Get your motor running, head out on the highway, Texas speed limits going up

[greench440]

At a time when the legislative idiots in my part of the country are lowering speed limits and jacking up fines to cover budget problems, it's nice to see that a small pocket of reasonableness persists.

Texas backs 85mph speed limit.  

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/7511083.html

[Burnspot]

I love this line from the insurance guy mentioned in that article:

"But 85 mph is simply too fast to drive even on a flat road. Any little hitch can cause an accident at that speed. There is still traffic on those roads, and to drive 85 mph is simply ludicrous,"

Has he actually driven across Texas? Seems like any speed is too much for this fella, lol.

[Hoochie Papa]

I would think Insurance companies would be loving it. After all, it is a justifiable reason to hike insurance rates full well knowing the risk factor increase is negligible.

[Rogue]

I love this line from the insurance guy mentioned in that article:

"But 85 mph is simply too fast to drive even on a flat road. Any little hitch can cause an accident at that speed. There is still traffic on those roads, and to drive 85 mph is simply ludicrous,"

Has he actually driven across Texas? Seems like any speed is too much for this fella, lol.

I hope it succeeds.  Go Texas!  

As for that insurance guy, it's obvious he has never driven farther than 12 miles from his suburban home.  He probably obeys every speed limit there is thinking he could die at any moment.  

Any little hitch get kill you at 55 too so WTF does that matter?  Just walk then!

[greench440]

Kansas also raising speed limits!  Hope this becomes a trend and my legislators feel compelled to be like all the other cool kids and raise our speed limits.  I still think there is no hope for Oregon though.

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2011/04/kansas-legislature-approves-75-mph-speed-limit/

The bill also includes a provision to let motorcycles run red lights that refuse to change.

[dorklord]

I hope it succeeds.  Go Texas!  

As for that insurance guy, it's obvious he has never driven farther than 12 miles from his suburban home.  He probably obeys every speed limit there is thinking he could die at any moment.  

Any little hitch get kill you at 55 too so WTF does that matter?  Just walk then!

Have you SEEN what can happen when your sneaker catches a crack in the sidewalk at full walk?

[Rincewind]

Are you listening, Pennsylvania???    We are a 65mph State.    

[Justin]

Are you listening, Pennsylvania???    We are a 65mph State.    

I pity you  

I'm so used to the 75 MPH and 80 MPH limits out west here, it seems so slow going 65 anymore.

And what's the big deal about 85 MPH? Only 5 faster than 80.. was riding I-70 in Utah on the weekend and the limit is 80, and I didn't see cars flying off the road, or disintegrating when the came across any little "hitch".

[Cablebandit]

Are you listening, Pennsylvania???    We are a 65mph State.    

We're also broke.  I'm surprised they haven't lowered it to raise revenue via ticketing.

[mcb]

wow, as a Kansas native living in Texas, both of those stories make me happy.  Also, the Kansas bit about not reporting tickets under 85mph to insurance companies pretty much removes any monetary concerns I had for obeying limits when I'm traveling through my home state.  I one time 200-300 dollar ticket doesn't bother me as much as raised insurance for 3 years.  

[DataDan]

From the Houston Chronicle article linked above:

Some auto insurers oppose the measure, citing safety concerns.

"Obviously, the two things that kill most people on our highways are speed and alcohol. Increasing it to 85, or even 75, will have a dramatic impact on the death and injury rate on those highways where it's implemented," said Jerry Johns, a spokesman for the Southwestern Insurance Information Service.

He said drivers already exceed 70 mph highway speed limits.

"But 85 mph is simply too fast to drive even on a flat road. Any little hitch can cause an accident at that speed. There is still traffic on those roads, and to drive 85 mph is simply ludicrous," he said.
In 2002 some Texas limits were raised from 70 to 75mph, and in 2006 80mph became legal on a few roads. From a Fox News story about the latter outrage:

"This will result in more deaths. The research is pretty clear about that," said Russ Rader, spokesman for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. "You get someplace faster but at what cost?"
Fatal crashes have been declining steadily for many years--in the US and in Texas--for reasons that probably have nothing to do with speed limits or speed enforcement. But with increasingly high limits in Texas, the insurance industry geniuses quoted above would surely expect a greater percentage of the carnage on high-speed freeways. This chart shows the percentage of fatal crashes in Texas on roadways with a speed limit of 70 or more.

