Texas raised the speed limit to 85

HTguru1982

I can't believe so many of you agree with this. I've lost two brothers in automobile accidents related to speeding. Increasing an already high speed limit is just asking for trouble. I pray that those driving at these speeds stay safe.

bobman1235

RuSsMaN wrote: »

Sweet, I wonder if the cruise control works at 105 in the Suburban? Scratch that, I wonder if my tires can handle it?

Most cruise controls I've seen are capped around 85. **** automakers.

exalted512

RuSsMaN wrote: »

Sweet, I wonder if the cruise control works at 105 in the Suburban? Scratch that, I wonder if my tires can handle it?

Your suburban should be governed at 99mph.
-Cody

codyc1ark

HTguru1982 wrote: »

I can't believe so many of you agree with this. I've lost two brothers in automobile accidents related to speeding. Increasing an already high speed limit is just asking for trouble. I pray that those driving at these speeds stay safe.

I agree. 100%

ViperZ

HTguru1982 wrote: »

I can't believe so many of you agree with this. I've lost two brothers in automobile accidents related to speeding. Increasing an already high speed limit is just asking for trouble. I pray that those driving at these speeds stay safe.

I'm sorry about you losing your brothers, but yet again, it's the drivers' education that needs to be improved, not speed limits lowered. If we will continue to have some people on the highways flying 100+ and others trying literally to stop them by doing 50 in the left lane, making unsafe lane changes (how many times have you seen people changing lanes without checking their blind spot and turning on their turn signals?), then deadly accidents will continue to happen.
In Ontario, we have a 3-level drivers licensing system. I think, the proper multi-level drivers license system will help reduce accidents and educate the new drivers. Our 3-level system is currently poorly managed (moved from government to private ownership, tons of crooks, etc.) but it is still better than what you have in the States.

I was scared when a bunch of us (students) moved to California several years ago for work. Some of us had a G1 level license (i.e. they passed their written test, but never drove a car, or at most drove with adult supervision on the streets, not highways). ALL OF US went to the MTO and got our FULL LICENSES THAT DAY. That driving test was A JOKE - drive around the block with 25/30/35 mph speed limits on the streets, park on the side and go back. You were allowed FOURTEEN mistakes. If that's what it takes to get a license and go drive on the highway in the States, then no wonder people HAVE NO CLUE how to properly behave themselves on the road, where to drive properly, how to deal with emergencies, etc. etc.

I haven't taken a driving safety course for 10 years until the last year, when I had to take the motorcycle safety / driving course (to move me from level 1 to level 2 for that license). It was an eye opener, and helped me being more aware of what's happening on the road. Again, proper EDUCATION.

Jstas

RuSsMaN wrote: »

Sweet, I wonder if the cruise control works at 105 in the Suburban? Scratch that, I wonder if my tires can handle it?

My truck can have the cruise set at 149 MPH. Tires are good to 155+ MPH.

I could probably set the cruise control higher but the truck has a limiter. I guess Ford thought it was prudent that pickup trucks shouldn't be doing 165 MPH on streets.

Airplay355

I'm jealous, highways here have a speed limit of 65 and some parts it's 55 still. There's a highway going through the city (Portland Maine) that is 50. Causes tons of traffic during rush hour.

Just one more reason why I hate Maine. It's vacation land for a reason, no one in their right mind would like staying here.

audiobliss

Have set the cruise in our '01 Suburban at 99 before. Works fine.

AsSiMiLaTeD

Jstas wrote: »

My truck can have the cruise set at 149 MPH. Tires are good to 155+ MPH.

I could probably set the cruise control higher but the truck has a limiter. I guess Ford thought it was prudent that pickup trucks shouldn't be doing 165 MPH on streets.

But apparently its ok for them to be doing 149 :-)

I never understood setting a limiter at something like 150 MPH, like 150 is really that much worse than 130. There comes a point at which the difference between speeds doesn't really matter anymore.

I say either set the limiter at a reasonable level that makes sense (100 mph?) or just don't set a limiter at all (my personal preference).

exalted512

Agreed. I find it comical that some of the liter bikes are governed at 175+. Because wrecking at 175 is some how less deadly than 200...
-Cody

Jstas

AsSiMiLaTeD wrote: »

But apparently its ok for them to be doing 149 :-)

I never understood setting a limiter at something like 150 MPH, like 150 is really that much worse than 130. There comes a point at which the difference between speeds doesn't really matter anymore.

I say either set the limiter at a reasonable level that makes sense (100 mph?) or just don't set a limiter at all (my personal preference).

Two reasons. One, insurance rates. Two, tire cost.

A tire that can support the weight a 2.24 ton truck and run at 140+ MPH is going to cost about $300 each for the cheapest ones. If they want to be able to sell a truck to someone who would buy a truck, they can't price the truck out of the price range that the guy who would buy a truck can afford.

So, put 149 MPH rubber on there and set the limiter to 149. Granted, limiters go by engine RPM, not vehicle speed so it ends up getting set where ever, say, 4,000 RPM in the top gear lands you. Depending on conditions, the rev limiter in my truck will stop me anywhere between 140 and 150 MPH.

Now, if I take out the rev limiter an tell my insurance company, they will jack up my rates 300% or just drop coverage altogether. If I take out the rev limiter, don't tell them and get in to a wreck, not only will they not cover my claim or the other involved party's claim but they will drop coverage and in NJ, they can bring suit against me for fraud.

