Now we just need to get the NC House to do the same thing. There are several interstate stretches in this state that would be perfectly safe on which to set an 85 mph limit.

Quote :

"Texas House approves nation's fastest speed limit at 85 mph They say everything is bigger in Texas, and now it seems everything might be faster too. The House of Representatives in Texas has approved a new transportation bill, and it includes legislation that would allow the Texas Department of Transportation to raise speed limits to 85 miles per hour. The state's Senate is presently considering a similar measure. The DOT cannot simply go out and slap up a fresh new set of 85-mph speed limit signs. Both engineering and traffic studies must be done before motorists are given a green light to those increased speeds. Don't feel too bad for those speed-restricted Texans, though. 85 mph wouldn't be much of a stretch for Texas, since the state already enjoys 520 miles of highway with an 80-mph speed limit."

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/04/07/texas-house-approves-nations-fastest-speed-limit-at-85-mph/

4/7/2011 2:25:09 PM

nice. you have to drive fast to get across texas in a reasonable amount of time... it's such a huge state.

[Edited on April 7, 2011 at 2:28 PM. Reason : ]

4/7/2011 2:27:49 PM

We just got approval for a bump to 75 here in KS

Should be 105

4/7/2011 2:31:47 PM

I'd shit my pants for even 80.

4/7/2011 2:34:18 PM

I thought states were stuck at 70 in order to retain huge amounts of federal funding. Has this changed or are states just not worrying about it anymore?

4/7/2011 2:38:28 PM

Texas Highway Patrolmen will still be complete cocksuckers though.

4/7/2011 2:40:59 PM

TURTLES FEAR THE WORST!!!

4/7/2011 2:45:38 PM

86 will be reckless driving

4/7/2011 2:45:39 PM

A lot more roads should be 80mph and the cops should enforce the slower traffic to keep right more

4/7/2011 2:50:27 PM

^more efficient traffic flow FTW

Quote :

"I thought states were stuck at 70 in order to retain huge amounts of federal funding. Has this changed or are states just not worrying about it anymore?"

I believe that ended in the mid 90s (and it was 65 then I think). The limit is 75-80 mph in several western states. There's nothing (federal) holding back NC from bumping up their limits.

4/7/2011 3:08:12 PM

I-40 East of Raleigh should be 85. 64 would be a good candidate too.

4/7/2011 3:26:50 PM

I think interstates should be completely lawless like Mad Max.

4/7/2011 3:27:56 PM

Considering I was doing 85 in a 70s all last weekend, with nary a warning from the half-dozen State Troopers I passed, I suspect this means that triple digits will be an acceptable rate of speed.




Nice.



Also, this was Montana's speed limit until 1999:

4/7/2011 3:35:57 PM

speed limits only exist so that insurance companies don't have to pay out as much money as they used to in accidents. same with the seatbelt law.

4/7/2011 4:35:22 PM

one more reason for me to move to Texas.

4/7/2011 4:52:54 PM

that stretch of hwy 70 between kinston and new bern where it's 70 mph should be bumped up

4/7/2011 5:03:50 PM

^Some of that shit between Raleigh and the Outer Banks on 64 should be 80, easily.

Also a higher speed limit on 40 and 540 would be tits. Would actually improve traffic flow as you'd get more cars on and off that sumbitch.

4/7/2011 5:21:59 PM

^^ agreed there is stretches where there is no turns or civilization and most the time no cars for 30 miles.

4/7/2011 5:37:23 PM

85 is rarely ever safe

how can you expect to brake quickly enough in an emergency going that fast?

that also means it'll be "acceptable" to go like 93, which is ridiculous

4/7/2011 5:51:51 PM

you increase your following distance. people travel at 85 (and 93) all the time, its not always unsafe.

4/7/2011 5:54:08 PM

Haha if i ever got my POS up to 93 I think the wheels would fall off of it.

4/7/2011 5:55:47 PM

140 on some stretches seems reasonable to me...

4/7/2011 6:19:44 PM

Quote :

"you increase your following distance. people travel at 85 (and 93) all the time, its not always unsafe."

You are assuming the person isn't a fucking moron and actually knows how to follow at a safe distance, which from my experience is not the case with most people.

4/7/2011 6:44:02 PM

Quote :

"85 is rarely ever safe how can you expect to brake quickly enough in an emergency going that fast? "

You need a ride in my 'Vette.

4/7/2011 7:03:35 PM

KEEP YOUR EYEESSSS ON THE ROAD YOUR HANDS UP ON THE WHEEEL!!

4/7/2011 7:06:08 PM

JESUS TAKE THE WHEEL

4/7/2011 7:08:38 PM

4/7/2011 7:12:58 PM

My shit already drinks enough gas. I have no desire to drive 85 mph when gas is $3.50+ per gallon. Most idiots don't realize driving your 4 cyl civic at 3,500 rpm gets you roughly the same gas mileage as my truck going 65 mph.

4/7/2011 8:15:01 PM

I drive 100 mph in Texas

4/7/2011 8:46:34 PM

Quote :

"85 is rarely ever safe how can you expect to brake quickly enough in an emergency going that fast? ""

Because if you’re on a long, desolate, straight stretch of road in texas, what are you braking for?

I highly doubt youll see those 85MPH speed limits on busy roads. I would bet it’s mostly deserted back roads where you could safely floor it if you wanted to.

4/7/2011 8:49:29 PM

oh nm, I see its not much more over their current speed limit on some hwys.