[scottzilla]

I've driven in Texas numerous times and determined ANY speed is dangerous for Texans.

[Rogue]

I'm sure they don't advertise it but collisions in the German Autobahns are pretty horrific.  When it happens at high speed there is usually nothing left but debris.  That is just fact.  People make mistakes and shit happens.  It's physics and you can't change that.

Raising the speed limits to 80-85 in rural areas where there is nothing around for miles just lessens the gap from the limit to what is the "natural" limit imposed by conditions to the average motorist.  If on average, people are doing 80 in a 65 then it's usually an indication that the road and conditions allow those speeds.  Yes the margin for error is smaller at 80.  The answer is to increase or improve driver's training.

It's not the speed limit that will improve safety, it's Driver's Training.  No amount of cops and 55 mph is going to help us more than improved and frequent Driver's Training, backed up with reasonable and smart speed laws and enforcement.

Right now, our speed enforcement is based on revenue generation.  Everyone knows it and everyone involved in this system is indirectly "on the take" on it.  From cities, counties, States, courthouses, insurance companies, etc.  

You know why the insurance companies are against it?  Because traffic citations will go down and they will have no reason to raise your rates.  Fooking blood sucking lawyers and thieves!  

[Fourstring]

I pity you  

I'm so used to the 75 MPH and 80 MPH limits out west here, it seems so slow going 65 anymore.

Chicago's 'burbs are all 55 mph.  I defy anybody to drive that speed and live.

We took a recent family vacation to Georgia; once we got out of IL it was surreal to see other cars going 80 like it was no big deal.

[J-Mac]

Making it legal to shoot the people merging onto the Interstate at 20 MPH will weed out the problem pretty quick.

[county]

The thing about speed limits is they are kinda irrelevant to a lot of us.

[Smoker]

Are you listening, Pennsylvania???    We are a 65mph State.    

Never stopped you from triple digits.

[Kneescrubber]

This is only a 5 mph increase of what is already in place. The only areas this will affect will be sections of I-10 between Sonora and El Paso and sections of I-20 between Midland and El Paso. I really don't get the big brew-ha-ha.  

[Kneescrubber]

The thing about speed limits is they are kinda irrelevant to a lot of us.

Correct. They are merely a suggestion.  

[Andrew]

Making it legal to shoot the people merging onto the Interstate at 20 MPH will weed out the problem pretty quick.

I am with you on that

[jstark47]

The answer is to increase or improve driver's training.  It's not the speed limit that will improve safety, it's Driver's Training.

You can't train Idiots.  All you get is a more accomplished and facile Idiot.  

[Thunderbox]

I hope it succeeds.  Go Texas!  

As for that insurance guy, it's obvious he has never driven farther than 12 miles from his suburban home.  He probably obeys every speed limit there is thinking he could die at any moment.  

Any little hitch get kill you at 55 too so WTF does that matter?  Just walk then!

Good plan.  Put more pressure on the price of fuel and the oil giants will increase prices yet again.  Yah good plan Texas.

[DosEquis00]

I hope it passes  

[staedtler]

  ...  

[BamaBiker]

The thing about speed limits is they are kinda irrelevant to a lot of us.

They are only relevant when LEO is on the prowl.

[2DFlyer]

Insurance companies are blowing smoke.  Behind the public face the bean counters gotta love it.  Burial is cheaper than life support.

[Rogue]

Good plan.  Put more pressure on the price of fuel and the oil giants will increase prices yet again.  Yah good plan Texas.

Like that will affect the price of oil.  

People all over are already cruising at 80-85 in most Western interstates.  

