• EVERYTHING'S BIGGER IN TEXAS - 85 mph (140 km/h) Limits up for consideration to be posted on Highway
    75 replies, posted
[url]http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/07/highway-san-antonio-austin-first-post-85-mph-speed-limit-fastest_n_1579410.html[/url] [QUOTE]SAN ANTONIO, June 7 (Reuters) - A stretch of highway under construction in Texas could be the first U.S. road to have a posted 85 mile per hour speed limit, according to the Texas Department of Transportation. Texas State Highway 130 will run between San Antonio and Austin with the aim of taking traffic loads off of Interstate 35. The major north-south highway was named the fourth most congested road in the state by the Texas Department of Transportation last year. Most of Highway 130 is built - and speed limits are posted at 80 mph - with the remaining section set to open before the end of this year. "We'll definitely take a look at that stretch, and we will conduct speed studies to see what that speed limit will be," Darren McDaniel, the Texas Department of Transportation's speed management director, said at a conference this week. The Texas Legislature passed a law last year that allowed speed limits of up to 85 mph on newly constructed highways that were determined to be safe enough to allow such speeds. Texas and Utah are currently the only states with speed limits of 80 mph. The 85 mph speed limit would be the fastest posted maximum in the Western Hemisphere and the second fastest in the world, according to Rhino Car Hire, a European car rental company. It said a speed of 140 kilometers per hour, or about 86 mph, is posted on some roads in Poland. Before the federally mandated 55 mph speed limit was approved in 1974, several Western states had high speed limits, and Montana and Nevada had some roads with no posted speed limits at all. Germany's Autobahn system has no posted speed limits for passenger cars, but speed is restricted for other types of vehicles. Critics say higher speed limits will lead to more fatal accidents, but McDaniel said the safest roads are ones where all motorists are traveling the same speed. Studies of drivers on that stretch of highway now show most are traveling about 85 mph, he said. "The more people we can get to travel a uniform speed, the safer are the conditions that will exist," McDaniel said on Wednesday at the annual Texas Transportation Institute road safety conference in San Antonio. Officials first proposed the 85 mph speed limit on a now cancelled toll road project, in hopes that it would convince more motorists to choose toll roads, and lessen congestion on free stretches of highway. (Editing by Paul Thomasch and Leslie [/QUOTE] No wonder the Camaro is making a comeback with police departments around here.
People already do 85 on the stretches of highway with a posted limit of 80. (they also do 85 on all the other Texas highways too, often) Going 5 over is seems like an unspoken rule here and the cops don't care unless the road is really busy or you're driving like an idiot. I don't see a problem with this.
[QUOTE=OvB;36294895]Going 5 over is seems like an unspoken rule here and the cops don't care unless the road is really busy or you're driving like an idiot. I don't see a problem with this.[/QUOTE] Same here in Michigan.
[QUOTE=OvB;36294895]People already do 85 on the stretches of highway with a posted limit of 80. (they also do 85 on all the other Texas highways too, often) Going 5 over is seems like an unspoken rule here and the cops don't care unless the road is really busy or you're driving like an idiot. I don't see a problem with this.[/QUOTE] You would think that be universal (I live in Texas aswell), but as soon as my dad crossed into Louisiana, he got a 5 mph over speeding ticket on a 75 mph limit :/
Recently, cops 'round here started pulling people over for going slightly too fast (5 mph over, and literally 1 mph over in one case. The 'criminals' were an elderly man and a teacher, respectively) and are generally being assholes. [editline]11th June 2012[/editline] Seriously, its like a car kidnapped their families or something.
[QUOTE=OvB;36294895]People already do 85 on the stretches of highway with a posted limit of 80. (they also do 85 on all the other Texas highways too, often) Going 5 over is seems like an unspoken rule here and the cops don't care unless the road is really busy or you're driving like an idiot. I don't see a problem with this.[/QUOTE] Try 20 over. While driving into Atlanta the speed limit shifts from 65 to 55, and everyone is always going between 70 and 80. Cops don't do anything about it unless you're the only person on the road or if you are going significantly faster than the rest of traffic. Georgia also doesn't book you for going 5 over. It's legal to drive 5mph over the posted limit unless it's a special zone (schools, construction, etc.).
