the US.

What does those guys with an porsche?

Driving 55 mph would be an joke in germany.
I drive almost over 230 kph should be around 110 mph on the highways.

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With each crime and every kindness we birth our future.

I find it interesting because we sell much cars from germany in the US.

What does those guys with an porsche?

Driving 55 mph would be an joke in germany.
I drive almost over 230 kph should be around 110 mph on the highways.

Multiply by the fraction 5/8 to convert from kph to mph.

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Capitalize on this good fortune, one word can bring you round ... changes.

I find it interesting because we sell much cars from germany in the US.

What does those guys with an porsche?

Driving 55 mph would be an joke in germany.
I drive almost over 230 kph should be around 110 mph on the highways.

Mike, on which Highway here in Germany can you drive so fast? A27 at Saturday night is the only possibility, which i know.
But i agree with you. It is a very good thing, that we can drive so fast, as we can.

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I find it interesting because we sell much cars from germany in the US.

What does those guys with an porsche?

Driving 55 mph would be an joke in germany.
I drive almost over 230 kph should be around 110 mph on the highways.

Mike, on which Highway here in Germany can you drive so fast? A27 at Saturday night is the only possibility, which i know.
But i agree with you. It is a very good thing, that we can drive so fast, as we can.

A 45 Karlstein to Giesen.

Every day.

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With each crime and every kindness we birth our future.