Now, in NJ, I have no place wide open enough to get a 2.25 ton hunk of metal up to 149 MPH anyway so no sense in removing it. I could go racing but with a truck, there is no sanctioning body that has a class that I can race it in other than amateur or exhibition classes. So about the only racing I can do with it is SCCA Solo2 or Autocross or brackets at the drag strip. If teh drag strip is running an index class that I can run in, I can race in that too as long as I have the safety equipment. But that's it unless some small event has a specific class for trucks like an NMRA event or a Fun Ford Weekend. If I did remove the rev limiter for racing though, to be able to run in a class that I could reach those speeds of 149+ MPH, it wouldn't matter about insurance anyway because the truck would be so far from stock that it wouldn't be street legal anyway.

Now I know a guy in Germany with a Lightning who had his truck shipped over here to have Jim D'Amore at JDM Engineering in Freehold remove the rev limiter and do a dyno tune on his truck. Added an exhaust system and a new pulley. He was putting down over 470 horsepower to the wheels. He used to have a friend ride with him and film top speed blasts in the middle of the night on the Autobahn. His truck was knocking on the 180 MPH mark with his mods and no rev limiter. He said when he was stock, he had a hand programmer that would let him remove his rev limiter and he was clocked at 162 MPH with nothing left in it.

Gadabout

The roads in West Texas, on I-10 will be the ones going to 85. However, with this new bill I'm hoping we can get rid of the almost universal 70 Mph. Lots of open highways around Texas, no just on the way too or from El Paso. it would be nice to have some of these posted at 75 or 80 too.

There are some pretty progressive driving laws out west that a lot of the US could use.
- Left Lane is Passing Only.
-- Once your done passing you move to the right.

- You get 5 or more cars behind you don't pull to the right lane when it's available or onto a turnout on a 2 lane road - ticket.

- Merging onto the freeway. (there are no yield signs at on ramps)
-- The person on the merge lane is to quickly get to freeway speed and it is the responsibility of the person in the right hand lane to slow or speed up to let you in.

- No trucks (meaning 3 axles and includes you towing your trailer) in the left lane, if there is 3 lanes of traffic in your direction.
-- No trucks in the right hand or left hand lane if there are 4 or more lanes of traffic in your direction. The exception for the right lane is if you are within 2 miles of your exit.

All it takes is a bit of enforcement and folks get used to these laws pretty quick. That and a few stories on the nightly news is usually enough to wake most people up to the laws or at least start someone nagging in the car about it.

The majority of Americans aren't ready for Autobahn driving. They are too distracted. Passing on the Autobahn is an adventure. Once in the left lane you need to keep an eye behind you for at least a mile. Even if your driving at 155 Kph (96 mph) you will get your doors blown off by someone. The trucks that pass, immediately move to the right as soon as the passed vehicle lights flash to let them know they have cleared them. This is usually at about 3 - 6 ft of clearance.

There are no billboards on the Autobahn. The roads are scrupulously maintained. No pot holes, holes and bad spots are repaired immediately. They have a vehicle out there that washes all the road side reflectors to make it safer for night high speed driving. The Germans don't understand the why we have cup holders in a car. Americans get into fender benders. As someone mentioned above, Germans in wrecks are casualties. Perhaps that is part of the reason they drive with more seriousness. All that being said, if you get a chance to drive on the autobahn, it's a great experience.

Just don't do what I did. Got back to the US from a 3 weeks stay in Germany very late. Plane landed at about 1am due to delays. I hit the road about 2a and started heading home. No one on the road and then I see rollers in the rear view and I glance down and I'm going 105. I slow down and as expected get pulled over. The cop asks the usual question about "Do I know how fast I was going?" I responded that I didn't realize how fast I was going till I saw his lights and then I slowed down. He asked how could I not realize that I was going that fast. I explained my story and showed him my passport with the recent stamp for returning to the US. I didn't get out of the ticket, but he took pity on me and only wrote me up for going 80 in a 65.

Scott

HTguru1982

ViperZ wrote: »

I'm sorry about you losing your brothers, but yet again, it's the drivers' education that needs to be improved, not speed limits lowered. If we will continue to have some people on the highways flying 100+ and others trying literally to stop them by doing 50 in the left lane, making unsafe lane changes (how many times have you seen people changing lanes without checking their blind spot and turning on their turn signals?), then deadly accidents will continue to happen.
In Ontario, we have a 3-level drivers licensing system. I think, the proper multi-level drivers license system will help reduce accidents and educate the new drivers. Our 3-level system is currently poorly managed (moved from government to private ownership, tons of crooks, etc.) but it is still better than what you have in the States.

I was scared when a bunch of us (students) moved to California several years ago for work. Some of us had a G1 level license (i.e. they passed their written test, but never drove a car, or at most drove with adult supervision on the streets, not highways). ALL OF US went to the MTO and got our FULL LICENSES THAT DAY. That driving test was A JOKE - drive around the block with 25/30/35 mph speed limits on the streets, park on the side and go back. You were allowed FOURTEEN mistakes. If that's what it takes to get a license and go drive on the highway in the States, then no wonder people HAVE NO CLUE how to properly behave themselves on the road, where to drive properly, how to deal with emergencies, etc. etc.

I haven't taken a driving safety course for 10 years until the last year, when I had to take the motorcycle safety / driving course (to move me from level 1 to level 2 for that license). It was an eye opener, and helped me being more aware of what's happening on the road. Again, proper EDUCATION.

Thanks.

This is the population we're talking about. Most of us are too stupid that we shouldn't even be allowed to leave our homes. I believe our government should be able to step in and say, "Hey tards, here are some rules to keep you idiots safer". Why they would INCREASE the speed limit is beyond me. And not that this matters to me personally but I find it hilarious that so many people complain about rising fuel prices but they still want to drive 70, 75, 80 miles per hour everywhere they go. Oh, the irony...

exalted512

I get better mileage in my truck at 80 than I do at 70.
-Cody