[vguy]

Right now around here on the freeways, about half the cars are doing over 80 anyway (when they can) in a 65 to 70 speed limit. Bikes run a little faster.

The last time I was in Germany, I was going from Hannover to Berlin on the AB. Its about 160 km (100 miles). I legally made it in one hour -- so what's wrong with that?
BTW: I was passed by a few cars doing 150+.

[Rogue]

Some people are just speed Nazis.

That's because anyone going faster than them are assholes.  The ones going slower are idiots.  

[vguy]

When those speed nazis were thinking "idiot" as they passed me doing only 100.
I was thinking, I should have rented a Bimmer instead of this French mini-mini van.

[st2sam]

I hope it passes  

+100
God bless Texas!
IMO - that high of a speed limit would be a bit much for 90% of PA's roads, but I can still dream.

[BwanaDik]

I did a BB1500 last December from Houston to Baker, CA, mostly on I-10.  The only place anyone was running under 80 MPH was the short stretch from Tucson to Phoenix.  Not many over 90 MPH though.

[jrw600]

I love this line from the insurance guy mentioned in that article:

"But 85 mph is simply too fast to drive even on a flat road. Any little hitch can cause an accident at that speed. There is still traffic on those roads, and to drive 85 mph is simply ludicrous,"

Has he actually driven across Texas? Seems like any speed is too much for this fella, lol.

He actually has a point, hit this at 85 and it would be diaster...  

[Cricket1]

Its great Texas and Kansas are doing this! Most of the interstate highway system was designed in the 1950's for 80mph. That was for vehicles with 1950's technology and tires.   Obviously the death rate per million miles driven was MUCH higher in the 50's., but has been coming down ever since. 2009 saw the least deaths on the nations highways in the modern era. Something like 1.6 deaths per million miles traveled.

Back when Montana changed their speed limit to "safe and prudent", there was not wholesale carnage. The average speed was about 80 mph. Artifically low limits have fooled lots of people into thinking drivers will continue to always go over the limit. Not true. When it is 55, 60, 65 and the road is designed for 80, well yeah people will go faster. When its 75-80 or so, few will drive much faster. Will there be a small minority that goes way over, sure and they need to be punished.

[Sprintboy]

All they are doing is leaglizing what folks are doing anyway.  Especially in West Texas - I've had troopers pass me and wave while I was doing 80.  

God bless Texas!

[tigertom1965]

Driving 65 on many of the roads in PA is dangerous. These condition of these roads are deplorable. Then in the Poconos you also have these friggin NYC drivers that have never driven before they started commuting from here to NYC. They are the nutcases going 80 in a 50 or 55 zone. Personally I will not speed up to 80 just because the rest of traffic in doing 80. I don't feel like I need to go much above 60 in a 50 or 55 or much above 70 in a 65 zone. I have but I just don't want the ticket or insurance rate hike that comes with it. Insurance rates are already outta sight because of the no helmet needed laws those stupid ABATE people got passed here. 85mph on the highway would just mean people would figure they could get away with going 90 or 100 on roads that were never designed for anything over 55.

[Johnny Monsoon]

Making it legal to shoot the people merging onto the Interstate at 20 MPH will weed out the problem pretty quick.

Make it legal to shoot the people breaking the law who fail to move into the inner lane, and we'll be better off.  Drivers are supposed to yield to vehicles entering the highway by moving into the passing lane (weird, it's like you're passing a slower moving vehicle...).  There are a bunch of cars that don't have the gusto to get from 25 to 75 by the time you get to the highway merge, but so far as I know, all vehicles have the ability to move into the passing lane.

Pet peeve.

[tigertom1965]

Ummm! I am not sure what state you live in, but in PA, NJ, NH, and NYS the person entering the highway is supposed to yield to traffic that is already flowing not the other way around. It is a courtesy to move over if you have the room not a law. That is one of my pet peeves that people think they have the right of way when they don't. They assume you will move out of the way instead of only pulling out when its safe to do so.

Now if you are from NYC then you definately think its everyone get the hell outta my way. If you are smart you will!