[QUOTE=OvB;36294895]People already do 85 on the stretches of highway with a posted limit of 80. (they also do 85 on all the other Texas highways too, often) Going 5 over is seems like an unspoken rule here and the cops don't care unless the road is really busy or you're driving like an idiot. I don't see a problem with this.[/QUOTE] People do 85 in a 70 up north here in MN.
My roads are all posted at 45-55. I do 60 on the 45's and about 70-75 on the 55's. Cops don't care as long as you pay attention and aren't an idiot. The problem I would face in Texas is the fact that my car can't even go 85. It starts to shudder at 75. I guess that's what you get with a '02 four cylinder Toyota Corolla. (all numbers should be treated as though I am speaking in mph)
Speed limit in TN is 70, but if you're doing that you WILL get run over eventually. The 'flow' is going 80+. Honestly with the way interstates are designed and built most of them should be hovering around 80-85MPH speed limit. Cars can handle it, the roads are good for it, let 'em run! [editline]11th June 2012[/editline] [QUOTE=valkery;36295126]It starts to shudder at 75. I guess that's what you get with a '02 four cylinder Toyota Corolla. (all numbers should be treated as though I am speaking in mph)[/QUOTE] Either tire imbalance or you need to have the alignment gone through. An 02 Corolla should run smooth as butter at 75.
I've never seen higher than 70 :\
[QUOTE=TestECull;36295144]Speed limit in TN is 70, but if you're doing that you WILL get run over eventually. The 'flow' is going 80+. Honestly with the way interstates are designed and built most of them should be hovering around 80-85MPH speed limit. Cars can handle it, the roads are good for it, let 'em run! [editline]11th June 2012[/editline] Either tire imbalance or you need to have the alignment gone through. An 02 Corolla should run smooth as butter at 75.[/QUOTE] I forgot to mention that it sucks down a quart of oil every two weeks, and it doesn't leak. The guys at the shop are at a loss.
I'd say this just increases the speed difference between vehicles. I see no reason why the people who now drive 85 mph on an 80 mph road wouldn't go up to 90 with these 85 roads. Not everyone's car(older ones, big ones) will be able to go up to those speeds and some people probably won't want to due to uncomfort or being economic. Then again, I'm not american so what do I know.
Should see what people do on the I-15. Everyone pretty much does 90.
[QUOTE=valkery;36295366]I forgot to mention that it sucks down a quart of oil every two weeks, and it doesn't leak. The guys at the shop are at a loss.[/QUOTE] Perhaps it hungers for something other than oil. Have you tried a blood sacrifice? Try tossing a baby in there. [editline]11th June 2012[/editline] [QUOTE=StackOfPoo;36295392]I'd say this just increases the speed difference between vehicles. I see no reason why the people who now drive 85 mph on an 80 mph road wouldn't go up to 90 with these 85 roads. Not everyone's car(older ones, big ones) will be able to go up to those speeds and some people probably won't want to due to uncomfort or being economic. Then again, I'm not american so what do I know.[/QUOTE] Well it further emphasizes the importance of slower traffic staying in the right lanes. It's unbelievable whenever I see someone driving 10 or 15 miles per hour slower than traffic in the two left-most lanes. It's something Americans are particularly bad about, and it's annoying. It's particularly frustrating on a two lane highway like the route that takes me to my university. It's a 45 minute drive on a 55mph two lane highway. Most people drive between 65 and 70 on it, but then you get two people driving side-by side at 60. The left lane isn't meant for cruising.
