Suzuki Samurai was Re: [geeks] SPARC proprietary (waaaay

[wa2egp at att.net]

> And the Montana answer to the 55-mi/hr speed limit:
> $5 fine payable to the officer at the time of ticket
> writing, assessable once.
> 
> Nothing in the federal law that said that the states
> had to *enforce* the speed limit, just that they had
> to have it.
> 
> The 55mph limit was passed during the "energy crisis"
> based on dubious evidence that 55mph was the optimum
> speed for highest miles per gallon.  Additional support
> for it came from the high number of highway fatalities.
> Research had shown that the highway fatality rate was
> largely due to vehicles traveling at disparate speeds
> (i.e. the speed limit was 85; some drove 90, some drove
> 85, some drove 60).

In New Jersey they (government officials) also said the fatalities
were less too.  Too bad they didn't realize that less people were
driving due to the "gas crisis" and that was a contributing factor.

> Interstate speeds in CA, AZ, NV, NM, and TX are now
> 75mph (other highways in NV and TX are as well, can't
> remember about AZ or NM); I don't know whether this
> speed was based on statistical analysis of the
> fatality rate prior to the 85 mph limit or not.

We recently went back up to 65 but with a proviso that fines
would be doubled in 65 mph zones.

> (FYI: It is a felony to drive over 85 in NV, regardless
> of conditions--they can arrest you on the spot if they
> are in the mood for it.)

I don't think my car could make it to 85, especially carrying me.