[Edited on April 7, 2011 at 8:54 PM. Reason : j]

4/7/2011 8:52:27 PM

Quote :

"You are assuming the person isn't a fucking moron and actually knows how to follow at a safe distance, which from my experience is not the case with most people."

we make this assumption at every speed

4/7/2011 8:59:30 PM

shit, a lot of people drive 80 on the beltline....100 mph in the desert is perfectly reasonable

4/7/2011 9:00:47 PM

Quote :

"Because if you’re on a long, desolate, straight stretch of road in texas, what are you braking for? I highly doubt youll see those 85MPH speed limits on busy roads."

i highly doubt you'll see long, desolate, straight streches of limited access highways in NC where this speed limit would be applicable.

4/7/2011 9:17:17 PM

As long as shit like this keeps happening, I don't see speed limits being increased...





I'm all for this though \/ Studies in the past show that when there wasn't a posted speed limit, drivers were actually safer and there were fewer incidents of vehicle altercations and injuries. But when you post a speed limit sign up, people get a false sense of security that the posted speed limit is safe at all times. Let people drive what they are comfortable at, within reason.

And I'm all for advanced driving licenses that permit you to drive faster on highways when conditions permit.

4/7/2011 9:35:32 PM

Quote :

"My shit already drinks enough gas. I have no desire to drive 85 mph when gas is $3.50+ per gallon. Most idiots don't realize driving your 4 cyl civic at 3,500 rpm gets you roughly the same gas mileage as my truck going 65 mph."

Nah, your truck still gets worse gas mileage. However yes its true gas mileage goes down as speed increases. That's the beauty of a speed limit...you see it's up to you how fast you want to go. If you only want to go 70-75 then good for you

[Edited on April 7, 2011 at 11:14 PM. Reason : k]

4/7/2011 11:13:10 PM

Quote :

"i highly doubt you'll see long, desolate, straight streches of limited access highways in NC where this speed limit would be applicable."

i see that you have never driven to new bern

4/7/2011 11:18:24 PM

haha, i live in new bern, and go to raleigh a lot. the speed limit on that stretch of road coming from kinston should be, like 140 mph.

4/7/2011 11:21:06 PM

i may have set my cruise control near that before
or maybe i'm just kidding and not incriminating myself

4/7/2011 11:24:13 PM

Quote :

"I have no desire to drive 85 mph when gas is $3.50+ per gallon. "

This here is kinda goes along with what I've mentioned... Actually it adds on to it.

Quote :

"But when you post a speed limit sign up, people get a false sense of security that the posted speed limit is safe at all times."

Many people are also misconceived that they must go travel at the speed limit. Just because the speed limit is 45mph or 70mph doesn't mean you are obligated to drive that fast on the road. A speed limit sign tells you what speed the state you are driving in has deemed safe for that road pending favorable traffic and weather conditions. If you don't want to drive that fast, then by all means, drive slower. (as long as you aren't interfering with traffic and making a hazard out of yourself).

[Edited on April 7, 2011 at 11:26 PM. Reason : .]

4/7/2011 11:25:47 PM

DID SOMEONE SAY HOUSE??!?!




[Edited on April 7, 2011 at 11:29 PM. Reason : d]

4/7/2011 11:27:57 PM

I have not noticed a difference in gas mileage driving 85 versus 65, in fact, the FASTER I go the LONGER distances I go.

I get the worst mileage in city driving 5 mph between stoplights

4/7/2011 11:33:28 PM

Quote :

"haha, i live in new bern, and go to raleigh a lot. the speed limit on that stretch of road coming from kinston should be, like 140 mph."

QFT

as I stated earlier in the thread there is 30 miles of absolutely straight four lane highway with trees cut back from the road and around 100 cars per hour.

4/7/2011 11:34:04 PM

Quote :

"^Some of that shit between Raleigh and the Outer Banks on 64 should be 80, easily."

Some of that stretch is definitely wide, flat, and empty. The problem is places like Plymouth, where stoplights suddenly appear, or like the final stretch between Washington and Nags Head where it's two lanes and if you run off the road you go into a deep canal. Not that the limit would stay 80/85, but people would fail to notice, or ignore, the signs telling them to slow back down.

4/8/2011 12:23:44 PM

this gonna go over well with the styrofoam cup boys

4/8/2011 12:24:25 PM

^^The other problem with those small towns is that you will always, always, always experience some local pulling out of a gas station or fast food place right in front of you. If there isn't a car behind you for miles it only increases their chances of pulling out in front of you. If there are multiple lanes they will pull into the one you are in - even if means pulling directly into the far left lane.

Of course this is why the speed limit drops near those towns, but still this sort of thing gets my goat. Pass a law making it legal to ram those guys.

4/8/2011 12:51:12 PM

Quote :

"this gonna go over well with the styrofoam cup boys"

It may not effect them that much, most of those guys just cruise anyways

4/8/2011 1:02:22 PM

^^Your argument has absolutely nothing to do with interstate "spec" roads, which are the only type of roads that would ever be considered for speed limits this high anywhere.

The key to getting people to take a change like this seriously is quite simple (and you can look to European countries for examples). In rural areas you leave enforcement quite lax, but as soon as you are near a town/in a town then you enforce the rule quite severely, i.e. pull over anyone for going more than 9 over whatever the (reduced from high speed) limit is there. After a few months people will get the message.

4/12/2011 11:32:58 AM

Quote :

"Most idiots don't realize driving your 4 cyl civic at 3,500 rpm gets you roughly the same gas mileage as my truck going 65 mph."

Nope. I check MPG in my Civic on every tank and all of the best tanks have been the 80 MPH drives to Wilmington and back. I'll routinely get 35-36 MPG going 80 MPH and I have yet to see anything better than that at any speed. I might pick up one or two MPG if I did the same drive at a slower speed, but I'm still beating the gas mileage of any truck you might drive by a longshot.

[Edited on April 12, 2011 at 1:01 PM. Reason : s]

4/12/2011 12:59:19 PM

set em up

4/12/2011 1:06:26 PM