[QUOTE=OvB;36294895]People already do 85 on the stretches of highway with a posted limit of 80. (they also do 85 on all the other Texas highways too, often) Going 5 over is seems like an unspoken rule here and the cops don't care unless the road is really busy or you're driving like an idiot. I don't see a problem with this.[/QUOTE] I was always told 9 over the limit was typically what you could get away with. [editline]11th June 2012[/editline] [QUOTE=Tudd;36294971]You would think that be universal (I live in Texas aswell), but as soon as my dad crossed into Louisiana, he got a 5 mph over speeding ticket on a 75 mph limit :/[/QUOTE] It's because police in Louisiana are corrupt as shit
[QUOTE=Broseph_;36295522]I was always told 9 over the limit was typically what you could get away with. [/QUOTE] In Georgia I've always been told, it's 5 over or 10% over.
[QUOTE=StackOfPoo;36295392]I'd say this just increases the speed difference between vehicles. I see no reason why the people who now drive 85 mph on an 80 mph road wouldn't go up to 90 with these 85 roads. Not everyone's car(older ones, big ones) will be able to go up to those speeds and some people probably won't want to due to uncomfort or being economic. Then again, I'm not american so what do I know.[/QUOTE] I've done 95 in a 65 in Houston several times commuting to work. Also if a 20 year old chevy pickup with 200k miles on it can do 95 with Big Rigs keeping pace on a 4 lane highway at 10pm, the rest can manage
[QUOTE=Broseph_;36295522] It's because police in Louisiana are corrupt as shit[/QUOTE] Is ticketing someone for not following the law corrupt these days? I mean it's a dick move, to be fair, but it's far from corrupt.
[QUOTE=Edthefirst;36295597]In Georgia I've always been told, it's 5 over or 10% over.[/QUOTE] In Texas it's a statutory 25 over with a 95 cap before the tickets stick. Also they can't suspend licenses for speeding tickets in Texas.
You can go 85, but for the love of god please do not hit 88.
Hate living in this crowded state of New Jersey, where there's a light or stop sign every 20 yards :(
[QUOTE=valkery;36295366]I forgot to mention that it sucks down a quart of oil every two weeks, and it doesn't leak. The guys at the shop are at a loss.[/QUOTE] I'm not sure how they're at a loss. It's going out the tailpipe if it's not dripping onto the ground, and there's only so many places oil can get into the cylinders. A quart every two weeks is "Time to pull the head and find out what broke" severe. I'm surprised it's not smoking.
[QUOTE=yawmwen;36295622]Is ticketing someone for not following the law corrupt these days? I mean it's a dick move, to be fair, but it's far from corrupt.[/QUOTE] no, really, they are super-corrupt.
[QUOTE=TestECull;36295690]I'm not sure how they're at a loss. It's going out the tailpipe if it's not dripping onto the ground, and there's only so many places oil can get into the cylinders. A quart every two weeks is "Time to pull the head and find out what broke" severe. I'm surprised it's not smoking.[/QUOTE] I would take it back in, but seeing as how it hasn't broken down yet, we have two other cars, and it still runs fine, I am going to leave it alone for now. The speedometer tops as 110 anyway.
[QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;36295688]Hate living in this crowded state of New Jersey, where there's a light or stop sign every 20 years :([/QUOTE] Every 20 years? That's not a lot of stop lights. I wish I could go 20 years without ever hitting one.
Everyone goes 80 on the highway. I don't see the big whoop. The speed limits are more of a guideline anyways. 25 means 40 45 means 60 55 means 80+
[QUOTE=yawmwen;36295807]Every 20 years? That's not a lot of stop lights. I wish I could go 20 years without ever hitting one.[/QUOTE] *yards I'm tired. Edited the post.
Lucky bastards, here in missouri, a non Interstate highway speed limit is 55 mph, go over that, and it's ticket city.
[QUOTE=zombini;36295869]Lucky bastards, here in missouri, a non Interstate highway speed limit is 55 mph, go over that, and it's ticket city.[/QUOTE] Most NJ non interstate roads are 45, with a few here and there that are 50. I've never seen 55 or higher other than the interstate. And even there, the top is 65 and no more.
Wish we had those limits in Australia Highest speed limit in my state is 100 km/h (~60 mph), and it practically puts me to sleep driving that slow on the highway. Also leeway given by the police is only 3 km/h (under 2 mph).
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